Tutor Performance Research Articles

Constructivism and Problem‐based Learning

Constructivism is a philosophy based on the fundamental assumption that knowledge cannot exist outside our minds. Knowledge cannot be given from one mind to another. New knowledge is ‘constructed’ or created from within individuals through experience. In higher education, problem‐based learning (PBL) is an accepted instructional method or strategy for structuring learners’ experiences. We apply constructivist philosophy to PBL and incorporate the following variables: prior knowledge, quality of problems, tutor performance, group functioning, time spent in individual study, interest in subject matter, and assessment in a model of students’ learning in a medical course. Regardless of the specific teaching methods adopted in higher education, students’ creation of high levels of understanding and competence are promoted when arousal is optimised, self‐efficacy is maximised and anxiety is minimised. An optimal learning environment in a PBL course includes teaching that supports reflection and cooperation, sufficient time for independent study, and formative and summative assessment that is aligned with students’ learning issues.

An evaluation of problem based learning in the multiprofessional education curriculum for the health professions

Multiprofessional education (MPE) in the undergraduate curriculum for the health profession has been delivered using problem based learning (PBL). The first of three modules has been evaluated over a two-year period. The evaluations measure student perception of whether the objectives of MPE and PBL have been met, tutor performance and the quality of the working problems. The overall perception is that both the message (MPE) and the messenger (PBL) have been evaluated positively.

Long-term stability of tutor performance.

The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent ratings of tutor performance remain stable in the long term. At many schools, teaching performance is assessed and these evaluations are consulted as part of the decision-making process for promotion, tenure, and salary. Since this information may have summative value, it is crucial that the reliability of the data be assessed. A previous study had shown that a single evaluation of a tutor is reliable when the responses of six students are used (interrater reliability). The present study focused on the stability of tutor evaluations over repeated occasions of evaluation. A generalizability study was conducted to estimate the number of occasions required to demonstrate stability. The study took place during three academic years (1992-93, 1993-94, and 1994-95) at the problem-based medical school of the University of Limburg (now Maastricht University). A total of 291 ratings were analyzed (97 tutors rated during three sequential tutoring occasions). Two types of scores were used: an aggregate score calculated from ratings of 13 items and an overall judgment. The results indicate that when the scores are used to interpret the precision of individual scores, two evaluation occasions should be available for the overall judgment and four occasions for the aggregate score. If the tutor scores are consulted only to determine whether performances are above or below a cutoff score, a reliable decision can be made after only a single occasion of evaluation. The results demonstrate that data collected over an extended period of time can be reliably used as part of the decision-making process for promotion, salary, and tenure.

A rating scale for tutor evaluation in a problem-based curriculum: validity and reliability.

An instrument has been developed to assess tutor performance in problem-based tutorial groups. This tutor evaluation questionnaire consists of 13 statements reflecting the tutor's behaviour. The statements are based on a description of the tasks set for the tutor. This study reports results on the validity and reliability of the instrument. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a three-factor model fitted the data reasonably well. The three factors are: (1) guiding students through the learning process, (2) content knowledge input, and (3) commitment to the group's learning. Generalizability studies indicated that the rating scales provide reliable information with student responses of existing tutorial group sizes. It is concluded that the tutor evaluation questionnaire is a fairly valid and reliable instrument that can be used in staff development programmes.

Peer versus staff tutoring in problem-based learning

Effects of student versus staff tutoring on student learning in a problem-based, health sciences curriculum were studied. Academic achievement of 334 tutorial groups guided by staff tutors was compared with achievement of 400 groups guided by student tutors. In addition, students rated their tutor's performance on four behaviors considered critical to facilitating student learning. Overall, students guided by a staff tutor achieved somewhat better. In terms of practical significance, the difference was, however, fairly small. Staff tutors were rated as more knowledgeable and their contributions as more relevant. In addition, they asked stimulating questions to a larger extent. However, an interaction effect was found between the ratings and the year of study: Peer tutors displayed the supportive behaviors more extensively in the first year, whereas staff tutors' ratings were higher as the curriculum advanced. These results were interpreted in terms of the cognitive congruence framework.

