English for Academic Purpose: Peer Learning's Impact on Independence

This essay, focused on English for Academic Purposes (EAP), examines the role of peer-to-peer learning in fostering student independence. It defines peer learning as a differentiated educational strategy involving the sharing of knowledge and experiences, moving students from independent to mutual learning. The discussion highlights various types of peer learning, including collaborative and dynamic group learning, and formal and informal cooperative learning. It emphasizes the benefits of peer learning, such as diverse perspective exposure, skill development, increased responsibility, and enhanced employability skills. The essay also acknowledges potential downsides, including social limitations, limited knowledge transfer compared to instructors, and applicability issues. It concludes that while peer learning offers significant advantages, it's not a solitary practice and should be combined with other methods to suit specific courses. Recommendations include shaping students' perceptions and encouraging social and personal development to overcome learning process negativity.

Running head: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSE
English for academic purpose
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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How can peer-to-peer learning promote student independence, and how can students best utilize
the experience of their fellow students?’
Introduction:
Peer learning is regarded as a differentiated education strategy-encompassing sweep of
activities. It involves the sharing of ideas, experiences and knowledge among participants and it
is way that helps in moving from independent to mutual learning. Practices of peer learning are
often introduced in ad hoc way; however, it is yet to realize the potential of such type of learning.
Peer learning can be formalized and in formalized that has its own benefits and drawbacks. This
type of learning is considered as instrumental strategy for advanced students. In many
Universities in Australia, peer learning is a well-established practice that helps students in
learning and gaining knowledge in both formal and informal ways (Abeysekera & Dawson,
2015).
Discussion:
Some of the facts that are gaining importance in Universities are issues of faculty
member development, professional accountability and enhancing the quality of higher education
and concerning this, the concept of peer learning has evolved. Peer learning is a strategy that
helps in enhancing personal control over practices of teaching by making improvement in
personal development among members of faculty. Feasibility of peer-to-peer learning can be
determined by five themes such as benefits of such learning to teachers and students, barriers to
such learning, literature gap, opportunities and existing potential problems to teaching. It is
indicated by the students of that model employed in such practice enables them to practice skills

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that would be useful in their future profession such as reflection communication, cooperation and
independence.
Different types of peer learnings:
Collaborative group learning- This type of learning occurs in large group in peer to
peer that involves students working in pairs or small groups with the purpose of discussing
concepts or finding solution to any given problem. Variety of forms are involved in such types of
learning such as active learning or quick learning. Collaborative learning comes with several
benefit such as promotion of interaction among students and faculty, development of higher-
level thinking and leadership skills, increase and enhancing the understanding of particular
subjects from diverse perspectives. Increasing self-esteem, responsibility and retention of
students is another benefit of such type of learning (Johnson et al., 2014). In order to ensure and
facilitate communication and collaboration among group members, this type of learning make
use of both resources and goal interdependence.
Dynamic group learning- The learning environment provided by dynamic group helps
has a high likelihood of being succeed. This exhibit-varied independence among the participants
with which of them in the group is striving for achieving common goals (Iier.org.au, 2017).
Formal group learning-In formal learning, students work in groups as asked or
instructed by instructor for completing any particular assignment.Learning activities of group are
defined and assigned to students to instructor and there is formation of heterogeneous group.
Role of instructor is crucial in this type of learning as they are actively involved in monitoring
and evaluating the performance of group (Gelbar et al., 2014). For the identification
improvement of group, instructors ate encouraged to make reflection of participants interaction.

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In formal group learning-Informal cooperative learning group involves formation of
temporary, small and ad hoc groups of students who work together for brief time for answering
questions and responding promptly to the instructors.
Contribution of peer-to-peer learning in promoting student independence:
One of the important benefits of peer-to-peer learning is providing students with an
opportunity to encounter with perspective of greater diversity. Students from their peer along
with just lecturers or instructor receive feedback. This helps them in gaining feedback from two
source that increases their likelihood of working on improving their knowledge and gaining
different ways to improve it.
Expansion and development of range of skills is another benefit to student from being
engaged in peer learning along with development of skills such as problem solving and skills.
This type of learning increases a sense of responsibilities by promoting independence learning
and preparing them for professional workforce and reducing dependence on lecturers. An
opportunity of diverse skill development is provided to students by their engagement in learning
process (Darling-Hammond, 2017).
Another way by which peer learning helps in promoting the independence of students is
enhancement in their employability skills along with the development of attributes such as
critical appraisal and enhancing their ability to communicate. Students would be provided with
assistance at the time of entering their profession by making them engage in collaborative
learning environment. Students would be gaining skills to work with people from diverse culture
and diverse communities that would help them in enhancing a range of attributes required to
enhance their skills of working independently (cft.vanderbilt.edu, 2017). When entering into

