Improving exam performance in an undergraduate statistics course for at-risk students through peer tutoring

Abstract

Peer tutoring is an effective method of improving undergraduate students’ academic performance, especially for those at-risk for poor grades. Peer tutoring has seldom been explored in undergraduate statistics, a difficult but required course for many college majors. The current study investigated the benefits of peer tutoring for 180 demographically-diverse undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory psychology statistics course at an urban public university. We investigated the predictive value of attendance at peer tutoring sessions for in-class examination performance. We also studied the role of help-seeking and self-efficacy. Results indicated that peer tutoring attendance was associated with higher grades for in-class examination among at-risk students. Help-seeking and self-efficacy were not associated with in-class examination scores. Peer tutors can help at-risk students increase scores in statistics courses. Departments offering undergraduate introductory statistics courses should allocate resources to allow for funding of peer tutoring programs.

Peer teachers taking the lead in classroom instruction: program creation and challenges faced

“…The value of peer learning has been explored and incorporated into a variety of venues throughout higher education with integration into teaching (Ford, 2018), writing centers (Bruffee, 1984), peer tutoring and counseling (Elbulok-Charcape et al, 2019), and in academic libraries as mentors, research assistants and teaching assistants (Bodemer, 2014;Deese-Roberts and Keating, 2000;Peter, 2013;Rinto et al, 2017). At the authors' institution, multiple units outside the library have utilized peer teachers in a variety of roles including as part of orientation activities, and as mentors and tutors in courses and campus writing and math centers.…”

“…The value of peer learning has been explored and incorporated into a variety of venues throughout higher education with integration into teaching (Ford et al ., 2018), writing centers (Bruffee, 1984), peer tutoring and counseling (Elbulok-Charcape et al. , 2019), and in academic libraries as mentors, research assistants and teaching assistants (Bodemer, 2014; Deese-Roberts and Keating, 2000; Peter, 2013; Rinto et al.…”