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Learning Alone vs Peer Learning

The usual assumption when people first talk about distance learning environments is that people will learn by themselves, in their own homes or in other environments. However, many distance learning environments, along with formal learning environments, have recognized the value of peer learning.

In a peer learning situation several students are working together in a learning environment, perhaps different students at different times. This can occur through all kinds of media. Thus the students can be meeting in groups of three to discuss problem solving, or two or three can be working with interactive learning material at a computer display.

Special mechanisms are sometimes needed to produce this in a distance learning environment. For example, the Open University looks into it's data base and finds students in the same area who are taking the same course. In some cases it is possible to get these people together, in peer learning groups.

A variant of this might occur if networks are available to the students. Then several students who are not close can be brought into electronic contact in various ways, because they are studying the same material. They can be involved in conferences or other types of interaction via the computer network. At the moment relatively little of this happens, but it would seem to be an important capability of the future as our networks improve.