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Studies on Child x Instruction interactions show that learning growth depends on the fit of instruction to students' abilities. This study investigates short- and long-term effects of combining learning progress assessment (LPA) as a tool for teachers to constantly monitor their students' progress with differentiated reading instruction to address students' individual needs on reading fluency and reading comprehension. The study was conducted in German elementary school classrooms. Third grade classrooms ( n  = 28) were randomly assigned to either an LPA group with differentiated instruction or a control group (CG). Students in the treatment group showed higher growth in reading fluency than students in the CG ( d  = .30). The effect was stable over the two-year period of the study. Students with lower reading skills benefited more from the treatment. No effects were found on reading comprehension. Results are discussed with regard to teachers’ use of data to differentiate instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Failure to transfer procedural skills learned in a laboratory to the bedside is commonly due to a lack of peer support/stimulation. A digital platform (Facebook) allows new clinical clerks to share experiences and tips that help augment their procedural skills in a peer-assisted learning/teaching method. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the innovation of using the digital platform to support the transfer of laboratory-trained procedural skills in the clinical units. Methods Volunteer clinical clerks (n = 44) were enrolled into the peer-assisted learning (PAL) group, which was characterized by the peer-assisted learning of procedural skills during their final 3-month clinical clerkship block. Other clerks (n = 51) did not join the procedural skills-specific Facebook group and served as the self-directed learning regular group. The participants in both the PAL and regular groups completed pre- and post-intervention self-assessments for general self-assessed efficiency ratings (GSER) and skills specific self-assessed efficiency ratings (SSSER) for performing vein puncture, intravenous (IV) catheter and nasogastric (NG) tube insertion. Finally, all clerks received the post-intervention 3-station Objective Structured Clinical Skills Examination (OSCE) to test their proficiency for the abovementioned three procedural skills. Results Higher cumulative numbers of vein punctures, IV catheter insertions and NG tube insertions at the bedside were carried out by the PAL group than the regular group. A greater improvement in GSERs and SSSERs for medical procedures was found in the PAL group than in the regular group. The PAL group obtained higher procedural skills scores in the post-intervention OSCEs than the regular group. Conclusion Our study suggested that the implementation of a procedural skill-specific digital platform effectively helps clerks to transfer laboratory-trained procedural skills into the clinical units. In comparison with the regular self-directed learning group, the peer-assisted learning characteristics of Facebook give additional benefits to the PAL group by enhancing their procedural skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer‐assisted learning has gained momentum in a variety of disciplines, including medical education. In Gothenburg, Sweden, medical students who have finished their compulsory anatomy courses have the option of working as teaching assistants (TAs). Teaching assistants provide small group teaching sessions as a complement to lectures given by faculty. Previously, TAs were left to handle the role as junior teachers by themselves, but since 2011, a continuation course in anatomy has been developed with the aim of providing the TAs better anatomy knowledge and guidance for teaching. The course was designed to comprise 7.5 ECTS credits (equivalent to 5 weeks of full‐time studies), and today all TAs are required to take this course before undertaking their own teaching responsibilities. This study aims to compare course evaluations of TA teaching before and after the introduction of the anatomy continuation course, in order to understand how students perceived teaching performed by self‐learned versus trained TAs. The results of this study demonstrate that there was a trend towards better teaching performed by trained TAs. The variability in rankings decreased significantly after the introduction of the continuation course. This was mainly due to an improvement among the TAs with the lowest levels of performance. In addition to comparing student rankings, TAs were interviewed regarding their experiences and perceptions within the continuation course. The course was generally positively regarded. The TAs described a sense of cohesion and appreciation since the institute invested in a course dedicated specifically for them. Anat Sci Educ 11: 403–409. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reciprocal peer coaching (RPC) as a form of peer-assisted learning has an important part to play in formative assessment strategy. The primary objective of this article is to evaluate the effective use of RPC as a formative assessment strategy. A multi-method phenomenological research design was employed using purposive sampling. Seventy students completed a qualitative focused questionnaire survey asking them to reflect on their experiences of reciprocal peer-coaching relationships. Content analysis of student perceptions resulted in the emergence of key themes including; RPC relationship process, the learning process and cognitive skills development. Powerful learning gains were reported by participants, and were characteristic of a successful RPC relationships. Overall the RPC relationship can greatly enhance deep level learning and aid the transfer of theory into practice to inform academic debate on the use of constructivist methodology for enhancing the use of formative assessment strategy within undergraduate business education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based after-school programs (ASPs) can promote social competence by infusing evidence-based practice into recreation. Through collaborative partnership, we developed and implemented a peer-assisted social learning (PASL) model to leverage natural opportunities for peer-mediated problem-solving. ASP-Staff (n = 5) led elementary-school youth (n = 30) through 21 activities that partnered socially-skilled and less-skilled children; outcomes were compared to children (n = 31) at another site, via quasi-experimental design. Findings were mixed, including strong evidence for fidelity (adherence) and feasibility (attendance, participation, enthusiasm) of implementation. Relative to Comparison children, PASL children demonstrated improved social skills and behavior, but no changes in problem-solving, peer likability, or social network status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building effective and supportive communities of practice in an asynchronous environment can