A Participatory Action Research study on the impact of Peer Assisted Student Support (PASS) and Supplemental Instruction (SI) by international PhD students

Authors

  • Catherine Hayes Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing The Sciences Complex University of Sunderland United Kingdom
  • John Anthony Fulton Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing The Sciences Complex University of Sunderland United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.v0i14.477

Keywords:

Peer Assisted Student Support, Supplemental Instruction, Postgraduate Education, Participatory Action Research, Student Experience

Abstract


Using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, this evaluative research study gives an insight into the implementation of a pilot study of a newly implemented Peer Assisted Student Support (PASS) and Supplemental Instruction (SI) Programme. The focus of the study involved six postgraduate PhD students delivering a PASS/SI scheme to cohorts of MSc Public Health, MSc Nursing and MSc Psychosis and Complex Mental Health Interventions students, all undertaking their final dissertations.The study was used to illuminate the degree to which PASS and SI were perceived to impact on the overall student experience as part of a quality enhancement initiative. Findings of the study revealed that the programme had positively impacted on both PASS/SI leaders and participants of the scheme, who reported increased confidence and an increased sense of social inclusion and belonging to the institution respectively. Being facilitated by students who had experienced the same academic pathway was perceived to have widened networking opportunities and to have positively impacted on the capacity of the participants and leaders to build relationships and prepare skills of direct relevance to the requirements of an employer such as teamwork and initiative.

Author Biographies

Catherine Hayes, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing The Sciences Complex University of Sunderland United Kingdom

Associate Professor of Health Professions Pedagogy, University of Sunderland

Visiting Professor of Higher Education Pedagogic Practice, University of Cumbria

Visiting Professor of Higher Education, Liverpool Hope University

John Anthony Fulton, Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing The Sciences Complex University of Sunderland United Kingdom

Associate Professor of Practice Based Research of Postgraduate Research, University of Sunderland

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Published

10-04-2019

How to Cite

Hayes, C. and Fulton, J. A. (2019) “A Participatory Action Research study on the impact of Peer Assisted Student Support (PASS) and Supplemental Instruction (SI) by international PhD students”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (14). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.v0i14.477.

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Section

Papers