LEARNING AMONG OLDER ADULTS: THE POTENTIAL OF PEER TUTORING

Peer tutoring is a cooperative learning method based on linking people with similar characteristics or situations who help each other in order to learn.Cooperative learning is understood as an inclusive educational methodology that turns difference and heterogeneity into a positive element of learning.It consists of organising the group into small working groups or stable pairs over time, where all participants become active agents in their learning process and take responsibility for both their own process and that of their peers.The classroom becomes a meaningful learning space that favours the integration of knowledge and the development of competences that are not strictly instructional.The benefits of peer tutoring are manifold, although Topping (2000) highlights two: the bonding that is established between the participants and the continuous interaction over time that facilitates a relationship, knowledge and mutual help.However, this method is rarely applied in the older adult population.For this reason, this paper presents an educational experience where peer tutoring was implemented in older adults to promote memory knowledge and optimise their training process.The design and implementation of the educational project is explained, providing the data collected from the evaluation process, in order to identify the benefits of peer tutoring.The participants were twenty-nine older adults from the city of Barcelona, three of whom were tutors.The sample was selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria.The twenty-six participants were distributed in three groups.The three tutors had no previous teaching experience.The data collection instruments were different for each agent.Being, in the case of the students, a survey and a discussion group.For the tutors, a participant observation and a survey.The results establish that peer mentoring in older adults has benefits.In per regarding the mentees, it favours a greater knowledge and, consequently, a greater perception of memory functioning.Per concerning the tutors, a greater feeling of help and social usefulness.The overall evaluation of the experience was positive; 9.08 for the tutors and 9.53 for the tutees.In conclusion, peer tutoring is a good learning method for older adults.