Peer-to-Peer Learning
There are many ways for children to learn to use the XO and the activities it offers. One model that has shown great promise is that of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) collaboration . When students come together to share their experiences with the XO, they have the chance to learn from peers while taking pride in their personal expertise on different aspects of the hardware and software. The benefits of such an initiative go far beyond gaining familiarity with the XO itself – students are also provided with the opportunity to gain self-confidence and develop habits of teamwork.
The purpose of this Wiki to share experiences with P2P learning in OLPC deployments across the world. Please contribute so that we can learn from each other and provide students with the best possible learning experience. Thank you in advance for your collaboration!
Para recursos y experiencias en Español ver Aprendizaje_entre_Pares
Contents
Experiences from the Community
Nicaragua
| Title | Info | Autor | Year |
| File:P2P Learning and OLPC.pdf | Summary of the Nicaraguan experience with Peer-to-Peer Learning, reference to other experiences and resources, as well as recommendations for current and future initiatives | Jennifer Martino | 2010 |
Academic Studies
OLPC Deployments
| Title | Info | Autor | Year |
| PVC’s XO Laptop Program: Year One Report | Doctoral student Gerald Ardito describes the effects of an XO “tech team,” comprised of twenty fifth and sixth grade public school students in Westchester County, New York | Gerald Ardito | 2009 |
Collaborative Learning: Other Studies
Books
| Title | Info | Author | Year | Publisher |
| Educational cooperation and the use of technology in D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research on educational communications and technology | Researchers and practitioners summarize the literature and explore research methods and models regarding educational cooperation and the use of technology. Attempts to answer questions such as "What does research tell us about television learning or computers as cognitive tools or the design of graphics and text in the technological environment?" and "How are various research methodologies applied in the field of educational communications and technology?" | Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. | 2004 | New York: Macmillan Library Reference. |
| We-think: The Power of Mass Creativity | "We think explores how the web is changing our world, creating a culture in which more people than ever can participate, share and collaborate, ideas and information." Note: The first three chapters of this book are available online for free. | Leadbeater, C. | 2004 | New York: Basic Books Inc. |
| Mindstorms: Children, Computers and Powerful Ideas | "Mindstorms has two central themes: that children can learn to use computers in a masterful way and that learning to use computers can change the way they learn everything else. Even outside the classroom, Papert had a vision that the computer could be used just as casually and as personally for a diversity of purposes throughout a person’s entire life. Seymour Papert makes the point that in classrooms saturated with technology there is actually more socialization and that the technology often contributes to greater interaction among students and among students and instructors" (Amazon.com) | Seymour, P. | 1980 | New York: Basic Books Inc. |
Articles
Free to View
| Title | Info | Author | Journal | Year |
| Cooperative Learning: Theory, Principles, and Techniques | "This paper discusses the use of cooperative learning (CL) in second language (L2) instruction. Aftre two brief definitions of CL, key areas discussed in the paper are: a) how CL relates to theories of L2 acquisition, b) CL principles, and c) some CL techniques and lesson plan considerations when using CL in L2 instruction. An appendix provides a list of websites on CL." | Jacobs, J. | Conference Proceedings | Year unknown |
| Use of reciprocal peer tutoring technique in an environmental control systems course at an undergraduate level | Study on the effects of reciprocal peer tutoring (RPT) on student performance in one of the Environmental Control Systems courses offered by the Department of Construction Science, Texas A&M University. | Choudhury, I. | Journal of Construction Education, 7(3), 137–142 | 2002 |
| Computers in Schools: A Qualitative Study of Costa Rica and Chile | "Interview and observational data collected in 11 schools, selected because of their success with implementing technology programs, report how principals, teachers and students perceive and use technology". Includes discussion of P2P learning. | Alvarez, Roman, Dobles, et.al. | World Bank Human Development Network Education Group | unknown |
Fee for Use
| Title | Info | Author | Journal | Year |
| Peer tutoring: An effective instructional strategy | "This review examines the literature addressing the concept of peer tutoring. Journal articles and education documents written within the last 10 years that discussed peer tutoring were considered." | Sanders, P. | ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED457224 | 2001 |
| Cooperative Learning: Where Behavioral and Humanistic Approaches to Classroom Motivation Meet | Article discussing the "behavioral and humanistic perspectives on collaborative learning." Argues that "it is the combination of group rewards and peer interaction on learning tasks that is necessary to produce the learning gains characteristic of effective cooperative learning models." | Slavin, R. E. | The Elementary School Journal, 88(1): 29-37 | 1987 |
Theses
| Title | Info | Author | Year | Institution |
| Twenty heads are better than one: Communities of children as virtual experts | Thesis describing "the online system [Evard] designed to allow students to consult one another about their individual projects. [She] observed a class of fifth-grade students using [her] online environment during five months, while they were designing and implementing educational computer games in Logo." | Michele Evard | 1998 | MIT |
