The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a peer-taught freshman seminar course on the grade point averages and retention rates of freshman students. Freshman students who entered the University of Texas at Arlington in the fall 1989 and fall 1990 semesters and enrolled in the voluntary 1 credit hour course "College Adjustment" were matched with freshman students who did not enroll in the course. Matched pairs were formed based on orientation attendance, college major, gender, and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. For both years, the Freshman Seminar Group was similar to the group of All Other Freshman Students regarding the following characteristics: college major, age, gender, ethnicity, SAT scores, and number of first semester hours completed. Analysis of variance was used to determine if statistically significant (p < .05) differences existed between the first semester and first year grade point averages for the Freshman Seminar Group and Freshman Seminar Matches. Chi-square analysis was employed to determine if statistically significant (p < .05) differences existed between the second semester and sophomore year retention rates for the Freshman Seminar Group and Freshman Seminar Matches. The freshman seminar course was more beneficial to African American students, as evidenced by statistically significant first year grade point averages and sophomore year retention rates. Males who enrolled in the freshman seminar course appeared to benefit more than males who did not enroll in the course, as shown by statistically significant sophomore year retention rates. Students with low SAT scores appeared to benefit from the freshman seminar course, as evidenced by statistically significant second semester and sophomore year retention rates.

Syfte och frågeställningar: Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilken effekt har kamratåterkopplingsmodellen har i samband med idrottsundervisning i jämförelse med kontrollgruppen som utövar direkta instruktionsmodellen. Samt vilken av inlärningsteorierna har störst effekt. Vår hypotes är att kamratåterkopplingsmodellen är den inlärningsteori som ger bäst effekt vid inlärning av elevers färdighetsförmågor i momentet basket. Momentet behandlar öga-hand motoriken i form av basket. Metod: Ett före och efter test som innefattade 35 skott från straffkastlinjen – 4,25 m från baslinjen genomfördes. Deltagarna utför 5 övningskast för att därefter kasta 30 försök i 3 block (10 försök/block). Kasten graderas via ett poängsystem och dokumenteras. Totalt var det 6 tillfällen, ett testtillfälle innan experiment, 4 lektioner på 60 minuter/lektion där gruppen fördelades slumpmässigt in i två grupper med en bestämd inlärningsmetod per grupp samt ett testtillfälle efter avslutat experiment. Urvalet utgår från en målpopulation i årskurs 5 och använder sig av ett icke-slumpmässigt urval med ett bekvämlighetsurval på målpopulationen. I studien deltog totalt 28 elever, hälften killar (n=14) hälften tjejer (n=14). Two way repeated measures ANOVA utfördes för att analysera en eventuell statistisk signifikant interaktionsterm. Därefter granskades huvudeffekten för båda faktorerna och avslutades med ett post hoc test för att förstå eventuella skillnader. Resultat: I studiens resultat går det att urskilja att majoriteten av testpersonerna i respektive grupp har förbättrat sitt totala resultat från det första testtillfället till det slutliga resultatet. Det var dock inte en tillräcklig förändring av resultatet för att kunna urskilja något signifikantvärde hos någon av grupperna. Detta då skillnaden mellan för- och eftertest för gruppen med den direkta instruktionsmodellen inte visade på någon signifikans (p=0,758) och detsamma gäller gruppen med kamratåterkoppling (p=0,598). Slutsats: Enligt resultatet från denna studie går det inte att tyda vilket av de två pedagogiska tillvägagångssätten som är det mest effektiva för att leverera önskade lärandemål och färdigheter i undervisningen. I och med detta menar vi att det fortfarande saknas betydande mätningar som jämför olika undervisningsmetoder och strategier som lärare kan använda sig av för att uppnå kompetensbaserade resultat. / Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate what effect the peer teaching model has in connection with sports education in comparison with the control group that exercises the direct instructional model And which of the learning theories has the greatest effect. Our hypothesis is that peer teaching is the learning theory that gives the best effect when learning skills abilities in basketball. The moment is about eye-hand motor skills in the form of basketball. Method: A pre- and post test that included 35 shots from the penalty shootout - 4.25m from the baseline was completed. The participants perform 5 exercises tries to then throw 30 tries in 3 blocks (10 tries / blocks). The tries were graded through a scoring system and documented. In total there were 6 occasions, one pre-test, 4 lessons in 60 minutes / lesson, where the group was randomly divided into two groups with a specific learning method per group and a post-test. The selection is based on a target population at grade 5 and uses a non-random selection with a comfort selection on the target population. In the study, a total of 28 students participated, half boys (n = 14) as girls (n = 14). Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed to analyze any statistically significant interaction term. Thereafter, the main effect was examined for both factors and concluded with a post hoc test to understand any differences. Results: The results of the study show that the majority of test subjects in each group have improved their overall result from the first test case to the final result. However, there was not a sufficient change in the result to be able to discern any significant value in any of the groups. This is because the difference between pre- and post-test for the group with the direct instruction model showed no significance (p = 0.758) and the same applies to the group with peer feedback (p = 0.598). Conclusions: According to the results of this study, it is not clear which of the two pedagogical approaches is the most effective in delivering desired learning objectives and skills in teaching. By this we mean that there are still no significant measurements that compare different teaching methods and strategies that teachers can use to achieve competency-based results.

