The Power Of Peers In Higher Education

Originally published in Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/troymarkowitz/2020/07/09/the-power-of-peers-in-higher-education/#26887454313c

The foundation upon which institutions of higher education are built is peer learning — the idea that students learn more effectively through interaction, collaboration, and discussion with other students than they do through individual study.

While attending college used to unlock the door to a wealth of knowledge in the campus library, it is now incredibly easy to find inexpensive learning resources online, making these vast collections of physical books all but obsolete. In fact, most textbook publishers have built online learning spaces to avoid losing their place in the college learning experience altogether.

With this democratization of knowledge, it’s time for institutions of higher ed to turn back to their roots and emphasize the importance of peer learning on campus. According to Dr. George Kuh, High-Impact Practices (HIPs) expert and founder of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA), “the power of peer influence is often overlooked when considering what institutions can do to drive student engagement.” 

Kuh adds that “who one spends time with – inside and outside the classroom – is consequential to many of the desired outcomes of undergraduate education. This is because peers have a disproportionate influence on the amount of time students spend studying and what they do with their discretionary time.”

Earlier this year at the 2020 Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) annual meeting, Kuh coined the term “Educationally Purposeful Peer Interactions,” urging institutions to consider scaling the use of peers as a support network and noting that they are “an underutilized, cost-effective resource for enriching student learning and success.” For many institutions, this begins with leveraging the power of peers to provide low-cost, high-impact tutoring services.

Modernizing Peer Tutoring Programs

It is well known that peer tutoring is a very effective academic support service, which is utilized on most college campuses. Peer tutors are better positioned than professors to empathize with a student because they were more recently in the student’s shoes and, as such, are less likely to suffer from the curse of knowledge. Consequently, the educational enrichment that students receive through working with a peer tutor cannot be recreated in any other way.

Though peer tutoring programs are incredibly impactful for the students who participate in them, many schools struggle to get more students to use the service. Luckily, Harvard University has set a great example of how leveraging technology to remove constraints and increase accessibility can help to drive maximum student engagement. Other schools like the University of Pittsburgh have also found ways to modernize their peer tutoring programs to reach more students.

Understanding the “Nexus” of Student Success

Even with all of the amazing benefits in place for students who work with a peer tutor, the experience is just as beneficial for students who work as a peer tutor. In fact, a 2019 NASPA Report on student employment indicates that working as a peer tutor sits at the “nexus” of student success, due to its focus on academic enrichment, social engagement, and financial capability. 

While peer tutors aid in the academic development of the students they help, they also enrich and expand their own knowledge. By working with other students in a meaningful, educational context, peer tutors receive all of the social benefits that come from interacting with a diverse group of individuals. Furthermore, working as a peer tutor helps students meet the financial demands of higher education, while simultaneously preparing them for their post-college careers.

Closing the Skills Gap

In a time when only 11% of business leaders are confident that college graduates are prepared for the workforce, high-impact work experience is incredibly impactful for undergrads. With many modern businesses taking the viewpoint that skills matter more than degrees, it’s important to understand the dual impact of peer tutoring and recognize the highly coveted soft skills that students develop through these interactions.

Today’s companies have high expectations for their entry-level hires, and it’s become increasingly clear that getting a college degree does not always result in getting a good job. Peer tutoring programs can help to bridge this gap by empowering companies to support the development of their most targeted skills. Employers like Shell Oil fund tutoring programs to enrich learning and build a talent pipeline for entry-level roles, demonstrating the win-win-win result that comes when institutions of higher education collaborate with industry leaders to improve student outcomes.

Meeting Students Where They Are

The notion of a “typical college student” is fading away, and we’re now in the “post-traditional” era of higher education. There are more students from historically underrepresented populations than ever before, and the number of adult learners on college campuses continues to grow. Furthermore, online programs have become increasingly popular due to their flexibility and technological advancements.

Taking this into account, it’s important to consider the role that technology can play in making academic support services like peer tutoring more equitably accessible for students by meeting them where they are. In a world where you can order a ride, book a flight, and schedule a doctor’s appointment from your mobile device, it seems almost infeasible to handle any logistical process in person. Why call the restaurant when you can order delivery through five different apps? Why go to the DMV when you can renew your license online? Why stop by the box office when you can choose your seats online?

That’s why powering the logistics of your peer tutoring program through technology can help make it easier for students to ask for help.

Facilitating Meaningful Human Connection

While modern students are tech-oriented, they still crave human connection. As such, using technology that brings students together to engage in educationally purposeful peer interactions helps to ensure that the “loneliest generation” doesn’t have to navigate the college learning experience alone. Furthermore, research has shown that collaborative learning helps to elicit well-being, contentment, and excitement.

The beauty of peer tutoring, in particular, is that it tends to forge mentor-mentee relationships between the tutor and tutee. This empowers students to not only excel in their academics but also to successfully navigate the “hidden curriculum” of college by learning from someone who has already figured it out. 

There’s no question that the best way to learn is through personalized attention, especially when it is provided by someone who cares. Peers are the most impactful and cost-efficient way to ensure that every student, regardless of race, religion, and socioeconomic background, has the tools they need to succeed. That’s why investing in peer learning is absolutely critical when it comes to building a sustainable model of higher education that can continue to prosper for generations to come.