Defining Peer-to-Peer Learning

Discuss about the Peer-to-Peer Learning for How Students Can Best Utilize.

Peer learning is where the person who is teaching the others isat or belongs to the same level as the students. This is more common in the education sector whereby the students use the strengths of fellow students to be able to learn more. It is more of an interactive programme or discussion where the students try to the best of their abilities to explain something or the topic of discussion to his or her colleagues. It helps when it comes to developing numerous skills and attitudes that are useful when it comes to problem solving (Pagel, 2017). This is a field that of late is gaining more attention even in the informal community-based education in matters of environment. It has been seen as a tool that can be used to increase action in communities. Heiskanen et al. (2017) say that this is because it promotes discussions and careful observation of everyone’s ideas.

Peer-to-peer learning is a very important tool when it comes to helping students understand the course work better. To further emphasize on its importance and how helpful it can be Twyman & Redding (2015) came up with an observation tool using peer-to-peer mechanism which was designed to help the teachers be able help and support each other which in turn according to them will help them educate the learners better. This stresses on how important this tool can be and not only among the young aged people, but also the adults in all sectors. Arendale, (2016) says that aside from the positive effects on the whole group, the leaders of these peer groups also tend to become mature in leadership skills, public-speaking and such

The opportunities that come with this tool cut across the independent learner, the less experienced learner and the experienced learners. It has been known that peer learning has a number of advantages to the learners (Hanken, 2016). He says it is also beneficial among teachers not just to students and some of them include the following.

In a research done by Stenberg & Carlson (2015) among students in Sweden, the findings were that the students found peer-to-peer learning very effective. In the same research some of the opportunities presented by it according to the students were one, it provided a safety feeling. In this, the two authors found out those students liked working with other students and this reduced the levels of anxiety or uneasiness and nervousness.  Working with other students reduced the chances of being afraid when being introduced into a new field. This research was done among clinical students. This is because the students found it easier to ask fellow colleagues questions compared to asking the supervisor. This is because asking a question to a person you know better is much easier as you are used to taking to each other. This helps the less experienced learner to catch up with others as they have the chance of learning from their friends easily. They point out it is much easier to ask “stupid questions” to friends as compared to ask the tutor. They say it was much “safer” to discuss with others when the teacher was not present.

Opportunities Presented by Peer-to-Peer Learning

Another advantage presented by this according to Stenberg & Carlson is the different learning experience. This is all about the sense of great responsibility that arises when taking turns to teach each other. This made the students make sure that their knowledge was close to perfect and updated. The discussions among students in sharing what one knows and learning from others what one does not know was seen as very beneficial in the learning process. One student points out that he felt the need and pressure to surpass what others knew when it came to comparison because there was stress that arose from being less knowledgeable compared to your peers.The independent learner in this case will be able to learn how to work with others and in turn be able to grasp more knowledge from others. Due to the sense of responsibility brought by it, the less experienced learner will have to push themselves to the limit and learn more on themselves to avoid embarrassment and in the long run learn to work on their own. The experienced learners get to showcase their capabilities to others and also learn more as no man is an island.

The other opportunity it presents is competition. Competition is a very effective way to improve yourself and get know more and better yourself where you are weak. The two writers found out that students found competition as an obstacle when it comes to competing for the teacher’s attention. However this is a very positive factor as they further say comparing yourself with others could motivate you to perform better than others and in turn increase overall performance and reach the required levels. This benefits all the three types of students and competition increases independence as comparison reduces dependence.

The challenges presented by it arealso critical issues that need to be looked at to help improve on how to use this tool. This helps to improve on them for a better peer-to-peer experience among students.

One of the challenges of this tool is confidence among the students (Schoerning & Hand, 2013). They say that it was hard for students to comment on an issue if they felt that their idea was not worth it. This calls for the importance of building confidence. One way they suggested is listening actively by for example summarizing the student’s points. This was peer-to-peer discussion in a classroom with the teacher present which is the same among peers. One needs to feel appreciated then they will be motivated to contribute to a discussion. Another challenge with this tool according to Schoerning & Hand is that you also have to make sure that a student feels that the ideas he gives and the ideas given by his peers are also important. This calls for appreciation to all the students from the teacher which needs to be implemented when it comes to discussions in class among peers.