In the typical general chemistry environment, the use of lecture and laboratory are important components to the instruction. The Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE) Project, now being implemented at Ball State University, uses a research module approach to provide laboratory instruction. This new approach not only engages students in authentic research practices but applies the Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) concept to the learning environment. In this study, the implementation of training techniques and the overall development of the peer leaders at Ball State were investigated. As a result, several recommendations are presented to improve the overall experience of the peer leaders and the students they serve. These include the continuation of current training techniques with more emphasis given to reflection with the peer leaders and the faculty of their impact and the institution of a training schedule for peer leaders that includes student learning styles, module content and instrumentation, and techniques for interacting with students. / Department of Chemistry

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the perceptions and experiences of individuals involved in peer assisted learning (PAL) in the clinical setting of an athletic training education program. A qualitative research approach was utilized to examine the value of PAL experiences in the clinical education setting, define participants' perspectives on interactions with peers in the clinical education setting, and determine which terms were used most commonly by athletic training students and ACIs in describing educational exchanges amongst peers in the BSU athletic training education program. Data was collected through a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews that pursued the various perceptions and experiences regarding PAL from individuals involved in the BSU athletic training education program. A purposeful sample of 15 participants, consisting of 9 athletic training students, 3 alumni, and 3 ACIs, were asked a set of core questions that explored their perceptions and experiences of PAL within the athletic training program. Data analysis consisted of a coding format which involved the development of themes as a result of the information provided during the interviews. Identified themes were based upon frequency, extensiveness, and significance of comments that occurred through the interview process. The findings suggest PAL activities occur on a regular basis among athletic training students in clinical education experiences and involve informal, active learning situations where students work together to help each other learn. Peers were viewed as individuals having similar knowledge, training, or experiences who help each other with learning, reviewing athletic training competencies and proficiencies, or solving problems within the clinical education setting. Athletic training students involved in PAL at BSU prefer to experience active and informal educational exchanges amongst their peers. Athletic training educators, including faculty, ACIs and even athletic training students, should be aware of the benefits of PAL to learners within athletic training education programs. The use of this type of active, informal learning strategy may significantly impact the success of students involved in athletic training education. / Department of Educational Studies

