The Learning Commons
Drew Gonrowski, Ph.D., associate director for peer-assisted learning
The power of peers is central to the Learning Commons mission of facilitating students’ active and self-regulated learning potential through trained peer educators.
Students can access the Learning Commons’ peer educators by appointment in BC 163 or from anywhere online to enhance their learning strategies, writing, presentation, and group collaboration skills. Programs include the Writing Center, Math Resource Center, Natural Sciences Center, Language Studio, Speech and Presentation Lab, Group Work Lab, and tutoring support in nursing, business, and economics. The Commons develops facilitated Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) collaborative learning groups, and supplemental embedded tutoring for select courses.
Typically, nearly one-third of UP students take advantage of the Learning Commons’ programs. The effectiveness and impact of the programs are assessed through direct observation of peer educators’ engagement with students, indirect assessment through debriefings, and student surveys that measure confidence, motivation, learning strategies, and attribution of grade improvement through engagement with our peer staff.
All Learning Commons peer educators are highly trained through either for-credit training courses, certification training programs (ITTPC Level 1), or program specific training curricula.
As one of the five divisions of the Shepard Academic Resource Center, the Learning Commons provides consultative support to divisions and programs across campus to improve their efforts to increase student success. Examples include PAL and embedded tutoring programs that were developed with professional schools at UP. The Learning Commons can facilitate stakeholder planning of student success initiatives that involve peer learning support.
For more information, contact the Learning Commons at (503) 943-8002, learning@up.edu, or go to the Learning Commons webpage at www.up.edu/learningcommons.