What's the Difference?

Office Hours vs. Recitation Sections vs. Peer Academic Coaching

What are the differences between these three resources?
How can you use each effectively for your needs?

Office Hours:

Office hours are times when you can meet with your professors and/or TAs to discuss the material that was presented in class.
Course-related discussions include asking for extra help, seeking clarification of material presented in class and following up on aspects of the class you find compelling.
Most professors do not require that students attend office hours. They expect students to decide for themselves when they need or want to participate.
Professors usually announce their office hours on the first day of class, and list them on the course syllabus or Canvas site.
Most professors and TAs do not have lessons planned for office hours. They expect students to "drive" these meetings with their questions and their thought.

Using Office Hours Effectively:

Clarify and ask questions about course content. If you are confused about class material, ask your professor to explain it differently or walk through it slowly with you. Ask questions that you have about the text or what has been covered learned in class.
Get study ideas. There are many strategies that can be used for any class, but some subjects have specific strategies that work particularly well for that class. Your professor may have tips about ways to tailor your studying towards that particular class.
Ask questions about the syllabus, upcoming assignments, and due dates. After carefully reading the syllabus and any assignment prompts, confirm important dates and information with your professor if you are still not certain about them.
Prepare for an upcoming assignment. Many assignments will require you to practice new and developing skills. If you have an upcoming project or paper, office hours can be an appropriate place to discuss your ideas and your instructor's expectations.
Review an exam or a paper you wrote. Many students do not do as well as they expected on papers and exams at least once in college. Office hours is an appropriate setting to talk about what you did wrong, what went well, and how to improve on your next paper or exam.
Talk about grades. If you are unhappy with your grade or have questions about why your grade is what it is, office hours are the appropriate place to talk about it.
Work through practice problems. Ask your professor to go step by step through practice problems with you and verify the correct answers. If you are having trouble solving them correctly, use this time to ask your professor to show you where you are making errors.

Recitation Sections:

Recitation classes are smaller classes designed to give focused help on major points from the associated lecture class.
In general, the format of a lecture is too large to allow for questions and answers. Those should be reserved for the Recitation Section.
Recitation Sections allow students to learn and review the material in a small group environment. This often fosters confidence in students to participate and ask questions in the class, without the pressure of a large audience.

Using Recitation Sections Effectively:

Recitation classes are designed to review the material covered throughout the course in an in-depth manner. You'll have the opportunity to apply what you've learned to different scenarios and discover the taught concepts in greater detail.

Recitation classes allow for individualized time with the professor or teaching assistant.

In a lecture class, it can be difficult to connect with your professor on a personal level due to the number of students in the course.
A recitation class allows you increased face-to-face time with whomever is leading the class, whether this is the professor or a TA.
Recitations are a great chance to build a relationship with the instructor or TA.

Depending on your recitation section, your course may include the following:

Working together to solve problems as a class.
Engaging in group activities and projects.
Participating in in-depth discussions revolving around the taught concepts.
Regardless, you'll be able to engage more with ideas and concepts from your class, as well as with your peers, to produce an interactive and engaging environment.

Peer Academic Coaching:

What if you've attended both office hours and your recitation section, but you are still struggling with the material? The next step would be scheduling a session with a PAC Coach.

PAC sessions are additional academic and/or skills development support from a more experienced peer. These Coaches have successfully completed the course previously and use their experience to offer one-on-one guidance to assist you in understanding the content. However, PAC sessions are not simply teaching subject matter content. The focus is helping students to understand their own learning process and supporting them in learning in the way that works best for them.

Students are able to ask questions and attempt the course material in a supportive environment, individualized environment.

Using PAC Sessions Effectively:

Having a successful session with a PAC Coach starts with how prepared the student is for the session. Below are ways in which the student should actively participate prior to, during, and after their PAC session:

Prior to the PAC Session:

Attend your scheduled class sessions! (Missed a class? Utilize your syllabus, textbook, and classmates to find out what was covered.)
READ the study materials and the assignment fully.
Carefully complete your assigned work to the best of your ability. Students should always attempt the work independently first, and then bring those attempts with them to their PAC session.
Come prepared! Know ahead of time exactly what you want to work on with your Coach.
- Evaluate your strengths (what do you understand well in this assignment, topic, process, etc.).
- Identify the area where you feel stuck or would like more support.
- Write down as many questions as you can think of for which you need assistance.

During the PAC Session:

Bring your textbook, assignments, and class notes to the PAC session.
Write down new notes when appropriate so that you can explain the idea to yourself later if you get stuck again.
Write down any helpful questions or strategies that the Coach offers you.
Try part of the work on your own during the session and explain your reasoning to the tutor while you work through it.
Write down questions you may want to ask the instructor during the next class lecture.

After the PAC Session:

Review! Review the syllabus and textbook notes. Review your lecture notes. Review your assignments.
Plan to study/complete homework: Set aside dedicated time to complete work for each class.
Connect with your instructor! Visit during office hours, send an email to let them know how you're feeling about your grasp of the concepts, and ask questions both in class and out.
Monitor your own level of course understanding--be prepared to convey to your Coach in your next session which concepts you are struggling with and why, and what progress you have made since your last PAC session.
Schedule yourself for academic support throughout the term.

What's the Difference?