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Learning to love computer science: peer leaders gain teaching skill, communicative ability and content knowledge in the CS classroom

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Published:09 March 2011Publication History

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the benefits of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), an NSF-sponsored program in the sciences, to peer leaders serving in the Computing Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institutions (CAHSI). Beyond the benefits to students enrolled in the PLTL courses, survey findings show the majority of peer leaders report increased self-efficacy in teaching computer science, improved content knowledge, and better communication and leadership skills following a semester of leading PLTL. Results from this diverse group of leaders indicate no differences in gains between underrepresented minority and majority students, suggesting the program may provide a path for improving retention of underrepresented groups in the field.

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      cover image ACM Conferences
      SIGCSE '11: Proceedings of the 42nd ACM technical symposium on Computer science education
      March 2011
      754 pages
      ISBN:9781450305006
      DOI:10.1145/1953163

      Copyright © 2011 ACM

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      Publication History

      • Published: 9 March 2011

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      SIGCSE '11 Paper Acceptance Rate107of315submissions,34%Overall Acceptance Rate1,595of4,542submissions,35%

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