LLAMAS: Linking Learning Assistants, Mentors, And Scholars, Understanding Students’ Experiences and Sense of Belonging
Authors: Joselyn Espinoza Lopez, Gabriel Munoz Zarazua
Faculty Supervisor: Kimberly Coble
Department: Physics & Astronomy
At San Francisco State, we have Learning Assistants (LA) and Discussion Leaders (DL), which are two of our peer mentoring programs (PMs). These programs aim to promote an inclusive environment and strengthen the sense of belonging for all students in their STEM courses. LAs are undergraduate near-peer mentors embedded in large lecture sections of our introductory courses, participating in active, inclusive discussions with students taking the class. Discussion leaders (DLs) are undergraduate students who facilitate active, inclusive learning in small groups outside of the classroom. Both LAs and DLs attend a weekly pedagogy seminar where they learn inclusive techniques to apply to their peer mentoring environments. This research explores the dynamic between PMs’ and students’ experiences through PMs’ reflective essays and students’ surveys. PMs have reported multiple benefits, including increased confidence, becoming better students, improved attitudes toward STEM teaching, and a practical, supportive pedagogy class environment. The feedback also includes the PMs’ shared challenges and suggested improvements, such as clarity around their role and responsibilities. Students in classes with PMs have noted a stronger sense of belonging and a deeper comprehension of class material. These results emphasize the significance of peer mentoring initiatives and offer guidance for their ongoing improvement.