The Benefits and Drawbacks of Peer Instruction

Peer learning

Peer learning is a situation in which students gain knowledge from and with each other as equals, with no one having any special power. Peer education should be mutually beneficial and take into account how ideas, knowledge, and expertise are shared among the participants. Even though peer learning offers many benefits from the teacher's perspective, there are also disadvantages that come with it.

Benefits for students

The kids gain a lot from sharing their ideas with one another and participating in activities that allow them to pick up knowledge from their classmates. They develop the right skills in managing and preparing the education activities, operating cooperatively with peers, and also presenting and reciprocating opinion and assessing their response.

Benefits for teachers

Peer learning is also of benefit to the teacher, especially when its operation is successful as it is capable of reducing the marking load. When the students evaluate each other, the teacher does not necessarily have to mark each and everyone’s assignment, but only for the group. Moreover, the tutors can also gain some proper training tactics for better teaching and communication with students through studying the way they interact with each other (Weimer, 2017).

Shortcomings of peer learning

One of the shortcomings of peer learning is that it promotes a negative relationship between the teacher and the students as the teacher only intervenes when the students encounter a problem. The individuals may also not benefit as much from their peers because they all don’t have experience of imparting knowledge compared to the teacher. In some situations, the students may get reluctant when it comes to making judgment that regards their peers thus acts as the hindrance to knowledge sharing (Wordpress.com, 2016).

Encouraging peer learning

Peer learning is helpful to the students and even to the teachers, so there should be its encouragement in schools. The teachers should always supervise the students’ peer learning process and always give a helping hand wherever necessary so that all the members participate and also create a positive relation with the students. The teachers should also learn from the way the peers are interacting so as to understand how best to communicate and interact with them in class.

References

Weimer, M. (2017, January 25). The Benefits of Peer Learning. Retrieved from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/benefits-peer-learning/

Wordpress.com. (2016, February 16). Advantages and disadvantages of peer teaching: – Teaching & learning in pe. Retrieved from https://uogteachingandlearninginpehb.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-peer-teaching/