Peer-led Engagement, Excellence and Resilience through Supplemental Instruction
ABOUT
The Peer-led Engagement, Excellence and Resilience through Supplemental Instruction (PEERS) program aims to enhance student success and the learning experience by responding to high failure and withdrawal rates in challenging courses required for graduation. As The University of Alabama’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), PEERS affirms the commitment of UA to our students and continuous improvement of their learning experience. It is an integral component of our SACSCOC reaffirmation process, which seeks to demonstrate that UA is successful in achieving its mission with the appropriate resources, programs, and services to support specific educational goals.
What is Supplemental Instruction?
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a peer-led model of enhancing student learning to improve student outcomes and retention. SI currently serves AC 210, BSC 114, CH 104, CS 100, and MATH 112. Our SI leaders are students who have taken and excelled in these courses or their content equivalent. SI leaders work with course faculty to support their peers in and outside the classroom.
Students in SI supported courses can participate in interactive group sessions designed to help them master course content and develop learning strategies for success. They can also attend weekly office hours where SI leaders will address their individual questions. SI offers students the opportunity to build community with knowledgeable peers at UA.
PEERS Goals and Outcomes
PEERS aims to improve student success as demonstrated in:
- Lower DFW rates in difficult courses.
- Increased credit hour earnings.
- Higher annual retention rates.
- Raised graduation rates.
Support and Partnerships
The QEP is backed by a $3.6 million investment to ensure lasting positive effects on student outcomes. It is housed in the Learning Commons, a part of the Capstone Center for Student Success. QEP staff collaborate with faculty and departments to ensure effective delivery of services. Pilot results from AY 2023-24 and 2024-25 show promising improvements in failure rates and student engagement.
Timeline
Work towards the PEERS program began in Fall 2022 when Dr. Jennifer Roth-Burnette and the Learning Commons team piloted embedded tutoring, similar to SI, in BSC 113 and 114. Seeing the success, they piloted SI in BSC 114 and CH 104 in 2023-2024. In May 2023, the Provost announced PEERS as UA’s QEP with Dr. Roth-Burnette as the Director and Kim Vann as the Program Manager. A full-scale pilot of the program was implemented in AY 2024-25. In Spring 2025, the SACSCOC Reaffirmation Committee reviewed PEERS as part of UA’s accreditation and noted multiple strengths of the program.
In August 2025, Dr. Teranda Donatto moved into the QEP Director role. That academic year marks the first official year of the QEP. The PEERS program will continue as UA’s QEP until Spring 2030. Through that time, the QEP team will track the progress of the project, ensuring that it meets the goal of improving student success outcomes.
