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INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Teaching of biology is a challenging work for the biology teachers, while

teaching the biology concepts in classroom, teachers faced many difficulties. Studies

examined on research in science education indicate that teachers’ qualification, teaching

experience and gender may be responsible for their perception of the difficulty. Some

studies revealed that some biology concepts were abstract and therefore difficult to

comprehend for teachers (Alausa, 2001).

The difficulties encountered by teachers also warrant a change in strategies and

teaching styles in the classroom. Because if one strategy doesn’t work, another might. It

is therefore very important to have a flexible approach to teaching science, one that might

suit the needs, styles and types of learners in the classroom.

Peer learning is a broad learning strategy. It covers a wide range of activities

through which people learn through different techniques. These activities ranged from a

traditional proctor model in schools to the more innovative learning groups in colleges

and universities. In proctor model the senior students act as tutors and junior students as

tutees. On the other hand, in innovative learning groups students of the same age group

or same level help each other by forming partnerships. There are some other models

which include discussions, seminars, private study groups, counseling, peer-assessment

schemes, collaborative project or laboratory work, workplace mentoring and community

activities.
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The textbook definition of peer tutoring is a system of instruction in which

learners help each other and learn themselves by teaching, Goodland andH'irst, 2013.

Key to this definition is the word peer, meaning someone with the same or a nearly equal

status as the person being tutored, who, as such, is not a professional instructor. Peer

tutoring has played an important part in education and has probably existed in some

incarnation since the beginning of civilization.

This study will likewise discover that learning involves a large range of activities

but here the study analyzes a two-way reciprocal learning activity. Peer learning should

have mutual benefits and involve the sharing of knowledge, ideas and experience

between the participants. Peer learning can be termed as a technique of moving beyond

independent to interdependent or mutual learning. Through this the students will learn to

a great extent by elaborating their views to others. They will also participate in such kind

of activities in which they are able to learn from their peers. Peer learning will enable the

students to develop their skills to organize and plan learning activities, working in

collaboration with others, giving and receiving feedback about their work and finally

evaluation of their own learning.

In traditional classroom, students are viewed as passive recipient of learning.

They are spoon-fed with concepts, ideas and information. The weighted responsibility

mainly fall upon the shoulders of the teachers.

In the Philippine settings, as our education system are trying its best to kept

abreast with the worldwide trends in education, the passive roles of the learners are

slowly shifting to active roles as they become more engaged in activities and they
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become responsible for their own learning. Peer tutoring becomes a salient part of their

learning process.

In Ramon Torres Ma-ao Sugar Central National High School, the institution seeks

to cater students coming from different family backgrounds, religion and status. With

these differences, various learning styles were also employed to cater the learning needs

of the students. Buddy – Buddy system or peer tutoring have been a staple strategy in the

school to ensure that students become more independent learners.

It is in this premise that this study was conceptualized to find the effect of peer

tutoring in the academic performance of Grade 8 Students in Genetics.

Rationale

Taking into consideration on the usefulness of peer tutoring during the learning

process, the purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of peer tutoring on the

academic achievement of students in the science subject at secondary level.

Statement of the Problem

This study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of pretest scores of Grade 8 students in Genetics?

2. What is the level of post test scores of Grade 8 students in Genetics?

3. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and post test scores of

Grade 8 students in Genetics?

Hypothesis

After the formulation of the statement of the problem, the following hypothesis

was drawn.
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There is no significant difference between the pretest and post test scores of

Grade 8 students in Genetics.

Significance of the Study

This study was deemed beneficial to the following:

Teachers. In most classes, teachers cannot pay enough attention to all students in

the class so he or she needs assistance. This study will provide important information to

teachers about enhancing the teaching process by using the inexpensive strategy of peer

tutoring.

Students. When using traditional approach of teaching genetics, the students are

viewed as passive learners. With peer tutoring, students become motivated to be active

tools and thus more engaged in the learning process.

School Heads. If the outcome shows that peer tutoring is an effective way to

assist science teachers, it will encourage school heads and administrator to take

advantage of the mutual benefits that occur when students teach others thereby lessening

the load of the teachers, thus, encouraging them to focus on those students with greater

needs.

