  In order to have a successful Learning Assistant Program it is important to
create adequate support tools and resources to adopt and implement the model.
The Learning Assistant Model was created at the University of Colorado-Boulder
and consists of three essential elements (pedagogy, content, and practice). Our
research focuses on the content component, or the weekly content preparation
session, in which faculty and their Learning Assistants (LAs) meet to discuss
course objectives, content, pedagogical approaches, and student learning. For
this study, video recordings of weekly content preparation sessions of various
LA-faculty assignments at Chicago State University were analyzed. This data and
a review of previous research on observation protocols led us to develop the
Preparation Session Observation Tool (PSOT). PSOT is used to develop a better
understanding of how the weekly content preparation sessions are fostering
different types of partnerships. It is expected that PSOT data can be used by
new adoptees of the LA Model and experienced members of LA Programs to analyze
their weekly content preparation session in order to improve or change
LA-faculty working relationships.
