Exploring the Administration of Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) as a Form of Academic Support at a TVET College in South Africa

ABSTRACT

Most tertiary institutions have adopted the peer-tutoring approach to complement the traditional method of teaching and learning. The successful utilization of peer-tutoring as a teaching and learning strategy is determined by the effective administration of the entire process. This qualitative study investigated how the peer-tutoring process was administered at various campuses of a government-funded vocational institution in one of the provinces of South Africa. The Cooperative and Social Interdependence Theory was used to guide this paper to explore the various challenges experienced during the peer-tutoring process administration. The tactics that can be used to improve the administration of peer-tutoring tutoring as a teaching and learning approach are also explored in this case study. The interpretivist paradigm was used to derive in-depth information on the administration of the peer-tutoring process. The study involved 12 staff members, Student Development Practitioners (3), Curriculum Unit (3), and Academic Staff (6). It emerged from the study that the peer-tutoring process was not effectively administered. It was further noted that improving the administration of the peer-tutoring process requires the college’s commitment to providing adequate infrastructure for peer-tutoring classes, providing training to tutors, and ensuring that collaboration exists between Student Development Practitioners, Curriculum Unit and Academic Staff.

Disclosure statement

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