Effects of Peer Tutoring on Preservice Teachers’ Performance on Practice Content Exams in South Texas, USA

Abstract

To become a teacher in the United States, teaching candidates must demonstrate understanding of good teaching practices and appropriate content knowledge in the subject to be taught (Kowarski, 2021). Teacher preparation programs are trying to balance TCs needs to learn material, engage in quality field experiences, and perform on high-stakes tests assessing content and pedagogy. This quasi-experimental study explored the impact of various interventions on teacher candidate’s performance on practice content exams. The participants of the study included 30 elementary teacher candidates and 7 secondary teacher candidates enrolled in a teacher preparation program in south Texas, USA. Elementary participants were divided into a control group (N=13) using only the online modules and an experimental group (N=17) using online modules and receiving tutoring as interventions between tests. Secondary participants’ interventions consisted of preparing and presenting content-specific tutoring for elementary candidates. Data were collected through pretest scores prior to intervention and posttest scores after intervention. Findings show a statistically significant difference in pre-post exam scores in all groups, but no statistical difference between posttest scores in the elementary control and experimental groups. It was concluded that all intervention methods between tests were effective however the various methods of intervention did not provide statistical differences in outcomes. This research was supported by the SERA Early Career Faculty Mentoring Initiative Grant. Keywords: teacher candidate, high-stakes tests, test preparation, teacher preparation DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-14-05 Publication date: May 31 st 2022