Peer-learning to employable: learnings from an evaluation of PASS attendee and facilitator perceptions of employability at Western Sydney University

This study examines student experiences of Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) at Western Sydney University (WSU), investigating attendee and facilitator perceptions of the relationship between peer-learning and employability. It defers to contemporary higher education scholarship and related sector definitions of employability as an objective criteria for evaluating outcomes which may result from student experiences with PASS. This investigation observes the extent to which such definitions are evident in the skills and attributes students have acquired via their participation in PASS through both quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected across two consecutive semesters at WSU (Autumn and Spring) in 2015. Survey responses were collected from 297 PASS attendees and 45 PASS facilitators, further incorporating data collected via focus groups with 46 PASS attendees. The evidence allowed the researchers to examine how students perceived they had gained attributes from PASS that render them more employable. The research results highlight the benefits and limitations of the methods utilised to collect data from PASS participants, and this article elaborates key insights gained as a result of the research process that may be useful to peer-learning practitioners beyond WSU. The study found that attendees and facilitators of the WSU PASS program perceive that the program contributes to student employability in a variety of ways such as improving participants’ core technical skills, organisational skills, social skills, professionalism and business acumen, appreciation of mentoring, and critical thinking skills. 1. EMPLOYABILITY AND PEER-LEARNING i. Defining PASS: overview of peer-learning literature PASS is implemented in adherence to the pedagogical model pioneered by the academic support program known as Supplemental Instruction (SI) that originated at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1973 (Arendale, 2002). Internationally peer-learning is understood as “the use of teaching and learning strategies in which students learn with and from each other without the immediate intervention of a teacher” (Boud, Cohen & Sampson, 1999, p. 2). The WSU program provides regularly scheduled, out-of-class, collaborative sessions, facilitated by senior students who have “excelled in the subject during previous semesters” (Huang et. al., 2013, p. 121). This in turn offers students an opportunity to “strengthen their knowledge by being actively involved in group learning that is focused on reviewing material and practical Carr, Evans-Locke, Abu-Saif, Boucher, and Douglas 42 problem-solving” (Huang et. al., 2013, p. 121). This approach is consistent with pedagogy adopted by PASS programs in most Australian universities, as is the program’s commitment to three specific learning conditions – namely, that PASS sessions are peer-led, collaborative and non-remedial in design focused on high-risk units rather than low performing students (Stone & Jacobs, 2008). This study explores student perceptions of the contribution of PASS to their employability, rather than outcomes which may be directly attributed to PASS attendance. Perceptions are useful for better comprehending employability within the context of peer-learning scholarship, however Kruger and Dunning (1999, p. 1131) are critical of overstating the capacity of students to assess their own ability. Perception is described as “multifactorial: partly individual, and formed partly in the prevailing social and environmental context” (Ivey, 2016, p. 83). Examining perception allows researchers to reveal “beliefs and attitudes” that underlie behaviour (Ivey, 2016, p. 83, citing Carey, 1994). Measuring perception provides “insight into how individual and group thoughts, beliefs, and experiences affect human behaviour” (Ivey, 2016, p. 83. Within the context of this study, this means being able to evaluate the way in which the PASS learning context may contribute to students’ beliefs about employability while also observing whether the program assists in developing employment-related attributes and skills among participants. The significance of the quantitative research results outlined in this article is strengthened by the inclusion of qualitative data in the form of focus group interviews. Qualitative methods enabled students to elaborate and demonstrate, through exploratory ‘deep-dive’ conversations, how they had utilised particular skills perceivably learnt by attending PASS in real-world settings. This mixed-methods approach to the research provided a mechanism for triangulation and improving the veracity and significance of the findings. Some variables may be unique to the student experience of PASS at WSU that potentially impact the findings explored in this article. Participation in the program by facilitators, for instance, is accompanied by a thorough