ABSTRACT

Peer tutoring does not always work out as we would wish. Problems that arise may be seen as inherent within the tutoring relationship (endogenous), as in the case study in Chapter 4, or external to it (exogenous). Sometimes problems can relate to a number of factors, and very often the factors are inter-connected. We may be able to learn a great deal and increase our understanding of peer tutoring by looking for examples of schemes which have reported qualified or limited success. However, the asymmetry in educational publishing which favours ‘successful’ experiments makes this endeavour difficult. Nonetheless, researchers reporting successful schemes often refer to difficulties they have experienced, and staff developers recount some resistance on the part of colleagues to give peer tutoring a try.