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Chapter 2
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-5225-2960-6.ch002
ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the results of a review of research about peer tutoring and peer mentoring in higher
education oriented by two fundamental aims. The frst of them, deepen and clarify from the conceptual
point of view the peer tutoring and the peer mentoring in the university context and, in second place,
to explore and evidence the benefts and the impact that these support modalities has in the light of the
results of international investigations. The results show that the benefts of peer collaboration focus on
two horizons: academic achievement and human-social development. An integrated approach is needed,
for its greater impact for the university student. Finally, some conclusions and some guidelines for future
research are proposed.
INTRODUCTION
The reforms proposed by ministers responsible for education in the member countries of the European
Higher Education Area (EHEA) focused on curriculum-based changes orientated around standardizing
plans, a shared credit transfer system, equal opportunities and student/teacher mobility. However, a
decade after the EHEA was created, this focus had significantly changed to methodological innovation
and research with the aim of creating, firstly, students capable of responding to the challenges they
face as active citizens and future professionals and, secondly, university teachers who improve learning
The Benefts of Peer
Tutoring and Peer
Mentoring in University:
A Review of Research
Ernesto López-Gómez
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Spain
Celia Camilli-Trujillo
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain