Peer learning online

Material used courtesy of Chalmers University of Technology.

What is peer learning?

Peer learning is an educational strategy, promoting reciprocal, two-way learning activities, where students learn from each other for mutual benefit. It promotes the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and experience between the learners and places students – formally or informally – in the role of peer teachers (as well as learners). Activities include, for example, student partnerships, discussion seminars, study groups, peer-assessment schemes, collaborative projects, or laboratory work etc.

Why using peer learning?

Research is accumulating more and more evidence that peer learning can result in major benefits for the students learning experience. Among them:

• Greater confidence and independence in learning
• Higher-level thinking, deeper understanding, and improved grades
• More personalized learning experience
• Stronger connection between learners (particularly important in online education)
• Better integration of disadvantaged students
• Scalable (works for large classes)
• Frees time for teachers to focus on other course aspects

How to use peer learning?

Peer learning can be integrated in your online course in different forms and on different levels. Most common activities include:

• Brief synchronous discussion activities during your live-lecture (e.g. buzz groups, think-pair-share, peer instruction. For more details see Formative activities – examples of synchronous tasks
• Asynchronous discussion and project groups. For more details see Formative activities – examples of asynchronous tasks
• Peer instruction assignments, where students instruct each other through collaboration or guided tasks. For more details see Formative activities – examples of synchronous tasks
• Peer review assignments, where students provide primarily formative feedback to each other’s work in a structured way. For more details see peer review at Formative activities – examples of asynchronous tasks