Curriculum Developers and Policy Makers. The results of the study can help

curriculum developers and policy makers who endeavor to develop the teaching –

learning process and classroom environments. It will contribute considerably to the

psychological and educational research in the field of the pedagogy of biology,

particularly, genetics.
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Scope and Limitation

The research will center on examining the influence in the learning process of the

students in taking Genetics topics through peer tutoring strategy. The study will be

conducted from the beginning of February up to the end of March 2019. This study

covers the Grade 8 students of Ramon Torres Ma-ao Sugar Central National High School

which will be composed of forty (40) Special Program in Journalism (SPJ) students who

were currently enrolled for School Year 2018-2019. The topics covered by this study will

be the entire Fourth Quarter period and focus on topics on Heredity: Inheritance and

Variation of Traits specifically on Mendelian Genetics. The intervention focused on the

implementation of peer tutoring in daily lessons on Genetics.

Research Framework

This study will be anchored on the socio-cultural theory of Vygotsky. According

to Vygotsky, the best way of teaching and learning is direct instruction in which a more

knowledgeable peer helps learners in learning effectively by scaffolding them in their

particular Zone. Vygotsky’s Socio Cultural Theory of human learning describes learning

as a social process and the origination of human intelligence in society or culture.

The major theme of Vygotsky’s theoretical framework is that social interaction plays a

fundamental role in the development of cognition. Every function in the child’s cultural

development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level;

first, between people (inter psychological) and then inside the child (intra psychological).

This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation

of concepts. (Vygotsky, 1978). According to Rizve, 2012, the Zone of Proximal

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development is a distance between the actual level of students’ development

and the potential level of development. Actual level of development is where a learner

can solve the task without taking any assistance while a learner needs assistance and

guidance to solve a task in the potential level of development (Vygotsky, 1978).

Conceptually, this study will focus on the utilization of test instrument for the

pretest or the input of this study. The intervention used will be the use of peer tutoring

which will be implemented during the conduct of activities to Grade 9 students. A

parallel test will be administered after the conduct of the intervention and will serve as

the output of the study.

Input Process Output

Pretest Peer Tutoring Post Test

Figure 1. The Schematic Diagram of the Study

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined to how they were used in this study. The terms

were defined conceptually and operationally.

Special Program in Journalism (SPJ). Conceptually, the term refers to the

program of the Department of Education anchored on RA 7079 (Campus Journalism Act

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of 1991). Operationally, the term refers to the program offered to Grade 8-SPJ students in

Ramon Torres Ma-ao Sugar Central National High School.

Peer Tutoring. Conceptually, the term is defined as a flexible, peer mediated

strategy that involves students serving as academic tutors and tutees. Typically, a higher

performing student is paired with a lower performing student to review critical academic

or behavioral concepts (Hott, 2012). Operationally, the term refers to the intervention

used by the researcher in teaching Genetics Subjects.

Peer Involvement. The term refers to the peer relationships which contribute to

students’ engagement (Singh, 2002). Operationally, the term refers to the involvement of

students during the conduct of the intervention.

Collaborative Learning. Conceptually, the term referred to as a technique

teachers’ use to group students together to impact learning in a positive way

([Link]). Operationally, the term refers to the groupings of students in group

activity.

Peers. It refers to a person who is the same age or has the same social position or

the same abilities as other people in a group (Cambridge, 2019). In the study, it refers to

the group of people, particularly the students, of similar age and standing with the

participants and has influence in the learning process.

Test. It connotes a way of discovering, by questions or practical activities, what

someone knows, or what someone or something can do or is like (Cambridge, 2019). In

this study, it refers to the examination given to measure the proficiency of the students

prior to and after the conduct of intervention.

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Tutor. It is refers to a teacher paid to work privately with one student or a small

group (Cambridge, 2019). In this study, it refers to those students with advance level of

proficiency (90% - above) in science and who will perform the peer tutoring.

Review of Related Literature

This study seeks to find the effect of peer tutoring to improve learning of Grade 8

students in Genetics. The following related literatures were presented by themes.

Peer Involvement

Social capital theory suggests peers provide psychosocial and academic resources

that enhance individual students’ academic outcomes (Saith, 2018). Empirical studies

concur, demonstrating positive peer relationships and social network connections (i.e.,

individual friendship or “hanging out” ties) are associated with academic adjustment

(Wentzel et al. 2012) includes a range of approaches in which learners work in pairs or

small groups to provide explicit teaching support.

