Resources for Instructors

Policies and Logistics
Overview of PLTL Workshop Timelines
Timeline for Spring Semester
Timeline for Fall Semester
New and Existing PLTL Workshops Information

Policies and Logistics

This page outlines policies and logistics for instructors (referred to as “content faculty”) collaborating with the Learning Center to offer peer-led team-learning (PLTL) Workshops in their courses. In support of content faculty implementing the PLTL model in their courses, the Learning Center provides assistance in the recruitment and hiring of PLTL Workshop leaders, facilitation of the end-of-semester PLTL Workshop Program Research Symposium, course-specific assessment of the PLTL Workshop model, and intensive training of the PLTL Workshop leaders in support of their work. The central pillar of the Learning Center's PLTL Workshop Program is this training—our “PLTL Workshop Leadership” training course. While the structure of this training has some flexibility to adapt to the needs of content courses, there are some expectations that are non-negotiable for participation in the PLTL Workshop Program (listed below). Any questions about this document or any of the information below can be directed to us at learning@rochester.edu, and we will be happy to follow up with you.

Non-negotiable by Law

The PLTL Workshop Leadership training courses must comply with federal and state law regarding credit and contact hours. The required contact hours for the one-credit PLTL Workshop Leader training courses course are outlined below.

  1. 750 minutes (50 minutes x 15 weeks in the semester) of face-to-face in-class instructional time for Learning Center-led pedagogy lessons.
  2. 1,800 minutes (120 x 15) estimated out-of-class time for peer leaders to complete training course assignments.
  3. 2,550 minutes total for the course.
  4. When unavoidable for scheduling, the Learning Center typically can shift five minutes of this time, but not more, to the out-of-class portion of the course without compromising the integrity of the class activities (675 minutes total at 45 x 15 in-class time and 1,875 minutes total at 125 x 15 out-of-class time for 2,550 minutes total).

For a second credit, students will need to complete the following:

  1. An additional 2,550 minutes (170 x 15) of estimated out-of-class time, either through completing a CASC 352 project (all new leaders) or a CASC 391 project (to qualify for the Citation for Achievement in College Leadership, see College Center for Advising Services' citation page)

Non-negotiable by the Learning Center:

For a PLTL Workshop course implementation to adhere to best practices in evidence-based peer-led team-learning education and to maintain quality across all implementations, the Learning Center requires that PLTL Workshop course implementations comply with the policies outlined below.

  1. All new full-time undergraduate peer leaders must take CASC 352 for credit. All new part-time undergraduate and post-bacc leaders must either take CASC 352 for credit or for audit. In cases of financial hardship, part-time undergraduate and post-bacc students may apply to the dean’s office to waive the costs of an audit.
  2. The Learning Center staff member involved in the implementation must be listed as the instructor of record for all necessary levels of the PLTL Workshop Leadership training courses (CASC 352/353/354/355). Relatedly, the Learning Center creates the CASC courses in URStudent and communicates them to the registrar.
  3. Content faculty create all PLTL Workshop content (e.g., problem packets, worksheets, activity materials, etc.).
  4. The respective academic department or program for the content course reserves rooms for all PLTL Workshop sessions. Note that this process should be accomplished in conjunction with Registrar’s Office.
  5. The respective academic department or program for the content course hires and pays the peer leaders who will be leading PLTL Workshops for the course. (See also point 5 under Learning Center-recommended.)
  6. The content faculty is the work/pay supervisor of peer leaders for their course.

Learning Center Policy

The policies below apply to any PLTL Workshop implementation. However, the Learning Center reserves the right to allow alteration in extenuating circumstances under the condition that the Learning Center PLTL Workshop Program team approves the exception. Historically, exceptions are rare.

  1. Returning undergraduate and post-bacc leaders enroll in the PLTL Workshop Leadership training course at the CASC 353, 354, or 355 level depending on the number of previous semesters during which they have served as peer leaders (1, 2, or 3, respectively). Full-time undergraduate students are not allowed to audit CASC 352, 353, 354, or 355. Returning part-time undergraduate and post-bacc leaders must take CASC 353/4/5 either for credit or for audit. In cases of financial hardship, part-time undergraduate and post-bacc students may apply to the dean’s office to waive the costs of an audit.
  2. All new leaders taking CASC 352 for credit complete a teaching and learning project and present it at the end-of-semester PLTL Workshop Program Research Symposium. This project is worth 50 percent of the CASC 352 grade (equivalent to 1 credit-hour).
  3. The content faculty is expected to attend the entire weekly training meeting, including both the PLTL Workshop content preparation and the pedagogy portion (CASC course lesson).
  4. Weekly training meeting times (CASC course and content) are determined BEFORE the time of hire of the peer leaders and hiring is contingent upon their availability during those predetermined times.
  5. Both parts (i.e., PLTL Workshop content preparation and pedagogy portion) of the weekly training meeting are held together in one timeslot.
  6. Responsibility for reserving the room for the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) should be determined by consultation between the content faculty and Learning Center. Although the Learning Center staff member is the instructor of record and therefore technically responsible for reserving the room for the CASC courses, content faculty sometimes prefer to identify the room for the weekly training meeting themselves given that it consists of both the CASC course and content preparation. (Note: departments are responsible for the locating rooms for the PLTL Workshops themselves; see point 4 under Non-negotiable by the Learning Center).
  7. A “PLTL Workshop” is defined as including 6 to 10 students and one peer leader per session. As best practice, no more than 12 students should be enrolled in a single PLTL Workshop.

