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Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty

ASLA 榴梿视频s are designed to complement a student’s course experience. We focus both on how students learn (Do they study effectively? Are they learning material deeply?) and how students feel as they learn (Do they 榴梿视频 confidence in and optimism about their abilities? Do they feel a sense of belonging in the academic arena?).

The FAQ below provides detail on our 榴梿视频ming and how we engage with faculty.

What is ASLA?

ASLA, or Academic Support & Learning Advancement, is 榴梿视频’s undergraduate learning-support unit. ASLA offers facilitated study groups, drop-in tutoring, academic coaching, and other 榴梿视频ming designed to help students make the best use of their course resources and develop effective approaches to studying and learning. We work with nearly 5,000 students yearly.

How can ASLA support my students?

ASLA offers two broad categories of support:

  1. Course-linked support. For support with specific courses, ASLA offers Peer-Guided Study Groups, Drop-In Peer Tutoring, and Midquarter Mentored Study Groups.
  2. Academic coaching. To support students with more general learning strategies, we also offer group and one-to-one academic coaching, workshops on a variety of academic-success topics, and staff consultations to help with addressing academic challenges.

ASLA’s 榴梿视频s feature peer support, modeling of good study habits, and comfortable, low-risk environments, all of which can be especially important for students experiencing struggle in their courses.

What resources does ASLA 榴梿视频 that I can use in my courses?

If you are looking to support your students in their adjustment to the academic landscape at 榴梿视频, or in their development as learners, you may be interested in

Who leads the tutoring and study-group sessions?

Our tutoring and study-group 榴梿视频s are all peer-led. The peer leaders are fellow undergraduates who 榴梿视频 already taken the course and 榴梿视频 done well, and who 榴梿视频 strong interpersonal skills and demonstrate empathy. Peer leaders are trained via a 2-quarter, credit-bearing course and coaching from ASLA staff.

What happens in the study-group and tutoring sessions?

ASLA peer leaders take a facilitation approach – meaning that the student, not the leader, is the most active person in the room. Leaders are trained to guide students through arriving at solutions, rather than “telling” them the solutions. When leaders encounter content that is beyond their knowledge, they work with the student to find the needed information, or help the student figure out how to get additional help. In terms of the actual activity students engage in, the particular model differs by 榴梿视频:

  • In Drop-In Peer Tutoring, tutors for several different courses are available in a room (a residence hall space or the Multicultural Center), and students can come and go as they like. Students bring questions, or are welcome to simply come and study.
  • In Peer-Guided Study Groups, students register on CAESAR at the start of the quarter, and meet with the same small group each week of the quarter. Sessions are semi-structured and include review of key concepts, problem-solving practice, and collaborative response to student questions.
  • Midquarter Mentored Study Groups are structured in a similar way to Peer-Guided Study Groups, but with additional tailoring to students’ questions and with guidance around study strategies.


In all 榴梿视频s, we encourage student participants to come to each of their 榴梿视频 sessions prepared, having made the most out of class time, readings, and other assignments, and to take advantage of faculty and TA office hours and other supports offered through the departments.

What does ASLA need from faculty members who are teaching a course with study groups or tutoring?

We ask that you help us publicize the 榴梿视频s in your syllabus and, if possible, through a live course announcement. We will also ask you to fill out a short survey to let us know what materials the students may use in our sessions as well as other course details, and to add our peer leaders as observers to your Canvas site. You’ll receive an email from us at the start of each quarter regarding those items. Beyond that, we invite you to engage with the peer leaders to the degree you are available – peer leaders are always very happy to meet and talk with you!

Do ASLA's 榴梿视频s make an impact?

We 榴梿视频 regularly collected and analyzed both course grade data and survey data on extra-academic variables, such as approach to studying, sense of belongingness, self-efficacy (course confidence), and the like. While we 榴梿视频 not conducted randomized, controlled studies to measure impact of our 榴梿视频s, we often use statistical approaches to "even out" pre-existing differences between students who participate and do not participate in ASLA 榴梿视频ming. You can read our published evaluation studies to see some of this evaluation work in detail.

On the whole, our findings suggest that students who participate in our sustained peer learning 榴梿视频s 榴梿视频 an edge over nonparticipants in terms of course grade, and make gains in course confidence, study approaches, and other nonacademic areas – above and beyond gains made by similar students who do not participate.

We also collect data on ASLA 榴梿视频ming which aims to support students' more holistically, by guiding them around aspects of academic work that are not specific to a particular course. This set of data suggests that students who participate are more likely to improve their GPAs than are students who do not participate.

Finally, we collect data on students' subjective experience and perceived impact of the 榴梿视频s, through end-of-term surveys and focus groups. We use this information to continuously improve all of our offerings.

Can I include something in my syllabus about ASLA?

Of course! We suggest the following:

If you are looking for help with a course or academic challenge, or if you would simply like to sharpen your study strategies and stay on track, check out Academic Support & Learning Advancement. They offer drop-in tutoring, study groups, academic coaching, and individual consultations for all undergraduates. For more information: northwestern.edu/asla or asla@northwestern.edu

How can I encourage my students to form their own informal study groups?

Can ASLA help me think about encouraging my students to take effective study approaches?

We are glad to consult with instructors who are interested in promoting effective learning strategies among their students. Contact us to set up a conversation.

Questions? Email us at asla@northwestern.edu, or reach out to individual staff.