According to Eastern’s Program Leading to University Success (PLUS) coordinator Carlos Munoz, the PLUS research has shown students who come to five or more PLUS groups receive a final GPA  about .5 higher than students who do not attend PLUS.

PLUS groups are a large tutoring session assigned to specific classes with a facilitator who is knowledgeable in that specific class. Most PLUS groups are for introductory level classes, but some higher level classes have PLUS groups as well.

According to the PLUS website, these study groups are designed for students in specific classes. Instead of your typical tutor who is knowledgeable in a specific curriculum, the PLUS facilitators have taken the same class and instructor that the students in the PLUS group are taking.

“It’s a great way for students to get support from someone who’s experienced in that field with that instructor. Anyone enrolled in that class can go to it. You come or go as you please,” said Munoz.

Munoz said the goal of the PLUS groups is to provide students with someone who understands their professor’s teaching methods, has taken their tests already and understands what that professor is looking for in students.

According to the PLUS Executive Summary, there were 265 classes offering PLUS groups in the 2012-2013 school year.

Munoz said the facilitators assigned to each of the classes do their best to make the study session as successful as possible. The facilitators listen to the students’ questions and coordinate the group into smaller groups based on similar challenges and needs.

“The facilitator can provide those insights like, ‘I know how the testing is going to go, here are some possible test questions, this is the format you might experience, here are some challenges you might get with these kind of questions.’ They review, … they do worksheet reviews, test reviews or book reviews,” said Munoz.

PLUS groups are available for many different classes such as chemistry, math and psychology. According to the PLUS schedule there are 20 subjects with PLUS groups scheduled already.

The facilitators will often bring in materials that they think will help their peers to be successful. They also try to answer questions by teaching study skills that students can take with them into their other classes.

The whole program is designed to be fun and full of opportunities. Students involved in PLUS groups learn new study skills and have the chance to meet other peers who they might have future classes with.

According to the PLUS website, “You don’t need to cram all weekend. Pick up your textbooks and join one of our services. We don’t study longer or harder; we study shorter and smarter. We are not afraid to have a good time while we learn.”

EWU Library Information Desk assistant Jessica Basta said she really appreciates the dedication of the facilitators.

“The facilitators are very helpful and outgoing. They want to see you succeed,” said Basta.

The facilitators come up with their own methods to help students succeed. Munoz said that some groups play Jeopardy to help make the learning fun and challenging.

“It’s impressive; it works. Students are happy with the results. The feedback I got from students is they realize that everyone struggles,” said Munoz.

Munoz expressed that his vision with PLUS groups is that students use their peers as resources. The reason the PLUS groups are all mainly for introductory classes is so students can make the connections they need before they start climbing the education ladder.

Munoz said his hope is that as students go into their new classes, they will know more people and be able to take the study skills they learned in PLUS and apply it to their own study groups.

“The next time they go to a class, hopefully they know someone. They are like ‘Hey, you were in PLUS I was in PLUS let’s make a study group and invite people to come.’”

According to the PLUS website, the goal is to help the students as much as possible. “Our methods work! So what do you have to lose? Nothing. Our services are free and open to all students. So why spend five hours studying on your own when you can study two hours with us?”

If interested in becoming involved in PLUS groups, visit the PLUS group desk in the Learning Commons of the JFK Library or contact Munoz at cmunoz88

@ewu.edu. For a schedule of current PLUS groups, visit http://sites.ewu.edu/plus/schedule/.