Student-student interaction is a vital part of any student learning experience whether face-to-face, blended/hybrid, or online. With the increasing use of online course delivery in higher education, this is a perfect time to discuss student-student interaction. According to research, the more that students interact with each other through engagement opportunities fostered by the instructor, the more they get to know and learn from each other.
In a recent case study, Amrullah and Zahratun (2022)
explored how students interact with each other in online learning environments.
The study was situated in a public university in Indonesia with students
participating in the Teaching English for Young Learners online course. The lecturer designed the course to promote
student-student interactions. Students participated in real-time virtual
discussions as synchronous meetings to discuss, exchange their ideas, and
interact with each other. The lecturer
provided new insight and skills to the students through posted materials. Students
engaged in WhatsApp groups and used Moodle as an asynchronous platform to
discuss course materials and collaborate on group projects. Students had
opportunities to learn from each other, the content, and the lecturer. During
assigned synchronous meetings, one group served as the expert for a particular
topic. The lecturer encouraged the other groups to raise questions and discuss
authentic cases with the expert group. In this sense, the lecturer played “a
pivotal role in facilitating students to have effective interactions by
providing various activities, prepared materials, and support” (p. 37).
Likewise, Morrison (2021) found that student-student
interaction in online courses led to greater student success in overcoming
barriers and challenges to online learning. Morrison removed and replaced all
quizzes with discussion boards in online courses. Students discussed real-world
situations to stimulate authentic and creative social interactions to learn
from each other. The credit per discussion board was broken into two parts with
the initial response worth 15 points and the response to peers worth 5 points. The
module topics were incorporated into the discussion board. Morrison discovered
that students preferred the discussion boards to the quizzes and developed a greater sense of an
inclusive academic community. In addition, in the public organization
course, students worked in groups to create a public sector organization based
on the topics covered in the course. For the final assignment, student groups
presented their project via video. Real-world application through discussion
boards and group projects enhanced the students’ subject mastery and critical
thinking skills.
In summary, one way to increase student engagement is
through student-student interaction. As educators, you can create opportunities
for students to engage with other students. As you explore new possibilities,
ask yourself these questions: How can I provide opportunities for students
to get to know their classmates throughout the semester or year and not just on
day one? How can I create opportunities for student-student interaction through
activities, assignments, and instructional materials? What technology will I
use, such as discussions in a learning management system, VoiceThread,
Flip
(previously FlipGrid), or Padlet?
References
Amrullah, & Zahratun N. (2022). Student-student
interaction in an online learning during the covid-19 pandemic. Journal of
Applied Studies in Language, 6(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.31940/jasl.v6i1.446
Morrison, J. S.
(2021). Getting to Know You: Student-Faculty Interaction and Student Engagement
in Online Courses. Journal of Higher Education Theory & Practice, 21(12),
38–44. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v21i12.4697
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Cite this blog: Washington, G.
(2022, August 31). Student-student interaction [Blog post]. Retrieved
from https://pedagogybeforetechnology.blogspot.com/
Photo by Maya Maceka on Unsplash
