Peer Tutor Status and Outcomes in Primary Mathematics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Institute for Effective Education
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Organisations
Publications
Allen Thurston (Author)
(2012)
Social effects of peer tutoring in elementary schools
Thurston A
(2021)
The influence of social relationships on outcomes in mathematics when using peer tutoring in elementary school
in International Journal of Educational Research Open
Thurston, A
(2016)
Reciprocal Peer Tutoring in Irish Medium Schools
Thurston, A.
(2013)
Learning Together in Mathematics
| Description | The research project evaluated the effects of peer tutor status on mathematics in a sample of 487 10-12 year-old students from 20 schools in three different local authorities in Scotland. The peer tutoring technique was a form of paired mathematics with specific emphasis on mediation through strategic metacognition between tutor and tutee. Data indicated that student mathematics attainment significantly increased using this technique (Effect Size=0.43) and increased mathematics attainment was significantly linked to students' ability to talk about how they were going to approach tackling a mathematics question. Increased attainment was also predicted by the manner in which the learning process was mediated and regulated through asking questions. The higher academic status that the student perceived their partner to have, the lower they subsequently scored in mathematics tests. Pairs partnered with someone who they perceived to be popular made significantly greater gains in attainment. The implications of findings are that: • Metacognitive approaches to peer tutoring may be effective at raising mathematics attainment • Teachers should vary criteria for selection of workgroups for students in classrooms to take account of social as well as academic selection criteria o Tutor/tutee partners should be selected so that each perceive the other to not be of too high an academic status o Tutor/tutee partners should be selected to take account of the perceived popularity between pairs • Further research is required to explore the relationship between social relationships and cognitive outcomes • Policymakers may wish to ensure that policies and advice are updated to reflect the potential importance of social predictors on outcomes |
| Exploitation Route | The materials/research are specifically designed to be used in an academic context (ie schools). However, it should be noted that the techniques of peer tutoring that involve explanation, questioning and meta-cognition are bring embedded in a project looking at health education in Africa. The project will look at peer tutoring as a means to reduce infection rates by parasitic organisms. The project should produce at least three research papers that will be submitted for publication in high status journals. These will be of use to the academic community in understanding how peer tutoring promotes learning. Two papers have been given at AERA in New Orlenas 2011 and Vancouver 2012. This extends impact to an international audience. CPD has been run throughout 2012-13 in a number of schools. CPD is being offered to schools on a cost recovery basis. Incorporation of findings is already informing planning and preparation of future research and development projects. A substantive grant (£760,000) has been awarded from the Education Endowment Foundation. This will research the effects of peer tutoring in maths developed in the ESRC grant award in a larger scale (90 school) randomized controlled trial. Part of the funding was develop materials suitable for scale-up/mass-market use in schools. This has included updating the training manual, training presentations and developing a website for use by schools. Once the trial is completed, the peer-tutoring materials will be transferred to a 'not-for-profit' charity and be made available on a cost-recovery basis for schools. This should allow the impact of the project to extend far into the future. The materials have been adopted for translation into Irish by CCEA. They will be available to all Irish Medium schools in 2015. The English version of materials are available to teachers via the TES website. So far (Nov 2014) over 4500 teachers have access the materials. |
| Sectors | Education |
| URL | http://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/education/research/PeerLearningandPairedMaths.docx |
| Description | Results of the project have already been presented at two American Educational Research Association Annual Gatherings in New Orleans and Denver. The papers were well received by a substantial international audience on both occasions. A new manuscript is under development extending the original analysis and taking account clustering effects in the interpretation of findings. In September 2011 a workshop on peer tutoring was a be delivered at University of York at a national conference and professional development gathering for teachers and policy makers. A number of continuing professional development courses have already been organised with schools for September 2011 to present day. Knowledge exchange has already taken place with the schools and they have selected peer tutoring as an area for development in next year's school development plan. The main applicant will delivery these courses to them. This included professional training in the tutoring technique to every Irish medium teacher in KS2 in Northern Ireland. This resulted in a collaboration with CCEA to translate the materials into Irish language. They will be used by about 25 classes this year with the purpose of scale to all Irish Medium schools in 2015. Further studies showed good impact of the technique in Irish medium schools. Meetings have already taken place with members of the Education Committee of Scottish Government. Further meetings to discuss the potential impact that peer tutoring could have on Northern Ireland schools will take place with CCEA inn 2016. It is anticipated that the main applicant will have an on-going relationship with politicians and policy makers in Government in Scotland and Northern Ireland and advise on education issues. Aspects of the peer tutoring techniques were included as part of newly accredited undergraduate programme on primary teacher education degrees at University of Stirling and Durham University. Clear references were made to peer tutoring in mathematics and validated modules contained reference to research findings and how to implement the pedagogy into professional practice. The manual was adapted and made freely available to teachers in the UK via the TES website. So far over 8000 teachers have accessed the materials on peer tutoring. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Education |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Massive open online course on peer tutoring |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I have designed a massive open online course that deals with peer tutoring. Although the subject is reading (based on other peer tutoring research projects), there are clear links to the original peer tutoring project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/peer-tutoring-reading/1/todo/25387 |