This brief essay aims to probe an accepted norm in peer tutoring hiring processes, specifically the "ipso facto" acceptance that a good student equates to being a good tutor. While this practice makes sense in many instances, perhaps a more holistic approach is warranted, particularly in light of the humanistic work we perform in…

Learning centers and peer tutoring facilities often need ways to train their staff to work with students who find themselves dealing with anxiety, fear of failure, and many other issues. There is also a need for training in soft skills such as communication and empathy that will help students have a successful college career. This article applies…

Dayra Fallad Mendoza and Elizabeth Kerl's article, "Student Perceived Benefits of Embedded Online Peer Tutors," (EJ1317160) from the Spring 2021 issue, presents findings from a two-semester study of an embedded tutor program that took place during the COVID-19 crisis as the world went remote. The study aimed to determine whether students…

This study demonstrates a holistic view into the structure of the Student Athlete Study Room Program, collecting and analyzing data from the student athletes who participated in the program, the peer tutors who facilitated the program, the athletic coaches who engaged with the program support, and the professional staff administrative oversight…

Research on peer academic coaching is limited and primarily focused on the outcomes of students receiving coaching. However, the peer coach also learns through experience. This qualitative study aims to understand peer academic coaches' perceptions of their coaching roles and experiences. I collected interview and artifact data from three…

This study examined a change in delivery (in-person and virtual) for a pharmacy student-learning community within the context of ongoing program assessment during 2019-2023. First and second-year pharmacy students (n=145) reported their perceptions of the learning community's impact on academic success, professional development, and social…

Peer educators, central to the work we do in academic support and more broadly in higher education, have deep impacts on student learning, development, and success. The ways that academic support professionals in the field make sense of their relationships with peer educators can impact the structure, function, and efficacy of support programs and…

The shift in literacy education has reshaped the perspective of writing instruction in its theory and philosophy of the writing center in the US. This study examines how the writing center tutors instruct themselves for the work of writing instruction through mock tutorials. The tutors demonstrate how they make sense of the collaborative process…

In fall of 2017, the Center for Academic Program Support at the University of New Mexico revamped its Online Learning Assistant (OLA) Program, which focuses on embedding undergraduate peer tutors in multidisciplinary fully online courses. Students who had an OLA during the Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 semesters, were surveyed to better understand the…

A study was conducted considering a mathematics learning center as a figured world, that is, as a social space that is treated as if individuals within the space share certain meanings about the space and interactions within it (Holland et al., 1998) from the perspective of the undergraduate peer tutors employed in it (for the larger study, see…

Although the research on the effects of peer tutoring is not in short supply, there is limited research on the effects of this experience for the peer tutor. Using a researcher-created survey based on themes in the literature, this study explored the perceived gains of peer tutors through their tutoring experience. Participants were recruited from…

Tutor training programs are essential for the success of a learning center. For the learning center to adequately serve its students, the tutors must be given proper training, support, and guidance. By utilizing technology, especially learning management systems (LMS), in tutor training programs, learning centers can raise their quality of tutors…

Online peer tutoring provided crucial social and academic engagement opportunities for students and peer tutors during COVID-19. This article describes our institution's transition to fully online academic support services and discusses their impact on student learning and retention. While the total number of unique students utilizing tutoring and…

This article explored the learning styles and leadership styles of Supplemental Instruction (SI) leaders at Texas A&M University, and the impact of those preferences on recurring attendance to their sessions. The Learning Style Inventory, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, and a demographic instrument were administered to SI leaders…

Peer tutors at West Chester University's Learning Assistance and Resource Center have the opportunity to advance in their professional roles by becoming Peer Tutor Coordinators (PTCs). PTCs supervise peer tutors within the learning center and are instrumental to its overall success. PTCs acquire time management, communication, problem-solving,…