FIJI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

CENTRE FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING ENHANCEMENT

Senior Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) Leader Job Description

Position Title: Senior PAL Leader

Centre/Section: Centre for Learning and Teaching Enhancement (CLTE)
Report to: Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching Enhancement
(ADLTE) / Student Success Specialist (PAL Programme
Coordinator)
Rate: $15.00 per hour
Term: Casual
Course Grade: B or above
Hours of Work: Up to 4 hours per week

Position Summary
PAL is an academic mentoring programme targeted towards supporting students enrolled
in difficult courses. Senior PAL Leaders are students who have served a minimum of two
semesters as PAL Leaders and who have demonstrated excellence in their role. Senior PAL
Leaders are expected to develop and conduct weekly scheduled PAL sessions. They are also
responsible for mentoring PAL Leaders, assisting SSS (PAL Programme Coordinator) in
professional developments and enhancing quality of the PAL programme. They do NOT re-
lecture, teach course materials, solve assignments or play an evaluative role. They do NOT
assist teachers with marking of any kind. PAL sessions are conducted from week 3 to week
15 of the semester. Detailed information about PAL programme can be found on PAL
website.

Position Responsibilities
As a Senior PAL Leader, you will:

 Participate in Senior PAL Leader trainings, workshops and in-service training

sessions.
 Assist CLTE staff during PAL Leader trainings, workshops and activities.
 Co-facilitate PAL refresher sessions.
 Use a combination of strategies to increase student participation in PAL sessions.
 Guide PAL Leaders to facilitate effective PAL sessions.
 Observe PAL sessions and provide constructive feedback to PAL Leaders.

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  Lead in planning and facilitation of PAL awareness sessions in collaboration
with the PAL Leaders and CLTE staff.
 Promote CLTE services, workshops and events.
 Guide and direct students to use CLTE support services.
 Take part in FNU activities and be ambassadors of CLTE.

 Submit all relevant documents, including full academic transcript and curriculum
vitae to SSS (PAL Coordinator) prior to the commencement of the term of the
contract.

 Facilitate up to four (one-hour/session) sessions per week throughout the semester,
using strategies and approaches learnt at the PAL Leader training workshop. 

 Attend the lecture(s) of the PAL supported courses (when possible) and review your
own course materials from previous semesters.

 Communicate regularly with the teaching staff of the PAL supported courses to
determineareas where students require extra help.
 Develop materials and activities for use during PAL sessions.
 Assist PAL students to improve their understanding of course content.
 Submit attendance sheets to the SSS (PAL Coordinator) soon after the PAL session or
at least on the same day.
 Fill PAL session plan form for every session prior to its facilitation.
 Regularly meet with other PAL Leaders and SSS (PAL Coordinator) to:

 discuss observations of the PAL sessions;


 discuss the creation and use of PAL session handouts;



 discuss the planning of PAL sessions; and



 notify SSS (PAL Coordinator) about problems or potential problems.


 Maintain a professional attitude when communicating with PAL students and staff
members.

 Submit a Pay Claim every fortnight for the hours worked in a prompt manner.

 Administer student feedback survey forms as and when required.

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Training
The Senior PAL Leaders will be provided with professional training at the commencement of
their role and additional training during employment. These training sessions will be offered
free-of-charge.

Supervision
General direction is provided on the assignments to be undertaken, with the Senior PAL
Leader determining the appropriate use of established methods, tasks and sequences.
Guidance on the approach to standard circumstances is provided in the PAL Leader manuals,
while an SSS (PAL Coordinator) offers advice on the approach to non-standard situations. The
Senior PAL Leaders report to the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching Enhancement.

Selection Criteria
Applicants must demonstrate that they are able to undertake the inherent responsibilities
of the position as contained in the position description and are able to meet the following:

 Must have a grade of B or above in the PAL supported course(s).

 Must have served as a PAL Leader for a minimum of two semesters and displayed
leadership excellence.
 Possess a good knowledge of your programme.
 Have a good understanding of students’ challenges and be committed to providing
support and assistance. 
 Possess problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the academic expectations involved in studying
at FNU.
 Demonstrate well-developed communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills.
 Demonstrate understanding of the academic expectations involved in studying at
FNU.
 Have a genuine interest in supporting and assisting students from diverse social and
cultural tenets.

 Possess the ability to use appropriate Information and Communication Technology

tools, for example, Moodle, email and social-networking sites.

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 
Senior PAL Leader Ethics
1. Senior PAL Leader will be engaged with the PAL programme for a semester or more,
depending on performance and commitment towards PAL programme.
2. Senior PAL Leader will have to conduct study sessions until Week 15 of the semester.
3. Senior PAL Leader will need to adhere to the PAL schedules seriously.

4. Senior PAL Leader needs to be punctual and committed to his/her respective PAL
students. If the leader is unable to attend the study session, he/she must inform the
students and SSS (PAL Coordinator) one day prior to the scheduled study session.

5. Senior PAL Leader must take attendance for each study session. The signature of the
PAL students is crucial. Without this, attendance for that particular study session will
be considered void.

6. Senior PAL Leader must submit Attendance Sheets soon after the PAL sessions to SSS
(PAL Coordinator).

7. Senior PAL Leader shall guide students through the course content, concepts and
study skills; create a conducive environment for effective group learning, that is:
supportive, inclusive and focused on the needs of the students.
8. Senior PAL Leader shall facilitate students’ learning to help them understand the
course better.
9. Senior PAL Leader must attend PAL leadership training sessions.

10. Senior PAL Leader shall seek clarifications with SSS (PAL Coordinator) in case of any
uncertainty about his/her roles and responsibilities.

11. Senior PAL Leader shall not do a student’s work/ assignments, provide inappropriate
information or materials in a PAL session.
12. Senior PAL Leader must uphold tenets of Academic Integrity and promote the same
among their participants so to refrain from potential transgression.

Name of PAL Leader: ……………………………………… Signature: …………………………………….

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