Peer tutoring and student outcomes in a problem-based course

Abstract

Does peer-tutoring affect students' educational outcomes in problem-based learning? Students' characteristics and outcomes were compared along 14 successive classes of a problem-based learning course in the University of Brasilia medical programme. In the first stage of this time series, 26 teacher-tutored groups were formed; in the second stage, 50 groups had both teacher- and peer-tutoring. Both groups had equivalent characteristics in stages one and two as regards membership size and composition (students' learning style, self-confidence and motivation to learn). Results showed that scores for problem-solving tests and self-evaluation of skills were not significantly different between first and second stage groups. However, scores of meaningfulness of course experience and group work usefulness were significantly higher in the peer-tutoring stage. Significant positive correlations were found between scores of meaningfulness of course experience and both self-evaluation and group work usefulness but not between the first measure and group size or motivation to learn. The findings suggest that peer-tutoring can facilitate group work without sustained loss of cognitive achievement in long range conditions of problem-based learning experience.

Scaffolding for Success in Problem-Based Learning

“…Interestingly, (as this is a first-year course) the transition to group work does not seem to have been problematic. The favorable impression of group work that is consistently reported is interesting in light of Sobral's 13 findings that there is a statistically significant positive correlation between PBL scores for meaningfulness of learning and both group-work and selfevaluation. Similarly, motivation was shown to correlate positively with problem-solving scores.…”

“…12 A study by Sobral 13 generally supports these propositions, finding that "the results ... reinforce the idea that problem-based learning, even in a single-course experience, may enhance the emotional well-being of the participants and the quality of the learning environment, as expressed by the learners themselves" (p.100). The current review relies heavily (although not exclusively) on student self-perception of the quality of learning, due to the availability of such information in the literature.…”

“…However, Eagle, Harasym and Mandin 30 find that tutor expertise favors greater congruence between learning issues and case objectives, and stimulates greater numbers of learning issues to be explored. Sobral,13 in comparing staff-tutored groups with peer-tutored groups in a PBL medicine course at the University of Brasilia, witnessed no significant difference between them in terms of problem solving or student selfevaluation of skills. However, scores for meaningfulness of learning and usefulness of group work were found to be significantly higher in peer-tutored groups.…”

Peer Tutoring Programs in Health Professions Schools

“…35 Ten studies compared the academic performance of students who received peer tutoring to that of students who received faculty tutoring. Five studies did not detect a difference between the performance of students tutored by peers versus students tutored by faculty or staff members, 14,15,17,28,29 4 studies found mixed results, 30,[32][33][34] and 1 study found the performance of peer-tutored students to be better. 26 Validity and reliability information for each study's measure of student achievement or performance was evaluated.…”

L’expérience de tutorat par les pairs étudiants : une expérience appréciée des tuteurs en chirurgie-dentaire

“…Dans ce dernier cas, il s'agit d'un professionnel de l'enseignement et non plus d'un étudiant. Cependant, des études ont montré que la supervision par un étudiant plus avancé des séances d'APP n'a pas modifié les résultats des tutorés 6 .…”