Peer teaching

Description

Peer teaching refers to the use of teaching and learning strategies in which students learn with and from each other. It allows students to review and organize the course material because students need to truly understand a topic or a particular piece of information if they are to “teach” it to the whole class. Their understanding of information is consolidated by frequent testing and clarifying of concepts during the course of their presentation. Besides, students have to present material in ways that are comprehensible to classmates and this trains their presentation and communication skills. Examples of peer learning are student-led teaching sessions, study groups, and even peer feedback sessions in class.

Implementation

Ramaswamy, Harris and Tschirner (2001) suggested the following for conducting peer-teaching activities effectively in your class:

• Teachers should begin a lesson by covering the basic principles and concepts of a course. Students should then be given the chance to select topics in respect of their own interests. Teachers should participate as mentors and provide advice on the subject itself, the relative importance of various topics, sources of additional information and strategies for teaching.
• During the lesson, students will be expected to participate in questioning and discussing issues with their peer teachers. Teachers have two roles during each presentation. He or she should participate as both a student who would comment and ask questions like other students in class, and a facilitator who encourages active participation among students.
• After the lesson, the teaching performance of each student should be evaluated by his/her fellow classmates, and the teacher. This is intended to enhance learning via the use of comprehensive peer feedback.

Extended reading

Boud, D., Cohen, R., & Sampson, J. (1999). Peer learning and assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 24(4), 413–426.

Cohen, P. A., & McKeachie, W. J. (1980). The role of colleagues in the evaluation of college teaching. Improving College and University Teaching, 28(4), 147–154.

 Krych, A. J., March, C. N., Bryan, R. E., Peake, B. J., & Pawlina, W. (2005). Reciprocal peer teaching: Teaching students in the gross anatomy laboratory. Clinical Anatomy, 18(4), 296–301. CUHK teachers can click on the link below for more information:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/110463082/PDFSTART

Ramaswamy, S., Harris, I., & Tschirner, U. (2001). Student peer teaching: An innovative approach to instruction in science and engineering education, Journal of Science Education and Technology, 10(2), 165–171. CUHK teachers can click on the link below for more information: http://www.springerlink.com/content/t39n8p45j714r136/fulltext.pdf

Sorcinelli, M. D. (1991). Research findings on the seven principles. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 47, 13–25.