Designing and evaluating a mobile peer tutoring application: a cultural historical activity theory approach

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on university students’ experience of peer tutoring supported by a mobile application called MENTOR (Mobile Education Networked Tutoring On Request) that was developed by the research team. The development of the mobile application was underpinned by theories related to self-directed learning, self-regulated learning, students’ help-seeking behaviors, as well as Vygotsky’s social-cultural learning theory. Using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as the framework, this study examines the affordances of the mobile application, the student’s perception of the application, the uptake of affordances, and the contradictions identified through CHAT. The participants identified tutor’s factors (e.g. tutoring skills) and technological factors (e.g. annotatable canvas) that facilitated the process, and appreciated the affordances of convenience, flexibility, physical safety, and psychological safety of the mobile peer tutoring, especially during the COVID 19 situation. A few contradictions were identified through CHAT, which served as the impetus for improvement. Among these are the novelty of mobile peer tutoring and the lack of cues about turn-taking. Some participants did not understand the requirement to indicate the level of cognitive processing. This study contributes to the design and implementation of mobile technology in supporting peer tutoring, an under-researched topic.

KEYWORDS:

• Mobile learning
• peer tutoring
• cultural historical activity theory
• design and evaluation
• institutes of higher learning

Acknowledgement

This study is funded by the Singapore Millennium Foundation (SMF) Grant sponsored by the Temasek Foundation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study is supported by Temasek Foundation.

Notes on contributors

Seng Chee Tan

Seng Chee Tan is an associate professor with the Learning Sciences and Assessment academic group of the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is also associate dean in the Graduate Studies and Professional Learning Office.

Chee Kit Looi

Chee Kit Looi is a professor with the Learning Sciences and Assessment academic group of the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Yin Ling Cheung

Yin Ling Cheung is an applied linguist who specializes in academic writing and writing instruction. She directs the Graduate Research and Academic Development (GRAD) Centre at the Office of Graduate Studies and Professional Learning, which provides comprehensive support to graduate students at National Institute of Education.

Sheng Hung Chung

Sheng Hung Chung is currently a Research Associate in CRADLE@NTU, and acts as the IT lead for the project MENTOR.

Starion Junhan Lim

Starion Junhan Lim graduated with the Masters of Applied Research in Social Sciences and was a Research Associate at the National Institute of Education.

Wai Hoe Wong

Wai Hoe Wong graduated with BSc (Psychology and Sociology) from the Bath Spa University, UK. He was a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Education.