enable students to learn from each other at their own convenient times without the need to meeting for discussing concepts. In an undergraduate course with a large amount of content to learn, working collaboratively to answer practice exam questions can help encourage deeper learning and understanding. This project examined whether exam performance can be positively influenced by online collaboration during revision and suggests that the quality of an individual's contribution has a direct effect on his/her subsequent exam performance. We compared two student cohorts' exam marks from their previous 3 years of exams with how they performed in Year 4 after using PeerWise (an online repository of multiple-choice questions that are created, answered, rated and discussed by students). In addition, we looked at the quantity and quality of their contribution in PeerWise to evaluate how this affected their fourth year exam performance. We confirmed that exam performance is improved by authoring questions in PeerWise, but found it is further enhanced by replying to, and commenting on, others' posts as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children have a natural proclivity to teach, help, cooperate, and empathize with others, and these interactions can have positive benefits for children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. This article is about ways music teachers can design peer-assisted music learning activities that will benefit everyone in the class and ultimately contribute to creating a classroom culture of inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objectives of this study were to; (a) evaluate the current practices of peer assisted learning among second year and final year medical students of Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka; (b) identify reasons for engaging in peer assisted learning; (c) identify perceived weaknesses in current learning activities; and (d) determine student characteristics associated with engaging in peer assisted learning. Results: This cross sectional study interviewed two hundred and eighty-four eligible students. Average number of hours spent on peer assisted learning during a week was significantly greater among second year students compared to final year students (15.1 vs. 7.1 h, p < 0.05). Overall, female students were more likely to engage in peer assisted learning than male students. In second year, most common method of peer assisted learning was mass lectures offered by batch mates or seniors, while in final year it was group discussions. This reflected a transition to more focused, interactive, active learning among senior students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite greater efforts made over recent years to teach animal nutrition to veterinary students, more needs to be done to develop teaching methods and improve education on equine nutrition. The flipped classroom and peer-assisted learning (FC/PAL) approach is a teaching technique suggested to support learning; however, research into FC/PAL in veterinary education is scarce and little is known about students' views on this approach. This study examined the results of a questionnaire administered to assess veterinary students' perceptions of/views about the suitability of FC/PAL applied in an equine nutrition course. Correlation analysis of students' responses to questionnaire items and principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to analyze the variability in student perceptions. The results showed that although half the students reported to be uninterested in equine nutrition, most expressed positive attitudes towards FC/PAL. Comparing the perceptions/views towards FC/PAL among low and high achievers, a significant difference was found for the item considering the duration of FC/PAL (P =.002). Correlation analysis between questionnaire items showed a predominance of positive moderate correlations among high achievers and weak correlations among low achievers. PCA revealed three important findings. First, student interest towards equine nutrition explains the response variability among low achievers. Second, there was significant agreement among almost all high achievers regarding the duration of the FC/PAL. Third, in the item evaluating the usefulness of collaborating with peers, disagreement was only found among low achievers. In summary, a flipped classroom combined with the same level peer-assisted learning appears to encourage student interaction and collaboration in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous definitions of peer-assisted learning portray the peer-teacher as a non-expert in teaching content and delivery. In this paper, we reflect on a near-peer initiative at our medical school which seems to depart from this definition. This initiative involves intercalating medical education students in the delivery of foundational sessions on professionalism for first year students for a full year, with individual supervision and support from an experienced teacher and extended medical education study. Reflections from a range of people involved are brought together to begin to understand the supportive features and challenges of near-peer teaching in our context and to identify areas for future research. These reflections highlight the potential for differences and contradictions in the ways that teachers and learners are understood within peer-assisted learning initiatives, and emphasize the need to consider the teaching context in peer-assisted learning scholarship.

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a potentially valuable teaching tool for students on veterinary and medical curricula, helping them to develop crucial learning, teaching and meta-adaptive skills (Lizzio & Wilson, 2004) which will serve them during their undergraduate studies and throughout their future careers. This reflective article describes experiences of PAL activities on a UK veterinary degree course, and discusses potential reasons for success and failure of such activities. Advice is given for anyone planning to implement, or reviewing their own experiences of PAL.

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is becoming increasingly popular within medical education, reflected by the amount of literature on the subject. There are numerous benefits of PAL for both teachers, students and faculty. At Lancaster Medical School, we decided to first investigate whether students wanted a student-led PAL society. Following the results, we set up the Lancaster University Peer-Assisted Learning Society (LUPALS) in 2013. Since its foundation, LUPALS has successfully provided over 100 teaching sessions to medical students at Lancaster Medical School. We have highlighted the important aspects of setting up our PAL society with reference to the evidence base and provided recommendations for others who are considering creating their own PAL society at their institution. We conclude that setting up LUPALS has been a successful venture and should act as encouragement for others who wish to do the same.

