Abstract:
Two experiments were conducted that used peer-tutoring conditions to test the effects of a monitoring instructional procedure on observational learning. The participants in the first study were one female and two male students in middle school. Instructional arrangements were designed to include a tutor delivering math instruction to a tutee. Targeted math operations involved rules, sequential steps and procedures of problem solving. The tutors, who were probed on responses to stating seven sets of math rules, did not have the targeted math operations in their repertoires. Upon completion of the probes, the tutors (participants) taught the rule sets to tutees. Instructional tutoring sessions were limited to two sessions. The results of the post-training probes showed that acquisition of math rules for tutors was significantly increased. Weekly probes were also administered to measure changes in self-monitoring and listening skills. Generalization from peer monitoring to self-monitoring was found for Participant P and Participant M. Collateral changes were found for all participants for listening skills. In the second experiment, one female and four males participants were selected for the study. In addition to the previously described measures used in experiment one, multi-phase repertoire probes were designed and conducted to test the effects of the treatment on the expansion or development of observational learning as a repertoire. For all participants, the data showed a substantial increase in their observational learning repertoire after the treatment phase of the study. At the same time a similar increase in the collateral behavior of following one-step directions was also found and maintained throughout this investigation. These results are discussed in terms of possible contributing variables, future research and direct implications to educational settings.
