Search

There is strong evidence that peer tutoring, as a form of cooperative learning, has a positive impact on tutor and tutee outcomes. However, little previous research has been reported as to the differential effects of engaging in cooperative learning in dyads for peer tutors and peer tutees, respectively. A randomised controlled experimental study was undertaken involving 295, 11- to 13-year-old students, drawn from 12 classrooms, across three secondary/high schools situated in areas of low-socio-economic status, in the north east of England. In total, 146 students engaged in cooperative learning for a period of 12 weeks, and 149 students served as a comparison group. Gains were significantly greater on independent standardised reading comprehension tests for those engaged in cooperative learning than those in comparison classes, and greater for tutors than tutees. The results are explored by critically reflecting on the underlying theories of education that may be at play in classrooms using this form of cooperative learning.

Peer tutoring is a structured process of co-operative learning, supported by social interdependence theory shown to have cognitive and affective level benefits. During a RCT, this study explores teacher perceptions (n=62) of effects of co-operative learning, including implementation issues, using a mixed methods approach during a 16-week peer tutoring intervention in 58 classes (10 secondary/high schools) in England. Data suggested strengthened peer relationships enhanced student learning. Teacher perceptions remained consistent and are congruent with social interdependence theory and research validating the theory. Implications for research, theory, practice and policy are discussed. Research was supported by Educational Endowment Foundation grant: Spring2012-105.

This paper reports a two-year longitudinal study of the effects of cooperative learning on science attainment, attitudes towards science, and social connectedness during transition from primary to high school. A previous project on cooperative learning in primary schools observed gains in science understanding and in social aspects of school life. This project followed 204 children involved in the previous project and 440 comparison children who were not as they undertook transition from 24 primary schools to 16 high schools. Cognitive, affective, and social gains observed in the original project survived transition. The implications improving the effectiveness of school transition by using cooperative learning initiatives are explored. Possibilities for future research and the implications for practice and policy are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

This article reports data from a 2-year longitudinal study on cooperative learning in school science. The study reported the effects of cooperative learning in science on science attainment, effective development and social connectedness, and interactions during transition from elementary to high school in rural and urban school settings. The project followed 204 children involved a project in cooperative learning in elementary school science and 440 comparison children who were not involved in the elementary school science program as they undertook transition from 24 elementary to 16 high schools. Cognitive, affective, and social gains observed in the elementary school science project survived transition. The implications for improving outcomes in school science during school transition by using cooperative learning initiatives are explored. The implications for practice and policy are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

A large body of research has demonstrated the value of fostering peer interaction in the context of collaborative group work as an effective strategy to facilitate learning. The present study attempted to enable teachers in a varied sample of 24 Scottish primary classrooms to improve the quality of collaborative group work interaction among their pupils. Observations were carried out at three time points during the year of the intervention, both during whole class teaching and planned group work activity. A global rating instrument was also used to evaluate the overall quality of classroom environment created by participating class teachers to support group work sessions. The results showed significant increases both in the observed frequencies of children's collaborative dialogue and in the rated quality of classroom learning environments over the course of the study. The implications of these results are discussed in the context of current curricular reform. (Contains 4 tables.)

Group work has been promoted in many countries as a key component of elementary science. However, little guidance is given as to how group work should be organized, and because previous research has seldom been conducted in authentic classrooms, its message is merely indicative. A study is reported, which attempts to address these limitations. Twenty-four classes of 10-12-year-old pupils engaged in programs of teaching on evaporation and condensation, and force and motion. Both programs were delivered by classroom teachers, and made extensive use of group work. Pupil understanding progressed from pre-tests prior to the programs to post-tests afterwards, and results suggest that group work played a critical role. Organizational principles are extrapolated from the findings, which could be readily adopted in classrooms.

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of interaction (through gathering local field data and engaging in remote reciprocal presentations) on aspects of multicultural awareness. Sixty-six 11-12-year-old Scottish primary school pupils collected data in the field from their local community through questionnaires, interviews, direct observation, digital images and video. From this they distilled a multimedia presentation, delivered by videoconference to a partner school in the USA, who reciprocated. There was some evidence of pre-post project gains in the complexity of the children's perceptions of their community environment, the ethnicity of their community, their own ethnicity, and news images. The children?s use of language to define ethnicity also became more complex and their attitudes toward ethnic minorities became more inclusive. The implications for practice, policy and future research were explored.