Student perceptions of tutor effectiveness in a problem‐based surgery clerkship

This study identified the characteristics of effective tutors in a problem‐based learning (PBL) educational setting. Forty‐four junior medical students participated in two 6‐week PBL groups and evaluated their tutors based on a list of 12 characteristics. Statistical analyses of the students’ responses revealed that faculty members differed significantly in their possession of tutor skills, in the way they carried out the tutor skills, and in their performance of group‐management skills. Tutors were rated highest on participation in the sessions, enthusiasm, and level of comfort outside their area of expertise. They were rated lowest on providing feedback to the group and promoting psychosocial issues. The results indicate that students are highly satisfied with overall tutor performance despite significant differences among tutors. Two important characteristics of the effective tutor were identified: (a) helping students identify important issues and (b) providing feedback to students while encouraging f...

The McMaster philosophy: a student's perspective on implementation.

The author visited McMaster Medical School as a fourth-year medical student in 1984 and took part in a 12-week unit 3 course. The present investigation on implementation of the educational principles of the MD programme was performed as an elective. A sample of 30 students out of 100 unit 3 all completed a questionnaire. Only 5 of 18 student groups used the 'cold', i.e. unprepared, approach to problem-solving during tutorials and 15 of 30 practised self-learning related to the last problem. The others spent most time on general reading. From unit 1 to unit 3 a declining number of groups used peer evaluation (less than 50%) and evaluation of groups (greater than 50%). The students felt that the performance of tutors should be improved. Most students attended lectures. It is suggested that tutor and group function may benefit from releasing the tutor from grading students. Despite its implementation problems, the author found the McMaster approach to education more beneficial than that of his own traditional school.

Scrounging prevents cultural transmission of food-finding behaviour in pigeons

Living in groups should promote the cultural transmission of a novel behaviour because opportunities for observing knowledgeable individuals are likely to be more numerous in this condition. However, in this study pigeons who shared the food discoveries of others (scroungers) did not learn the food-finding technique used by the discoverers (producers). Individually-caged pigeons prevented from scrounging easily learned the technique from a conspecific tutor. When caged pigeons obtained food from the tutor's performance, most naïve observers failed to learn. In a flock, scroungers selectively followed producers. In individual cages, scrounging during the tutor's demonstration was equivalent to getting no demonstration at all. This effect of scrounging did not interfere with subsequent acquisition of the food-finding behaviour when scrounging was no longer possible.

Direct Replication of a Cross-Age Tutoring Program Involving Handicapped Adolescents and Children

A cross-age tutoring program designed to improve school performance of tutors (adolescents classified as emotionally disturbed) and tutees (children classified as educable mentally retarded) was re...

Peer Tutoring Effects on the Music Performance of Tutors and Tutees in Beginning Band Classes

This study compared the pre- and posttest music performance of beginning band students in tutor and tutee pairs with students in regular band class instruction. The effect of tutor approval and disapproval (error correction) techniques was also studied. In Experiment 1, students that had been tutored performed substantially higher on the posttest than control students. In Experiment 2, only students tutored with approval techniques performed higher than the control students. In both experiments peer tutors performed as well as the control tutors even though only the control tutors continued to have weekly band lessons during the experiment. All groups, except control tutees, showed significant pre- and posttest gain in both experiments. Peripheral investigations showed that there was a significant correlation between the tutors' posttest scores and the number of exercises completed by their tutees. Approval tutor and tutee posttest scores correlated significantly with the number of approvals given by the tutor. No other groups showed significant correlations.

SUPERVISING PARAPROFESSIONAL TUTORS IN A REMEDIAL READING PROGRAM1

Applied researchers increasingly report the use of paraprofessionals to implement key program components. However, despite such apparent advantages as increased availability and lower salaries, problems in maintaining acceptable levels of on‐the‐job performance in these workers have been reported. This study assessed the effects of a supervisory package on the work behavior of five paraprofessional tutors in a remedial reading program. The package consisted of written handouts and instructions, tests of tutor understanding, a video tape, mention of tutor performance by supervisors, and publicly posted feedback on work performance. One randomly chosen tutor received feedback each day on (1) his degree of completeness in tutoring one student's answers to comprehension‐check questions, (2) his accuracy in tabulating that student's data sheet, and (3) his promptness in beginning the first student's tutorial session. The supervisory package produced marked improvement in completeness, some improvement in accuracy, but no improvement in promptness. Application of the supervisory package seemed practical, as an average of nine daily tutorial sessions (approximately 270 min of tutoring) required a total daily average of only 28 min of supervision. It was concluded that completeness performance by nondegreed, paraprofessional tutors was closely related to the extent to which they were supervised. Despite the fact that no improvement was observed in tutor promptness, and only partial improvement was observed in tutor accuracy, the improvement to near‐perfect levels in tutor completeness suggests that further research is warranted to develop supervisory packages that might ensure the reliable and efficient use of paraprofessional workers.