PALSI Student Testimonials

As a person who likes to self-study, I wasn’t very interested when I initially heard about PALSI. However, as classes went on, I found some materials quite challenging and decided that there was no harm in registering for a PALSI class. Unexpectedly, my experience as both a PALSI student and leader has been wonderful & enthralling for I was able to grow in different aspects of learning.

As a PALSI student …
I joined 3 PALSI classes in total and can say that they certainly had been beneficial for me. Instead of giving “lectures” or explaining the topic through the PowerPoint presentations again, the leader mainly focused on doing various types of questions. He would give a brief explanation and then proceed to explain some questions. As exercising practice questions is one of the main aspects in consolidating the knowledge we learn in mathematics, by attempting more questions, I could understand the thought process better. He would also occasionally share his tips such as acronyms for remembering certain formulas. In addition, after each class, he would send us a document containing all the things that were covered in the class. Through this, I could review the materials again after the lesson. When I had questions in revision, not only does it feel more convenient to enquire him first before the professor (which is probably due to our same status as students), he would also answer my questions promptly. 

As a PALSI leader …
All of these contributed to my “teaching style” as a PALSI leader the next year. Before starting with anything, I would usually try to answer my PALSI students’ questions first. Subsequently, I would ask them what they would like to study or focus on that day in order to make the class more personalized and effective for them. As we discuss the solutions, they would also explain their confusion by asking questions. Consequently, I also developed a deeper understanding of the subject. This provided me an unexpected benefit to revisit some of the fundamental concepts, which I have forgotten. Hence, when I came across a question requiring these concepts, I could recall and apply it with ease. Moreover, being a PALSI leader also expanded my interpersonal skills, particularly my communication and organization skills along with my confidence. This, of course, only happened because I had amazing students who would diligently come to most of the lessons. They are quite active in discussions and at the same time respectful when I was explaining questions. Now, after the classes have ended, I get to see more familiar faces around campus.

Overall, PALSI has impacted a huge part of my life in CityU and has been nothing but exceptional since the day I started. Peer learning has a huge impact on one's capacity to not only comprehend concepts but also to analyze them and develop critical thinking skills. Additionally, everyone who has ever taught knows that teaching and explaining a concept requires a completely different degree of understanding than merely knowing or applying said concept, which has definitely helped me to improve my soft skills and develop a better foundation in mathematics.

When I participated in PALSI as a year-1 student, I never thought my journey with PALSI would last till now and even further. My previous expectation was that it would be a small-class tutorial where students could review the concepts and have on-site Q&A with PALSI leaders. But PALSI is way more than that. We are encouraged to ask about not only the content of the lecture but also the recommended learning method, suggestions about online courses, and even career planning.

My PALSI leaders created an open academic atmosphere. She made sure everyone was involved in the discussion. She was always encouraging and would never judge us even when we were wrong. Through discussion, I learned diversified approaches to solve the same question, which further cultivated my habit of analyzing problems from different angles and perspectives.

One of my PALSI leaders was looking for full-time jobs and applying for internships. She frequently shared the essential tips that fully leverage the resources provided by CityU to search develop a career. This is the magic of PALSI - it provides a platform where junior and senior students can gather and share. As PALSI leaders are also students, there is barely any generation gap and we can communicate more equally. Having some like-minded peers to talk to is especially important for year-one students. I'm fortunate enough to be inspired by her experience, and this inspired me to apply for internships in the summer break.

I remember one time when we were all stuck in a difficult question. I eventually worked it out and explained to fellow classmates with step-by-step calculations and detailed graphics. I had great sense of achievement when getting recognition from my PALSI classmates and leader. I also realized that I had the capacity to be a PALSI leader. Later on, I successfully became a PALSI leader of CB2201 Operation Management. I tried to keep the amazing features as learned from my PALSI leaders. Apart from that, I integrated my own teaching style - intending to be a gentle yet helpful leader. I attempted to introduce specific learning methods regarding the course I taught. For example, I made use of my own mind maps to connect concepts and therefore, deepening students’ understanding of the course material. Furthermore, we would do practice questions for each chapter so that students could have regular self-assessments and receive timely feedback. Not only did PALSI benefit students only, I definitely levelled up my oral English and communication skills as a leader too. I also had an unforgettable experience with my lovely fellow students from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Creating an equal and open academic platform for every self-motivated student is what PALSI has been doing for decades. Come join us and start your journey with PALSI!