The Role of Peer Leadership Engagement in Academic Success  - PowerPoint Presentation

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2. The Role of Peer Leadership Engagement in Academic Success 2017 ASHE ConferenceDallin George YoungDory E. HoffmanSara Frakes-ReinhardtHouston, TX November 9, 2017

3. Background and Theoretical FrameworkThis study examined the relationship between peer leader involvement and academic success outcomes. Results show that the strongest positive predictor of self-reported academic performance was participation in an academic peer leader experience. Total number of peer leader experiences was also a significant, yet weak, positive predictor of academic success.The frameworks we use are Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP; Lave & Wenger, 1991) and Astin’s Involvement Theory (1999), both social learning theories.

4. Background and Theoretical FrameworkWe use the term peer educator as a term for peer leader as these student engage in mentoring and teaching other students regardless of position type. This term stems from Newton & Ender’s (2010) definition of peer educator, “students selected, trained, and designated by a campus authority to offer educational services to other peers” (p. 6).Peer educators work in several areas including housing, Greek life, multicultural affairs, first-year experience, orientation, wellness, study abroad, tutoring, etc.

5. Background and Theoretical FrameworkOne study (Skipper & Keup, 2017) reported that peer leaders in academic and community service roles found an improvement in academic skills. Students who served as residential assistants found a negative association between experience and educational success.

6. Background and Theoretical FrameworkLegitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP; Lave & Wenger, 1991) and Astin’s Involvement Theory (1999).LPP describes how novices enter a community of practice and eventually become full participants. Newcomers enter a community through peripheral participation and thus become introduced to the culture, activities, and organization of the community. LPP is similar to transformational leadership theory in that both frameworks see potential novices as future leaders. Students who have enough peer leader experiences to enter and learn from a community.

7. Background and Theoretical Framework“The amount of student learning and personal development associated with any educational program is directly proportional to the quality and quantity of student involvement in that program” (Astin,1999, p 519). A focused investment of time and energy improves outcomes.

8. Research QuestionsResearch Question 1: How engaged or involved are student peer leaders?Research Question 2: How do peer leaders report their academic success?Research Question 3: Do peer leaders who have engaged in peer leadership experiences in academic settings report greater academic success than peer leaders with no peer leadership experience in academic settings?

9. Data SampleSample:Drawn from 2013 National Survey of Peer LeadersSurvey was a 60 item student level survey that measured:DemographicsExperiences as peer leaderCharacteristics of peer leader rolesSelf reported chance as a peer leader on skill development, undergraduate experiences, employability outcomes, and academic performanceSample size was 4,016 students

10. Peer Leader Characteristics  Categorical VariablesFreq.%Peer Leader Type (n = 3,970)Academic - Any 200050.4Gender (n =3,795)Genderqueer or fluid150.4Man108828.7Transgender10.0Woman269170.9Race/Ethnicity (select all that apply) (n = 3,795)American Indian or Alaska Native691.8Asian or Asian American3198.4Black or African American42311.1Hispanic, Chicano/a, or Latino/a2657.0Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander431.1White273572.1Other (please specify)802.1I prefer not to respond1534.0Class Standing (n = 3,636)First-Year2547.0Second-Year91325.1Third-Year119232.8Fourth-Year102028.1Fifth-Year2577.1Pell GrantYes (n = 3,795)136936.1 Continuous VariableMSDGPA at the Start of Current Semester (n = 3,774)3.50.4

11. Results for Research Question 1: How involved are student peer leaders?Three items from descriptive statistics were used:Total number of peer leadership experiencesNumber of peer leader roles held at onceHours per week dedicated to peer leadership roles and responsibilities

12. VariableFrequency%MedianTotal number of PLEs3176819.1279619.8368016.9454613.6541810.462576.471854.681323.39571.410 or more1774.4Highest number of PLEs held at one time21104726.12112328.0397124.2447011.75 or more40510.1Hours per week spent on PLE responsibilities11 - 155 or less 76219.06 - 10111827.811 - 1582220.516 - 20 62315.521 - 25 2927.326 - 30 1744.331 - 35 591.536 - 40 581.4More than 40 1082.7Descriptive Statistics for Measures of Peer Leader Engagement (n = 4016)

13. Results for Research Question 2: How to peer leaders report their change academic success?Five items rated to the degree to which peer leader experience directly contributed changes:Academic skillsGPANumber of credit hours completed each termTime to expected graduationOverall academic performanceRated on 7 point scale from ‘greatly increased’ to ‘greatly decreased’