Student Engagement

Student engagement is an important study field of education psychology.

Engagement requires not only being active but also feeling and sense making (Harper

et al., 2009). Hu and Kuh (2001) and Kuh (2009a) refer to student engagement as the

time allocated by students to educational activities to contribute to the desired outcomes

and as the quality of their related efforts. According to Stovall (2003), student

engagement includes not only the time students spend on tasks but also their willingness

to take part in activities. Krause et al., (2008) associated student engagement with the

high quality in learning outcomes. All these definitions could be said to have common
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points for each school level. It is also important that student engagement in higher

education is defined in a way to cover the processes of campus engagement and class

engagement. In this respect, student engagement was defined by Gunuc et al.,

(2014) as “the quality and quantity of students’ psychological, cognitive, emotional and

behavioral reactions to the learning process as well as to in-class/out-of-class

academic and social activities to achieve successful learning outcomes.” In the past

decade, student engagement has been examined as a multi-dimensional concept (Gunuc

et al., 2014). In this study, the Student Engagement Scale (SES) developed by Gunuc and

Kuzu (2014) as a multidimensional scale was used. In the study carried out by

Gunuc and Kuzu (2014), student engagement was examined in two main components

such as campus engagement and class engagement with 6 dimensions: Valuing, Sense of

Belonging, Cognitive Engagement, Peer Relationships (Emotional Engagement-I),

Relationships with the Faculty Member (Emotional Engagement-II) and Behavioral

Engagement.

Peer Tutoring

Peer tutoring is not a new idea, it is possibly as old as any form of collaborative or

community action and has probably always taken place implicitly or vicariously

(Topping 2005) "but in a changing Higher education landscape, more formalized and

even assessed forms of peer teaching are becoming ever more popular. Indeed peer

tutoring schemes appear to becoming strategized; developing to meet calls for

accountability, better assessment, and improved outcomes for students (Anselm, 2010).

Peer tutoring is a very old practice traceable back at least as far as the ancient

Greeks. Archaic Definitions of peer tutoring perceived the peer tutor as a surrogate
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teacher in a linear model of the transmission of knowledge from teacher to tutor to tutee.

Later it was realized that the peer tutoring interaction was qualitatively different from that

between a teacher and a student, and involved different advantage and disadvantages

(Razia, 2012).

Peer tutoring is an instructional strategy that consists of pairing students together

to learn or practice a n academic task. The pairs of students can be of the same or

differing ability and/or age range. Peer tutoring encompasses a variety of instructional

approaches including Cross-Age Tutoring., Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS),

and Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT). Variations exist among instructional approaches.

However, the underlying theory is consistent: peer interaction can have a powerful

influence on academic motivation and achievement (Light et al., 2000). The research

base also suggests that socialization experiences that occur during peer tutoring can

benefit both the tutor and tutee by motivating students to learn and increasing their social

standing among peers (Fuchs et al., 2002).

Scaffolding and peer tutoring are important elements of cognitive learning

theories. Cognitive theories of Piaget and Vygotsky1 have significantly influenced

theory and practice of education all over the world. According to both the

theorists, knowledge and comprehension is dynamically created by the

developing person himself from the outward information instead of inactively

absorbing it (Woolfolk, 2007)

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METHODOLOGY

Participants of the Study

The participants of the study were composed of 40 students from Grade 8 SPJ

students in Ramon Torres Ma-ao Sugar Central National High School. The over-all

population was taken as the participants of the study using thee total enumeration

process.

Detailed Description of the Intervention

The researcher made use of lesson plans in discussing topics in Mendelian

Genetics, the lesson were crafted using peer tutoring in the entire activity period.

Students who perform best in class was paired for those who do not perform well. Home

activity was answered by pair to follow up the learnings of students at home and during

vacant periods.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following procedure was accomplished by the researcher in gathering the

data from the respondents:

Researcher identified the grade level and the section in which the research was

conducted.

A letter was sent to the principal asking permission to conduct the study to Grade

8 students of Ramon Torres Ma-ao Sugar Central National High School.

A letter was also sent to the parents of the participants of the study asking

permission that their children was part of this research study and was taken as one of the

respondents.
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Teaching of Genetics was administered from 9:45 AM to 10:45 AM from

Mondays to Fridays.

