Peer support for learning among senior secondary school children in Sri Lanka: Gender as factor

Abstract

Peer relationship plays a considerable role in successive educational achievement in different ways. This study investigates peer educational support for learning based on gender differences in senior secondary school children in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the investigation were to: (i) identify the level of peer educational support for learning; (ii) investigate peer educational support differences based on gender. The population of the study is senior secondary school children in Sri Lanka. A total of 1350 secondary school children from the North, South, East, West and Central part of the country served as participants in this study. A stratified sampling technique was used to select the sample for this study. A survey research design and quantitative research approach were used to conduct the study. A self-administered questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale was used as the instrument for data collection from students. Data are analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 23. The descriptive and inference analyses use frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and MANOVA. The pilot study was carried out using Cronbach’s Alpha for all variables, and the pilot study showed high reliability at 0.917–0.934. The results of the survey generated through SPSS indicate that most students strongly agreed ( mean = 4.325 and SD 0.695) that their peers support their learning activities. The study's results, in line with peer support for student learning, elaborated that there are significant differences based on Gender. The study results show that peer educational support based on gender is higher for female students than male students among secondary school children in Sri Lanka. It was recommended to stakeholders that male peers should be encouraged to assist their friends in learning.