Peer Tutoring in a Physical Education Setting: Influence of Tutor Skill Level on Novice Learners’ Motivation and Performance

Abstract

Based on Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development and its concept of zone of proximal development, this study examined how the skill level of a peer tutor affects the achievement motivation of novice learners and their performance in a swimming task. Gender differences were also explored. High school students (N = 48) were assigned in a 2 × 3 (Gender × Tutor skill level: novice vs. intermediate vs. skilled) factorial design. Participants were invited to observe a same-sex peer tutor, complete a self-efficacy questionnaire, train with their tutor for 8 minutes, and complete a goal involvement questionnaire. Results demonstrated that skilled tutors yielded the best swimming skills for boys, whereas skilled and intermediate tutors yielded better skills than did novice tutors for girls. The skilled tutor group led to higher self-efficacy for improvement and gave more demonstrations and verbal information than did the novice group. Male tutees adopted higher ego involvement goals and trained more physically, whereas female tutees adopted higher learning goals and received more demonstrations and verbal instructions. Results are discussed in relation to educational studies conducted in a Vygotskian perspective.

The effects of peer teaching on the university students achievements in cognitive, affective, psychomotor domains and game performances in volleyball courses

“…This finding was not parallel with the previous studies (Ayvazo and Ward, 2009;Johnson and Ward, 2001;Longueville et al, 2002;Ward and Ayvazo, 2006). The study carried out by Longueville et.al.…”

“…The ability level of the teacher students is also important in peer teaching. If learners study with a more competent teacher student, they usually get higher benefits but if they study with an equivalent competent or less competent teacher student, they get benefits at a lower level (Hogan and Tutge, 1999;Longueville et al, 2002). Beside these factors, training and preparing level of peers are critical for the success of the peer teaching (Cervantes et al, 2013).…”

Peer-assisted learning in school physical education, sport and physical activity programmes: a systematic review

“…Three studies involved tutees in primary schools and tutors in secondary schools (Brown 1993;Smith 2011;Wiskochil et al 2007), and five interventions were conducted completely within secondary schools (D' Arripe-Longueville et al 2002;Ensergueix and Lafont 2010;Ernst and Byra 1998;Lubans et al 2011;Peralta, Jones, and Okely 2009). Regardless of school type, a total of 13 studies involved same-age tutoring (Ayvazo and Ward 2009;D'Arripe-Longueville et al 2002;Ensergueix and Lafont 2010;Ernst and Byra 1998;Houston-Wilson et al 1997;Johnson and Ward 2001;Klavina and Block 2008;Lieberman et al 2000;Strickland, Temple, and Walkley 2005;Ward et al 1998;Wiskochil et al 2007), with the remaining six interventions involving cross-age tutoring in dyads with older tutors and younger tutees. There were four studies that involved reciprocal PAL (Ayvazo and Ward 2009;Byra and Marks 1993;Ensergueix and Lafont 2010;Ernst and Byra 1998), two studies incorporated peer-mediated accountability (PMA) (Crouch, Ward, and Patrick 1997;Ward et al 1998) and one involved class-wide peer tutoring (Johnson and Ward 2001).…”

Cooperative group learning in a team game: role of verbal exchanges among peers

“…In the case of another morphokinetic skill, (i.e. the breaststroke turn in swimming), D'Arripe-Longueville, Gernigon, Huet, Cadopi, and Winnykamen (2002) demonstrated interaction between gender and dyadic situations; strongly asymmetrical situations were better for males whereas weakly asymmetrical conditions were better for females.…”