Peer Assisted Group Learning (PAGL) – a method developed by Prof Ed Jacobs

On this page, and those that link from it, you will be able to read more about Prof Jacobs’ work, how PAGL came about and how students and academics have responded to it. Given the impact of this work in the Faculty and beyond as well as Prof Jacobs’ role and involvement in the Teaching and Learning  Discussion Forum, it is only fitting that his teaching portfolio is also hosted here, within the context in which his ideas were developed. It also serves as a Faculty resource (1) documenting an example of best practice and (2) providing an example of a teaching portfolio. It is envisaged that this blog will be extended with more cases of scholarly or innovative teaching from the Faculty over time.

Teaching portfolio: Associate Professor EP Jacobs (Chemistry and Polymer Science) 

Prof Jacobs, with word clouds of student feedback generated by his two class groups in 2013.

1. Teaching context
2. Teaching philosophy
3. Study guide
4. Logical model development
5. Summary of the PAGL approach to teaching and learning
   1. Chemistry is a challenging subject
   2. Reflection after first tutorial iteration
   3. Sub-group undertaking
   4. Restructuring non-functional groups
6. Lectures (MCQs and low-tech tablets)
   1. Typical lecture format (limiting reactants)
   2. Lecture in progress (video)
7. Tutorials (Working question sets & 4^th Question formative test)
   1. Typical tutorial question set
   2. 4^th Question formative group-assessment
   3. 4^th Question assessment in progress (video)
8. Pet inorganic compound (PIC) project
9. Student performance
10. Feedback
    1. Students (before PAGL)
       1. 2008 Engineering Chemistry 123 (Group 1) statistics
       2. 2008 EC123 Group 1 written comments
       3. 2008 Engineering Chemistry 123 (Group 2) statistics
       4. 2008 EC123 Group 2 written comments
    2. Students (3^rd iteration of PAGL)
       1. 2013 Foundation Programme Chem 176 (Group 1)
       2. 2013 Foundation Programme Chem 176 (Group 2)
       3. Current Chem 176 student reflecting (anonymous e-mail to Dr Adendorff)
    3. Mainstream student (after PAGL induction)
       1. Former Foundation Programme student (2011)
       2. Former Foundation Programme student (2012)
    4. Colleagues
       1. Dr Adendorff (Centre for Teaching and Learning)
       2. Prof Raubenheimer (Former HOD, Dept of Chemistry and Polymer Science)
       3. Liezl Nieuwoudt (Dept of Economics, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences)
       4. Bradly Greenhalgh (Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Faculty of Law)
       5. Prof Heyns (retired, Former Engineering Chemistry 123 co-lecturer)
       6. Prof SM Bradshaw (Engineering Faculty)
11. Curriculum vitae
    1. Unabbreviated Curriculum vitae (2009 – 2013)
    2. Abbreviated curriculum vitae