Impacts of Funded Student-Driven Study Groups (an Access Network Site Activity)

In a university environment where many students work part- or full-time, supporting students financially allows them to prioritize activities that contribute to their long-term success academically and professionally, which they may not normally be able to engage in. As an Access Network site (one of nine student-centered programs pursuing systemic change in STEM departments), students, faculty, and staff work together to create initiatives that support student agency. In this project, we funded 15 study group organizers over three terms so they could create peer-driven spaces where they shape their community and their learning. The student organizers chose the format, timing, and structure of their study sessions in collaboration with attendees, resulting in study groups that responded to the large range of needs of a primarily commuter student population. Organizers often chose to develop additional study materials with their peers or with course instructors to further enhance their collective learning. In this poster, organizers will share some of the strategies they used and the outcomes they observed. Like many STEM education grants through the NSF, the grant funding for this program has been prematurely terminated, and we are seeking ways to continue supporting peer-driven study groups.

Funding Acknowledgement: NSF Grant #2011780 and #2309310, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation #2022-19555