The Lowdown on Peer Learning

Your Task:

• Define what "peer learning" means to you
• Sketch out a peer learning project

Step 1: What is Peer Learning?

We bet you're here because you want to run a course on P2PU. We are very psyched about that. Let's get started.

Generally, peer learning at P2PU has 3 "givens":

• Everyone has expertise in something.
• We learn by connecting with each other and sharing what we know.
• We give each other feedback to improve our projects.

So, Peer 2 Peer University is a bunch of people who like to learn this way:

Step 2: What is a Peer Learning Project?

Basically a peer learning project has 3 core "pieces":

• Skills: what do you want folks to know?
• Projects: what do you want folks to make to demonstrate that understanding?
• Feedback: how do you want folks to share their projects and integrate that feedback?

Step 3: Design your Peer Learning Project:

Select a skills set you want folks to know--some ideas:

• precise feedback
• design thinking
• community engagement
• video production
• teamwork

Select a project that peers can make that will demonstrate those skills--some ideas:

• make a video tutorial
• write a song
• craft a mockumentary
• produce a drawing, photo or game
• hack together robots
• draft a recipe

Select a feedback mechanism so peers can work together and share--some ideas:

• a Badge for a data visualization project
• design critique each week
• accuracy check: check each other's work
• webinar to showcase a project

Now that you have your skills, your project and your feedback mechanism, complete the following Mad Libs-esque prompt:

In my _(catchy title) course my peers will master _(skills) by doing _ (project) and __ (peer interactions) .

Here is an example:

In my "Web; The Movie" challenge my peers will understand how the web works by producing a mockumentary and giving design critiques.

Please post your definition of peer learning, and your Mad Libs exercise below before moving on.