The pretest was administered before discussing the topics on Genetics. After the

scores were gathered and tabulated, the intervention was conducted after the discussion

of the topics in genetics using peer tutoring as the intervention, the post test was then

administered.

The score of pupils gathered was tabulated using the appropriate statistical tools.

Data were presented to answer specific statement of the problem.

Data Analysis Plan

The following statistical tools was used to analyze the data to answer specific

statement of the problem:

To determine the level of pretest scores of Grade 8 pupils in Genetics, the mean

and standard deviation was used.

To determine the level of posttest scores of Grade 8 pupils in Genetics, the mean

and standard deviation was used.

The scale below was used in determining the level of scores of students:

Scale Interpretation
94.75 – 100.00 Outstanding
89.50 – 94.74 Very Satisfactory
84.25 – 89.49 Satisfactory
75.24.00 – 84.24 Fairly Satisfactory
Poor
75 and below
To determine the difference between the scores of Grade 8 students in Genetics,

the t-test was used.

Research Timeline
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Activities Expected output Location Persons Time

Involved Frame
Identify grade Section to conduct RTMSCHNS Grade 8 SPJ February
level section to research is Student 14,2019
conduct the identified
research
Send letter of Approved letter RTMSCNHS Principal February
approval from the principal. 22,2019
to the principal
asking
permission to
conduct the
study.
Send letter of Approved letter RTMSCNHS Parents February
approval from the parents 25,2019
to the parents
asking
permission to
conduct the
study.
Pre- Perform pre – RTMSCNHS Grade 8 SPJ March 4-
Implementation assessment of Subject Teacher 6,2019
student’s
performance in
third grading
periodical results

Conduct Pre-Test
in Genetics

Implementation Implement Peer RTMSCNHS Grade 8 SPJ March 7-

Assisted Learning Subject Teacher 15,2019
strategies in
classroom

Perform post tests

on Genetics,
student’s
motivation and
learning

Perform post-
assessment of peer
tutoring.

Post The researcher will RTMSCNHS Researcher March 18-

Implementation chart results and 22,2019
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analyze findings

Researcher will
decide if finding
support hypothesis

Ethical Consideration

The use of offensive, discriminatory, or other unacceptable language was avoided

in the formulation of the questionnaire. To protect the privacy of the respondents, their

names and other personal data were not included in this study, participation is also

voluntary. The researcher maintains objectivity in analyzing and discussing the results.

All authors whose work was quoted in this research were acknowledged in the references.

In consideration of the different ethical issues, the researcher informed the

Division Superintendent through a letter notifying to conduct the study to Grade 8

students of Ramon Torrres Ma-ao Sugar Central National High School. Also, a letter to

the principal informing that a research will be conducted in the school, a letter to the

parents’ informing that their children will be one of the participants of the study were sent

out to ensure that everyone involved were properly informed. Parents’ consent was

required for students’ below 18 years old.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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This section presents the results and discussion on peer tutoring as an aid in

improving learning of Grade 8 students in Genetics, the following tables were presented

to answer specific statement of the problem.

Level of Pretest and Posttest Scores of Grade 8 Students in Genetics

The table below presents the level of pretest and posttest scores of Grade 8

students in Genetics. It also presents that pretest has a mean score of 32.50 which was not

able to meet the desired expectation in Genetics. It implies that Grade 8 students were

having hard time especially in learning Genetics.

On the other hand, the posttest has a mean score of 78.17 which was interpreted

as fairly satisfactory performance in Genetics. It implies that peer tutoring in Grade 8

students has somehow increase their performance in genetics in terms of percentage score

from pretest to posttest.

In support, peer interaction can have a powerful influence on academic motivation

and achievement (Light et al., 2000). The research base also suggests that socialization

experiences that occur during peer tutoring can benefit both the tutor and tutee by

motivating students to learn and increasing their social standing among peers (Fuchs et

al., 2002).

Table 1. Pretest and Posttest Scores in Genetics

Scores in Genetics Mean Interpretation

Pretest 32.50 Did not meet expectation
Posttest 78.17 Fairly Satisfactory

Difference between the Pretest and Posttest using Peer Tutoring

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Table 2 presents the difference between the pretest and posttest scores of Grade 8

students using peer tutoring. It also showed that the pretest and posttest scores of Grade 8

students in Genetics has t-test computed value of -17.25 and a p-value of 0.000 which

was interpreted to have a significant difference which means that the null hypothesis was

rejected. It implies that peer tutoring was an effective intervention in teaching genetics as

a subject.

