Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this case study was to collect detailed factual information that described the degree that rational/collegial decision making was used to determine desired student learning outcomes of peer tutoring programs based on Blooms Taxonomy (1956). Additionally, the purpose of this study was to determine other areas that needed further study in Southern California community college peer tutoring programs. Methodology. The subjects in the present study were sixty-eight stakeholders, administrators, full-time faculty, trained peer tutors, and tutees. Subjects responded to two research instruments: (1) a fifteen-item scaled questionnaire describing the degree rational/collegial decision making was used to design peer tutoring programs and the program's desired cognitive student learning outcomes, and (2) an interview utilizing six open ended interview questions related to questionnaire items added richness and described peer tutoring program areas that needed improvement. Findings. Examination of quantitative and qualitative data from the ten Southern California community colleges indicated that administration and full-time faculty had different opinions about administration's involvement and participation; secondly, that trained peer tutors and tutees slightly participated in the development of program outcomes; thirdly, that all four stakeholder groups understood the rhetorical terms used by Blooms Taxonomy (1956) to classify desired student learning outcomes; and finally, examination of the same data indicated five areas that appeared to need improvement in Southern California community college peer tutoring programs. Conclusions. The study data support the following conclusions: (1) rational/collegial decision seemed unlikely; (2) stakeholders have different opinions about the learning outcomes expected from the same academic divisions; (3) stakeholders probably can express desired student learning outcomes using Bloom's Taxonomy; (4) areas that probably need improvement are, full-time faculty involvement, more funding, full-time faculty talking to students, a system for feedback, and better coverage of content. Recommendations. Further research is advised: This study should be replicated with a larger sample of Southern California community colleges to determine if the findings in this case study can be generalized. It should also be replicated in Central and Northern California to determine if the results can be replicated.