Pedagogy in Peer Tutoring

show me and I may remember,

involve me and I will understand.”

Role of a Peer Educator

• Assist students with how to learn college level content.

• Our goal is to develop independent, responsible, lifelong learners.

Promote Active Learning

• Active learning refers to the behaviors and attitudes associated with self-directed, self-motivated, and independent learning.

• Active learners take the initiative to ask questions and select learning strategies.

• The role of peer educator is to assist students with how to learn, including how to understand and remember difficult content.

See it.

Visual

Hear it.

Auditory

Touch it / do it.

Tactile/ Kinesthetic

Incorporating Critical Thinking and Questioning Skills

Strategy 1: Talk Out Loud

-BOTH the student and the peer educator talk out loud as they work their way through.

-Students verbalize what they understand, as well as what they are confused about.

-The peer educator hears how students are approaching content and can guide their thinking by interjecting appropriate questions and direction, such as:

--How did you get to this conclusion?

--What do you think comes next?

--Why did you add this?

--Try going back and checking your work.

-By voicing their thought process, peer educators model how to reach a conclusion and how to proceed when experiencing difficulties.

Strategy 2: Include Questions

-Why should you avoid yes/no questions?

-What are some better alternatives to “do you understand this?” to prompt students to think actively?

-Use what, why, and how questions as a tool for engaging students.

-Redirect questions back to the students whenever possible.

-Think time refers to the period of time that the students need to process information and come up with an answer. (30 seconds)

Strategy 3: Include Higher-Level Thinking Skills

Bloom's Taxonomy (Benjamin Bloom 1956, updated 2001)

Strategy 2: Include Questions

-Why should you avoid yes/no questions?

-What are some better alternatives to “do you understand this?” to prompt students to think actively?

-Use what, why, and how questions as a tool for engaging students.

-Redirect questions back to the students whenever possible.

-Think time refers to the period of time that the students need to process information and come up with an answer. (30 seconds)

Higher order thinking skills

Assessing Students' Learning

Beginning:

• What do students know, don't know, or are unclear about?

• Students' preparation level.

Middle:

• Summarize in your own words.

• Complete a similar problem/ step independently.

End

• Summarize key information.

*A "yes", smile, or nod does not mean someone understands.