Background and Objectives: Among the clinical skills needed by all physicians, history taking is one of the most important. The teaching model for peer-assisted history-taking groups investigated in the present study consists of small-group courses in which students practice conducting medical interviews with real patients. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the expectations, experiences, and subjective learning progress of participants in peer-assisted history-taking groups.Methods: The 42 medical student participants completed a 4-month, peer-assisted, elective history-taking course, which both began and ended with a subjective assessment of their interview skills by way of a pseudonymized questionnaire. Measures comprised the students’ self-assessment of their interview skills, their expectations of, and their experiences with the course and especially with the peer tutors. Results: Medical students’ most important motivations in attending peer-assisted history-taking groups were becoming able to complete a structured medical interview, to mitigate difficult interviewing situations, and to address patients’ emotional demands appropriately. By the end of the course, students’ self-assessment of both their interview skills and management of emotional issues improved significantly. Students especially benefitted from individual feedback regarding interview style and relationship formation, as well as generally accepted and had their expectations met by peer tutors. Conclusions: To meet the important learning objectives of history-taking and management of emotional issues, as well as self-reflection and reflection of student–patient interactions, students in the field greatly appreciate practicing medical interviewing in small, peer-assisted groups with real patients. At the same time, peer tutors are experienced to be helpful and supportive and can help students to overcome inhibitions in making contact with patients.

Tutorials play a key role in the teaching and learning of engineering sciences. However, the efficacy of tutorials as platforms for providing personal and academic support is continuously being challenged by factors such as declining faculty-to-student ratios and students’ under-preparedness. This study adopted reciprocal peer tutorial assessment as an instructional strategy in a capstone course in Process Metallurgy. The findings from highlighted the delicate balance between the obvious benefits and the unintended consequences of adopting reciprocal peer assessments during tutorials. The obvious benefits of RPTA included opportunities for synergistic peer learning, healthy competition among students, self-directed learning, among others. However, the benefits of RPTA were negated by factors such as low level of trust among peers, anxiety over year marks, time constraints, and discomfort due to perceived incompetency when compared to their peers. Finally, the findings from the present study provided opportunities for iterative design and continuous improvement.

Objectives: To describe peer-assisted learning (PAL) groups formed by dental undergraduate students in a biomedical course and to investigate the association of individual and group characteristics with academic performance.Subjects and Methods: In 2015, 92 fourth-year students (43 males and 49 females) in the College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, were invited to form PAL groups to study a unit of a biomedical course. An examination was used to assess their knowledge after 2 weeks. In addition, a questionnaire and social network analysis were used to investigate (1) individual student attributes: gender, role, subject matter knowledge, grade in previous year, teaming with friends, previous communication with teammates, and content discussion, and (2) group attributes: group teacher's previous grade, number of colleagues with whom a student connected, teaming with friends, similarity of teammates' previous grades, and teacher having higher previous grades than other teammates. Regression analysis was used to assess the association of examination scores with individual and group attributes.Results: The response rate was 80.4% (74 students: 36 males and 38 females). Students who previously scored grades A and B had higher examination scores than students with grades C/less (regression coefficient = 18.50 and 13.39) within the groups. Higher scores were not associated with working in groups including friends only (regression coefficient = 1.17) or when all students had similar previous grades (regression coefficient = 0.85).Conclusions: Students with previous high grades benefited to a greater extent from working in PAL groups. Similarity of teammates in PAL groups was not associated with better scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is grounded in social constructivist perspectives of learning: its purpose is to provide an overview of the ‘Interactions Sociales et Acquisition’ (ISA) [Social Interactions and Acquisition] French group’s research that examines how a peer-assisted learning (PAL) group context facilitates students’ acquisition of motor and social skills in physical education (PE). Issues addressed include the pairing of students in dyads and how training them to endorse tutor and tutee roles facilitates students to work in small groups. The effects of peer interaction on social relations and the inclusion of students with special needs are also overviewed. Findings regarding the influence of student interactions on learning were derived using a variety of data collection methodologies, including quantitative data used to test the effectiveness of various interactive procedures and qualitative analyses of verbal protocols to better understand the interactive dynamics involved in such learning devices. The ISA work highlights the complementary value of both of these methodological approaches for studying group work effects. ISA findings suggest that PE teachers prepare students for functional interaction group work by taking into consideration the students’ characteristics (like gender or desire for control) in the constitution of dyads and then effectively training the tutors to deliver the expected content. Cooperative learning (CL) contexts also provided a viable alternative for facilitating the inclusion of students with disabilities or those with lower initial skill levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of two different reciprocal peer-assisted learning (PAL) arrangements on music achievement and learner engagement in the secondary instrumental music classroom. Using a quasi-experimental design, students from six separate seventh-grade bands from one large urban/suburban school district (N = 261) were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: symmetrical PAL, where students of like ability were paired together, and asymmetrical PAL, where students of divergent ability were paired together. Students worked in pairs over the course of four weeks and took turns being the “learner” and the “teacher” to improve sight-reading ability and music theory knowledge. Student pairs were allowed to determine their own rules for interaction, turn taking, and the amount of material to be covered in each session. Three pre-/posttest outcome variables were assessed: sight-reading performance, music theory knowledge, and learner engagement. Additionally, individual socioeconomic status (SES) and motivation orientation were compared as potential moderating variables. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that regardless of PAL pairings, there were significant gains for each of the outcome variables. Moreover, interaction effects were found between learner engagement, method of instruction, and SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a teaching--learning method in which students act as peer teachers and help other students to learn while also themselves learning by teaching. PAL through modified interest building activities (MIBAs) is seldom tried in teaching pathology in medical colleges. