Peer learning: Difference between teachers' actions and behaviour

Feb 22, 2024 • 3:49 AM UTC

Tikrapara, Chhattisgarh, India

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Workshops and Events

Rafikh Shaikh

I'm a science educator interested in everything science.

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Yesterday, I conducted a workshop with teachers from the Raipur region of Chhattisgarh. Following are some videos taken during the workshop.

You can see how teachers are collaborating. Yesterday, a few teachers came late and missed the assembly part. A few teachers spontaneously took it upon themselves to teach them and make sure that they were able to follow the rest of the activities.

This experience made me wonder: when teachers are themselves in learning spaces like yesterday's workshop, they learn through social interactions; it happens spontaneously. However, these same teachers, when in their classrooms, do not seem to use the potential of peer learning during the teaching process. Rarely do we see teachers allowing students to talk to their peers. Most teachers would say, "Ask me; don't talk among yourselves".

Why does this happen? Do they see their learning and students' learning as different processes? Or are they reflecting on their experience in learning spaces and connecting it with students learning in their classrooms?

While reflecting on yesterday's experience and sequence of activities in the workshop, I think I should include a part where teachers reflect on their learning experience and connect with students learning in their classrooms. So far, I have only discussed how Foldscope can make science teaching effective and hands-on. But I think I should also add part of a reflection on the learning process itself.