Science Learning Center at the University of Michigan
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The SLC supports and empowers undergraduate science students to reach their academic, personal and career goals.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Established: 1998
Profile submitted by Claire Sandler
Vision and Goals
The Science Learning Center (SLC) supports undergraduate student learning and interest in the sciences by providing well-coordinated resources, vibrant learning communities, and engaging co-curricular programs. Through maintaining a supportive learning environment for students enrolled in science courses, the SLC's facilities, programs, and resources are designed to facilitate collaborative learning and team building and to empower students to reach their academic, personal and career goals.
Center/Program Structure
The Science Learning Center (SLC) is funded by the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) to provide programming and services to students who are enrolled in natural science courses. Administratively, the SLC is housed in the Undergraduate Education Division of LSA Dean's Office. The SLC employs six full-time staff members including a Director, Associate Director, Study Group Program Manager, Tutoring Program Manager, Office Manager, and Study Group Administrative Assistant. The Center also employs more than 250 undergraduates as peer study group facilitators and peer tutors.
The SLC delivers programming from two locations - the Main Branch located inside the campus Chemistry Building and a Satellite Location inside an undergraduate science-focused classroom building. Both locations house small team rooms, a large open study lounge area, and public computer lab resources. Both facilities are very well utilized, with over 1,300 student visits per day.
Description of Programming
The SLC provides outside-of-classroom science learning support across biology, chemistry, physics, geology and astronomy. The SLC Study Group Program provides an opportunity for students enrolled in introductory science courses to meet on a weekly basis with a group of about a dozen peers to review course material, solve problems, and gain a better understanding of course concepts. Group members study and interact under the guidance of a peer facilitator who has already successfully completed the course and is trained in facilitation techniques. The majority of study group members are first-year students and sophomores who are enrolled in 20+ courses across biology, chemistry, and physics. Over 6,000 students choose to become members of the more than 300 weekly SLC study groups offered each term.
The SLC's drop-in and appointment-based Peer Tutoring Program provides support for students enrolled in the largest biology, chemistry and physics courses. Both drop-in and appointment-based tutoring are well utilized. Over 2,000 drop-in visits are supported annually and over 25% of students who are eligible for appointment-based tutoring make use of this resource.
Successes and Impacts
Each year, thousands of students participate in the SLC's Peer Led Study Group Program. Responses to surveys of study group members have always been overwhelmingly positive, with students reporting a greater mastery of course material as a result of their participation. In 2013, we carried out an examination of whether participation in an SLC study group actually has a measurable effect on student grades. After controlling for a number of demographic and academic characteristics, we found that students in study groups earn, on average, a .34 higher grade than students who did not participate in study groups.
Elements Contributing to Success
Use of the SLC's resources is completely woven into the culture of undergraduate science courses. From the first day of class, most instructors emphasize the importance of using proven resources such as study groups and tutoring resources and students are encouraged to take advantage of such resources early in the term. Thanks to the long track record of offering effective programming, a student culture has also developed, where the peer-to-peer network plays a major role in publicizing the value of SLC programs.