• Technology-enhanced cooperative learning significantly increases language proficiency. • Technology-enhanced collaboration has positive social, self-concept, and behavioural outcomes. • At least eight weeks' intervention has a stable and moderate effect size. • Samples of most existing experimental research are from universities. • Collaborative writing gives students pressure. This systematic review is based on the core database of foreign linguistics and applied linguistics from 2010 to 2022. 54 studies in the field of technology-enhanced cooperative English learning were screened from 3,249 relevant search titles, 11 experimental studies were identified to assess their validity, and the effects of specific variables on effects were explored. The analysis revealed that different forms of technology-enhanced cooperative learning had a significant positive impact on foreign language learners' performance, with a mean effect size of 0.86. In addition to its impact on language proficiency, technology-enhanced cooperative learning can improve critical thinking skills, communication skills, enhance learners' language awareness, increase motivation and encourage self-reflection. Some existing problems are worth noting, as students feel a lot of pressure during the collaborative writing process and some students question the reliability of peer feedback. Some researchers also argue that the effectiveness of technology-enhanced cooperative learning is not guaranteed in all cases and that the type of task being collaborated on should be taken into account. In addition, the composition of the team members, their learning styles and the way they interact also have an impact on the effectiveness of cooperation. The review gives implications to the future studies and the implementation of TECLL programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This research reports on a cooperative learning reading intervention with high-school students. • The intervention used peer tutoring with structured patterns of interaction. • Reading was measured using independent standardised measures of reading. • The programme promoted gains in reading attainment for the bottom decile of readers who acted as tutors. A randomized controlled trial of peer tutoring was undertaken in 60 Grade 6/Year 7, and 60 Grade 8/Year 9 classrooms (1299 Grade 6/Year 7 students and 1275 Grade 8/Year 9 students). Grade 8/Year 9 students acted as reading tutors to Grade 6/Year 7 students. Reading attainment was measured with an independent commercially available standardized reading attainment test with two sub-scales, sentence completion and passage comprehension. Results of multi-level modeling indicated significant gains in sentence completion for students acting as tutors in the bottom decile of reading, with no gains, nor deficits observed in the sample as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the research protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of the PAX ‘Good Behaviour Game’ in disadvantaged schools. The PAX ‘Good Behaviour Game’ (GBG) is an evidence-based universal prevention programme that blends its themed activities and materials with normal class instruction. The main outcome of the programme is to teach the children the mental ability to self regulate and in doing so, promoting positive behaviour in the classroom. The protocol outlines a research design that will assess whether the GBG programme over a 12-week period can improve a number of specific outcomes in primary 3 children, in a sample of schools identified as disadvantaged. The outcome measures will include both child and teacher reported behaviours, assessing several primary and secondary outcomes related to self-regulation, cooperative learning, self-esteem and pro-social behaviour, including a process evaluation to measure the fidelity, delivery and acceptability of programme and control schools’ activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review summarizes effects of peer tutoring delivered to children between 5 and 11 years old by non-professional tutors, such as classmates, older children and adult community peer volunteers. Inclusion criteria for the review included tutoring studies with a randomized controlled trial design, reliable measures of academic outcomes, and duration of at least 12 weeks. Searches of electronic databases, previous reviews, and contacts with researchers yielded 11,564 titles. After screening, 15 studies were included in the analysis. Cross-age tutoring showed small significant effects for tutees on the composite measure of reading ( g = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.27, N = 8251), decoding skills ( g = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.44, N = 7081), and reading comprehension ( g = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.21, N = 6945). No significant effects were detected for other reading sub-skills or for mathematics. The benefits to tutees of non-professional cross-age peer tutoring can be given a positive, but weak recommendation. Effect Sizes were modest and in the range −0.02 to 0.29. Questions regarding study limitations, lack of cost information, heterogeneity of effects, and the relatively small number of studies that have used a randomized controlled trial design means that the evidence base is not as strong as it could be. Subgroup analyses of included studies indicated that highly-structured reading programmes were of more benefit than those that were loosely-structured. Large-scale replication trials using factorial designs, reliable outcome measures, process evaluations and logic models are needed to better understand under what conditions, and for whom, cross-age non-professional peer tutoring may be most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Efficacy randomised controlled trial of reading comprehension programme. • Reciprocal Reading meets criteria to move to a definitive trial. • Making effective use of teaching assistants to lead development of comprehension skills. • Positive effects on reading attainment for secondary school students. This manuscript presents results of a Level 2 exploratory randomized controlled trial of the Reciprocal Reading programme in secondary schools. The programme is a workforce development programme that supports teachers and teaching assistants develop and deliver targeted reading comprehension instruction to secondary school students aged 11–13. The research assessed whether the programme could be delivered in secondary school settings and explored whether it improves reading outcomes in this context. The Reciprocal Reading programme was delivered successfully over approximately 6 months in a sample of 315 students from 14 schools in five English districts with high socio-economic disadvantage. Positive Effect Sizes were observed in the primary outcome measure for analysis (reading comprehension) and the secondary outcome measures of overall literacy and reading accuracy, and the overall reading performance of the students. Teachers and teaching assistants reported that they found the programme acceptable and they evaluated the success of the programme to be universally successful. The programme proved easy to implement in secondary schools and was received with overwhelmingly positive attitudes by teachers and teaching assistants. It showed ability to be universally implemented and had good adherence to planned implementation in all, but one school. A larger study is warranted to ascertain whether effects generalise to a larger population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]