To support this finding, Razia stated that peer tutoring is a very old practice

traceable back at least as far as the ancient Greeks. Archaic Definitions of peer tutoring

perceived the peer tutor as a surrogate teacher in a linear model of the transmission of

knowledge from teacher to tutor to tutee. Later it was realized that the peer tutoring

interaction was qualitatively different from that between a teacher and a student, and

involved different advantage and disadvantages (Razia, 2012). Moreover, scaffolding and

peer tutoring are important elements of cognitive learning theories. Cognitive theories

of Piaget and Vygotsky1 have significantly influenced theory and practice of

education all over the world. According to both the theorists, knowledge and

comprehension is dynamically created by the developing person himself from the

outward information instead of inactively absorbing it (Woolfolk, 2007)

Table 2. Difference between the pretest and posttest scores of students in Genetics using
peer tutoring

T-TEST
APPROACH MEAN P-VALUE DECISION
COMPUTED
Pretest and 32.50 0.000 Significant
-17.25
Posttest 78.17
CONCLUSION
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After the discussion of the results of the findings, the following conclusions has

been drawn.

It was found out that peer tutoring was effective, it means that peer tutoring

promotes higher academic achievement, improved relationships with peers, improved

personal and social development as well as increased motivation. Students also worked

together to help each other, understand difficult concepts while deepening their own

knowledge of the subject. In turn, the teacher benefits from this model of instruction by

an increased opportunity to individualize instruction, increased facilitation of

inclusion/mainstreaming, and opportunities to reduce inappropriate behaviors.

Recommendations

Based on the results of the findings the following were recommended by the

researcher.

The researcher recommends that the program supervisors and curriculum planners

should implement the use of peer tutoring in conducting classroom activities especially in

Genetics.

It was also recommended that school heads should advise teachers to use peer

tutoring in the classroom to make sure that students become active participants in the

learning process and also to develop socialization skills of students.

It was recommended to teachers that they should encourage their students to

practice peer tutoring inside and outside the school campus.

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Dika S, Singh K. Applications of social capital in educational literature: A critical

synthesis. Review of Educational Research. 2002;72:31–60.
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Christian Hott, (2012) "The influence of herding behaviour on house prices", Journal of
European Real Estate Research, Vol. 5 Issue: 3, pp.177-198,
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Harper, S. R. & Quaye, S. J. (ed.) (2009). Student Engagement in Higher Education. New
York and London: Routledge.

Bomia, L., Beluzo, L., Demeester, D., Elander, K., Johnson, M. & Sheldon, B. (1997).
The impact of teaching strategies on intrinsic motivation. Champaign, IL: ERIC
Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

Kuh, G. D. (2001a). Assessing What Really Matters to Student Learning. Inside the
national survey of student engagement.

Hu, S. & Kuh, G. D. (2001). Being (Dis) Engaged in Educationally Purposeful Activities:
The Influences of Student and Institutional Characteristics. Paper presented at the
American Educational Research Association Annual Conference. Seattle, WA,
10–14 April.

Stovall, I. (2003). Engagement and Online Learning. UIS Community of Practice for E-
Learning. [Link]

Krause, K. and Coates, H. (2008). Students’ engagement in first-year university.

Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(5), 493-505.

Gunuc, S. & Kuzu, A. (2014). Student engagement scale: Development, reliability and
validity. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, DOI:
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Ashwani Saith, Ajit Singh (1940–2015), the Radical Cambridge Economist: Anti‐
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Wentzel, K. R. (2012). Teacher-student relationships and adolescent competence at

school. In Wubbels, T., den Brock, P., van Tartwijk, J., & Levy, J. (eds.),
Interpersonal relationships in education: An overview of contemporary research
(Vol. 3, pp. 19–35). Boston, MA: Sense Publishers.
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R. Rizve, “The effect of peer tutoring on student achievement in the subject of English at
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Online Resources:

[Link]
%[Link]

[Link]
EEF_Peer_tutoring_Technical_Appendix.pdf
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APPENDICES

Appendix A: Letters

Appendix B:Validation Forms

Appendix C: Activity Sheets

Appendix D: Pictures