How can peer learning be used in training delivery?
Peer learning is a training delivery method that involves learners sharing their knowledge, skills, and experiences with each other. It can be used to enhance learning outcomes, foster collaboration, and reduce training costs. In this article, you will learn how to use peer learning in your training delivery, what benefits it can bring, and what challenges you need to overcome.
Peer learning is based on the idea that learners can learn from each other, not just from the trainer or the content. It can take various forms, such as peer tutoring, peer feedback, peer coaching, peer mentoring, or peer assessment. Peer learning can be formal or informal, structured or spontaneous, online or offline. The main goal of peer learning is to create a learning community where learners can support, challenge, and inspire each other.
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Peer learning is centered around the concept that we each have a gift that is unique to our being so when peers share they are able to uncover strategies that they otherwise would not have thought of. This can be done in the form of games or interactive cards that ask different types of questions and can also be done from a gamification perspective where healthy debate and agreeing and disagreeing is welcomed. Here perspective is rampant as the phrase “I never thought of it this way” continues to be repeated. This is peer impact at its greatest!
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Mentorship Programs: Peer learning is a valuable training delivery method that promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing among learners. It can be used effectively in various educational and training contexts to enhance learning outcomes. Here are some ways to incorporate peer learning into your training delivery: Implement mentorship programs where experienced participants can guide and support less experienced ones. Pairing learners based on their skill levels and interests can enhance the effectiveness of this approach. Increased Engagement: Interactions with peers make the learning experience more engaging and enjoyable.
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An ideal examples of peer learning is on the job, buddy up program. This program are defined where the peer learning is been focual point of learning both in formal and informal way, the objective of the program is where the learner learn by its peer experience and guidance. Such program been seen and practice across industry. learning team member need to be in constant touch during the peer learning ensuring that the learning is happening in the desired way and feedback and review happening at regular interval.
Peer learning can offer several benefits for both learners and trainers. Learners can experience increased motivation, engagement, and retention by making learning more interactive, relevant, and fun. Additionally, they can enhance their knowledge, skills, and competencies by being exposed to different perspectives, experiences, and approaches. This type of learning also develops social and emotional skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and feedback. Finally, peer learning can promote self-directed and lifelong learning by encouraging learners to take responsibility for their own learning and seek out new opportunities.
For trainers, peer learning can reduce workload and stress by delegating some of the training tasks and responsibilities to the learners. It can also improve training quality and effectiveness by tailoring the training to the learners' needs, preferences, and levels. Furthermore, peer learning can save time and money by reducing the need for external resources, materials, and experts. Finally, it can foster a positive and supportive learning culture by building trust, rapport, and respect among the learners.
When it comes to using peer learning in training delivery, there is no single approach that works for everyone. However, you can design and implement peer learning activities by following some general steps. First, define the learning objectives and outcomes for the training session or program. Next, identify the most suitable peer learning methods and tools for your context, content, and audience. Then, prepare the learners for peer learning by explaining its purpose, benefits, and expectations. During the process, facilitate it by providing clear instructions, guidelines, and support for the learners. Finally, monitor and evaluate the peer learning outcomes by collecting feedback, data, and evidence of learning.
Peer learning has the potential to greatly improve training delivery, as it can make learning more engaging, meaningful, and personalized. It can also enhance learner diversity and inclusion, strengthen relationships among learners, leverage existing learner expertise and resources, and stimulate creativity, experimentation, and problem-solving. Ultimately, these benefits can lead to higher learner satisfaction and performance.
Peer learning can be challenging, and some of the common issues include managing learner expectations and roles, ensuring quality and consistency, balancing autonomy and support, dealing with conflicts and issues, and measuring progress and impact. To address these issues, it is important to clarify the scope of peer learning, provide adequate training and guidance, establish clear rules and procedures, and use appropriate methods for assessing progress.
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Here are some practices that can be used to maximize the potential of peer learning within your organization: 1.Identify “Skill Champions” Discover and recognize skill champions who will become the guiding lights of knowledge, assisting their colleagues in mastering specific skills. Being a skill champion isn't just a title; it's a source of pride, making employees feel valued and, in turn, inspiring others to follow suit. 2. Peer-Learning Networking events Let employees share knowledge and experiences in a casual, informal setting. Use games, activities& real-world case studies. Topics may revolve around the challenges your company faces, emerging trends, and strategies to stay ahead. Consider inviting guest speakers and industry experts.
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When incorporating peer learning into training delivery, it is crucial to ensure that the learning objectives are clear & aligned with the overall training goals (informal peer learning included). Additionally, establish a supportive & inclusive environment that encourages active participation & collaboration among learners. Trainers to adopt facilitation approach, by using their experience to facilitate opportunities for learners to share their knowledge, experiences & perspectives with one another. Facilitators to provide guidelines & framework for effective peer feedback & evaluation. Also consider the diversity of skills & knowledge within the group to promote cross-learning & the development of a well-rounded team.
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To begin with,one should understand which area that in trainings deliveries is lacking off.A few area of such like engagement, content, humoured, speech, technology and many more.I'm an introvert whereby sometimes the depths of a topic can hindrance the delivery outcome, hence my experience in this is to co train or help facilitate with trainers which are in the extroversion or humoured type deliveries to balance the growth while evolve. At point it will be difficult but with time , it can help improve the visibility within the area which is lacking. An area which is on going learning as a trainer as we dealt with multiverse type of participants across age groups and personalities dynamics even for professionals which is well established
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Sometimes it can be very difficult for peers to write down what they know - because sometimes they don't know what they know, or they don't see what they know as being valuable. A lot of this can be helped by guiding with questioning. "Hey, we're trying to do X, how would you do it" - or in development, we ask devs to look through the code & ask questions, that forms the basis of the structure for some documentation, and gradually gets built out. Instead of just being presented with a blank page to share knowledge etc. Knowledge share takes many forms, some work for some people, some doesn't - everyone learns (and teaches) differently!
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