Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1993

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Donald J. Dickinson

Committee Members

Steve McCallum

Abstract

The effectiveness of two peer tutoring error correction procedures, "Look, Tell, and Say" (Tell) and "Pause, Prompt, and Praise" (Praise) were investigated. Error correction procedures were also evaluated to determine which was more effective at reducing the number of errors made by the tutees, who were taught to compute the percent of a number. Gains made by all tutees, as well as tutor adherence to training were examined. Thirty one students participated in the study (eleven tutors and twenty tutees). Tutors were selected by teacher nomination as to rating of mathematic skills, scoring in the highest one-third of the class on the Tennessee Comprehensive Achievement Profile (TCAP) total math score and scoring 85% correct or higher on a pretest measuring skill on computing the percent of a number. Tutees were also selected by teacher nomination, rating of math skills, scoring in the lower one-third of the class on the math TCAP, and scoring 50% or lower on the pretest. Tutors were trained by a videotaped presentation of both the math concept and their respective tutoring methods. Tutors then role played their tutoring method until successfully meeting the criterion level of five successful error corrections. Tutors tutored tutees individually on the 15 math problems. The tutoring session was videotaped for the evaluation of tutor adherence to the training procedures (Tell or Pause). On the day following the tutoring session the tutees completed a posttest measuring skills in computing the percent of a number. The results indicate that neither the Tell or the Pause method yielded consistently higher post-test scores for the tutees (F(1,18) = .59, p = .45). All tutees had significant increases in their ability to compute the percent of a number irrespective of tutoring condition. Tutees in the Tell group made fewer errors than tutees in the Pause group. Tutors in both groups made errors in following tutoring steps, but tutor errors did not appear to impact tutee's posttest scores. Results of additional analysis revealed interesting implications regarding the gender composition of the tutoring pairs. Tutees who spent the longest time in the tutoring session had the least gains on the posttest. The findings suggest that all tutees benefitted from tutoring as measured by increases in math post-test scores.

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