PEER VERSUS STAFF TUTORING IN PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

Effects of student versus staff tutoring on student learning in a prob lem-based, health sciences curriculum were studied. Academic achieveme nt of 334 tutorial groups guided by staff tutors was compared with ach ievement of 400 groups guided by student tutors. In addition, students rated their tutor's performance on four behaviors considered critical to facilitating student learning. Overall, students guided by a staff tutor achieved somewhat better. In terms of practical significance, t he difference was, however, fairly small. Staff tutors were rated as m ore knowledgeable and their contributions as more relevant. In additio n, they asked stimulating questions to a larger extent. However, an in teraction effect was found between the ratings and the year of study: Peer tutors displayed the supportive behaviors more extensively in the first year, whereas staff tutors' ratings were higher as the curricul um advanced. These results were interpreted in terms of the cognitive congruence framework.