THE EFFECTS OF PEER TUTORING ON THE SELF-CONCEPT OF DROPOUTS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of peer tutoring on the academic achievement and self-concept of underachieving dropouts. The problem was investigated through examination of the effects of (1) tutoring dropouts by retrieved dropouts from an alternative high school with similar history of underachievement and (2) tutoring dropouts by high school students who had a history of academic achievement. A subordinate aspect of the study was an examination of the effects of peer tutoring on the academic achievement and self-concept of the alternative high school students and conventional high school students who acted as tutors.;Subjects were 24 recent dropouts, 16 retrieved dropouts attending an alternative school and 16 high school students attending a conventional high school who were pretested on instruments measuring academic achievement and self-concept.;The recent dropouts, who were selected from a group of volunteers from the waiting list to enter the alternative school, were assigned to a treatment group which participated as tutees and a control group which did not receive any treatment. The tutors were alternative school students who were selected from volunteers attending an alternative school for dropouts, and high school students who were selected from a group of volunteers attending the conventional high school.;The tutees were assigned to a same sex tutor from the group of alternative and conventional high school tutors. The tutors were trained and supervised in using the McCormick Mathers Extending Math Skills program. The group participated in an eight week tutoring program which met twice a week for 45 minutes. A control group of tutors received the same training and supervision, but was not assigned tutees and used the program as a self-help instrument. In addition, there was a high school control group which did not receive any treatment.;Post-testing was conducted upon completion of the program and results were examined utilizing analysis of variance and post hoc t-test computations. Academic achievement for all groups was measured by the Wide Range Achievement Test. Academic self-concept was measured for all groups by the Schurr/Brookover Self-Concept of Academic Abilities Scale, Academic Aspirations Scale, Academic Expectations Scale and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory.;Results indicate improvement in academic achievement and self-concept for both treatment groups, with the tutees tutored by the alternative school students making the greatest gains.;For the tutors, both treatment groups achieved significant gains in arithmetic, but only the students from the alternative school registered gains in measure of self-concept.