Why does explanation improve student tutors' understanding? Effect of presence of a peer

Abstract

The present study explores possible reasons why giving an explanation improves tutors' understanding. University students were asked to read a text on measures of statistical dispersion after which 3 conditions were compared (n = 14 in each group): (a) explaining the material to a peer in the presence of the peer; (b) with no peer present, producing a videotaped lesson that would later be used by a peer to study the material; (c) studying the material alone (control condition). The results revealed that the best posttest scores were obtained in the condition in which a peer was given an explanation. Protocol analysis of the explanations revealed that the number of interpretive utterances and iteration of previously given interpretive utterances were correlated with the posttest scores. The participants who explained the material to a peer generated more such utterances than did those who produced a videotape. Analysis of the explanations also revealed that a significant number of such utterances was triggered by feedback from the peer indicating difficulty in understanding the material. The results of the present study suggest that the reason why explanation to a peer improves tutors' understanding lies in the interpretations and review of the materials that is triggered by the peer.