Peer tutoring and social dynamics in higher education. Mentoring & Tutoring

Peer tutoring in Higher Education is being used with increasing frequency to aid in student learning, motivation, and empowerment. Although an extensive body of research documents the efficacy of such programs, it exhibits a surprising lack of awareness of the social dynamics involved. This study focuses on peer tutors and students as they interact in higher education classrooms. Results indicate that this interaction does not always occur smoothly and that tutors often spend an inordinate amount of time engaged in impression management. Additionally, findings suggest that the tutor/ student relationship can be rife with misunderstanding and power struggle. In the past 20 years, educators have increasingly turned to alternative strategies for advancing student learning and improving the traditional education system. One strategy is peer tutoring: students teaching other students. Peer tutoring programs are being developed and integrated with traditional programs to help meet calls for accountability, provide better assessment, and improve outcomes for various stake-holders, including administrators, instructors, and students (Miller, 2000; Mino & Butler, 1997; Topping & Ehly, 1998). The scope and function of peer tutoring programs is wide, focusing on benefits that include elimination of the typical hierarchical structure (Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Lopez, 1999), increased motivation and learning for students and tutors (Miller & MacGilchrist, 1996; Wentzel & Caldwell, 1997), and empowerment for tutors (Goodlad & Hirst, 1989; Parkin & McKegany, 2000). The majority of available research and literature on peer tutoring has focused on preparation, theoretical frame-works, and assessment (see Falchikov, 2001; Topping, 1996, for extensive reviews)