Cross-age peer tutoring in a technology-enhanced STEAM project at a lower secondary school (2021)
The study titled “Cross-age peer tutoring in a technology-enhanced STEAM project at a lower secondary school” by Satu Tenhovirta, T. Korhonen, P. Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, K. Hakkarainen (2021) investigates the implementation of cross-age peer tutoring in a technology-enhanced STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) project at a lower secondary school.
The project involved 8th graders tutoring 7th graders in programming skills. The study found that the tutors needed a wide range of skills, including technological, social, pedagogical, and reflective know-how, to overcome the challenges encountered during the project.
The study also highlighted the importance of cross-age peer tutoring in implementing practices of making and STEAM education at school. The authors argue that such practices can provide significant support for teachers, allowing them to focus on flexible pedagogic orchestration and prevent them from becoming overwhelmed by the technological challenges of the diverse digital instruments employed.
The study concludes that cross-age peer tutoring can play a crucial role in integrating the advanced use of digital technologies with school practices, especially in the context of maker-centred learning in education.
