Search

This study explores undergraduate students' experiences and perceptions of group discussions facilitated by eStudentMentors in WhatsApp or Telegram groups in the context of German language learning. eStudentMentors are senior peers who volunteer to support novice language learners. The study was conducted with 159 students enrolled in German Language Level 1 and German Language Level 2 at a university in Singapore. Each of the language classes comprises 15-21 students and are assigned an eStudentMentor to facilitate online learning and discussions in a dedicated WhatsApp or Telegram group. With considerations to information-sharing behaviour, the study examines how receptive students are to online information-sharing in this context. As such, a combined quantitative and qualitative online survey questionnaire was used to collect data, with survey questions examining information-sharing behaviour governed by personality traits and based on the Social Exchange Theory, Social Capital Theory, and theory of instinctive information-sharing behaviour. Overall, 55.97% of the students who completed the survey used the WhatsApp or Telegram groups created by their eStudentMentor to ask or answer questions and share information at least once throughout the semester. In comparison, the other 44.13% were completely inactive in their chat groups. This analysis examined the reasons behind this group of students' inactivity and found that a major factor for individual inactivity was the overall inactivity of the chats, which makes the active facilitation of the eStudentMentor a crucial element for success. The lack of social bonds appears to be another main reason for inactivity. Additional factors are class size, unfamiliarity with their classmates, fear of judgement, feeling awkward, having negative assumptions, and low commitment levels. The findings counter the Social Exchange Theory (SET) propositions, as the greater benefits of information sharing are overshadowed by the seemingly trivial cost. Yet, these costs in the form of social perceptions and pressures appear to accumulate and collectively outweigh the rationally perceived benefits to the users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the accessibility of flipped learning from the perspective of two people: one with dyslexia and the other who identifies as being on the autistic spectrum. The paper draws on the continuing evaluation of a course on which all students are part-time work-based learners. The course is designed to showcase how participants might develop their own practice through interaction and practical application. All students are either teaching or supporting learning at a university. The evaluation looks at both teacher and student perspectives on two different flipped learning environments: online and face-to-face. The online environment offers a design model that allows for individual learning and has been appreciated by all participants; however, the face-to-face environment, focusing on peer-to-peer learning, has raised issues. The paper offers two different perspectives on peer-to-peer group work within a work-based environment and concludes with recommendations for those involved in the design and delivery of inclusive work-based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer-to-peer instruction has the potential to allow physically distanced librarians to participate in professional development and network building at low or no cost. Databases represent a significant cost for libraries, and by utilizing databases as an educational assignment, librarians could increase their knowledge of and skills using databases while also growing their own instructional abilities. To test this assumption, underutilized databases were identified and assigned to librarians in the Northern California kpLibraries group. Librarians completed a pre-survey of self-reported database usage and confidence, and then were assigned a database. The librarians were tasked with developing a peer education session on their assigned database to be presented to the group. After the peer instruction sessions, librarians completed a post-survey. The self-reported frequency of use, relevance of search results, confidence in using the databases for finding information, and confidence in teaching the database to patrons all increased after the peer-to-peer instruction sessions. The post-survey results suggest that peer-to-peer instruction on an assigned database is possibly an effective method for librarians to share knowledge and improve skills even when not working in the same location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous growth of online learning and its movement towards cross-border and cross-culture education has recently taken a new turn with the epic hype that currently surrounds the development of massive open online courses (MOOCs) (Beattie-Moss, 2013). This development brings to focus the experiences of international students who take online courses designed and offered within the paradigm of Western pedagogy. Employing a sociocultural theoretical framework (Vygotsky, 1978; Scollon & Scollon, 2001), this paper examines the mediating roles that peers may play in the context of multicultural online learning environments. This two-stage, mixed methods study explored the experiences of 12 international graduate students who took fully online courses in a large research university in the northeastern region of the United States. The data included a survey, online interviews, as well as a case study that took a close look at the experiences of a female student from China. Findings of the study demonstrated that international students that come from diverse native academic backgrounds and cultures may necessitate a close relationship with peers they meet in the US courses. Peers become invaluable mediators of knowledge for international students who seek peer assistance to compensate for the lack of culture-specific knowledge and skills and to satisfy their interest in the host culture. The study suggests that course developers and facilitators should be proactive when assigning group projects and activities so as to enable close peer-to-peer interaction and opportunities for building personal relationships with other class members.

The continuous growth of online learning and its movement towards cross-border and cross-culture education has recently taken a new turn with the epic hype that currently surrounds the development of massive open online courses (MOOCs) (Beattie-Moss, 2013). This development brings to focus the experiences of international students who take online courses designed and offered within the paradigm of Western pedagogy. Employing a sociocultural theoretical framework (Vygotsky, 1978; Scollon & Scollon, 2001), this paper examines the mediating roles that peers may play in the context of multicultural online learning environments. This two-stage, mixed methods study explored the experiences of 12 international graduate students who took fully online courses in a large research university in the northeastern region of the United States. The data included a survey, online interviews, as well as a case study that took a close look at the experiences of a female student from China. Findings of the study demonstrated that international students that come from diverse native academic backgrounds and cultures may necessitate a close relationship with peers they meet in the US courses. Peers become invaluable mediators of knowledge for international students who seek peer assistance to compensate for the lack of culture-specific knowledge and skills and to satisfy their interest in the host culture. The study suggests that course developers and facilitators should be proactive when assigning group projects and activities so as to enable close peer-to-peer interaction and opportunities for building personal relationships with other class members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]