Peer-to-Peer Teaching

Supplemental Academic Learning Techniques

Dr. Darlene B. Jackson

Peer-to-Peer Teaching

The middle school years are a crucial time for students, as they have to go through major social, emotional, and intellectual development. Peer influence becomes one of the most prominent factors in the phase that affects academic performance, self-esteem, and general well- being. Applying a peer-to-peer teaching strategy serves as a powerful tool for compelling learning results, assists in building peer consensus, and uplifts confidence among students. This paper looks at practical approaches to mobilizing peer-to-peer approaches to learning in middle schools, with an emphasis on fighting bullying and benefiting academically gifted (AG) students and the rest of the class. It examines teenagers as peer-influenced kids, their neurological aspects during child development, and what to do to boost their self-esteem.

Peer Influence and Academic Performance

According to Vygotsky’s two-directional (sociocultural) theory, learning is a social process that results from interactions between people and their surroundings, which take the form of a dual nature. According to Vygotsky, through social interactions, learners gain cognition while receiving assistance from knowledgeable adults or peers; this area is known as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) (Vygotsky, 1978). Peers have a remarkable ability to drive academic scores, which makes the social-cognitive theory particularly relevant in middle school settings.

The relationships between classmates have a critical influence on approving or disapproving a student’s middle school preparation and accomplishments. Wentzel’s (2009) study raises the hypothesis that deep social ties with peers influence academic success and school performance. Students’ academic performance significantly improves when they are in an environment where their peers uphold the values of respect and support. Conversely, even little negative peer interactions, such as bullying or social exclusion, can have a detrimental effect on a student’s overall well-being or actively undermine their academic achievement.

Youth mentorship programs are a very effective strategy to capitalize on peers’ influence on academic success. Peer tutoring involves pairing two students based on their educational backgrounds, with one tutoring and the other learning from the tutor. This approach provides the tutee with personalized attention and tailored lessons, making it an effective learning aid. In his peer tutoring research, Topping (2013) examined how well peer tutoring helps students retain their knowledge as well as understand it.

Neurological Components of Peer Learning

Recent enhanced neuroscience research has investigated the deeper inner workings of the brain during peer interactions, revealing the principles behind the advantages of cooperative learning. In their study, Ochsner and colleagues (2012) found that peaceful interactions with peers activate brain areas linked to motivation and rewards. When pupils collaborate, they release more dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reinforcement. As Howard-Jones (2014) identified, the direct results of the dopamine cortex’s secretion process entail an increased capacity for attention, memory, and cognitive processing, which also enhances learning.

Moreover, research on brain imaging has provided crucial insights into the neurological aspects of peer learning. Research demonstrated that peer learning tasks showed enhanced activation of the prefrontal cortex, the brain part that is crucial for higher-order cognitive functions like social cognition, problem-solving, and decision-making (Blakemore & Choudhury, 2006)). Peer learning develops critical thinking abilities and empowers students to tackle challenging issues collaboratively due to the high level of cognitive engagement this enhanced activation shows.

Supporting AG Students and Improving Self-Confidence

Peer-to-peer learning platforms are an excellent teaching tool for AG personalities because they allow students to not only impart knowledge and teach others but also to maximize their talents through watching their peers’ progress (Baltzersen, 2024). Peer-to-peer teaching allows AG students to show off their abilities, which promotes the growth of their leadership and confidence.

Furthermore, according to Dweck (2006), helpful criticism from peers has a significant influence on the mindset development of AG students. Peer evaluation often greatly benefits AG students, fostering an attitude that views challenges as opportunities to maximize and problems as obstacles to overcome. Also, the establishment of inclusive learning settings that prioritize the contributions of all students, regardless of their academic performance, is essential to guaranteeing the social-emotional welfare of AG learners (Webster, 2014). By fostering diversity and valuing the distinctive qualities of every learner, educators help AG students feel more accomplished and experience less anxiety and despair.

Encouraging Inclusivity and Reducing Bullying

Bullying is a major problem in many middle schools, which affects the academic outcome, mental health, and general well-being of numerous students. Implementing peer-to-peer teaching strategies could help schools deal with bullying and promote inclusivity.

The cooperative learning structure, as advocated by Johnson and Johnson (1994), offers an effective antidote to bullying by promoting positive interdependence and mutual respect among peers. Students in a cooperative learning environment cooperate and mutually strive to satisfy a common goal, using each other's strengths and talents to succeed. The collaborative structure promotes a collective feeling of safety and bonding among the students, which discourages any bullying behaviors.

Creating an inclusive environment is an essential factor in making sure that students of different backgrounds and talents get acceptance and support. Schools should support diversity and have learning settings that will make all students enjoy equal respect and value (Gillies & Boyle, 2010). Collaboration instead of competition is the main value that promotes inclusion within the school community. Implementing an inclusive classroom creates a sense of belonging and recognition of others’ achievements, thus, creating a supportive learning environment where everybody is motivated to excel.

References

Baltzersen, R. K. (2024). Effective Use of Collective Peer Teaching in Teacher Education: Maximizing Student Learning (p. 144). Taylor & Francis.

Blakemore, S. J., & Choudhury, S. (2006). Development of the adolescent brain: implications for

executive function and social cognition. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 47(3‐4), 296-312.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Gillies, R. M., & Boyle, M. (2010). Teachers’ reflections on cooperative learning: Issues of implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(4), 933-940.

Howard-Jones, P. A. (2014). Neuroscience and education: myths and messages. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 15(12), 817-824.

Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1987). Learning together and alone: Cooperative, competitive, and individualistic learning. Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Ochsner, K. N., Silvers, J. A., & Buhle, J. T. (2012). Functional imaging studies of emotion regulation: a synthetic review and evolving model of the cognitive control of emotion. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1251(1), E1-E24.

Topping, K. J. (2013). Trends in peer learning. Developments in Educational Psychology, 53-68.

Vygotsky, L. S., & Cole, M. (1978). Mind in society: Development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.

Webster, T. (2014). The Inclusive Classroom. BU Journal of Graduate Studies in Education, 6(2), 23-26.

Wentzel, K. R. (2009). Peers and academic functioning at school. The Guilford Press.