Asee peer logo

Effectiveness of Peer Led Team Learning in Online Engineering Courses

Download Paper |

Conference

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Portland, Oregon

Publication Date

June 23, 2024

Start Date

June 23, 2024

End Date

July 12, 2024

Conference Session

Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Technical Session 29

Tagged Division

Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM)

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/47223

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

David Paul Harvie Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-2576-3349

visit author page

David Paul Harvie is an Assistant Professor in the College of Aviation Graduate Studies Department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – Worldwide Campus. David has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Kansas, a M.S. in Computer Science from North Carolina State University, and a B.S. in Computer Science from the United States Military Academy. He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and a Member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

visit author page

biography

Kimberly A. Luthi Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-3998-4567

visit author page

Dr. Kimberly Luthi is an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautic University-Worldwide in the College of Aeronautics, Department of Graduate Studies. Her research background is in workforce development education and STEMP (Science, Technology, Engin

visit author page

author page

Monica Surrency Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

author page

John K. Wilson Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Download Paper |

Abstract

This work is an Evidenced-Based Practice paper. Peer-led team learning (PLTL) is a peer support intervention where a peer leader facilitates active learning sessions with a small group of students to reinforce and provide additional clarity on various topics and concepts introduced in a course. PLTL has been successful in improving student performance and persistence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) disciplines in traditional face-to-face classroom environments. This research investigates the effectiveness of PLTL in an online campus environment offered at a unique, private university recognized for offerings in aerospace and aviation-related degrees. This work is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) program with the purpose of investigating peer-led team learning intervention in an asynchronous online environment. The student population of this online campus consists primarily of adult learners with a majority of them either military veterans or still serving in the military. The research was conducted in various undergraduate courses that historically have presented greater challenges to students, such as statics, dynamics, digital circuit design, and aerodynamics. A research hypothesis is that PLTL support in these courses will support engineering education and lead to greater persistence in the associated engineering disciplines. Peer leaders were recruited from previous course offerings, and participate in a peer leader training to best support other students assist in their acclimation to engineering and commitment to engineering career pathways. Initial results indicated that student participation in peer led learning activities resulted in achieving higher academic scores and a more positive learning experience when compared to non-peer led students. This work examines the effectiveness of peer led learning as it is brought to scale to include additional engineering courses, peer leaders, and instructors.

Harvie, D. P., & Luthi, K. A., & Surrency, M., & Wilson, J. K. (2024, June), Effectiveness of Peer Led Team Learning in Online Engineering Courses Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/47223

ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2024 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015