Literature Review: Peer Learning for International Students

This literature review examines the significance of peer learning in higher education, particularly its impact on international students' adaptation and academic performance. The review explores various peer learning methods, including Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) and Supplemental Instructi...Read More

Running head: ACADEMIC COMMUNICATION
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Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
Peer learning is considered to be an educational practice where students interact and
communicate with other students to acquire educational goals. It is one of the widely used
approaches and this approach comes from cognitive psychology (Stone, Cooper & Cant, 2013).
Peer learning is widely applied in the mainstream educational setting or frame work and most
schools and colleges are incorporating and encouraging this method to help students learn,
develop themselves and grow. This paper is a literature review which will focus on the
importance of peer learning and how it helps international students to adapt to the new setting
and learn more effectively and efficiently. Peer learning has been gaining immense popularity in
the education sector and the wide usage of this method is the main reason for which this topic
has been chosen. This paper will discuss about several methods that is used in peer learning
which are highly incorporated by schools and colleges these days. This literature review will be
based on journal research articles and will evaluate the articles to come to the conclusion of the
methods which help assist international students adapt to a new education setting.
Discussion
Peer learning is considered to be one of the effective measures that help students in
learning and attaining their goals in terms of education. There are various peer learning methods
and processes which the education sector is incorporating in their educational structure in order
to provide an enhanced study environment and make students learn in depth.
Peer learning methods and processes

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There are various peer learning methods and processes that have been introduced through
time immemorial in order to contribute to enhance learning of the students. One of the methods
that have been gaining prominence in recent times is known as Peer-Assisted Learning.
Peer-Assisted Learning
Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) is a program led by peers for the students in challenging
and difficult undergraduate courses. The main of these sessions or programs is to provide
students with strategies that will help them in mastering the course they are studying and also
help them in becoming more independent and confident learners (Duah, Croft & Inglis, 2014).
The leaders of the session conduct collaborative and active sessions that help students in
understanding the subject in a broader manner. According to scholars, PAL is one of the most
commonly used methods to help students to attain their desired goals in terms to education.
According to research, 122 students were provided with PAL sessions and the results that were
obtained from the research was around 114 students out of 122 students completed the evaluation
of the questionnaire where it has been seen that around 70% of the students had acquired the
passing marks (Tariq, 2005). From this research it can be understood that the PAL sessions have
a positive impact on students and help in shaping and developing their minds to help them grow
and help in gaining more knowledge (Bone et al, 2019)
.
According to another research, the importance of workshops conducted by peer teams
was analyzed. The main aim of the research was to find out the effects of workshops on the
students and how it helps students in achieving several courses. It has been seen that the
workshops related to programs helped in improving the participation of the students and also

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helped the students in accomplishing positive grades and had resulted in lower course drop
(Muller, Shacham & Herscovitz, 2018).
SI Session
SI sessions are the review strategies that are out-of-class mainly for medium to large
groups. It focuses on designing groups that help each other and work together to create new
strategies to master the courses and also help in preparing quizzes, tests, review material and
many more. According to research it has been seen that SI has helped in contributed in the
success of many students. In this research paper, qualitative and quantitative data were collected
and an SI method was conducted during the years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 (Malm, Bryngfors
& Mörner, 2016). The SI method was provided to engineering students and it has been seen that
the majority of the students that had incorporated this method they had passed the exams (Malm,
Bryngfors & Mörner, 2016). The success meter of this method is evaluated by the results of the
students. If the students pass then this means the session is important and work. However, many
studies state that SI session is not very helpful as students often develop strategies that are not
very effective which results in them getting poor grades (Bruno et al, 2016).
Impacts of peer learning
Peer learning is said to have many benefits that has a high success ratio in improving the
students grade and their attitude towards approaching their way of studying which has helped
students develop themselves and achieve their desired goals. According to research, it has been
seen that peers have a huge role and impact in influencing other students. In the conducted
research it has been seen that peers have huge power in influencing other students to do better in