recruitment process which exposes these students to the experience of completing selection criteria and attending group interviews. As part of the application process at WSU, facilitators are required to address selection criteria based around their prior experiences related to peer mentoring, teamwork, and communication skills. These are designed to exemplify their suitability for a role as an academic peer mentor. The experience of writing selection criteria, along with the group interview process, provides PASS facilitators with exposure to common recruitment tools. These experiences may assist them when applying for graduate employment and enhance their perceptions of employability skills gained through the program. WSU facilitators attend professional development workshops focused on the development of soft skills, are contracted for the semester and paid hourly for their services. (It should be noted that in the context of WSU the term “academic session” is the equivalent of a “trimester” or “semester” at other institutions. In this article the term semester has been utilised to avoid confusion between “academic session” and “PASS session.”) In this light, there are variables to consider when interpreting the research results such as how facilitators’ employee-employer relationship with the PASS program may impact their perceptions and how this relationship may be reflected in survey responses (Allen & Court, 2009, pp. 80-81). The authors nonetheless emphasise Carr, Evans-Locke, Abu-Saif, Boucher, and Douglas 43 that the perceptions of facilitators and attendees concerning the relationship between PASS and employability are influenced by their respective experiences and unique modes of participation in the program. In light of recognising this distinction two separate surveys were employed in this research to examine the perceptions of facilitators and attendees. The weekly provision of scheduled, voluntary study sessions are offered supplementary to the formal lectures and tutorials (Newton & Ender, 2010, p. 6). PASS facilitators prepare learning materials that require collaboration and facilitate discussion around coursework and lecture resources. However, the onus is on attendees to work together developing academic knowledge, study skills, and strategies relevant to the learning experience (Smith, May & Burke, 2007, p. 85). Educational literature iterates PASS’ contribution to the improvement of student grades, retention, and progression (Paloyo, Rogan & Siminiski, 2016). In their systematic review of peer-learning literature, Dawson et. al. concluded that “participation in [SI] is correlated with higher mean grades, lower failure and withdrawal rates, and higher retention and graduation rates” (Dawson et. al., 2014, p. 2). Research also indicates that peer-learning programs similar to PASS have enhanced participants’ learning capacities (Ning & Downing, 2010), improved their sense of connectedness (Dobbie & Joyce, 2008; Smith, May & Burke, 2007; van der Meer & Scott, 2009), and broken down learning barriers such as isolation (Davies, 2004) and language differences (Zaccagnini & Verenikina, 2013). PASS is underpinned by the notion that peers are ideally situated to assist in the learning process of other students. As a proponent of social constructivism Vygotsky argued it was the social world, or context of learning, which played the critical role in learning development (Vygotsky, 1978). He emphasised that learning was a social act with peers acting as a tool to enhance learning through discussion, collaboration, and feedback. This analysis will build on Vygotsky’s position concerning the underlying role of the social context and collaboration, supporting the view that PASS can play a key role in developing students’ professional and social capabilities as a part of their transition beyond university. ii. The shift towards employability Universities are increasingly seeking to implement an element of practical professional application skills into their degree portfolios and teaching practices (Hill & Lyons, 2015). Hill’s research highlights that university graduates lack some of the “basic” professional requirements necessary in the workplace (Hill, 2015). PASS has the potential to address this issue by contributing to the accumulation of student competencies beyond those taught in classrooms. In response to this WSU PASS has extended the parameters of the program’s evaluations to accommodate student employability. Policy changes have also impacted the tertiary education sector in fundamental ways as governments have partially tied public funding for universities to delivering graduate outcomes. This has increased the need for, as Australia’s Chief Scientist Alan Finkel has argued, the cultivation of “job-capable graduates” (Munro, 2016). Carr, Evans-Locke, Abu-Saif, Boucher, and Douglas 44 iii. Defining employability Employability is often depicted in general terms as “work readiness” (Smith, Ferns & Russell, 2014a, b). However, a growing body of evidence indicates furth