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of peer teaching using MIBA, obtain feedback from students, and compare different activities with each other and with traditional teaching--learning methods. Methods: An interventional pilot study was conducted in 2 months on the 2nd MBBS undergraduates learning pathology at a medical college in North India. Students acted as peer teachers and performed different MIBAs including role plays, demonstration of pathogenesis through props, student-led seminars such as PowerPoint teaching, blackboard teaching, multiple choice question seminars, case-based learning (CBL) exercises, and quizzes before teaching sessions. Feedback was obtained through structured questionnaires on a 5-point Likert scale. Paired t-test was used to compare traditional teaching with MIBAs, and Friedman test was used to compare among different MIBAs. Results: Students found ease of understanding and the interaction and involvement of students as the most important benefits of PAL. MIBAs increased voluntary participation, coordination, teamwork, shared responsibility, and group dynamics among students. Quiz sessions followed by PowerPoint seminars and prop demonstrations received highest mean scores from students on most of the parameters. Quizzes, blackboard teaching, prop activities, and CBL helped students understand topics better and generated interest. Learners advocated for making MIBAs and PAL compulsory for future students. Discussion: PAL complemented by MIBAs may be adopted to make teaching--learning more interesting and effective through the active involvement and participation of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The benefits of peer-assisted learning (PAL) in medical education are varied and well-documented. PAL encompasses a diverse spectrum of organisational approaches, and there is limited data relating to the value of specific approaches. At our university, PAL initiatives have traditionally relied on voluntary participation. The aim of this study was to evaluate satisfaction and utility of a PAL and mentoring (PALM) programme run on a compulsory rather than voluntary basis. Methods: Students participated in a compulsory PALM programme over the course of 1 year, where Year 5 students (Y5S) acted as mentors and tutors to Year 3 students (Y3S). An electronic survey was administered to evaluate student satisfaction. Results: Fifty-one participants (73%) completed the survey. The response was overwhelmingly positive for most students, with free-text responses and Likert-scale ratings indicating high levels of satisfaction across several parameters, including enjoyment, relevance and helpfulness to learning. Conclusion: PALM is well received by participants for its usefulness and enjoyment. Compulsory participation does not appear to compromise utility or student satisfaction; rather, this approach enables the programme's widespread benefits to be delivered to all students, including those who may not have participated of their own volition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) may enhance learning opportunities for students placed in pairs, and address the demand for student placements. The study aimed to (1) evaluate the effect of providing education on PAL to clinical educators (CEs) on activities undertaken by students and (2) explore CE and student perceptions of the clinical education experience. Method: Allied health CEs attended a workshop in PAL. Self-reported student activity was collected and CE responses to the education were measured using forms and survey tools. Qualitative data on student and CE experience were collected via focus groups. Results: CEs reported that the workshop was useful and significantly improved their confidence to facilitate PAL. CEs also reported a perceived change in clinical education practices. After the workshop, students reported being twice as likely to observe both their CE and peer perform a patient assessment, 34% less likely to be observed by their CE when performing a treatment and 40% less likely to work with patients independently (without CE or peer). The qualitative analysis revealed three themes: PAL enhanced the learning environment; additional skills and preparation are required for success; and PAL may present challenges associated with peer compatibility and time for individualised feedback. Conclusions: Education in facilitating PAL improved perceived confidence of CEs. Student activity changed most significantly in the amount of peer and supervisor observation. Both students and CEs reported that PAL enhanced the learning environment but noted that education and preparation are important to mitigate challenges associated with sub-optimal peer relationships and individualised feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students enrolled in medical, nursing and health science programs often participate in experiential learning in their practical classes. Experiential learning includes peer physical examination and peer-assisted learning where students practise clinical skills on each other. Objectives To identify effective strategies that enable ethical experiential learning for health students during practical classes. Design A narrative review of the literature. Data Sources Pubmed, Cinahl and Scopus databases were searched because they include most of the health education journals where relevant articles would be published. Review Methods A data extraction framework was developed to extract information from the included papers. Data were entered into a fillable form in Google Docs. Findings from identified studies were extracted to a series of tables (e.g. strategies for fostering ethical conduct; facilitators and barriers to peer-assisted learning). Themes were identified from these findings through a process of line by line coding and organisation of codes into descriptive themes using a constant comparative method. Finally understandings and hypotheses of relevance to our research question were generated from the descriptive themes. Results A total of 35 articles were retrieved that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 13 strategies for ethical experiential learning were identified and one evaluation was reported. The most frequently reported strategies were gaining written informed consent from students, providing information about the benefits of experiential learning and what to expect in practical classes, and facilitating discussions in class about potential issues. Contexts that facilitated participation in experiential learning included allowing students to choose their own groups, making participation voluntary, and providing adequate supervision, feedback and encouragement. Conclusion A total of 13 strategies for ethical experiential learning were identified in the literature. A formal process for written consent was evaluated as effective; the effectiveness of other strategies remains to be determined. A comprehensive framework that integrates all recommendations from the literature is needed to guide future research and practise of ethical experiential learning in health courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Peer teaching is a well-established teaching method in medical education. During the 2012/13 winter term, the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology in Ulm, Germany, introduced a longitudinal didactics program (“Train the Tutor”: TtT) to train student tutors as near-peer teachers (NPT) in the dissection course (DC). Twenty-three of 38 tutors participated in the programme. Our study describes the educational concept and the NPTs’ activities in the