Program Outcomes
Between 2014 - 2025, the LA Program at Florida Atlantic has had:
- 18 distinct courses redesigned with the LA model
- Courses from 10 departments in 5 academic colleges taught with LAs
- 10,815 unique students enrolled in LA courses
- 478 unique students hired and trained as LAs
-
60 faculty participating in LA program faculty development
- 22 instructors completed a semester-long LA Faculty Learning Community (LA-FLC)
- 38 additional instructors completed an asynchronous Canvas faculty development program to learn about th eLA program and best practices
- 10 classrooms redesigned for active learning (9 Boca, 1 Jupiter)
- Publications and Presentations on the LA model
- 1 peer-reviewed publication (co-authored by 3 Â鶹ŮÀÉ Â鶹ŮÀÉ)
- 15 conference presentations or poster presentations by 15 unique Â鶹ŮÀÉ faculty/students/staff
Faculty Testimonials
As an instructor, teaching in the LA model allows me the pleasure of seeing the learning happening right in front of me. My students learn math by doing math rather than watching me do math.
T. Buscemi
The LA model is very efficient in keeping the students focused on the course materials during the lectures. They have more motivations to participate in the active learning and learn from their peers.
Y. Li
I have had some excellent experiences with LA's. I think that courses taught with LA's are not only more exciting for the students, but they are also a great learning opportunity for the LA's themselves.
T. Shonbek
Student Testimonials
It's been great working with the LA program. The LA's help a lot with understanding the material and do a great job in working with us on the worksheets in class. They facilitate great group interaction.
Anonymous
My experience with my LAs were great. They helped me understand the concepts not just on a surface level but on a deeper understanding of the underlying principles, allowing me [to] gain a better understanding and appreciation of calculus.
Ivan Y.
I have had nothing but a good experience with my calculus LA's this semester. They are both always on time and super helpful with any questions that I have, and are well-informed on the subjects taught to all of us.
Anonymous
My experience with the LA’s this semester was great! They were extremely helpful when I didn’t understand a certain part of the lecture, or when I was heading in the wrong direction with the solution to a problem. For my first time having LA’s in the class, I really appreciate all the work they did, and genuinely did much better in the class because of the LA’s!
Rakia J.
Let us know what you think of Â鶹ŮÀÉ's LA Program!
Program DATA & successes
Calculus I: The LA model increased the number of As earned in Calculus while decreasing the number of Ds, Fs and Ws from the start of the program at Â鶹ŮÀÉ in 2014 through fall 2019 as shown in the graph above.
In calculus, we found that women pass the course at more than a 5% greater rate when taking the course with LAs with similar outcome for Black students in LA sections.
Chemistry II: In the Spring 2020 pilot of the LA program in CHM 2046 (General Chemistry II), the course section with LAs had significantly better outcomes than the section without LAs (taught by the same instructor). Highlights of the outcomes include:
Results in CHM 2046 in LA vs. Non-LA section (Spring 2020)
- Higher overall pass rate (by 3.7%) in LA section compared to non-LA section
- Higher rate of students earning A’s (41.5% as compared to 30.3% in non-LA section; a difference of 11.1%)
- Higher rate of Black students passing (5.5% difference: 91.38% in LA section; 85.71% in non-LA section)
- Higher rate of Black students earning A’s (36.2% vs only 19.64% in non-LA section)
- Higher rate of Hispanic students passing (by 8.79%)
Success Data for MAC 2311 and 2312
The La Model
Teaching quality, curriculum design and assessment, and heightened student engagement are at the core of student success. The LA model is a successful, evidence-based model centered on engaging students in best practices in teaching and education, namely peer-assisted, active and collaborative learning. The LA Program fosters these core student success activities by providing the necessary framework to create a culture of peer-assisted collaborative learning at Â鶹ŮÀÉ by supporting faculty in redesigning their more traditional, instructor-centered classrooms in favor of student-centered learning environments. To accomplish this level of engagement, the size of the learning team increases by embedding trained LAs who facilitate active learning and collaborative group work for all students in the classroom. Students become responsible for their own learning as they are engaged with peers to apply course content.
Essential Elements
There are three essential elements of the LA model: Practice, Preparation, and Pedagogy. Each of these elements work in concert to deliver a successful LA experience for faculty and students.
- Practice is the course redesign, incorporating in-class, small group active learning strategies facilitated by trained peers.
- Preparation (weekly prep) is a meeting between faculty and their LAs in which they discuss upcoming content, reflect on past content students are struggling to grasp, and discuss how to best facilitate learning. LAs act as student advocates by sharing the student perspective on learning.
- Pedagogy is a weekly seminar for first semester LAs where they discover how students learn, reflect on their own teaching strategies, and share experiences and challenges with other LAs.
Meet the Team
LA Program Leadership Team
Director of the Quality Enhancement Plan
Associate Dean for Academic Support and Student Learning
Assistant Director of the Quality Enhancement Plan: LA Program
Coordinator of the Quality Enhancement Plan: LA Program
Or email the whole team at qep@fau.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
A Learning Assistant (LA) Program supports LAs, faculty and students by transforming courses so they are more closely aligned with research based instructional strategies.
At Florida Atlantic, this may look slightly diffferent depending on the class, as the courses are individually redesigned by our faculty, with support of LA professionals.
To schedule a time to see the LA program in action, email qep@fau.edu.
Student benefits:
• Improved student learning in a collaborative environment
• Enhanced student experience both in the classroom and overall at the institution
• Development of essential workforce competencies, such as teamwork and critical thinking skills
• Increased grades lead to increased degree completion
Faculty benefits:
• Opportunities to learn about and implement more engaging educational experiences for students
• Greater student outcomes and increased student satisfaction with teaching
• Build a professional network with colleagues involved with the LA model
University benefits:
• Improved DFW, retention, and graduation rates for Â鶹ŮÀÉ students, leading to financial cost savings to the institution
• Improved student satisfaction with their overall educational experience
• Increased faculty satisfaction with teaching
Spring 2023 Science LAs (partial)