14. Academic Skills (n = 3886) GPA (n = 3810) Credit hours completed (n = 3810) Time to graduation - reverse (n = 3810) Overall academic performance (n = 3810)Self-rated ChangeFreq.% Freq.% Freq.% Freq.% Freq.%Greatly decreased230.59 220.58 120.31 1022.68 130.34Decreased471.21 1042.73 561.47 1945.09 581.52Slightly decreased3178.16 53414.02 3418.95 2536.64 43511.42No change112328.90 171344.96 233861.36 294977.40 145238.11Slightly increased76419.66 56314.78 42011.02 1343.52 87122.86Increased101626.15 52513.78 39010.24 541.42 61216.06Greatly increased49512.74 1804.72 1624.25 150.39 2697.06Unable to judge1012.60 1694.44 912.39 1092.86 1002.62Summary statistics      MedianSlightly increased No change No change No change No change Mean (7-point scale)5.00 4.37 4.32 3.82 4.62 Overall Change  MSD      Academic Outcome Composite (n = 3,472)  22.13.5      Descriptive Statistics for Measures of Peer Leader Self-Reported Change Academic Success due to Peer Leader Experiences

15. Results for Research Question 3: Academic Peer Leadership and Academic SuccessHierarchical RegressionBlock 1: Contextual VariablesBlock 2: Academic PLE and Total Number of PLE (LPP and Involvement)

16.  Step 1  Step 2VariablesBSEβp BSEβpIntercept18.0970.697.00018.3810.695.000Contextual VariablesTransgender0.9803.696.005.7910.3483.667.002.924Woman0.0440.143.005.7570.0440.141.005.758Genderqueer or fluid-2.7291.126-.042.015-2.9121.117-.045.009American Indian or Alaska Native0.6760.479.024.1590.5950.476.022.211Asian or Asian American-0.0920.335-.007.784-0.0750.332-.005.822Black or African American0.5270.320.045.0990.4820.317.041.129Hispanic, Chicano/a, or Latino/a0.3330.308.023.2800.3250.305.023.288Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander-0.1880.643-.005.770-0.1320.638-.004.836White-0.0640.292-.008.827-0.0930.290-.011.750Other (please specify)0.4830.497.018.3320.3770.494.014.445I prefer not to respond [Race]-0.3290.441-.017.457-0.3950.438-.020.367Class Standing0.1190.062.033.0560.0570.063.016.368Pell Grant Eligible0.4390.138.057.0010.4340.137.056.001GPA at the Start of Current Semester-0.1000.168-.011.551-0.3620.170-.040.034Participation VariablesAcademic PLE 0.8870.136.116.000Total Number of PLE0.0810.028.052.003 R2Adj R2Δ R2 p R2Adj R2Δ R2 pModel Statistics.013.009.013.000 .030.025.017.000

17. RQ3: Academic Peer Leadership and Academic SuccessParticipation and Involvement Variables Engagement in an academic peer leadership role (β = .116, p < .001) Total number of peer leadership experiences (β = .052, p = .003) Combined they accounted for slightly less than two percent of the variance in self-rated academic outcomes (ΔR2 = .017, p < .001) when entered in step 2.

18. RQ3: Academic Peer Leadership and Academic SuccessContextual VariablesPell Grant eligibility positive and significant predictor (β = .056, p = .002) Gender identity queer or fluid reported significantly lower levels of academic success as a result of peer leadership experiences (β = -.045, p = .009) Inverse relationship between GPAs and reported change in academic success (β = -.040, p = .034).

19. LimitationsSelf-reported changeLow R2 and limited number of contextual variables There are likely other variables influencing how peer leaders rate the connection between peer leader experiences and academic performance

20. SignificanceFinding that peer leaders in an academic role is positively related to self-reported change in academic performance is consistent with theoretical framework and previous research (Skipper & Keup, 2017)Amount and type of involvement or participation is connected to students’ perception that they are successful participants in the academic community of practiceSubstantial number of students over-involved in peer leader experiencesWorthy of expanded and in-depth investigation to understand these students’ experiences

21. SignificanceSubstantial number of students over-involved in peer leader experiencesWorthy of expanded and in-depth investigation to understand these students’ experiencesPell-eligible students rated higher level of academic performance change than non-Pell-eligible peer leadersConnected to research that low-income and first-generation students report higher outcomes when participating in high-impact practicesPeer Leaders with genderqueer or fluid identities rated academic success at lower rates than menPotential that marginalized gender identities do not see themselves as full participants in the academyLow n in sample (n=15); Worthy of additional study to see if this is reproducible and to investigate this phenomenon

22. Thank you!dallin.young@sc.edudory@email.sc.edusfrakes@mailbox.sc.edu