Enhancing students' helping behavior during peer-mediated instruction with conceptual mathematical explanations

The purpose of this classroom-based experiment was to explore methods for helping students generate conceptual mathematical explanations during peer-mediated learning activities. Participants were 40 general education classrooms in grades 2, 3, and 4, which were assigned randomly to 3 treatments: peer-mediated instruction (PMI) with training in how to offer and receive elaborated help (PMI-Elaborated); PMI with training in elaborated help and in methods for providing conceptual mathematical explanations (PMI-Elaborated+Conceptual); and contrast (i.e., no PMI). Teachers implemented PMI treatments for 18 weeks with their naturally constituted mathematics classes. From each of the 40 classes, we pre- and posttested the mathematics achievement of 4 students who represented 4 points on the achievement continuum. We also coded student interactions from tutoring generalization sessions videotaped 10 weeks after all training had been completed. Analyses revealed that PMI-Elaborated+Conceptual tutors asked more participatory, procedural questions and provided more conceptual explanations. Moreover, the achievement of PMI-Elaborated+Conceptual students was higher than that of PMI-Elaborated students, which in turn surpassed that of the contrast group. Findings are discussed in terms of teachers' use of collaborative learning methods.