“Collaborative learning” is an umbrella term that brings underneath it several educational methods that involve peer-to-peer learning and intellectual efforts, whether by students or students and teachers together.
Oftentimes, in collaborative learning, students are studying together in groups of two or more, working to find mutual understanding, solutions, or definitions, of a certain task or assignment. Collaborative learning practices vary, but most of them revolve around the students’ exploration and application of the course material, and not the teacher’s presentation of it.
Collaborative learning is based upon the belief that students can enhance their learning support by interacting with others through peer-to-peer learning. Students benefit from one another’s strengths to better understand information. In collaborative learning situations involving peer-to-peer learning, students are responsible for one another’s actions, tasks, studying together, and promoting teamwork.
Collaborative learning as an EdTech solution creates an online collaborative classroom where teachers and students can learn from one another. This collaborative approach in teaching can be carried out online, offline, and even at their leisure, via message boards and chat forums. Thus, if a student can’t attend a certain class or event, collaborative peer-to-peer learning support is still available to them.
We’ve differentiated between the two approaches in peer-to-peer learning, but what exactly does Peer Square provide?
Firstly, Peer Square is an online studying space for youth to learn together, and from each other.
A peer-to-peer learning platform where youth can connect to a global community of peers and exchange knowledge.
Peer Square promotes a collaborative approach in teaching and learning support. The platform also enables communities to promote collective intelligence by relying on EdTech solutions and e-learning best practices.
On Peer Square, students can connect with other students and receive learning support to enhance their knowledge in a certain subject area or skill set. This collaborative approach in teaching helps in several ways.
The most obvious way is the educational component. Students will enhance their knowledge in a certain subject by studying together, teaching, and learning from one another.
The second, the social component. Students will be able to connect with other like-minded students and build long-lasting, impactful relationships with them.
Third, Peer Square is a peer-to-peer learning platform that adopts a collaborative approach in learning, however, it simultaneously promotes individual empowerment. The platform encourages students to share with their peers, express their voice, grow and engage with the community. By studying together, and helping each other grow, the educational chain grows. Students become more confident with their knowledge and skill set, that they will then participate in teaching other peers who share similar struggles as them.
Thus bringing the collaborative approach in teaching, and the learning support, full circle.