Learning Center-Recommended

  1. Content faculty support Learning Center instructors by promoting the importance of the PLTL Workshop Leadership training course (e.g., attending meetings, contributing to discussions, completing assignments, etc.) to their peer leaders.
  2. All hiring occurs BEFORE course registration so that the PLTL Workshop Leadership training course can be included in peer leaders’ schedule planning for the following semester.
  3. Content faculty work with Learning Center instructors to coordinate pedagogy training content.
  4. Content faculty prioritize new and diverse leaders who are “near-peers” to students in the course (i.e., have recently taken the exact content course).
  5. Content faculty, with input from the Learning Center instructor, hire PLTL Workshop leaders in a professional process which includes
    1. Being invited to apply
    2. A detailed application
    3. A group interview where their collaboration skills can be seen
    4. Signing of a formal agreement of expectations and responsibilities
  6. PLTL Workshop content is designed to encourage group discussion and collaboration among students and to discourage individual, head-down work.
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Overview of PLTL Workshop Timelines

CF = Content Faculty

LCI = Learning Center instructor

WSL = Workshop leader

Before Semester

Write PLTL Workshop problems (CF)

Set day/time/room for CASC/content meeting (CF + LCI)

Create the PLTL Workshop Leadership training courses (CASC 352, 353, 354, 355) in URStudent (LCI)

Place PLTL Workshop Leadership training course into a room in conjunction with Registrar

           (LCI + CF or LCI)

Recruit PLTL Workshop leaders (CF or CF + LCI)

Hire PLTL Workshop leaders (CF)

Email CASC course registration information (LCI + CF or LCI)

Create the PLTL Workshop Leadership training courses (CASC 352, 353, 354, 355) in URStudent (LCI), placed through Registrar into rooms (CF)

Assign PLTL Workshop leaders to PLTL Workshops (CF)

Before/During Semester

Assign students to PLTL Workshops (CF)

During Semester

Train PLTL Workshop leaders on content and pedagogy (CF + LCI)

After Semester

Deliver PLTL Workshop data (attendance, syllabus, gradebook) to Learning Center staff (CF)

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Timeline for Spring Semester

Mid-January

  • Classes start

Early February

  • Contact your Learning Center instructor to coordinate their availability with yours on the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) day and time for the Fall semester and to ensure they are able to support your implementation of the PLTL Workshop model.
  • Check the dates for Registration for the fall semester.
  • Schedule and reserve a room for an Interest Meeting well in advance of spring break (which is mid-March) so that prospective leaders can submit their applications and sign up for a subsequent interview before they leave for spring break. Ask two current PLTL Workshop leaders (WSLs) to attend the Interest Meeting.
  • Send email invitations to potential WSLs with Interest Meeting and application information.
  • Update your application forms for WSL positions with the correct day and time of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content). The Learning Center has templates for these if you need.
  • Set up times for PLTL Workshop interviews in mid-February. Reserve rooms for group interviews (up to nine interviewees per interview) if that is the approach you will use. Your Learning Center instructor can assist you with interviews if desired.
  • Contact potential leaders who cannot attend the Interest Meeting and send them the pertinent information or set up a separate time to meet with them.
  • Interest Meeting information:
    • PLTL Workshop model overview
    • Day and time of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) to attend
    • Expectations for WSLs – responsibilities, CASC course
    • Approximate weekly time commitment
    • Amount paid and when
    • Timeline for interviews, decisions, notifications

Mid-February

  • Hold Interest Meetings and start accepting applications one to two weeks before interviews.
  • Group-interview potential WSLs. The Learning Center has scenarios to use for discussion. At interviews, remind prospective WSLs of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) and ask if their availability has changed.