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professional life, students inculcating such skills would not be dependent much on their superiors
for taking any decisions. However, seeking guidance from superiors is the way out for dealing
with complex circumstances.
Independence for students is promoted by way of conversation and interaction with other
students as they become more open to questions and gaining review and feedback for the same.
Students would have improved and better level of perceived self-efficacy by providing them the
opportunity to learn with peers. Self-efficacy sources is achieved from peer learning by way of
successfully testing personal experiences after the goals have been achieved, social support,
other peer observation for performing acts and goal achievements, absence of strong emotions.
Psychological empowerment factors such as impact, self-determination and competence helps in
the improvement of students skills. Experience of students in performing activities is depicted by
competence and peer learning helps in increasing their competence skills. Self-determination of
students is enhanced for making decisions (Linton et al., 2014). Another factor that has assisted
students while practicing peer learning is the degree to which administrative, strategic and
operating outcome influences their work.
Negative sides of peer-to-peer learning:
Students experience- It is certainly possible that students will be involved socially and
there is lacking of social conversation, as they are consistently involved in working with same
peers or groups. Therefore, there is no possibility of social development that s required
sometimes for healthy conversation.Since, there exist a vast difference between the experience of
teacher and instructors, they might not learn as much, and gaining knowledge becomes limited.

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The likelihood of development and promotion of positive relationship between teacher
and students is not possible if students are only working with other peers (Wang et al., 2014).
Poor applicability- In most of cases, peer learning is not efficiently and properly applied
that might results from ineffective collaboration of students and teachers.
Lack of confidentiality- Students might struggle, as there exists too much transparency,
as students are able to get engaged with instructors and other peers.
One of the powerful classroom techniques is student helping one other and receiving
assistance from their fellow students. Students are able to take responsibilities and increases
motivation when they collaborate with their fellow learners. Collaboration helps in achieving the
process oriented goals and marketing skills development such as communication, social skills,
project management, problem solving and developing competencies in team player game. Peer
learning help students in cooperative learning that has the characteristics of positive
independence and it is perceived that working in group produces better performance compared to
working individually. Learning process is the main focus of peer learning and fellow students
also offer support while learning which one of the main attributes of such learning (Broadbent &
Poon, 2015). Therefore, it can be seen that students are able to maximize their learning
experience when they are performing task together with fellow students.
It is found from the research and reviewing of several academic journals that students are
benefitted from being engaged in process of peer review. One of the effective tools of learning is
positioning feedback that provides students with dual feedback. Future career of students would
receive assistance through the development of diverse skills. Students are able to involve in deep

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learning by engaging in process of peer review that helps in inspiring workplace (Bowman-
Perrott et al., 2013).
Conclusion:
From the above analysis of academic research on peer learning, it is concluded that
engagement of students in such learning process provides them with several benefits along with
generating opportunities for future career development. However, there are some issues faced in
engaging in such learning process that would be reduced while engaging in the process and it is
not likely to be intimidated promptly. Process of peer learning is not a solitary practice and wide
range of activities can be covered for combining in different ways to become compatible with
suiting particular courses.
Recommendations:
 The perception of students for the peer learning process needs to be shaped and they need
to see a connection between ways of working in classroom and gaining knowledge from
engaging with fellow students.
 Peer learning should also encourage social and personal development for overcoming
some negativity of learning process.

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References list:
Abeysekera, L., & Dawson, P. (2015). Motivation and cognitive load in the flipped classroom:
definition, rationale and a call for research. Higher Education Research &
Development, 34(1), 1-14.
Bowman-Perrott, L., Davis, H., Vannest, K., Williams, L., Greenwood, C., & Parker, R. (2013).
Academic benefits of peer tutoring: A meta-analytic review of single-case
research. School Psychology Review, 42(1), 39.
Broadbent, J., & Poon, W. L. (2015). Self-regulated learning strategies & academic achievement
in online higher education learning environments: A systematic review. The Internet and
Higher Education, 27, 1-13.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teacher education around the world: What can we learn from
international practice?. European Journal of Teacher Education, 1-19.
Gelbar, N. W., Smith, I., & Reichow, B. (2014). Systematic review of articles describing
experience and supports of individuals with autism enrolled in college and university
programs. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 44(10), 2593-2601.

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Group work: Using cooperative learning groups effectively. (2017). Vanderbilt University.
Retrieved 10 October 2017, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/setting-up-
and-facilitating-group-work-using-cooperative-learning-groups-effectively/
Iier.org.au. (2017). Retrieved 10 October 2017, from http://www.iier.org.au/iier23/moore.
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Smith, K. A. (2014). Cooperative learning: Improving
university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. Journal on Excellence in
University Teaching, 25(4), 1-26.
Linton, D., Pangle, W., Wyatt, K., Powell, K. and Sherwood, R. (2014). Identifying Key
Features of Effective Active Learning: The Effects of Writing and Peer Discussion. Cell
Biology Education, 13(3), pp.469-477.
Wang, W., Vaillancourt, T., Brittain, H. L., McDougall, P., Krygsman, A., Smith, D., ... &
Hymel, S. (2014). School climate, peer victimization, and academic achievement: results
from a multi-informant study. School Psychology Quarterly, 29(3), 360.