Outstanding undergraduates in life science STEM majors are selected as peer facilitators. Peer facilitators attend the course lectures and meet once a week with the course instructor to discuss the recitation content for the next week. Peer facilitators also attend pedagogy workshops with the program co-director. Workshops include training in developing positive classroom dynamics, discussion skills, the art of asking good questions, the value of cooperative learning, the psychology of learning and development, how memory occurs, cultural competence in the classroom, motivating students, the value of repetition and elaboration, reading, and working with students in crises. Facilitators work in pairs to lead a 50 minute session of up to 30 students. Each pair leads 4 sessions per week. Recitation sessions are open to all students enrolled in the course but attendance once a week became mandatory for students scoring below a 70% on the first course exam or based on performance on a start of the semester diagnostic.
Peer Facilitators will work in pairs to conduct 4-one hour discussion sessions for one of the following courses: PHYS 1301 College Physics I (formerly Introductory General Physics I), PHYS 1302 College Physics II (formerly Introductory General Physics II), Calculus I, BIOL 1306 (formerly 1361) Introductory Biology for each week during the fall semester. Opportunities will be available to continue in the spring based on performance. Peer facilitators will attend a one hour per week meeting with the course lecture instructor to discuss curriculum for the week and a summer training session a week before the semester begins to discuss teaching methods with an instructional facilitator. Peer facilitators work approximately 10 hours per week and will be paid an hourly wage.
If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Johnson (wajohns4@central.uh.edu), Program Manager - Room 108A, Science Teaching Laboratory Bldg.