Late February/Early March

  • Inform all students of interview outcomes well before fall registration and provide a list of hired WSLs to your Learning Center instructor.
  • Have students sign a contract/intent document that indicates their understanding of the responsibilities and time commitments for being a WSL.
  • If you haven’t given WSLs the day/time of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) prior to interviewing, find out the time all can meet in coordination with your Learning Center instructor. Please note that this approach can be extremely difficult or impossible depending on your, your Learning Center instructor’s, and your students’ schedules. Please refer to the policies and logistics document for both UR and Learning Center policies surrounding WSLs who cannot attend the CASC course. In the vast majority of cases, these WSLs will have to withdraw and reapply in a future semester because of state law and/or Learning Center policies.
  • (For spring workshops) Perform a student evaluation of the PLTL Workshops at some point after the first exam. Have the WSLs discuss the results the following week.

Mid-March

  • Spring break week

Early April

  • Fall registration.
  • Send fall WSLs a list of your fall PLTL Workshop times and ask them to indicate their top three choices in light of their recent course registration.
  • Make PLTL Workshop time assignments for each WSL based on their preferences and send the completed list to the Learning Center instructor and all WSLs so that they can plan their fall semesters.

Late April

  • PLTL Workshop Leader Research Symposium is on the last Friday of the semester.

May

  • (For spring PLTL Workshops) Provide the Learning Center with spring gradebook, attendance, and syllabus for completed PLTL Workshop-bearing courses.

June

  • Confirm that the necessary PLTL Workshop rooms are reserved for fall semester.
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Timeline for Fall Semester

Late August

  • Classes start

Early September

  • Contact your Learning Center instructor to coordinate their availability with yours on the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) day and time for the spring semester and to ensure they are able to support your implementation of the PLTL Workshop model.
  • Check dates for Registration for the Spring semester.
  • Schedule and reserve a room for an Interest Meeting well in advance of fall break (which is mid-October) so that prospective leaders can submit their applications and sign up for an subsequent interview before they leave for break. Ask two current PLTL Workshop leaders (WSLs) to attend the Interest Meeting.
  • Send email invitations to potential WSLs with Interest Meeting and application info.
  • Update your application forms for WSL positions with the correct day and time the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content). The Learning Center has templates for these if you need.
  • Set up times for PLTL Workshop interviews in mid-October. Reserve rooms for group interviews (up to nine interviewees per interview) if that is the approach you will use. Your Learning Center instructor can help with interviews if desired.
  • Contact potential leaders who cannot attend the Interest Meeting and send them the pertinent information or set up a separate time to meet with them.
  • Interest Meeting info:
    • PLTL Workshop model overview
    • Day and time of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) to attend
    • Expectations for WSLs – responsibilities, CASC course
    • Approximate weekly time commitment
    • Amount paid and when
    • Timeline for interviews, decisions, notifications

Mid-September

  • Hold Interest Meetings and start accepting applications one to two weeks before interviews.
  • Group-interview potential WSLs. The Learning Center has scenarios to use for discussion. At interviews, remind prospective WSLs of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) and ask if their availability has changed.

Late September/Early October

  • Inform all students of interview outcomes well before spring registration and provide a list of hired WSLs to your the Learning Center instructor.
  • Have students sign a contract/intent document that indicates their understanding of the responsibilities and time commitments for being a WSL.
  • If you haven’t given WSLs the day/time of the weekly training meeting (CASC course and content) prior to interviewing, find out the time all can meet in coordination with your Learning Center instructor. Please note that this approach can be extremely difficult or impossible depending on your, your Learning Center instructor’s, and your students’ schedules. Please refer to the policies and logistics document for both UR and Learning Center policies surrounding WSLs who cannot attend the CASC course. In the vast majority of cases, these WSLs will have to withdraw and reapply in a future semester because of state law and/or Learning Center policies.
  • (For fall PLTL Workshops) Perform a student evaluation of the PLTL Workshops at some point after the first exam. Have the WSLs discuss the results the following week.

Mid-October

  • Fall break week.

Early November

  • Spring registration.
  • Send Leaders a list of spring PLTL Workshop times and ask them to indicate their top three choices in light of their recent course registration.
  • Make PLTL Workshop time assignments for each WSL based on their preferences and send the completed list to the Learning Center instructor and all WSLs so that they can plan their fall semesters.
  • Confirm that the necessary PLTL Workshop rooms are reserved for spring semester.

Early December

  • PLTL Workshop Leader Research Symposium is on the last Friday of the semester.

January

  • (For Fall PLTL Workshops) Provide Learning Center with spring gradebook, attendance, and syllabus for completed PLTL Workshop-bearing courses.

New and Existing PLTL Workshops Information

New PLTL Workshops
Existing PLTL Workshops

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