dissection course. Methods NPTs documented their activities on a daily basis in the form of semi-structured reports. A total of 575 reports were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed. Free-text analysis was performed using Grounded Theory followed by code quantification of all indications (n = 1868). Results NPTs spend 61% of their time dissecting by themselves or supervising the tutee’s dissection process. Organisational tasks had a larger share at the beginning of the course. Just before examinations the proportion of time spent giving feedback rose. Of all positive indications, 45% described experiences working with the tutees. In contrast, 68% of all negative indications were characterized by a self-critical reflection on their own activities. NPTs included all learning domains in their teaching, substantially functioning as teachers and role models to convey particular attitudes. Conclusion TtT-Trained Tutors (NPT) clearly met the requirements of a practical course and adjusted their activities in response to the course’s progress. NPTs were concerned about their tutees’ attitudes and may need more professional support within the TtT program regarding this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University mathetnatics subjects are the core modules for undergraduates enrolled in the College of Science and Engineering. Foundational knowledge in calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and complex numbers is vital for developing the ability to handle science or engineering questions. Due to different learning backgrounds, undergraduates might not have studied advanced mathematics in their high schools, which drastically lowers the study momentum in competing with others who have taken advanced mathematics curriculum. In order to reduce the learning gap between advanced mathematics learners and non-advanced mathematics learners, a learning method using a small group of peers is implemented with science and engineering students for two mathematics modules. The scheme contributed to social interactions with their peers. Peer tutoring with supplemental instruction can encourage students to engage with group discussions, thus changing them from passive listeners to active learners in collaborative learning. This article aims to focus on the performance of academic results in comparing the effectiveness of the PALSI scheme in regards to gender and mathematics learning experience in high school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an increasingly used learning method, with demonstrated equivalence to conventional teaching methods in students' knowledge and skill gain. Despite this, student satisfaction with PAL is varied. There are few investigations of gender as a factor influencing students' perceptions of peer-assisted learning, and less is known about gender's impact on participation in PAL. Methods: This study investigated the influence of gender on students' attitudes towards, and participation in, PAL activities. One hundred ninety-one students in their first clinical year completed a self-report questionnaire over a 3-year period. The questionnaire included questions on engagement in specific PAL activities and the advantages and disadvantages of PAL. Results: Male and female students reported similar participation rates in PAL activities. Female students were more likely to report that observing others undertake a history or examination was useful to their learning. Female students were also more likely to report that PAL provided a "safe" learning environment, allowing them to take more time, let down their guard and ask questions. Conclusions: Variation in students' attitudes when introducing PAL activities may affect their uptake. Gender is unlikely to be the sole factor affecting perceptions of PAL, but it may have an impact on readiness to engage and patterns of engagement. The perceived relative safety of PAL identified in this study, when contrasted to recent reports of bullying and harassment within medical training in Australia, may suggest that educating clinicians and students on the role of PAL could result in safer learning environments and improve learner experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the poor outcomes for U.S. students on national writing tests, overall research on how to teach writing is sparse, and this scarcity is more pronounced in the early years of beginning to write. In this study 81,200 we present preliminary findings from Year 1 of a 3-year Institute of Education Sciences-funded Goal 2 project aimed at improving the writing performance of kindergarten children. We designed peer assisted writing strategies (PAWS) and tested its feasibility and promise. Participants for this study were 86 kindergartners ranging in age from 62 to 76 months, recruited from five classes in two different schools. It was feasible for research staff to deliver PAWS, which combined the need to focus early writing instruction on critical transcription skills with an effective learning pedagogy (i.e., peer-assisted learning). Lessons that targeted writing letters focused on formation and fluency, and lessons that targeted spelling focused on teaching letter sound correspondence for spelling decodable words and recognition and spelling practice for sight words. Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the PAWS participants and the control children on the alphabet fluency and essay post-test measures. Thus preliminary results indicate that PAWS instruction helped children, on average, improve early writing skills. Directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: To achieve quality in medical education, peer teaching, understood as students taking on roles as educators for peers, is frequently used as a teaching intervention. While the benefits of peer teaching for learners and faculty are described in detail in the literature, less attention is given to the learning outputs for the student-teachers. This systematic review focuses on the learning outputs for medical undergraduates acting as student-teachers in the last decade (2012-2022)., Aim: Our aim is to describe what learning outputs student-teachers have from peer teaching, and map what research methods are used to assess the outputs. We defined learning outputs in a broad sense, including all types of learning experiences, intended and non-intended, associated with being a peer teacher., Methods: A literature search was conducted in four electronic databases. Title, abstract and full text were screened by 8 independent reviewers and selection was based on predefined eligibility criteria. We excluded papers not describing structured peer teaching interventions with student-teachers in a formalized role. From the included articles we extracted information about the learning outputs of being a student-teacher as medical undergraduate., Results: From 668 potential titles, 100 were obtained as full-texts, and 45 selected after close examination, group deliberation, updated search and quality assessment using MERSQI score (average score 10/18). Most articles reported learning outputs using mixed methods (67%). Student-teachers reported an increase in subject-specific learning (62%), pedagogical knowledge and skills (49%), personal outputs (31%) and generic skills (38%). Most articles reported outputs using self-reported data (91%)., Conclusion: Although there are few studies that systematically investigate student-teachers learning outputs, evidence suggests that peer teaching offers learning outputs for the student-teachers and helps them become better physicians. Further research is needed to enhance learning outputs for student-teachers and systematically investigate student-teachers' learning outputs and its impact on student-teachers., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Tanveer et al.)

