A programme of cross-age tutoring was
introduced into the formal curriculum of a
second-level school. The aim was twofold - to
increase the incidence of effective remedial
help to those students experiencing difficulty
in basic academic subjects, and to demonstrate
the possibility of teachers devising,
developing and implementing curriculum change
relevant to the local needs of their individual
schools. Secretarial students drawn from
post-leaving certificate classes volunteered to
tutor first and second year students identified
as having academic difficulties mainly in the
areas of mathematics and english. The study
draws from a wide range of theoretical bases
and stresses the importance of ecological
validity both in programme development and in
statistical analysis. The following programme
outcomes were investigated: (1) academic gains
of tutees, (2) attitudinal gains of tutees, (3)
gains in self-esteem of tutors. Results
indicate some academic gain, but highly
significant attitudinal gain. There was little
effect upon tutor self-esteem. The study
examines the results in the context of the
educational environment and indicates areas for
further possible research.
Item Type:
Thesis (Master of Arts)
Date of Award:
1987
Refereed:
No
Supervisor(s):
Hurley, John
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Tutors and tutoring; Second level education Ireland