Challenges Presented by Peer-to-Peer Learning

As much as peer-to-peer learning improves the independence of the students in every way possible, one research points out in its findings that in one of the peer groups the dynamics in interpersonal interaction impacted the results negatively (de Vreede et al. 2014). The team leaders acknowledged that they knew the problems but did not have the capacity to solve them and felt the need to get help from adults and superiors.

Conclusions

From the above discussions, it is evident that peer-to-peer learning is a very effective tool when it comes to improving a student’s independence and knowledge as it utilizes what students know and use it to help other students. They say that peer students performed better compared to the others when it came to the test as they did the research to help the students become more independent. It uses the different abilities of different students and through discussions, these differences are turned into learning opportunities. This therefore calls for development of this tool. It is a very valuable tool when it comes to education yet it has not been studied fully or enough. It can change the performance standards if utilized properly in the education sector and at the same time promote independence when it comes to student interaction. It is important to know that the peer learning model of learning was not understood well in the preceding systems of education as they considered it be more of competition rather than cooperation among students as Gebeyehu &  Regasa, (2016) say. The various opportunities presented by the learning mechanism need to be exploited to the maximum and this will help the less experienced learners to learn faster and in doing so, independence increases. This will make everyone in the class try as much as possible to be at the same level as the more experienced learners. Team work is also improved among the students

Competition can be an obstacle and is compounded by incompatibility issues between the peers. According to them to improve on this, the students suggested that they should be allowed to choose their own partners. This makes the students select someone that they are comfortable with. Still on the same, the students need to be taught that they should strive towards professionalism and not working within the friendships. The issue of negative competition needs to be addressable adequately. Another way to improve peer-to-peer learning should be implemented in the libraries. As much as libraries offer a lot of information to students, they need to develop a way for students to help each other using best theories in peer-to-peer learning. This according to them is a very valuable way and has invaluable benefits.

References

Altintas, T., Gunes, A., & Sayan, H. (2016). A peer-assisted learning experience in computer programming language learning and developing computer programming skills. Innovations in Education & Teaching International, 53(3), 329. doi:10.1080/14703297.2014.993418

Arendale, D. R. (2016). Postsecondary Peer Cooperative Learning Programs: Annotated Bibliography 2016. Online Submission.

de Vreede, C., Warner, A., & Pitter, R. (2014). Facilitating Youth to Take Sustainability Actions: The Potential of Peer Education. Journal of Environmental Education, 45(1), 37-56.

Gebeyehu, B., & Regasa, G. (2016). Improving Peer Learning for Students’ Academic Performance: The Case of Second Year Rural Development and Agricultural Extension Students, College of Agriculture, Wolaita Sodo University. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(34), 53-57.

Hanken, I. M. (2016). Peer Learning in Specialist Higher Music Education. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 15(3-4), 364-375.

Heiskanen, E., Nissilä, H., & Tainio, P. (2017). Promoting Residential Renewable Energy via Peer-to-Peer Learning. Applied Environmental Education and Communication, 16(2), 105-116.

O’Kelly, M., Garrison, J., Merry, B., & Torreano, J. (2015). Building a Peer-Learning Service for Students in an Academic Library. Portal: Libraries and the Academy, 15(1), 163-182.

PAGEL, B. (2017). THE POWER OF PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING. Kitchen & Bath Business, 64(4), 8.

Schoerning, E., & Hand, B. (2013). Using Language Positively: How to Encourage Negotiation in the Classroom. Science and Children, 50(9), 42-45.

Stenberg, M., & Carlson, E. (2015). Swedish student nurses’ perception of peer learning as an educational model during clinical practice in a hospital setting–an evaluation study. BMC Nursing, 14(1), 1-7. Doi: 10.1186/s12912-015-0098-2

Topping, K., Buchs, C., Duran, D., & van Keer, H. (2017). Effective Peer Learning: From Principles to Practical Implementation. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Twyman, J., Redding, S., & Council of Chief State School, O. (2015). Personal Competencies/Personalized Learning: Reflection on Instruction. A Peer-to-Peer Learning and Observation Tool.