Resumen de Students as partners: peer-leading in an undergraduate mathematics course

Barbara M. Johnston

• This study examines undergraduate student attitudes to acting as peer-leaders in Applied Mathematics computing workshops.

  Through the use of data from end-of-trimester surveys and an on-line reflection worksheet, it is shown that students had positive attitudes to being leaders and were engaged in the experience. Benefits mentioned by students included an increased understanding of the content, increased confidence in communicating with and approaching others, and an improved connection with peers. The worksheet also gave students the option of suggesting improvements for the workshops. It was found that those who took up this option provided valuable feedback to the instructor from a student perspective, and that this improved the workshops for the next iteration of the course.

  Finally, it was concluded that the students acted as partners, not only by collaborating in the re-design of the workshop materials, but also because they were engaged in and contributed to learning and teaching in the course.