Introduction: Ultrasound diagnostics is an important examination method in everyday clinical practice, but student education is often inadequate for acquiring sufficient basic skills. Individual universities have therefore started integrating (extra)curricular training concepts into medical education. This study aimed to evaluate sustainable skills development through participation in peer-assisted ultrasound courses., Methods: From 2017, students in the clinical part of medical school could opt for extracurricular peer-assisted ultrasound courses. Depending on the format (10-week course/2-day compact course) these comprised 20 teaching units focusing on abdominal and emergency ultrasonography. Students attending compulsory workshops at the start of their practical year were enrolled in this study, allowing for a comparison between the study group (attended ultrasound course) and the control group (did not attend ultrasound course). Competency from two out of four practical exams (subjects: "aorta", "gallbladder", "kidney" and "lung") was measured, and a theory test on the same subject areas ("pathology recognition") was administered. Additional questions concerned biographical data, subjective competency assessment (7-point Likert scale), and "attitude to ultrasound training in the curriculum"., Results: Analysis included 302 participants in total. Ultrasound courses had been attended on average 2.5 years earlier (10-week course) and 12 months earlier (2-day compact course), respectively. The study group ( n = 141) achieved significantly better results than the control group ( n = 161) in the long-term follow-up. This applies both to practical exams ( p < 0.01) and theory tests ( p < 0.01). After course attendance, participants reported a significantly higher subjective assessment of theoretical ( p < 0.01) and practical ( p < 0.01) ultrasound skills., Conclusions: Peer-assisted ultrasound courses can sustainably increase both theoretical and practical competency of medical students. This highlights the potential and need for standardised implementation of ultrasound courses in the medical education curriculum.

An understanding of forearm and wrist anatomy is necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of various injuries. Evidence supports the use of peer-assisted learning (PAL) as an effective resource for teaching basic science courses. First-year medical students across three class years participated in an optional PAL kinesthetic workshop wherein participants created anatomically accurate paper models of forearm and wrist muscles. Participants completed pre- and post-workshop surveys. Participant and nonparticipant exam performances were compared. Participation ranged from 17.3% to 33.2% of each class; participants were more likely to identify as women than men (p < 0.001). Participants in cohorts 2 and 3 reported increased comfort with relevant content after the workshop (p < 0.001). Survey responses for cohort 1 were omitted due to low response rates; however, exam performances were assessed for all three cohorts. Cohort 2 participants scored higher than nonparticipants on forearm and wrist questions on the cumulative course exam (p = 0.010), while the opposite was found for cohort 3 (p = 0.051). No other statistically significant differences were observed. This is the first study to examine quantitative and qualitative results for a PAL intervention repeated for three separate cohorts. Although academic performance varied, two cohorts reported increased comfort with relevant course material after the workshop. Results of this study support the need for further exploration of PAL workshops as an instructional method in teaching anatomy and highlight the challenges associated with repeating interventions over multiple years. As more studies attempt replication across multiple years, these challenges may be addressed, thereby informing PAL best practices., (© 2023 American Association for Anatomy.)

