AAS Peer Note-Taking
The AAS Peer Note-Taking program strives to create an inclusive learning environment in which we can collaborate with students and instructors to ensure that every student has access to their course material.
Peer note-taking is only available to AAS-registered students who have it as an enhanced service accommodation. If it is on your accommodation plan, you are encouraged to access it for courses in which you may find peer notes a positive reinforcement of your learning.
Peer notes are generally offered for traditional, lecture-style courses only. They are not usually provided for discussion-based tutorials, experiential courses, maker/studio classes, labs, or online learning.
AAS Peer Note-Taking is a peer-led program. We work hard to match students with a peer note-taker. Peer note-taking services, however, are not guaranteed.
Below you’ll find information about the role students, peer note-takers, and instructors play in providing students with the note-taking resources they need.
Fall 2023 Important Dates
For AAS Students
Last day to request notes:
October 31, 2023
Last day to be matched with a peer note-taker:
November 13, 2023
For Peer Note-Takers
Last day to sign up as a peer note-taker:
November 6, 2023
Begin to apply for payment on AwardSpring:
November 13, 2023
Last day to apply for payment on AwardSpring:
December 1, 2023
Information for AAS Students Requesting Notes
How it works:
Request the courses in which you need a peer note-taker at the start of each semester on the AAS Student Portal.
Check the AAS Student Portal to select a peer note-taker when one becomes available.
Download course notes regularly and save to your computer/other storage space.
Stay in contact with us, if needed.
How to get notes:
- Access the AAS Student Portal and select "Peer Note-Taking" or click on the "Get Notes" button below.
- Log in with your my.torontomu credentials.
- Click "Courses/Notes" and indicate the courses in which you need peer notes.
- If there is a peer note-taker available - select them and download your notes.
- If there are no available note-takers - check back on the AAS Student Portal often as it may take a week or more for a peer note-taker to sign up.
Information for Students Sharing Notes
How to Get Started:
- Sign up to be a Peer Note-taker using our AAS Student Portal and click on “Peer Note-Taking” or click on the "Share Notes" button below.
- Sign in with your my.torontomu credentials.
- You will be notified by email if you are assigned as a peer note taker.
- Upload your notes to our online platform by visiting our student portal and clicking on “Courses/Notes” at the top left side.
Benefits
Develop and enhance your academic skills
You can receive $200 per course if you are selected as a peer note-taker (payment application is required)
Create an accessible learning community
Eligibility
You must be currently enrolled at TMU as a student
You must have a GPA 1.67 or higher (clear academic standing)
Information for Instructors
What is AAS Peer Note-Taking?
The peer note-taking program is an AAS enhanced service, in which students already enrolled in your course share their notes with AAS-registered classmates who qualify based on disability impacts. Through our secure note sharing platform, both the identity of the peer note-taker and student requiring notes is kept confidential.
Peer note-taking does not generally support online courses unless the course is delivered synchronously/live streamed. Students may request notes for online courses that are not live-streamed. If they do, you will receive an email indicating that you should not post any of the peer note-taking advertisements in your course. If it is an exceptional case, our team will contact you.
What are my Next Steps?
Help us ensure that AAS-registered students who request peer note-taking are matched with a peer note-taker! It’s likely that in most classes you teach you’ll have students registered with the peer note-taking program in which case…
- You will receive an automated email when a student requests notes on the system. Please Note: The confidentiality of the AAS student must be upheld.
- If your course is structured in such a way that you share your lecture notes with your class or you teach an asynchronous course where all course materials are made available through the D2L shell you may disregard this email and forgo the rest of the steps as peer notes will not be necessary.
- Post the included (google doc) Google Doc announcement (external link) to your D2L shell, along with the peer note-taking recruitment video (external link) *
- Direct potential note-takers to sign up with our program.
- We take care of the rest!
If a student in your class expresses interest in joining the program as a peer note-taker, instruct them to sign up to be a peer note-taker or email us directly.
* We are in the process of updating all of our communication and branding to reflect TMU’s new name change.
Questions?
Email us at peernotes@torontomu.ca