ANU Law School’s Peer-Assisted Learning Program
Highly Commended, Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Programs that Enhance Learning
The ANU Law School’s Peer-Assisted Learning (‘PAL’) program is designed and delivered by law students to support the education and wellbeing of fellow students. This program epitomises the collegiate and supportive environment the ANU seeks to promote and represents the commitment of current students to bettering the experiences of their peers.
The PAL program runs weekly sessions for law students that focus on skills like legal research and writing, exam preparation and legal problem solving. PAL also makes an array of resources available to students online, including guides, templates and recorded sessions. PAL has been an integral part of the ANU Law School since 2014 and supported students at every stage of their law school journey. PAL provides a supportive environment for students to ask questions, meet their peers, and learn from the experiences of later-year law students.
PAL demystifies the law school experience, building student confidence through compassionate mentors who are willing to share their own experiences. Students are provided with a safe space to make mistakes and try new tricks through active learning activities and student mentors are given the opportunity to influence the direction of the program and give back to the university. PAL’s distinctly student-driven approach sets it apart from other initiatives and ensures the program maintains a strong understanding of changing student needs and challenges.
Teaching both study skills and wellbeing management, PAL provides holistic support to law students and promotes a healthy and driven approach to studies that allows law students to thrive.
(Photo by Tangyao Zhang)