Western Illinois University Program to Allow Peers to Help Students in the Classroom Provides Benefits During the Pandemic

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – A peer-based program that helps Western Illinois University students in the classroom has been altered during the COVID-19 pandemic for continued use by several professors. The Learning Assistant (LA) program originated at the University of Colorado more than a decade ago, but was brought to Western’s Quad Cities campus by James Rabchuk, assistant dean of the WIU College of Arts and Sciences, about four years ago and use began on the Macomb campus about one year ago. The program brings peer students into the classroom for lectures, to help steer discussions and problem-solving... Read More