Online Peer-Assisted Learning Using a Synchronous Multi-Client Collaborative Software Platform
Posted by Olivia Billingham on May 10 2013 at 2:41 p.m.
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Posted by Olivia Billingham on May 10 2013 at 2:41 p.m.
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I'm really looking forward to presenting this paper. It will be my first virtual conference presentation!
I'm happy to answer questions or to hear from anyone working in a similar area.
Best wishes and enjoy the conference, Olivia
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Oh, you are coming virtually! Neet. The ability to connect peer to peer is so possible in this age of real time participation. When I think of peers of a Victorian geographic society, I imagine older men in a mens club in London. And clearly peer review spans gender and a some scope of ages. But I wonder if you have looked into peer value at the really young ages. I wonder if we shouldnt allow children to get busy and teach one another all they need to know. It sometimes seems ponderous to bring a large cohort of adults with certificates into a fluid new age of instruction. Do you think young children would have what it takes?
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@RosemaryAbram what you are talking about for young education sounds very close to the ideas behind Montessori education: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education
Posted in reply to Rosemary Abram
Thanks for that link, really interesting.
Posted in reply to Jordan H. Reiter
Thanks for your post. I'm sure there are still quite a few clubs like that in London! I haven't looked at peer support or its value in younger age groups. Most young children are natural collaborators and love to help one another, copy each other and also learn a great deal from one another (my personal view, not backed-up by any research or educational theory) so I'm sure it would be of value to them. There is also a massive take-up of virtual world usage amongst children aged 5-13 which would suggest that they enjoy collaborative online experiences. Kzero reports 9.41 million children in this age group in the UK are using virtual worlds (http://www.kzero.co.uk/blog/category/kidstween-worlds/).
Posted in reply to Rosemary Abram
You are right it sure does have many of the same principles. But it is not really convenient to use that term for it, anymore. Love Monte but love the concepts more.
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The ability to be able to build, create, share and mentor within a virtual world makes the process (Montessori or otherwise) accessible to a greater population. High five!
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Interesting peer learning with active participation.
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Students have an increased sense of ownership over the message when they are gently nudged or openly offered a role that allows them to teach, demonstrate, contribute. And there are diplomacy skills that come in to play as in any group project. Students offer their skills and mesh with the differing skills with others. You might like the Pavlov's Puppies round table. A couple of youngsters will talk about their project and how it brings students together around a given message.
Posted in reply to Mabel CPO Okojie
It has been really interesting so far. We are looking forward to expanding the pilot this year and focussing less on the logistics and practicalities and more on the learning that is taking place during the online PAL sessions.
Posted in reply to Mabel CPO Okojie
I agree Rosemary. It also helps the PAL leaders (the more experienced PAL students who facilitate learning amongst their students) to reinforce their own understanding of the topic by helping others to learn about it. It has been really inciteful to watch the students flourish in this peer learning environment and see them grow in confidence in how they communicate complex ideas.
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