Building a Peer Culture

Building a Peer Tutoring Culture

MS SAMANTHA LEE

A long-standing tradition in the academic program at St Aidan’s has been the inclusion of an Academic Preparation and Skills Building (APSB) program in the senior years. With the growth in literature about the advantages of peer tutoring, it has become a strategic priority to redevelop the existing program to build a culture that supports peers working together to learn and revise. This environment is shown to positively influence students’ motivation, selfregulation and self-efficacy, as well as their metacognitive skills to support the development of the cognitive skills of learning (Topping, 2015).

To build a peer tutoring culture in APSB, we used a design thinking approach to explore a range of strategies in Year 11 across two targeted phases, which included pre and post-intervention survey data, and testing of a range of peer tutoring strategies that support and encourage student-centred learning. St Aidan’s Alumni were invited as peer tutors in the second phase of testing. These alumni offer academic expertise and experience across a range of subjects and students were able to organise themselves into subjectspecific groups, or individually engage a peer tutor. The process promoted study agency by allowing them to make their own subject specific priorities and prepare their study program based on their emergent needs. Teachers were always present in these sessions and played a valuable role in facilitating the interactions between the students and the Alumni.

The two phases revealed the significant impact of peer tutoring on improving social skills and social interactions and reducing disruptive and off-task behaviours during study sessions (Cofer, 2020). Allowing for student voice and student led tutoring strategies was important for ensuring engagement and “buy in” to the program. Students have become more comfortable with the process over the year and are now more willing to engage with other students within their own cohort as well. The postintervention survey indicated a gradual increase in self-efficacy and motivation and students expressed that they understand more about their own role in the process.

In July, the research process was presented at the Independent Schools Queensland Big Ideas Summit held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Sharing research with other independent schools to promote further growth and create a professional dialogue is a valuable collaboration. It is an opportunity to gather differing perspectives which broadens the depth of the professional education community; likewise, it consolidates St Aidan’s position as a leader in research.

The next step for peer tutoring is to continue to engage the Alumni with Year 11 and Year 12 students in their preparation for internal and external exams. Into the future, we are looking at the introduction of a formalised after school program of peer tutoring in the library as well as providing support within the lessons allocated in the timetable. The development of our current senior students to act as academic peer mentors while at school is another area of development and possible leadership role for the senior students.

Cofer, R. (2020). The Peer Tutor Experience: Tutor Perceptions of Academic Performance and Skillset Gains. The Learning Assistance Review, 25(1), 41

Topping, K. (2015). Peer tutoring: old method, new developments. Journal for the Study of Education and Development, 38(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/02103702.2014.99 6407