Peer-Powered Pedagogy

It’s a crisp autumn morning in Amherst, and small groups of students cluster around whiteboards and laptops. Within these busy classrooms, the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) Undergraduate Course Assistant (UCA) program quietly drives a powerful model of peer-powered learning. Employing approximately 300 students each year, the initiative cultivates leadership, communication, and collaboration skills while enhancing the classroom experience, as experienced students step alongside their peers to guide labs, lead discussions, and turn complex lessons into shared moments of discovery.

More Than Just Assistance

Established nearly a decade ago, the UCA program uniquely positions undergraduates not merely as classroom assistants, but also as integral contributors to the educational experience. The concept is simple: students who have excelled in certain courses are hired and trained to help teach and guide current classmates. Far from routine support roles, UCAs actively shape classroom dynamics, facilitate discussions, and bridge communication between faculty and students.

"At the surface, the Undergraduate Course Assistant program is a way for the college to give support to the professors and TAs, but I think it’s much more than that," said CICS senior and UCA Program Coordinator Dev Mehta. "It’s a way for undergraduates to feel involved with the college, to feel involved with the course. If you have ideas on how you want to restructure a course based on your own experiences, this is a way for you to do that."

Building Community Through Peer Support

The program leverages a peer-led model that resonates powerfully with students. Instead of distancing academic support from the student experience, UCAs live within it, providing a relatable and empathetic presence in the classroom. Their engagement with classmates breathes authenticity into potentially abstract academic concepts. The result is stronger retention, deeper engagement, and a generation of alumni who recall their time at CICS not only as learners, but also as mentors and collaborators.

"Research tells us that peer-to-peer instruction can be really beneficial for students, especially in these tough technical classes," said Emma Anderson, director of inclusive education and teaching support. "One of the reasons why peer instruction is so effective is because it builds a community in classrooms. And the more that we leverage the UCA program in classrooms, discussion sections, and online spaces where students are talking about their work, the more of a community every class becomes. This, in turn, I think changes the culture of CICS to be more community-based, more communicative, and more collegial. It's really a beautiful thing."

"I help [UCAs] envision themselves as change agents in the department because, to me, that's really what student leadership is all about." 

– Emma Anderson, Director, Inclusive Education and Teaching Support

A Training Ground for Future Leaders 

Participants in the program routinely cite growth in interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and self-confidence, assets that profoundly shape their post-college paths. Beyond mere academic reinforcement, UCAs find themselves developing critical soft skills highly sought after by employers, helping UCA alumni transition into roles that demand team orchestration, user experience insight, or client engagement.

"UCAs get enrolled in a seminar and are subject to some very good training. They learn pedagogy. They learn how to best approach the students, how to realize where and when a student needs help. It's a lot of managerial ability. It's a lot of communication, and that's something that looks very good on a resume," said Marius Minea, senior teaching faculty.

What makes the UCA program uniquely effective? First, it's embedded learning: UCAs simultaneously reinforce their own academic mastery while shaping the learning environment for others. Second, it's peer proximity: students receive support from someone not far removed from their current experience, making feedback feel less hierarchical and more collaborative. Third, clarifying complex concepts for others forces UCAs into a zone of metacognition, an advanced learning loop in which teaching and learning rotate back on each other.

A Powerful Engine for Success

For many, the UCA program is a powerful engine within CICS, shaping classroom culture, academic achievement, and personal growth. It doesn’t dominate headlines or rely on splashy campaigns, yet its impact resonates across courses and careers alike.

"I help students envision themselves as change agents in the department because, to me, I think that's really what student leadership is all about," said Anderson. "And that's what is so exciting about working in a university."

As higher education increasingly values hands-on, collaborative experiences alongside traditional curricula, the UCA program demonstrates how thoughtfully designed peer-led initiatives can profoundly influence student trajectories—ensuring CICS graduates leave not only as skilled computer scientists but also as leaders, mentors, and collaborators.

This story originally appeared in the Winter 2025–2026 issue of Significant Bits magazine.