a professional welcoming space where tutees can take charge of their learning and develop strong writing and speaking skills. Deeper learning occurs when tutors and tutees can exercise agency.
When empowered, whether by “performing the tutor’s role, in an induced work atmosphere, by reading aloud and actively listening, by evaluating their effort, and engaging in meta-cognitive reflective processes, students become aware of their own capabilities and of their possibilities of improvement.”4 Put differently, this deeper kind of learning involves metacognition, which is widely considered key to success in higher education.
Metacognitive knowledge refers to students’ ability to learn how to learn, which makes them increasingly independent and efficient. Furthermore, metacognitive knowledge is also tied to the development of student’s self-concept, their internalized perception of their own knowledge and ability levels.
Beyond getting a better grade on a given assignment, our tutees build up the skills that will make them successful in future academic, professional, and social contexts. Ultimately, tutees of any ability level become more confident, skilled, and successful, contributing to a vibrant intellectual campus environment.
1. Marta Flores and David Duran, “Effects of Peer Tutoring on Reading Self-Concept,” International Journal of Educational Psychology. 2, no. 3 (October 2013): 299.
2. José Arco-Tirado, Francisco Fernández-Martín, and Juan-Miguel Fernández-Balboa, “The Impact of a Peer-Tutoring Program on Quality Standards in Higher Education,” Higher Education 62, no. 6 (December 2011): 780.
3. Flores and Duran, “Effects of Peer Tutoring on Reading Self-Concept,” 299.
4. Ibid., 297.
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