Description

Near-peer mentor support models for students in introductory mathematics are becoming increasingly used at post-secondary institutions across the United States. Near-peer mentors, though not a well-defined term in the literature, are typically students supporting fellow students in roles such as tutors or teaching assistants. Near-peer mentor models have demonstrated many promising quantitative findings related to student performance. Departments who have implemented near-peer mentors anecdotally note meaningful change; however, very little formal qualitative research has investigated this educational support structure. This gap in the literature overlooks important insight, especially the student perspective on the impact of these models. One near-peer mentor model, the Learning Assistant (LA) model, has been implemented in some SDSU mathematics courses for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) intending majors. In this model, undergraduate students who have demonstrated course knowledge can then work as LAs for the course. LAs assist the instructor as an additional classroom resource, supporting students during class time in various ways. During the spring 2021 semester, I conducted classroom observations and interviews with students, learning assistants, and the instructor of a mathematics course that used LAs. Using Yosso’s Community Cultural Wealth framework to analyze these data, I discuss some qualitative findings to perhaps determine how the learning assistant model has a positive impact on students beyond measures such as course grades. By investigating the assets of the LA model from the perspective of students, the instructor, and the learning assistants themselves, relationships arose as a common theme across the data. One particular reason this research is important, especially at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) like SDSU, is because near-peer mentors give students an opportunity to connect with peers with whom they share similar identity traits, and whom they can look up to as examples of excellence within the field of mathematics, which is underrepresented by students of color and women. I end with discussing my ongoing dissertation research plans. Utilizing Lave and Wenger's Legitimate Peripheral Participation lens and Engeström's Activity Theory, I hope to learn how near-peer mentors can help students build mathematics identities, and help mathematics departments continue evolving to better serve students.