Purpose: Peer-assisted learning has become an integral part within medical education and has been proven to be effective in teaching medical skills. Cognitive and social congruence are important factors that explain the effectiveness of peer-assisted learning. However, although theory suggests this, there is no study to date that demonstrates that students and tutors agree upon the level of cognitive and social congruence. Thus, we compared tutors' and students' perception of cognitive and social congruence and their agreement on the causes of congruence., Methods: 36 students and 9 tutors from 9 courses were asked to answer questionnaires for their perception of cognitive and social congruence in a peer-assisted learning sonography scenario., Results: Students and tutors experienced cognitive congruence (t = 0.8277, df = 8, p = .4318, 95% CI = [-0.232; 0.491]) and social congruence (t = 0.962, df = 8, p = .364, 95% CI = [-0.145; 0.354]) similarly. In contrast, students and tutors disagreed on causes of cognitive congruence (agreement = 53.90%) and social congruence (agreement = 58.49%). Tutors rated their empathy and interest toward students as the main cause. Students rated the helpfulness, effectiveness, and approachableness of the tutor as the main cause., Conclusions: Our study filled the gap in previous research on cognitive and social congruence. Consistent with theoretical considerations, it was shown that students and tutors do indeed experience cognitive and social congruence similarly. Nevertheless, differences also emerged that may carry more or less weight depending on the research question. Future studies should therefore carefully examine whether the assessment of cognitive and social congruence of students and tutors is necessary., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestThe authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Background: Near-peer teaching (NPT) is becoming an increasingly popular pedagogical tool in health professions education. Despite the shift in formal medical education from face-to-face teaching toward encompassing web-based learning activities, NPT has not experienced a similar transition. Apart from the few reports on NPT programs hastily converted to web-based learning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, no studies to date have explored web-based learning in the specific context of NPT., Objective: This qualitative study examined the nature of interactions among peer learners (PLs), peer teachers (PTs), and the learning content in a student-led, web-based NPT program for medical students., Methods: A 5-month-long voluntary NPT program to support first- and second-year medical students' biomedical science learning in the undergraduate medical curriculum was designed by 2 senior-year medical students and delivered by 25 PTs with 84 PLs participating. In total, 9 PLs and 3 PTs underwent individual semistructured interviews at the end of the program to explore general NPT experience, reasons for joining NPT, the effectiveness of NPT, the demand and importance of NPT, and the feasibility of incorporating NPT in the formal curriculum. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach., Results: The first general theme focused on the nature of student-student, student-teacher, and student-content interactions. Although PLs were engaged in web-based NPT, there was minimal interaction between students, as most PLs preferred to learn passively and remain anonymous. PLs believed the web-based NPT learning process to be a unidirectional transmission of knowledge from teacher to learner, with the teacher responsible for driving the interactions. This was in sharp contrast to PTs' expectation that both parties shared responsibility for learning in a collaborative effort. The second general theme identified the advantages and disadvantages of delivering NPT on a web platform, which were mainly convenience and teaching skills development and poor interactivity, respectively., Conclusions: Student-led, web-based NPT offers a flexible and comfortable means of delivering academic and nonacademic guidance to medical students. However, the web-based mode of delivery presents unique challenges in facilitating meaningful interactions among PLs, PTs, and subject content. A blended learning approach may be best suited for this form of student-led NPT program to optimize its efficacy., (©Evelyn Hui Yi Chan, Vernice Hui Yan Chan, Jannie Roed, Julie Yun Chen. Originally published in JMIR Medical Education (https://mededu.jmir.org), 15.05.2023.)

Introduction: There is an expectation that healthcare professionals display competence in teaching, assessment and providing feedback. Development begins with formative peer-assisted learning and teaching in the undergraduate environment. Using peers or near-peers (in this case having 1 year more experience than the examination cohort) to provide assessment in summative exams remains unexplored. This study investigates how the use of near-peers compares to marking by academic staff in a summative OSCE., Materials and Methods: BDS4 Peer assessors (PAs) developed an OSCE question and marking schedule. Each PA (n = 3) was paired with an academic staff assessor (ASA) (n = 3). Peer and academic marked the candidates independently. Two years later, the process was repeated on the same cohort of candidates with the PA now 1-year post qualification. Statistical analysis compared the scores awarded by PA during each timeframe and against the marks awarded by the ASA., Results: During round 1, 28 students (62.2%) were awarded the same score by PA and ASA. On 17 occasions, there was a discrepancy (37.8%). Bias was skewed in favour of PA scoring higher (mean difference of differences -0.0667). During round 2, 27 students (55.1%) were awarded the same score by PA and ASA. On 22 occasions (44.9%), there was a discrepancy. Bias was skewed in favour of ASA scoring higher (mean difference of differences 0.0612)., Discussion: Levels of agreement between PA and ASA are strong. Our results show PA mark more leniently as undergraduates and less leniently at 1-year post graduation., Conclusions: Peer assessors are able to write OSCE stations, produce marking schemes and effectively assess their near-peers., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Universities are increasingly examining alternative means of teaching and learning, and supplemental instruction in the form of peer tutoring is progressively used to support learning in selected courses. This small scale ethnographic study investigates the roles and relationships between the peer tutors and tutees to uncover their perceptions of peer tutoring and their perceived effects. Semi-structured focus group discussions of ten tutors and ten tutees and two participant group observations were employed. The findings suggest that perceptions of the success of this programme were attributed to low power distance of the tutors and tutees, the development of friendships and the metacognitive learning strategies that were explicitly taught. Implications arising from this study suggest a greater focus on roles and expectations in the design of peer tutoring programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Introduction Peer teaching is widely applied in medical education, anatomists having a notably long tradition in cooperating with student tutors in the dissection course. At Ulm University we established an intensified concomitant didactic training program for student tutors and investigated possible effects on their tutees’ academic performance and tutor evaluation. Methods In winter semester 2012/13 all student tutors of the dissection course were invited to participate in the “Train-the-Tutor” educational program. 