NCSU Libraries Peer Scholars Program: Engaging graduate students and postdocs as instructors

Start Date

3-22-2018 9:30 AM

End Date

3-22-2018 10:00 AM

Author(s) Bio

Mohan Ramaswamy is Associate Head for Research Engagement and Graduate Services in the NCSU Libraries. He organizes research workshops for graduate students and liaises with the Graduate School to develop innovative programming to empower graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Mohan leads NCSU Libraries Peer Scholars Program.

Description of Proposal

Over the past two years, the NCSU Libraries has significantly expanded the number and nature of research support trainings and programming it provides for the NC State community. These programs have become central to the Libraries efforts to promote higher-level skill development to benefit faculty, staff, and students while also connecting them to library spaces, technologies, and services for ongoing utilization.

In response to a growing campus need for instruction in advanced research skills crucial to student and researcher success, a team of research librarians, collaborating with the Graduate School and the Postdoctoral Association, developed a program to engage the talent and expertise of early-career researchers. In Fall 2017, the NCSU Libraries launched the Peer Scholars Program, which gives graduate students and postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to teach specific research skills to the NC State community. The goals and benefits of this new program are vast, including scaling library-hosted workshop offerings, building a community of practice around peer to peer teaching and learning, , and providing valuable opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to publicly present and teach their expertise.

By sharing their expertise with the NC State community, early career researchers gain valuable teaching experience, improve their communication skills, and experiment with classroom technology in an informal teaching setting. Peer Scholars partner with subject librarians to develop, plan, and deliver talks and workshops. All of the teaching and presentation materials are retained and archived by the NCSU Libraries for potential future use and preservation, both by the participants and the Libraries. Certain sessions are also recorded for wider reach.

Interested participants are invited to propose topics for talks or workshops. In its first semester, this program features workshops, seminars and other programming focused on intro-, intermediate-, and advanced-level research and technical skillsets. Topics have ranged from advanced skills in statistical software and computer programming to more effective research communication skills and interactive instruction on creating an online research portfolio.

The planning team for the Peer Scholars Program also developed an assessment plan in order to contribute to ongoing institutional data collection, as well as inform and improve the future of the project.

This session will include a discussion of the Peer Scholars Program, including development, deployment, and lessons learned. Participants will leave with recommendations for exploring similar programming at their own institutions.

What takeaways will attendees learn from your session?

NCSU Libraries Peer Scholars Event Series: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/events/peer-scholars

Press Release: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/news/students-teach-students-in-the-peer-scholars-program

This document is currently not available here.

Share

Import Event to Google Calendar

COinS
 
Mar 22nd, 9:30 AM Mar 22nd, 10:00 AM

NCSU Libraries Peer Scholars Program: Engaging graduate students and postdocs as instructors

RM 462

Over the past two years, the NCSU Libraries has significantly expanded the number and nature of research support trainings and programming it provides for the NC State community. These programs have become central to the Libraries efforts to promote higher-level skill development to benefit faculty, staff, and students while also connecting them to library spaces, technologies, and services for ongoing utilization.

In response to a growing campus need for instruction in advanced research skills crucial to student and researcher success, a team of research librarians, collaborating with the Graduate School and the Postdoctoral Association, developed a program to engage the talent and expertise of early-career researchers. In Fall 2017, the NCSU Libraries launched the Peer Scholars Program, which gives graduate students and postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to teach specific research skills to the NC State community. The goals and benefits of this new program are vast, including scaling library-hosted workshop offerings, building a community of practice around peer to peer teaching and learning, , and providing valuable opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to publicly present and teach their expertise.

By sharing their expertise with the NC State community, early career researchers gain valuable teaching experience, improve their communication skills, and experiment with classroom technology in an informal teaching setting. Peer Scholars partner with subject librarians to develop, plan, and deliver talks and workshops. All of the teaching and presentation materials are retained and archived by the NCSU Libraries for potential future use and preservation, both by the participants and the Libraries. Certain sessions are also recorded for wider reach.

Interested participants are invited to propose topics for talks or workshops. In its first semester, this program features workshops, seminars and other programming focused on intro-, intermediate-, and advanced-level research and technical skillsets. Topics have ranged from advanced skills in statistical software and computer programming to more effective research communication skills and interactive instruction on creating an online research portfolio.

The planning team for the Peer Scholars Program also developed an assessment plan in order to contribute to ongoing institutional data collection, as well as inform and improve the future of the project.

This session will include a discussion of the Peer Scholars Program, including development, deployment, and lessons learned. Participants will leave with recommendations for exploring similar programming at their own institutions.