Do you find peer-to-peer learning useful?
Sometimes I preach about importance of peer-to-peer learning when talking about the community-driven learning experiences that we build at MO. But not until recently, in our Reflective Journaling course, did I really understand how powerful and impactful peer-to-peer learning can be.
I got feedback from students individually after hitting nearly the middle part of the course. Some of them don’t really understand how the concepts they learned in the first two sessions can be applied to their writing. Some love it as they find using these concepts help them develop frameworks for their writing. The problem is that these two groups are not talking to each other. And perhaps, they are not used to the fact that they can seek help from instructors and peers when they struggle. The group that hasn’t fully understood is not challenging the other. The group that understands and knows how to apply is not helping the other understand. I decided to run small workshops where I asked the students to share what they have been learning to each other and they walked away with more insights about the topics than before. I also gathered so much insightful feedback about the way this course is designed.
Students learn way more from their peers than they think.
Knowledge shouldn’t be centered around the instructor or the group of students who might be performing better. Peer-to-peer learning allows students to help one another dig deeper on what has been shared, challenge what the instructor said and help each other pull through the learning experience.