Peer tutoring in physics: the attitudes to, and experiences of, student-tutors

In the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow a wide variety of teaching and learning methods are employed in our undergraduate degree courses.A‚  Included in this are a series of peer-led tutorials, known as the A¢â‚¬A“Peer to PeerA¢â‚¬Â tutorial scheme. This sees Honours level students in the third, fourth or fifth years of their degrees assisting students in years one and two.A‚  The senior students act as tutors, assisting the level one and two students with questions from their coursework and life as students in the subject. This paper details the Peer to Peer scheme, providing a clear description of a model that could be applied to any discipline.A‚  It then reports on an in-depth study of the attitudes and experiences of the student-tutors involved. Student-tutors reported a positive experience of the tutorials. They had taken part in the scheme to improve their own skills and to assist both younger students and the School.A‚  Their reflections on the tutorials showed that these goals were met.A‚  The scheme, whilst not perfect, did contribute to the learning of the students, whilst improving the skills base of the student-tutors.