(S01-E01) PAL Groups Podcast Overview

I am hosting a new audio podcast series available for free subscription through Apple's iTunes store or free downloading through this blog page. It is called the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Groups Podcast. It features short episodes of about 10 minutes devoted to interviews of students that facilitate and guide study review groups with other college students. This blog page is devoted to sharing new things that I am learning about peer assisted learning (PAL). This podcast is a natural extension of that information by sharing the personal stories of the people who actually provide the service, the PAL facilitators themselves. Each episode features several PAL session activities that worked well with the subject matter and the students. The interview ends with the PAL facilitator reflecting on what they are learning personally and professionally about the experience as PAL facilitator. Initially, the interviews will be with PAL facilitators at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Eventually, study group leaders at other colleges will be included. Please email me if you or your student study group leaders would like to be interviewed for the podcast, arendale@umn.edu I was on the team at the University of Minnesota that developed the PAL model to meet the needs of our students in historically-difficult first-year courses.