University of Nevada, Reno's Learning Assistant Program: Lasting Supports for Physics Undergraduates

The University of Nevada, Reno's learning assistant program is designed to encourage professors to incorporate collaborative learning into their lecture times with assistance from undergraduate learning assistants. This type of learning breaks the cold environment associated with traditional undergraduate physics programs. Learning Assistants provide more support than what a Professor alone can provide both in lecture and outside of the classroom. Our Learning Assistants run a help center where students in beginning or advanced physics courses can come to work on homework, labs, or review with assistance on hand. Our goal is to see how the long-lasting support in physics affects the learning environment of undergraduate physics students and the attrition rates. Additionally, our program has shown to be beneficially for the faculty, students, and Learning Assistants.