Literature review and experience with whole classroom peer tutoring for IT students

ABSTRACT

Having been accustomed to passive learning for years, students can sometimes "tune out" their Information Technology (IT) professors during classroom lecture, especially when they are tempted to surf the Web. Sometimes students have a tendency to listen more attentively to peers explaining an IT concept than to the professor. Whole classroom peer tutoring is a teaching technique based on active learning that has shown to be very effective in teaching concepts from basic reading skills to advanced medical procedures. The authors review the current literature on peer tutoring and then present their experience effectively using whole classroom peer tutoring facilitated by CrossTec's NetOp School v4 (now renamed SchoolVUE).

With NetOp School, a single IT student can be given monitor focus so that whatever is on their screen is sent to all other screens in the classroom. While a student has focus, other students do not have control of their monitors. Coordinating with the IT professor in advance, a student explains to other students how they successfully completed an IT homework challenge. Afterwards, focus is released so that peers regain control of their workstations where they are given some classroom time to work through challenging homework with a fresh perspective. Those students who complete the challenge early, are encouraged to visit with fellow classmates and help them complete the homework challenge.

REFERENCES

• 1: Boyer, E. L. The Scholarship of Engagement. The Journal of Public Service and Outreach, 1 (1). 11--20.
• 2: Colvin, J. W. Peer Tutoring and Social Dynamics in Higher Education. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 15 (2). 165--181.
• 3: Cooper, L. The Effects of Classwide Peer Tutoring on the Reading Achievement of Urban Middle School Students. Education & Treatment of Children, 30 (2). 21--51.
• 4: CrossTec Corporation. SchoolVUE, 2007.
• 5: Evans, W., Flower, J. and Holton, D. Peer tutoring in first-year undergraduate mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 32 (2). 161--173.
• 6: Granneman, S. VNC lets you control computers remotely, 2004.
• 7: Kourea, L., Cartledge, G. and Musti-Rao, S. Improving the Reading Skills of Urban Elementary Students Through Total Class Peer Tutoring. Remedial & Special Education, 28 (2). 95--107.
• 8: LanSchoool Technologies LLC. LanSchool, 2005.
• 9: Mahdi, A. E. Introducing Peer-supported Learning Approach to Tutoring in Engineering and Technology Courses. International Journal of Electrical Engineering Education, 43 (4). 277--287.
• 10: Mastropieri, M. A., Scruggs, T. E. and Berkeley, S. L. Peers Helping Peers. Educational Leadership, 64 (5). 54--58.
• 11: Wills, C. E., Deremer, D., McCauley, R. A. and Null, L. Studying the Use of Peer Learning in the Introductory Computer Science Curriculum. Computer Science Education, 9 (2). 71--88.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.3 Communications Applications

General Terms:
Documentation, Human Factors, Management, Measurement, Performance

Keywords:
active learning, cchoolvue, education, information technology, netop school, peer tutoring