The methods of teaching are changing with the change in time. The education industry has developed significantly in the past years and has been getting better every day. Today, schools promote student-centred classes where a teacher takes the role of a guide instead of being the main character of the classroom. Online teaching has come up with the help of the internet making students and teachers connect and learn anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, the way students are taught has also seen a significant change for the better. One such method being promoted is peer-to-peer learning. It is a process wherein students learn from each other.
But, in an online classroom setting, there is a lack of physical presence and face-to-face interaction, unlike traditional classroom. Since teachers teach using an online teaching app and students learn through it, it the importance of promoting peer learning in online classes so that students do not feel isolated or are not a part of the community.
Peer learning makes learning fun and interesting and is an effective method of teaching. It also promotes friendship, empathy teamwork, communication skills, etc., among the students.
Here are some tips on how you can incorporate peer learning in an online classroom:
1. Group Work
Just like in traditional classes, you can divide the students into smaller groups of four to five and assign them tasks to complete. This will help foster interactivity, teamwork and friendship among the students.
Also, try to stick to the same group for more than two to three projects so that students get enough time to learn about each other and work in collaboration.
2. Let Them Teach
It is not necessary for you to be the one who should be teaching every topic, you can let the students teach themselves too.
Assign topics to the students to prepare and teach. You can assign this at an individual level for the students to prepare or even in groups. Let them design the course and present it in front of the class. Also, encourage other students to actively participate and ask questions.
You can take the role of making sure that they are preparing or presenting in the right way.
3. Peer Assignment Review
Instead of going through all the assignments on your own, you can simply delegate your work to your students. Let your students go through the projects and assignments of their friends and make the necessary correction or suggestions. You can review it once to ensure that they have done the work right.
4. Discussion Forums
You can create a discussion forum or room for the students to talk, chat and discuss anything and everything related to the course and school, or even topics unrelated to the course. Encourage conversations among your students, give them topics to discuss, etc., and make them constantly engage with each other.
Final Thoughts
The benefits of peer learning are immense. As a teacher, you must incorporate peer to peer learning to promote the holistic development of the students. There are several ways of leveraging it in an online classroom. The points mentioned in this article will help you create a good learning environment for the students, promote healthy competition and teach basic life skills to the students.
