Abstract
The aim of the study was to examine the degree of competence of the teaching-learning goals as formulated by the elementary-school staff members and the expression of these goals in science classes, in which peer teaching takes place, from the students' point of view. As part of this peer teaching, fellow teachers who were assigned from among the students were in charge of teaching the rest of the class that had been divided into groups of four to five. The research adapted mix-methods, which helped to answer the following questions: a). What are the teaching-learning goals of the school staff at Tzemach School that engages in the peer teaching approach combined with traditional teaching? b). How are teaching-learning goals formulated by the peer-teaching school staff in science classes described from the students' point of view? The research tools used included interviews with teachers, interviews with group leaders, focus groups, observations, and drawing analyses. The findings indicate that there is a gap between teachers' perceptions of peer teaching and students' perceptions of peer teaching. Teachers placed greater emphasis on the cognitive aspects, while the students paid more attention to the social-emotional and behavioral aspects. Despite these gaps, students are interested in continuing to study through peer teaching, provided the presence of the accompanying teacher is more significant. Based on the existing model for peer teaching at Tzemach School and according to the findings of the study, a desirable model for integrating peer teaching was developed, which can aid in implementation of the approach for any age and in any another scholastic subject.
Highlights
Motivation to study science is not high among adolescent students (Osborne et al, 2003; Potvin & Hasni, 2014; Vedder-Weiss & Fortus, 2011)
One of the attempts to resolve the shortage of good teachers (Karamaroudis et al, 2020) and draw students to the science discipline is through social learning, such as activating peer teaching (PT) (Lim, Gal & Fallik / Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education 2003; Olle & Durning, 2007)
This section addressed: a). the school staff's perceptions of the teaching-learning goals; b). the students' perception of teaching-learning goals expressed in PT classes and non-science classes; c); the degree and adequacy of the teaching-learning goals and its expressions in the peer teaching class
Summary
Motivation to study science is not high among adolescent students (Osborne et al, 2003; Potvin & Hasni, 2014; Vedder-Weiss & Fortus, 2011). One of the reasons for the decline in student motivation to study science is the lack of suitable science teachers who are able to draw students towards this discipline (Osborne et al, 2003). Teachers who are not at all trained in science teach it (Espinoza et al, 2018; Sutcher et al, 2019). One of the attempts to resolve the shortage of good teachers (Karamaroudis et al, 2020) and draw students to the science discipline is through social learning, such as activating peer teaching (PT)
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