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terms of the education grades and often copy the approaches of the good student in order to be
like him or her (Peregrina-Kretz et al, 2018). According to scholars, students copy the students
who get good grades to be like them and attain good marks and work towards achieving their
desired and the educational goals that set for them. Research suggests that peer learning does not
only help in improving the students to get better marks and shine but it also helps students
overcome challenges and become positive (Reinholz, 2016). A research conducted showed that
peer learning ahs helped students in helping other students who have difficulty in reading and
has helped them in achieving and gaining success in their academics irrespective of the issue
(Fuchs, Fuchs & Kazdan, 1999). On the contrary, scholars suggest that peer learning is not
fruitful or the correct way to help students with some kind of disorders to achieve better in their
academics. They suggest and state that these students need medical as well as psychological
attention which helps in improving their condition and helps in gaining positive results in their
academics.
Peer learning does not only help students with disorders that students are not very good
enough with their academics but also help international students in adapting to the new learning
environment. Scholars say that peer learning helps in creating a sense of belonging among
international students that helps them learn efficiently and effectively and also help them in
retaining the course (Masika & Jones, 2016). Research conducted in Irish University state that
peer learning has helped students in retaining and learning efficiently and effectively ( Idris, Ion
& Seery, 2019). However, many scholars have argued that peer learning is not a concrete way or
method that can help students in improving their way of studying or help them achieve the goals.
They state that peers often lack experience and a deep insight of the subjects which is a negative
aspect. O'donnell & King, (2014) states experienced teachers help students in learning in depth

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and also provide them with the background of the studies in detailed manner which helps
students in broadening their horizon and learn effectively as well as efficiently.
Conclusion
Peer learning has been incorporated in many educational settings and has been seen that
has helped students achieve their educational goals. Most research articles suggest that peer
learning has been beneficial for them and it has been proven however, there are scholars who
have stated that peer learning is not effective and has been proven to be insufficient in helping
students. Despite of the negative outcomes, peer review has been seen to have helped many
students and especially international students in adapting to new learning environments.

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Reference
Bone, K., Bone, J., Grieshaber, S., & Quinones, G. (2019). A Peer Assisted Learning (PAL)
approach to pre-service teacher professional experiences in Australia: organisational
friendships. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 47(4), 347-360.
DOI:10.1080/1359866X.2018.1539215
Bruno, P. A., Love Green, J. K., Illerbrun, S. L., Holness, D. A., Illerbrun, S. J., Haus, K. A., ...
& Sveinson, K. L. (2016). Students helping students: Evaluating a pilot program of peer
teaching for an undergraduate course in human anatomy. Anatomical sciences education,
9(2), 132-142.
Duah, F., Croft, T., & Inglis, M. (2014). Can peer assisted learning be effective in undergraduate
mathematics?. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and
Technology, 45(4), 552-565. DOI: 10.1080/0020739X.2013.855329
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., & Kazdan, S. (1999). Effects of peer-assisted learning strategies on high
school students with serious reading problems. Remedial and Special Education, 20(5),
309-318.doi: 10.1177/074193259902000507
Idris, A., Ion, G., & Seery, A. (2019). Peer learning in international higher education: the
experience of international students in an Irish university. Irish Educational Studies,
38(1), 1-24. DOI: 10.1080/03323315.2018.1489299
Malm, J., Bryngfors, L., & Mörner, L. L. (2016). The potential of supplemental instruction in
engineering education: creating additional peer-guided learning opportunities in difficult
compulsory courses for first-year students. European Journal of Engineering Education,
41(5), 548-561. DOI: 10.1080/03043797.2015.1107872

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Masika, R., & Jones, J. (2016). Building student belonging and engagement: insights into higher
education students’ experiences of participating and learning together. Teaching in
Higher Education, 21(2), 138-150.
Muller, O., Shacham, M., & Herscovitz, O. (2018). Peer-led team learning in a college of
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O'donnell, A. M., & King, A. (2014). Cognitive perspectives on peer learning. Routledge. DOI:
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Peregrina-Kretz, D., Seifert, T., Arnold, C., & Burrow, J. (2018). Finding their way in post-
secondary education: the power of peers as connectors, coaches, co-constructors and
copycats. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(5), 1076-1090.
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Reinholz, D. (2016). The assessment cycle: a model for learning through peer assessment.
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Stone, R., Cooper, S., & Cant, R. (2013). The value of peer learning in undergraduate nursing
education: a systematic review. ISRN nursing, 2013.
Tariq, V. N. (2005). Introduction and evaluation of peer-assisted learning in first-year
undergraduate bioscience. Bioscience Education, 6(1), 1-19. DOI:
10.3108/beej.2005.06000004

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