THE INFLUENCE OF PEER TUTORING ON IMPROVING MATH LEARNING

Abstract

Given the state of stagnation in Mathematics proficiency in the main external assessments, national (Saeb) and international (Pisa), in recent years, the teaching of this discipline presents the challenge of diversifying its methodologies to enable advances in Mathematics learning. Given this situation, the guiding question of this research is: How can Tutoring among Equals contribute to the improvement of Mathematics learning? The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of Peer Tutoring on the improvement of Mathematics learning in 5th-grade elementary school classrooms of a public school in Fortaleza - CE. The research was mainly based on the theoretical contributions of Boaler (2019), Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel (2018), Cohen and Lotan (2017), Coll (2004), Colomina and Onrubia (2004), Duran and Vidal (2020), Tapia and Montero (2004) and Zabala (2014). The research was carried out involving two 5th-grade classes: one as an experimental group, which used Tutoring among Equals, and another as a control group, without the use of this methodology. After applying a pre-test in both rooms, the experimental class underwent six weekly formative evaluations and, in the end, a post-test was applied to both classes. From the results of the pre-tests and post-tests, used as evaluative parameters of the methodology used in the research, it was possible to evaluate the influence of Tutoring among Equals in the improvement of Mathematics learning. The results obtained, such as the increase of 66.6% in the average of the experimental room in the pre-test/post-test ratio, against 27% of the control room, evidenced the effectiveness of the Tutoring among Equals methodology. The application of the cooperative method demonstrated advantages in teaching and learning, both in terms of the objects of mathematical knowledge worked on and in the development of social skills.  The research revealed that Peer Tutoring is a valuable complement to traditional teaching, with the establishment of a collaborative learning environment and the personalization of teaching, enhancing the learning of mathematical content.