Peer-to-Peer
Learning

Let students teach and learn from each other. Watch their comprehension increase as they put course concepts into their own words and relay their understanding to classmates in a collaborative, reciprocal learning environment.

Why should I do peer-to-peer learning?

Encourage peer-to-peer learning to:

  • Build an active and cooperative learning environment.
  • Encourage students to give and receive feedback and evaluate each others' learning.
  • Promote positive interdependence and accountability.
  • Increase participation, motivation, and student engagement.
  • Improve communication skills, achievement, and productivity.
  • Promote ownership of learning and deeper understanding of new concepts.

See Flipped Learning in Action

Collaborative Classroom Sharing

With peer learning, fourth graders ask each other questions before asking the teacher. Healthy competition drives students to craft better responses.

“They know they're going to share it with their classmates, and there's something about sharing it with their classmates that makes them work a little bit harder or be a little bit more creative in what they're producing,” says Erin Luckhardt, eighth grade social studies teacher.

More on peer learning and feedback using Ask3

Students Creating Video Lessons

Eric Marcos made video tutorials for his class, but soon realized it's even better when students drive the lessons in their own words, voice and handwriting.

"I think kids like learning from other kids because there's almost a 'kid language'...it's almost easier to understand things when you hear it from someone who learned everything the way you have, "Camilla Spielman, former student of Eric Marcos.

Learn how Eric Marcos' students teach each other

See a student-created mathcast from MathTrain.com

How can I apply this in my everyday classroom?

  • Let students teach each other by having them make quick video lessons. Students explain course concepts in ways that make sense to their classmates, and showing others stengthens their own understanding and retention.
  • Enable students to ask and answer each others' questions, before asking the teacher. Students join the discussion with text, drawings, and narrated video responses.
  • Facilitate group collaboration to discuss issues, explain viewpoints, and share ideas. Increase the effectiveness of classroom sharing, especially when the student-teacher ratio is high or instructor time is limited.