How can you encourage peer learning?

One of the fundamental aspects of learning is that it does not occur in isolation. Learning primarily takes place within social contexts, such as with family, friends, and at universities. Through social learning, we exchange ideas, which allows us to apply them in our daily practices and test our own understanding.

I am not 100% sure all of this is needed. People love learning from each other if the space is safe enough. Helping people understand the process will for sure help mitigate the fear. I spend a lot of time creating the container and foster a positive environment more then the specifics though (people then to forget because of the stress anyway).

Even more so, fade back and let the group take the lead role at this stage. Try to make it less about this is what I want, and more about I would like to hear what you want. Particularly for adult learning it is important to try understand what matters to them or what is significant to them for this learning. Also to the extent possible try to have the group craft understandings as to takeaways. At the conclusion of the learning what would they like to know, how would they like to feel, and what do they want to be able to do.

Preframing in general gets people on board in collaborative environments. If you consider barriers to people sharing their opinion or responding to a prompt etc, quite often it’s to do with the fear of being misunderstood, or having an idea rejected because it’s not in line with a conversational narrative. To mitigate these barriers, setting frames to the conversation and giving a “helicopter perspective” on where the group wants to end up by the end of the learning session does the following; - allows more conscientious thinkers to mull over there ideas and present them down the line of a conversation. - allows divergent thinkers to reign in their ideas relative to the outcome, and consider when and if the fringe ideas are relevant

I agree with this for a formal learning process however some of the best peer learning can be informal. Informal learning opportunities often do not have defined purpose and outcomes.

One way to encourage peer learning in facilitation sessions is to create small group activities or discussions where participants can share their own experiences and knowledge with each other. It's also important to set a relaxed and open atmosphere where participants feel comfortable asking questions and contributing their own perspectives. Another strategy is to assign collaborative projects where participants can work together to problem-solve and learn from one another. Finally, ask participants to provide feedback to each other on their presentation or ideas, and encourage them to provide constructive criticism that can help improve everyone's learning.

Nailed it! In the orchestra of peer learning, clarity is the maestro. It’s not about just passing the mic and hoping for the best; it’s setting the stage, lighting, and acoustics right. Spell it out. Illuminate the "what's in it for me" and watch as your learners turn from passive audience members to rockstars on stage. When the rules of the game are clear, the play is transformative. #LearningUnplugged ????

I love fancy facilitation techniques. But I also think that sometimes it can be really simple and work really well. I would focus more on the quality of the feedback then on a complicated way to communicate it. Are participants able to hear the feedback? It is non-judgemental?

By considering team preferences, incorporating formal and informal approaches, leveraging digital platforms, and ensuring ongoing assessment, successful peer learning can be facilitated. This cultivates a culture of knowledge sharing and growth within your workplace, ultimately benefiting your entire team. The rationale is to create a conducive environment for peer learning that accommodates diverse learning styles, maximizes efficiency, provides structure when needed, and embraces technological advancements.

Sometimes it can be as simple as saying, "Hey, we're going to host a discussion on x topic. Bring your questions and experiences of what's worked and what hasn't worked. We'll all learn together." Just be clear that it's a conversation space rather than a teaching space.

You also have to decide if you are giving feedback or not. I never do when I want to encourage peer learning. I like to not take too much space and have participants be eager for each other's feedback. And if I focus more on my facilitator role, it gives me more time and energy to focus on my participants. Checking non-verbal communication is really important as I have noticed that is usually how people will signal they are overwhelmed. The needs of the person receiving the feedback always come first for me.

By providing guidance through open-ended questions and interventions and not trying to direct conversations, facilitators can help learners explore each others' ideas and perspectives for deeper insights. This approach nurtures collaboration and trust between peer learners and engages all participants.

I also like to inquire on those peer to peer ideas with lots of thought provoking questions. I find this allows learners to engage even deeper in the material especially when it comes to adult learners.

After providing guidelines and objectives of the peer learning activity, I typically let them experiment and only interject feedback if someone specifically asks for it. I'll often follow a peer learning activity with a group share and encourage those who want to share their experiences with the larger group. This is an excellent opportunity for people to exercise using their voice and for others to listen and learn from what's being shared by their peers. I will either listen and acknowledge them for sharing or provide coaching if it's in the flow of the session.

To facilitate peer learning in a time-constrained environment: Remind participants of the core problem or need for continuous improvement. Create a safe and supportive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. Encourage participants to build on each other's ideas and ask questions to spark further discussion. Monitor the group's progress and intervene to keep brainstorming moving forward. Give participants time to reflect on their ideas and prioritize their best ones. Summarize the key ideas generated at the end of the session.

Success of peer learning largely depends on the facilitation, the dynamics within the peer and the context of the learning environment. Here open feedback practice and having a growth mindset plays a vital role on winning.

If you are not willing to learn as a facilitator and are not on a reflexive journey yourself, you can not encourage people to do the same. Practice being reflexive and receiving feedback yourself on a regular basis.

A great simple way to track learning progress and reflect is to make a simple KWL chart. Participants should record first what they already KNOW, then consider what they WANT to know or might WONDER about. At the end, they write and reflect upon what has been LEARNED. Add a layer of protection to people nervous about the process by ensuring sharing of any parts of the process with the group gets done so anonymously.

Some of the most impactful feedback I've received has been during the facilitation itself. During a break, I'll often leave space to have individual conversations with the participants or connect with other facilitators for feedback and ideas. Staying open to feedback throughout the process enables me to learn, grow, and create meaningful connections with the community involved.

The reflection process should be part of the last section of the session. Everyone should take part in this exercise. Providing you have successfully created a safe and trusting container for everone, this part is truly important. It highlights any weaknesses and/or strengths. It should be a safe time and space for self criticism and self worth. Sharing your findings creates great discussions too. Then finally close the group on a positive & celebrating note. Remember we are all students at the end of the day... just at different levels.

I firmly believe in 'know your audience'. Some groups thrive in a less formal dynamic, where others only respect the formality of standard 'tried and true' processes. Engaging your audience requires a good facilitator to have a bit of a talent for reading personalities as well. Some participants need more verbal encouragement to share/participate, and others, the 'keeners', need to be gently encouraged to let others speak as well, and not take over the workshop/meeting/group project. It's about providing a safe and comfortable space to share and engage, while ensuring that no one feels 'shut down' or disrespected for thier answers, or opinions.

Role modeling is important. We need to show that we respect our students and their contributions so that other students know that they can trust their peers. That requires humility on our part and a willness to learn from our students. It is one of the exciting things about facilitating learning as we are always learning something new!

A foundation of trust is essential to peer learning. As a facilitator ensure a safe space is created so that people can speak and listen freely.

It doesn’t matter if we access that community face-to-face, via Zoom, document sharing platforms, Slack, WhatsApp or by picking up the phone – it’s the people we are connected to that provide the learning, support and development we benefit from. Learning by community has so many benefits: It’s agile It’s personalised It’s perfectly paced It’s varied It’s pro-active It’s safe It’s supportive It’s relevant It’s creative It’s more grown up People engaged in learning communities know that it’s a game of give and take, and by helping each other, we all grow. I certainly develop when I respond to someone else’s request for help.

Have fun with the peer learning process. A poor facilitator can quickly shut down the contributions and flow of idea sharing. A facilitator who can establish rapport and that safe space for collaboration is going to drive the conversation forward and keep attendees engaged.