1 1 Horneffer, A., Fassnacht, U., Oechsner, W., Boeckers, A. 2013. Vom Lernenden zum Lehrenden: Das Ulmer Programm “Train the Tutor”. Vortrag auf der Jahrestagung der GMA in Graz 26.-28.09.2013, German Medical Science GMS Publishing House. DocV07_03. DOI: 10.3205/13gma189, URN: urn:nbn:de:0183-13gma1897. Test results and failure rates of 149 tutees who had been supervised by program participants ( n = 14) and 136 tutees of not participating tutors ( n = 13) were analyzed, as well as data on tutor evaluation and learning behavior of 235 (82%) of these tutees. Results Overall, both groups of tutees showed equal learning behavior and evaluated their tutors’ performances similarly. However, tutees of program participants consistently obtained better examination results (median: 1.9 versus 2.2 in overall scores) and lower ultimate failure rates (13.4 versus 17.6% of students failed, respectively). Discussion An intensified didactic training program for student tutors may help their tutees to pass the gross anatomy course. Additional studies are necessary to objectify and further investigate this effect in order to optimize the concept regarding time expenditure and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study explains how social media was used in the pilot year of a student-led peer mentoring initiative. The University of Southampton, faculty of Humanities, peer mentoring scheme was launched in September 2014 with a cohort of 750 undergraduate students across seven subject areas. The scheme is part of the wider, student-led, careers activity across all year groups within the faculty, otherwise known as the ââ¬Ëmission employableââ¬â¢ project. Social media, including Facebook and Twitter, was used to engage mentors and mentees and to communicate with students throughout the scheme. Facebook groups were introduced to help maintain contact, initially between the student peer mentoring coordinator and the student mentors, then between the mentors and their mentees. The familiarity of Facebook was a deciding factor in the selection of appropriate media for use within the scheme. At the mid- and end- point evaluation reviews, mentors praised the inclusion of social media platforms and asked that greater use be made of them in future. The case study concludes that social media led to an increase in student engagement and an enhanced student experience within the faculty.

Background and objective: The delivery of needs-based health care services requires a team-based and collaborative approach of different health professionals, which is not yet sufficienctliy implemented on a day to day basis. Interprofessional learning activities aim to respond to this in future. The cross-university pilot project interTUT used peer-assisted learning approaches and extracurricular tutorials in order address this issue.Methodology: During the pilot phase, eight students and trainees have been acquired. Together, they prepared and led four extracurricular tutorials on core topics of interprofessional cooperation and documented them in procedure manuals. The course was evaluated using a standardized participant survey (n=72) and two focus groups (n=3, n=5) in which participants were asked to reflect on their individual learning experiences. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data and the focus group material was interpreted using qualitative content analysis. Results: The results indicated a high level of satisfaction, acceptance of and further demand for peer-supported learning activities. The students and trainees reported changed attitudes and subjective knowledge growth regarding the other professional groups. The constructive learning atmosphere as well as having access to a forum for interprofessional exchange were equally valued.Conclusions: Extracurricular tutorials offer a low-threshold and very promising point of contact for the facilitation of interprofessional teaching and learning. However, this should be viewed against the background that, as part of the pilot project, only a small number of students and trainees who were already interested in the topic could be reached by this optional course. A comprehensive, long-term trial of this teaching and learning format, its linkage to curricular courses, and further research on its education-specific and practice-related effects are, therefore, necessary.

Research into the transition of first year students in higher education (HE) confirms that student integration into the academic community is a primary condition for student success (Borglum & Kubala, 2000; Tinto & Pusser, 2006; Tovar, Simon & Lee, 2009; Stebleton, Soria & Huesman, 2014). It is also crucial that it is combined with peer support if students are going to settle into university life (Hamshire, Jack, Prowse, & Wibberley, 2015a). This article seeks to explore the potential value and purposes of peer assisted learning (PAL) as a tool to increase the social and academic integration of first year university students. Focus group interviews (n=16) were conducted between the spring and autumn of 2013 with first-year students (n=93) enrolled in the Faculty of Educational Sciences (Psychology and Educational sciences) at the Free University of Brussels. By using the method of appreciative inquiry (AI), respondents suggested that peer-assisted learning methods are important tools for enhancing social and academic integration.ÃÂ In this sense, tutoring and mentoring need to address specific criteria on at least two organisational dimensions (Topping & Ehly, 2001):ÃÂ (a) objectives of the subject and (b) contact installation. This article aims to prompt further discussion on the potential, value and purposes of peer-assisted learning programmes for integration.