Why do we need to train tutors?
(excerpts taken from Sheets' dissertation (sheets, 1994))

The need for students to receive tutoring to succeed in institutions of higher learning was evident in America when Harvard opened its doors in 1636 as America's first college. Because many of its incoming students were not yet proficient in Latin, Harvard provided tutors to help these students acquire the proficiency needed to succeed (Van, 1992). "Underpreparedness" for college in other academic areas is also not a new phenomenon in higher education in America. In 1907, over half of the beginning students at Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia failed to meet entrance requirements (Maxwell, 1979). Since the 1960s, as increasing numbers of non-traditional and underprepared students entered colleges and universities, the need to provide tutoring and other support services for students has continued.

Most American colleges and universities today offer some form of peer tutoring to some of their adult students through student services, special services, individual departments, or learning assistance programs. Today, adult peer tutoring is generally recognized as a service, which provides more than equalizing the opportunity for success among specific disadvantaged populations. It is also recognized as a service for providing support to all students to help them increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their efforts in studying and meeting their educational goals (Maxwell, 1990a).

Roueche (1983), in her national study on elements of success in institutions of higher education, stated that one of the components of the success of basic skill development programs for colleges and universities was the use of peer tutors. Furthermore, in Maxwell's (1990a) review of the literature on tutoring, she identified several studies that supported the use of adult peer tutors for college students. In those studies, students responded more positively to tutors who were closer in class standing (not necessarily in age) than to professional tutors who were farther removed from the class standing of the college student (e.g., freshman). Maxwell also identified training for peer tutors as an essential element for successful tutoring programs in colleges and universities. In 1992, the National Center for Developmental Education at Appalachian State University completed a follow-up study of over 6000 students enrolled in basic skill development classes nationwide. The study cited that "tutor training is the best programmatic predictor of successful college developmental education [basic skill development] programs" (Maxwell, 1993).

Many colleges and universities hire adult peer tutors; however, few programs provide tutors with formal training of strategies for tutoring (Mohr, 1991). Tutors are usually hired because they have been successful students. A criterion most programs use in tutor selection is a grade of "A" or "B" in the course they will be tutoring and/or a faculty recommendation (Maxwell, 1990a). Thus it is often assumed that the tutors can convey their strategies for success to the students they tutor and will gain tutoring techniques with experience. Unfortunately, being successful in their coursework does not necessarily mean they will be successful tutors without training. For example, some tutors, though successful as students, do not utilize efficient study strategies themselves and may need training before they can help the students they tutor become more efficient, effective, and independent as learners (Rings & Sheets, 1991). Other tutors have developed their strategies and metacognitive abilities to the extent that they may be operating on "automatic pilot," that is, at a sub-conscious level, thus being unaware of the strategies they use to be successful. Therefore, these tutors are unaware of the strategies they employ and will need training to be able to consciously assist students in choosing strategies they may need to learn new material (A. L. Brown, 1980; Rings & Sheets, 1991). A third set of tutors may know the strategies they employ in learning new information, may be both effective and efficient learners, and may still not possess the repertoire of strategies needed to help students select the strategies appropriate for their learning needs (Rings & Sheets, 1991).

An International Tutoring Certification Training Program was created by the national College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA, formerly WCRLA) in 1989. Its role was to certify post-secondary peer tutor training programs based on their adherence to specific guidelines (Maxwell, 1993). These guidelines provide flexibility so that program directors can select appropriate alternatives to meet the general guidelines.

In a dissertation (Sheets, 1994), the effectiveness of training and experience on adult peer tutors in a community college setting was investigated. A major finding was that ten or more hours of training was found to make a significant difference in the appropriateness of tutor responses to presented tutoring situations.

The tutor training program at PVCC is designed to respond to the need for tutor training and is grounded in research and strategies in metacognition, constructivism, learning theory, and student success. Training begins when new tutors are hired, before they begin tutoring.

References

Brown, A. L. (1980). Metacognitive development of reading. In R. J. Spiro, B. C. Bruce, & W. F. Brewer (Eds.). Theoretical issues in reading Comprehension (pp. 453-481). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Maxwell, M. (1990). Does Tutoring Help? A Look at the Literature. Review of Research in Developmental Education, 7,(4), 1-5.

Maxwell, M. (1993). Evaluating academic skills programs: A sourcebook. Kensington, MD: M. M. Associates.

Mohr, E. (1991). A study of peer tutor training programs: A league report (Report No. JC-910-305). Kansas City, KS: Johnson County Community College & The League for Innovation in the Community College. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 332 777)

Rings, S., & Sheets, R. A. (1991). Student development and metacognition: Foundations for tutor training. Journal of Developmental Education, 15(1), 30-32.

Roueche, S. D. (1983). Elements of program success: Report of a national study. In J. E. Roueche (Ed.), New directions for college learning assistance: A new look at successful programs (pp. 3-10). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Sheets, R. A., (1994). The effects of training and experience on adult peer tutors in community colleges. Doctoral Dissertation, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

Van, B. (1992). College learning assistance programs: Ingredients for success. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 24(2), 27-39.