Summary Of Peer Tutor

Summary, Scope and Organization of the Book

A Training Guide for College Tutors and Peer Educators by Sally Lipsky defines the role and importance of peer tutors’ on college campuses, the importance of promoting active learning, how to incorporate critical thinking and questioning skills, assessing students’ learning, collaborative learning and group work. Furthermore, this book defines tutoring as a proactive process, the value of diversity and students, online assistance, and a summary of effective peer lead sessions. One of the major strengths of this book is the learning activities throughout to assist peer tutors with their tutees. For example, the activity in Chapter 2 (Promoting Active Learning) has what the tutor may potentially hear

This is important because colleges and university educators rely on peer tutors to provide supplemental instruction to its students. As stated previously, this training guide provides educators with real life examples and evaluation tools for the peer tutor and tutor coordinator.

Another important contribution is tying Bloom 's Taxonomy of cognitive categories to peer education. According to Lipsky, "Too often students are accustomed to the lowest level of cognition, simple knowledge or recall of details and information (pg. 38). Lipsky went on to discuss the importance of "higher level of cognition" by using directive words to allow students to think independently, and perform at higher levels of cognition.

Lipsky highlighted the benefits for the peer tutor (pg. 6). She stated, “You probably will improve your abilities to make decisions, think through complex issues, and solve a variety of problems…your communication and leadership skills will grow, as will our feelings of accomplishments and self-confidence. This is an important factor when hiring peer educators. Oftentimes, peer educators are using this time as a refresher. For example, a peer educator may be preparing for the MCAT or the CPA exam, and using their peer tutoring sessions as a vessel to continue their preparation or enhance

Peer tutors are put in leadership positions that oftentimes prepares them for life after their educational experience. Additionally, peer tutors lead their tutees to utilize cognitive thinking skills. Finally, peer tutors assist tutees in development (pg. 4). Lipsky cited Arthur Chickering’s seven vectors of development (pg. 4). Each vector highlights areas of effective social, intellectual or personal development (pg. 4-5). She stated, “As a framework explaining college students’ evolving behaviors and attitudes, Chickering’s model is useful in your peer educator role. Note that the seven vectors overlap and are not linear in nature” (pg. 4). In chapter two, Lipsky discusses how learning occurs. This is a key element of the book because learning is a science that involves change of student behaviors. Learning is interactive and an ongoing activity that everyone participates in as a whole. Learning occurs based on past experiences and cognitive thinking. Lipsky breaks down learning into three stages for the tutees, and informs the peer tutor when to intervene (pg. 16-17), all which are tied to the learning process. Basically, peer educators learn from their tutees, and students learn from their peer