Longitudinal Analysis of STEM peer support visitation patterns: STIMulating learning

Peers supporting peers in higher education is a help seeking behaviour that has proven positive impact on student success and retention (Drane, Micari, & Light, 2014). STIMulate is a peer program in Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia that normalises peer learning facilitation as a core support for learning mechanism university wide with 10839 student visits reported between 2016 and 2018. This paper reports the findings of an empirical longitudinal analysis using three-years of detailed student-visitation data to answer crucial service provision questions and evidence student visitation trends. We focus on understanding when first time visits occur and whether visits continue for the duration of their studies. We address how the service can proactively respond to peaks and relate our findings to assessment patterns. Targeted group support scheduling patterns – in concert with drop-in – are identified as an effective method for levelling out overall demand. Importantly students who visit us in their first year continue to do so throughout their studies raising implications for the sector and programs of similar intent or structure.