Abstract
Studies have demonstrated the positive impact of the Learning Assistant (LA) model on student learning across various disciplines, demographics, and course types. In order to investigate the effect of exposure to the LA program on student learning and success in a large Chemistry course, a pilot was launched in one of two sections of General Chemistry II at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in spring 2020, with the addition of LAs as the sole experimental variable. The researchers hypothesized that the LA model positively impacts equity in the classroom with increased learning gains across student demographics. A t-test was used to determine the significance in differences between student exam scores in the LA and non-LA section. The researchers found that student learning was significantly higher in the LA section versus the non-LA section (p<0.01). Students participating in the LA section (N=275) had stronger outcomes than students in the non-LA section (N=290). In addition, students in the LA section were more likely to pass the course, enroll in the subsequent (Organic Chemistry) course within one year, and were more likely to be retained at the institution. These success rates held for all students, particularly for students historically underrepresented in chemistry. Keywords: Learning Assistant, collaborative learning, active learning, equity in education, student success