Assessment of Peer-Led Team Learning in Calculus I: A Five-year Study

Peer‐Assisted Learning in Dental Students’ Patient Case Evaluations: An Assessment of Reciprocal Learning

“…These findings are consistent with the theoretical underpinnings of both small‐group and peer‐assisted learning, in which active self‐directed participation has been found to increase educational ownership, 3‐7 problem‐solving skills, 8,9 and critical thinking skills, 8 among other areas of educational value. It is likely, as has been reported, 3‐9 that increased involvement of students played a role in these improved outcomes. Our assessment of engagement revealed more complex findings than has been previously reported.…”

“…Studies have found that traditional didactic lectures were not the most effective approach for learning 1,2 . Other studies have found that small‐group learning that included active self‐directed participation increased students’ confidence, self‐autonomy, and ownership in learning, 3‐7 interpersonal skills, 8 communication, 5,8 problem‐solving, 8,9 and critical thinking 8 . These enhanced outcomes appeared to be associated with increased involvement of students in the educational process.…”

A multiple case study: What happens in peer tutoring of calculus studies?

“…In this matching the leader is also important. Merkel and Brania (2015) claimed their unsuccessful peer-led team learning process was due to a lack of leadership qualities exhibited by some peer leaders. Although leaderless peer groups like Reciprocal Peer Tutoring, as created by Fantuzzo et al (1989), are claimed as being very effective types of tutoring since tutor and tutee roles are interchangeable at times, the mathematics achievement, enthusiasm and teaching experiences should be generally close to each other.…”

“…Additionally, tutees made greater efforts to take control of their learning. Similarly, Merkel and Brania (2015) investigated peer-led team learning in Calculus-I courses with an experimental research approach during a five year period in an all-male college. The peer-led team is a student-centered instructional approach in which students work collaboratively in small groups of five to eight tutees facilitated by a peer leader.…”

Improving Mathematics Content Mastery and Enhancing Flexible Problem Solving through Team-Based Inquiry Learning

“…Our aim was to develop tasks that remained in the students' zone of proximal development (Vygotsky 1962, 103); that is, the team application activities were more challenging than students could do independently, yet they were at a level of difficulty that the students could achieve through collaboration and instructional support. This challenge of writing activities at the correct level is not unique to team-based inquiry learning, and it has similarly proved a challenge in related pedagogies such as peer-led team learning (Merkel and Brania 2015). Clearly, not all of our activities were within students' zone of proximal development, though the materials improved with revision between semesters, as evidenced by the monotonic growth in student mastery over time.…”