abstract: More Math Minutes is an action research study, set in a high school in the southwestern United States, designed to examine the effects of collaborative peer-group learning for low-performing Algebra I and low-performing Algebra II students. This study is grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and Constructivist Theory including Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and Vygotsky’s theory of proximal development. Participants are comprised of 20 low-performing Algebra I students as the peer-learners and 20 low-performing Algebra II students as the peer-teachers participating in a peer tutoring intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected through pre- and post-self-efficacy questionnaires, pre- and post-mathematics knowledge assessments, semi-structured student interviews, photo-voice, and observations. A concurrent mixed methods design was used to analyze both types of data simultaneously. Results identified the experimental peer-teachers mathematical performance was impacted more than that of the peer-learners. Students were also more motivated to learn mathematics and to seek assistance from peers. The peer-teachers had a significant increase of self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and acknowledged learning occurred for both the peer-teachers and the peer-learners as a result of the peer instruction intervention. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2018

An integrative review was used to examine the effects of being a tutor versus not being a tutor. The matrix method was used to guide the research process, to identify articles that met the inclusion criteria, and to reduce data into common topics of peer tutoring. The results of the integrative review yielded 20 articles and suggested that students in the position to assist others are more confident in communicating in groups and have higher knowledge in the subject they help with than their fellow peers. The literature showed that students in the position to assist others have defined personal and professional standards and leadership skills. However, there is little research on the benefits of being a tutor when compared with the benefits tutees obtain from coming to tutoring sessions. More research is needed to examine the effects of being a tutor. More specifically, there are no studies where the skills of nursing student tutors are compared with nursing student non-tutors. In this study, the researcher created a survey to evaluate nursing student tutors and non-tutors, their communication and leadership skills, as well as their personal and professional growth. Focus groups were created to provide tutors a means of discussing the personal and professional impact that tutoring has had on them. The study results indicated that tutors have decreased nervousness in public speaking, have higher confidence in their communication skills, share their life experiences to help others more often, and readily reach out to instructors and other tutors for assistance.

There is a need in classrooms to engage students and maintain their interest in course content. A recent type of interactive technology, known as a "clicker," has shown potential to increase student engagement, performance, and participation in the classroom when used effectively. Peer instruction, a type of student to student interaction in which pairs or small groups of students discuss their answers to questions before responding, is often used in conjunction with clickers, and may account for the perceived effectiveness of these tools. The purpose of this study is to determine the clicker's effectiveness in increasing learning and increasing student engagement in secondary classrooms, while controlling for their use during peer instruction. Two classrooms were examined (n ~ 15 for each classroom) in which 1 classroom used clickers integrated with peer instruction activities, while the other classroom only did the peer instruction activities. The findings of this study showed no significant difference in student learning, a small increase in student engagement, and a positive student reaction to the clicker's potential and use in the classroom.

This study focused on peer teaching and learning in preschool children's peer collaborative interactions. The research took place in the naturalistic setting of a preschool classroom at the Virginia Tech Child Development Laboratory, which is a university-based preschool in Blacksburg, Virginia. The children were videotaped in their collaborative interactions and the interactions were analyzed for moments of teaching and learning between the children. The study found that children use a variety of verbal and non-verbal teaching strategies when collaborating with each other. Children's learning from the interactions was exhibited through many forms of modeling, reciprocation, and exchange of ideas. / Master of Science

The purpose of the project was to determine if two Junior High band student trainees could accurately evaluate the performance of individual band students from a pre-selected method book. Band students would record specific musical exercises which were evaluated by two student trainees and the band director. The purpose of the project was to check the reliability between the student trainees and the director.

As stated before, it appears that the sixth grade students at San Jose Catholic School would benefit from reading skills practice that would give them the opportunity to become more involved in the learning process. This project is designed to implement cross-age tutoring at San Jose Catholic School with an entire sixth grade class tutoring a second grade class in reading. The goal of the project is to improve the attitude toward reading of the sixth graders. Attitudes before and after tutoring will be rated on a slightly modified version of the Estes Attitude Scale. It is expected, though it will not be formally measured, that both groups of students will also improve their reading skills. The second graders' skills should improve because of receiving individual help and attention, the sixth graders' skills should improve because they will be applying their reading skills in a real-life and useful situation.