Abstract
Introduction - Peer tutors are used as teaching partners in undergraduate program at the University of Pretoria to transfer knowledge and practical skills to students from various healthcare disciplines. Peer tutors are therefore placed in leadership positions and their role in the development, learning, and success of fellow students is widely documented in literature on education and leadership. In spite thereof, minimal research has been done on the development of leadership abilities through involvement in tutor training program and little is known about their development as leaders. The assumption of this study was that leadership skills of peer tutors can be developed by introducing them to the transformational leadership model of Kouzes and Posner - “The five practices of exemplary leadersâ€.
Purpose - The aim of this study was to describe the self-perceived leadership development of peer tutors in undergraduate healthcare studies during participation in a tutor training program.
Methods - A triangulation mixed method design was used to collect complementary quantitative and qualitative data with equal contribution. The study sample (total sampling) consisted of 12 tutors appointed for the academic year. The tutors attended orientation on the content of their respective modules, a tutoring and a leadership workshop. Data collection was done by means of structured self-report instruments completed in the beginning and end of the program, a narrative description of their experiences halfway through the academic year and an unstructured focus group at the end of their tutoring responsibilities.
Results - The tutors described their self-perceived leadership development during involvement in the tutoring program as a period of personal growth and gaining of leadership skills, as well as seeing the value of breaking down professional silos.
Conclusion - An increased focus on leadership development in addition to the focus on their knowledge and skills, lead to better tutoring abilities and skills outcomes of tutees from different professions, as well as improved academic program output and eventually improved collaboration to benefit patients and communities.
Implications - This study is expected to serve as the basis for a follow-up study to determine the impact of leadership development of peer tutors on the clinical knowledge and skills retention in peer undergraduate health care students, as well as the effect on health outcomes of patients in clinical practice.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Lead Author Affiliation
University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quality Improvement
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Leadership development, inter-professional training, tutor training program, peer tutors
Recommended Citation
van der Merwe, Wanda and Maree, Carin, "Self-perceived leadership development of peer tutors in inter-professional undergraduate healthcare studies" (2019). Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership - Africa. 14.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/mchnla/2019/posters/14
Conference Name
Inter-professional Education and Collaborative Practice for Africa Conference
Conference Host
Tau Lambda at-Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International||Amref International University||WHO-FIC Collaborating Centre for the African region||Africa Interprofessional Education Network (AfrIPEN)||WHO Regional Office for Africa
Conference Location
Nairobi, Kenya
Conference Year
2019
Rights Holder
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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Faculty/Mentor Approved: Sigma Academy Participant Poster
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Self-perceived leadership development of peer tutors in inter-professional undergraduate healthcare studies
Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction - Peer tutors are used as teaching partners in undergraduate program at the University of Pretoria to transfer knowledge and practical skills to students from various healthcare disciplines. Peer tutors are therefore placed in leadership positions and their role in the development, learning, and success of fellow students is widely documented in literature on education and leadership. In spite thereof, minimal research has been done on the development of leadership abilities through involvement in tutor training program and little is known about their development as leaders. The assumption of this study was that leadership skills of peer tutors can be developed by introducing them to the transformational leadership model of Kouzes and Posner - “The five practices of exemplary leadersâ€.
Purpose - The aim of this study was to describe the self-perceived leadership development of peer tutors in undergraduate healthcare studies during participation in a tutor training program.
Methods - A triangulation mixed method design was used to collect complementary quantitative and qualitative data with equal contribution. The study sample (total sampling) consisted of 12 tutors appointed for the academic year. The tutors attended orientation on the content of their respective modules, a tutoring and a leadership workshop. Data collection was done by means of structured self-report instruments completed in the beginning and end of the program, a narrative description of their experiences halfway through the academic year and an unstructured focus group at the end of their tutoring responsibilities.
Results - The tutors described their self-perceived leadership development during involvement in the tutoring program as a period of personal growth and gaining of leadership skills, as well as seeing the value of breaking down professional silos.
Conclusion - An increased focus on leadership development in addition to the focus on their knowledge and skills, lead to better tutoring abilities and skills outcomes of tutees from different professions, as well as improved academic program output and eventually improved collaboration to benefit patients and communities.
Implications - This study is expected to serve as the basis for a follow-up study to determine the impact of leadership development of peer tutors on the clinical knowledge and skills retention in peer undergraduate health care students, as well as the effect on health outcomes of patients in clinical practice.