Abstract
The aim of this paper is to examine the strategies used by peer facilitators in improving students’ academic performance in a previously disadvantaged university in South Africa. It also assesses whether peer facilitators are succeeding in this quest. This paper stems from a larger study on the implementation of peer academic support programmes, which used the qualitative research approach and a sample of 31 participants made up of peer facilitators, students and programme coordinators. The study made use of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions as well as documentary analyses as methods of data collection. Data was analysed thematically using the main and sub themes that emerged from the data coding. The results indicate that peer facilitators use different strategies to engage students in an interactive manner in order to improve their academic performance. Some of these strategies include ethically acceptable discussions, questioning, and answering and redirecting questioning. The findings further show that these strategies are succeeding in improving students’ academic performance to an extent. This is through improved pass rates and skill proficiency in various areas of academic learning. However, the participants reported that the strategies are not satisfactorily yielding the desired results because of certain impediments, which include the behaviour of some facilitators, poor relations between the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) and various departments, and less individual attention paid to students by the peer facilitators, some of which raise ethical concerns. Consequently, these hinder satisfactory achievement of students’ academic overall performance at the university. Among other recommendations, the Teaching and Learning Centre should forge better relations with departments to attract needy students for academic support, and there is need to ensure better preparation of peer facilitators with necessary acumen to guide students effectively.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ainworth, S. (2006). DeFT: A conceptual framework for considering learning with multiple representations. Learning and Instruction, 16(3), 183–198.
Akerlind, G. S. (2007). Constraints on academics’ potential for developing as a teacher. Studies in Higher Education, 32, 21–37.
Altbach, P. G.; Reisberg, L. & Rumbley, L. E. (2009). Trends in global higher education: Tracking an academic revolution. Paris: UNESCO. A report prepared for the UNESCO 2009 world conference on higher education.
Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(2), 297–308.
Astin, A. W. (1977). Four critical years. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Badger, K. (2010). Peer teaching and review: A model for writing development and knowledge synthesis. Social Work Education, 29(1), 6–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470902810850.
Barber, M., Mourshed, M., & Whelan, F. (2007). Improving education in the Gulf. The McKinsey Quarterly, Special Edition: 39–47.
Boughey, C., & McKenna, S. (2016). Academic literacy and the decontextualized learner. Critical studies in teaching and learning, 4(2), 1–9.
Brady, E. M., Holt, S. R., & Welt, B. (2003). Peer teaching in lifelong learning institutes. Educational Gerontology, 29(10), 851–868.
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn. London: Sage Publication.
Council on Higher Education [CHE] CHE. (2014). Framework for institutional quality enhancement in the second period of quality assurance. Pretoria: Institutional Audits Directorate.
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). (2011). The sage handbook of qualitative research. Sage Publication.
Department of Higher Education and Training. (2012). Foundation provision in ministerial approved programmes. Pretoria: Department of Higher Education and Training.
Engel, R. J., & Schutt, R. K. (2009). The practice of research in social work. London: Sage Publication.
Fazlil, A., Imani, E., & Abedini, S. (2018). Faculty members' experience of student ethical problems: A qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. Electron J Gen Med, 15(3), 3. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/84952.
Gallant, T. B. (2008). Moral panic: The contemporary context of academic integrity. ASHE Higher Education Report, 33(5), 1–12.
Given, L. M. (Ed.). (2008). The sage encyclopedia of qualitative research methods. London: Sage publications.
Gordon, & Edward, E. (2005). Peer tutoring: A Teacher’s resource guide. Lanham: Scarecrow Education.
Harper, M., & Cole, P. (2012). Member checking: can benefits be gained similar to group therapy? The qualitative report, 17(2), 510–517.
Holloway, I., & Wheeler, S. (2010). Qualitative Research in Nursing and Healthcare (3rd edition). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Hussain, S., Anwar, S., & Majoka, M. I. (2011). Effect of peer group activity-based learning on students’ academic achievement in physics at secondary level. International Journal of Academic Research, 3(1), 940–944.
Hrabak, M., Vujaklija, A., Vodopivec, I., Hren, D., Marušić, M., & Marušić, A. (2004). Academic misconduct among medical students in a post-communist country. Medical Education, 38(3), 276–285.
Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1987). Learning together and alone: Cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Kaburise, P. (2010). Linguistic meaning-creation strategies of potential Univen. Students. Thouyandou: Univen. (unpublished research report).
Klavina, A., & Block, M. E. (2008). The effect of peer tutoring on interaction behaviors in inclusive physical education. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 25(2), 132–158.
Makura, A., Skead, M., & Nhundu, K. (2011). Academic development practices at fort Hare University: An epitome of university access. Research in Higher Education, 12, 13–22.
Matomela, D. (2010). Pass rates for first year varsity students decline. Education Report.The Herald,February 3,2010..Retrieved from www.theherald.co.za/article.aspx? id=526814 (February12, 2013).
Maree, K. (2007). First steps in research. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers.
Maxwell, J. A. (2012). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (Vol. 41). Sage publications.
Morris, J., & Waggett, D. (2004). The importance of peer-to-peer feedback in pre-service education: Practicing what we teach. In Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 2964-2969).
NA, M. H. (2008). The impact of peer assisted learning (PAL) on students’ academic performance. Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 15(1), 66–66.
Nadler, A. (2002). Inter–group helping relations as power relations: Maintaining or challenging social dominance between groups through helping. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 487–502.
Neuman, L. W. (2014). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches (Seventh ed.). England: Pearson Education Limited.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2008). OECD in Figures (20th anniversary edn.). Paris: OECD.
Resnik, D. B., Elliott, K. C., & Miller, A. K. (2015). A framework for addressing ethical issues in citizen science. Environmental Science & Policy, 54, 475–481.
Tangwe, M. (2016). Exploring the role of peer academic support programmes in addressing the challenges faced by first year students in one rural-based university in South Africa; PhD Thesis in the faculty of education, University of Fort Hare.
Thomas, A., & De Bruin, G. P. (2012). Student academic dishonesty: What do academics think and do, and what are the barriers to action? African Journal of Business Ethics, 6(1), 13–24. https://doi.org/10.15249/6-1-8.
Tinto, V. (2001). Linking learning and leaving. Reworking the student departure puzzle, 8194.
Veronica, R. Lotkowski, A.; Steven, B. & Robbins, N. (2004). The Role of Academic and Non- Academic Factors in improving College Retention: Act Policy Report. Retrieved from ).
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Trudie Aberdeen.
Wilson, W., & Arendale, D. (2011). Peer educators in learning assistance Programmes: Best practices for new Programmes. New Direction for Students Services, 2(133), 41–54.
Wu, C. (2008). Streaming videos in peer assessment to support training pre-service Teachers Hue-Ching Kao, 11, 45–55.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tanga, M., Luggya, S. Teaching and Learning in a South African University: Are Peer Facilitators’ Strategies Succeeding?. J Acad Ethics 20, 3–22 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-020-09361-6
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-020-09361-6