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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

Saint Xavier University Shares National Award with MCC for Peer-Led Learning Initiatives


Saint Xavier University of Chicago recently awarded Monroe Community College's
Department of Chemistry and Geosciences a series of three grants totaling
$14,250 in support of its Peer-Led Team Learning initiatives in biology,
chemistry and human physiology. The funding came from an overall grant for
Peer-Led Team Learning from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for which
both Saint Xavier and MCC partnered to develop the initial proposal.

"The grants will enable us to expand the program to other areas inside and
outside the department," commented John Cullen, chairperson of the Department
of Chemistry and Geosciences who initiated the new learning initiative at MCC.
"Students definitely benefit from a more modern, peer-led approach to learning.
Student scores on exams have improved and student surveys demonstrate strong
student support for the new approach."

The Peer-Led Team Learning involves MCC students and alumni who facilitate
weekly workshops on specific topics for current students. As part of the
initiative, six to eight students engage in interactive problem solving
activities designed to complement a professor's lecture and lab experimentation.

The NSF is an independent U.S. government agency responsible for promoting
science and engineering through programs that invest money in research and
educational projects. The Foundation funds research and education through
grants, contracts and cooperative agreements. It accounts for about 20 percent
of federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

Rosanna Condello
Public Affairs
10/21/2002