Meet-Up for success: The story of a peer led program’s journey

Technological advancements have forced space and time to evolve to present a virtual university that allows increasing numbers of students to study from a university rather than at university. The best people to guide and advise students through their university journey are experienced students. As Longfellow, May, Burke, and Marks-Maran (2008, p. 95) put it, teachers may be content or subject experts, but current “students are experts at being students.” Studies by Falchikov (2001) found that student leaders provide “expert scaffolding” that steps students from one level of learning to the next within the discipline area. Peer-assisted programs contribute to the development of a caring learning community as their trained leaders scaffold learning and negotiation between lecturer and student, both of which are desirable for student success and sustainable learning practices. Peer-assisted programs also provide a body of students with leadership qualities. This paper briefly explores the history and evolution of an on-campus peer led program to one that is embracing technology and online modes of peer learning. The program’s endurance hints at excellence and its dynamic nature is founded on innovation.