University learning assistant program strives to improve STEM teaching

NPR : The University of Colorado Boulder has launched a program that hires and trains undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) studies to provide academic support to their fellow students. One of the leading proponents is Steven Pollock, who 15 years ago switched his research specialty at Boulder from nuclear physics to the teaching of physics. Pollock says one of the purposes of the Learning Assistant Program is to improve the quality of undergraduate science education, which has traditionally relied on passive, lecture-based teaching methods. Instead, the program pushes for more research-driven teaching techniques as well as small discussion groups, labs, and demonstrations that are facilitated by the learning assistants. A further goal is to recruit future K–12 STEM teachers from the pool of assistants. Results so far have proven positive, and other colleges and universities have joined the Learning Assistant Alliance .