Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy

The Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy in Improving Academic

Performance of Selected Grade 12 Biology Students in Meycauayan National High
School

Context and Rationale

The mastery of the concepts in Biology is vital especially to students in the STEM

Strand in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum since it is considered one of the

specialized subjects. When students encounter problems in learning, they are most of the

time apprehensive in approaching their teacher and are more comfortable asking their

classmates for help. This is an indication that structure peer tutoring program may be used

as a form of remediation. Since peer tutoring has been regarded to be an effective tool for

improving both student academic and social development, this area has been a great focus

of interest and relevance in research.

Peer tutoring has been defined by Nguyen (2013) as an instructional method that

uses pairings of high-performing students to tutor lower-performing students in a class-

wide setting or in a common venue outside of school under the supervision of a teacher. It

is said that currently, there is sufficient research that documents the benefits of peer tutoring

as a supplement to traditional instruction. Peer tutoring has been used across academic

subjects, and has been found to result in improvement in academic achievement for a

diversity of learners within a wide range of content areas (Scruggs, Mastropieri, &

Marshak, 2012; D. Fuchs, D., L. Fuchs, & Burish, 2000, Greenwood & Delquadri, 1995).

All share the same notions that common components of peer tutoring programs facilitate

both cognitive and social gains in both higher-performing mentors and low-performing

mentees in an individualized and positive way.

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Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy

According to Cascio (2017) looking at it advantages, students who receive peer

tutoring feel more comfortable receiving instruction from fellow students than adult

teachers, according to the Learning and Teaching Resource Centre. Feeling at ease with a

peer tutor allows a student to concentrate better on the tasks of the lesson, which can then

transfer into higher achievement. Peer tutoring also helps develop personal relationships

between the tutor and the student. Each student improves his or her social skill set because

unlike traditional instruction, peer tutoring occurs either in one-on-one meetings or in small

groups, which requires more focused communication between tutors and students. It is here

that continuing this line of research still promises a significant impact especially in the

Philippine context.

This study therefore would like to see the effects of peer tutoring in order to

improve the academic performance of the students. Using a quantitative research

methodology, the researcher would like to determine if the current problems of Senior High

School students in Meycauayan National High School particularly on understanding the

concepts of Biology could be remediated and improved through a less-stressful

intervention through peer tutoring.

Statement of the Problem

This study will determine if peer tutoring will improve the academic

performance of selected Senior High School students at Meycauayan National High

School. Specifically, it will answer the following questions:

1. What are the effects of peer tutoring in improving the srudents academic

performance in Biology?

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Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy

2. What are the difficulties of the students in Biology that is remediated by

peer tutoring?

3. How do peer tutoring affect the effective instruction of Biology?

Research Hypotheses

Ho: There is no significant effect in using peer tutoring to improve the

academic performance of General Biology students in Grade 12 (STEM).

Hi: There is a significant effect in using peer tutoring to improve the

academic performance of General Biology students in Grade 12 (STEM).

Significance of the Study

The result of this research will help school principals to propose strategies

to include in remediation programs to be implemented by the school. The teachers

will re-assess the remediation methods they use in their classes to employ this

alternative to improve their academic performance. As a result, they will understand

the value of learning with peers.

Scope and Limitations

The study will focus only on the academic performance in General Biology

Grade 12 students (STEM) in and will use senior high school students of

Meycauayan National High School students as respondents.

Method

Type of Research

The study will use a true experimental design in comparing two variables

the control and experimental group using pre-test and posttest This is to determine

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Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy

the effectiveness of peer tutoring in terms of improving academic performance of

the students in the experimental group.

Respondents and Sampling Method

The researcher had purposively chosen one two sections of Grade 12

(STEM) senior high school students of Meycauayan National High School as the

participants of the study.

Proposed Innovation/ Intervention/ Strategy

The study will utilize peer teaching strategy in teaching Biology to Grade

12 students.

Instrument

The researcher will utilize pre-test and posttest that will cover the

competencies of the subject area under study. The tests will undergo validation

prior to implementation. To add, the study will eventually employ a select peer

tutoring strategy that is appropriate for the level of the students.

Data Collection Procedures

The study is divided into three phases: Pre-testing, Peer Tutoring

Employment and Post Testing.

Ethical Considerations

The researcher asks permission from the School Head to conduct the study

that in it will not affect the delivery the teaching duties and secure the protection

and confidentiality of the participants. Proper acknowledgements and citations are

given to sources of information to avoid plagiarism. Most importantly, the

researcher reports the findings will honesty to ensure the truthfulness of the study.

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 Effectiveness of Peer Tutoring as a Teaching Strategy

Data Analysis

The research utilizes statistics that will measure improvements in the

academic performance of the students in a pre-test posttest design. The

researcher consults an expert statistician that will assist in the computation of the

data.

References

Cascio, C. (2017). What are some advantages & disadvantages of peer tutoring? Retrieved

from http://education.seattlepi.com/advantages-disadvantages-peer-tutoring-

3515.html

Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L.S. and Burish, P. (2000). Peer-assisted learning strategies: An evidence-

based practice to promote reading achievement. Learning Disabilities Research &

Practice (Lawrence Erlbaum), 15, 85-91.

Greenwood, C.R., and Delquadri, J. (1995). Classwide peer tutoring and the prevention of

school failure. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and

Youth, 39, 21-25.

Scruggs, T.E.,Mastropieri,M.A., and Marshak, L. (2012) Peer-mediated instruction in

inclusive secondary social studies learning: Direct and indirect learning effects.

Learning Disabilities Research & Practice. 27,12-20.