Staff-tutored tutorial groups achieve slightly but significantly higher marks than peer-tutored groups in problem-based learning¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 1995 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Students guided by staff tutors received somewhat higher course marks than students guided by peer tutors; the difference was statistically significant but small in practical terms. → Schmidt 1995

Evidence¶

Schmidt 1995¶

Schmidt, H., van der Arend, A., Kokx, I. & Boon, L. (1995). Peer versus staff tutoring in problem-based learning. Instructional Science 22: 279-285. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00891781

q3 · i? · causal · r2

Field experiment aggregating achievement data at the tutorial-group level across 98 problem-based health sciences courses; ANOVA showed a small significant advantage for staff tutoring, with average scores of 6.79 versus 6.64 on a ten-point scale, "statistically significant, F(1,733) -- 9.42, p < 0.002".

"The effect of staff versus peer tutoring was small - average score in the staff tutoring condition: 6.79; peer tutoring: 6.64. This difference, however, is statistically significant, F(1,733) -- 9.42, p < 0.002."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Student tutors are rated as more cognitively congruent than staff tutors in problem-based tutorial groups — related
• Staff tutors display more authoritarian behavior than student tutors in problem-based tutorial groups — related
• Student tutors refer to end-of-course examinations more frequently than staff tutors to direct student learning — related
• Prior field experiments found no achievement differences between staff- and student-tutored groups — reports the opposite
• No differences between student and staff tutors in focus on cooperation among group members — related
• Focus group data indicate student tutors show more cognitive congruency than staff tutors, explaining content more clearly and in student-friendly terms — related
• Students taught by rigorously selected and well trained student tutors show no significant achievement differences from students taught by staff tutors in first-year PBL courses — reports the opposite
• Tutorial group size moderates SDL gains in PBL: small and medium groups gained SDL, large groups declined — related
• No achievement difference between staff- and peer-tutored groups in the first curriculum year — reports the opposite
• Staff tutors rated higher on using subject-matter knowledge and relevance, but peer tutors rated higher on these behaviors in year one — related