Pair-to-Pair Peer Learning: Comparative Analysis of Face-to-Face and Online Laboratory Experiences

Peer-learning (PL) defines a number of learning methods such as tutorship by peers, collaborative learning, group learning, etc. where learning takes place as a result of interactions between peers. Group-to-group peer learning (GGPL) defines a learning framework where two or more peer groups interact and through those interactions increase the knowledge (or skills) of all group members. The simplest form of GGPL is pair-to-pair peer learning (PPPL) where each group is limited to only two peers per group. In our previous work, a simple PPPL method was implemented in an undergraduate engineering lab conducted in a face-to-face (f2f) manner. Here, f2f and online modes of PPPL are compared using an undergraduate engineering lab as an example. Namely, the same lab (identical lab requirements) is implemented using both approaches. Since the f2f mode has been addressed previously, this work emphasizes the online mode with its challenges, both pedagogical and technological, as well as its benefits. The three pillars of community of inquiry (CoI) framework, teacher presence, social presence, and cognitive presence are relatively easy to accomplish in f2f mode. Establishing a CoI framework as a basis for learning in an online environment must be much more deliberate. In the online learning environment described here, teacher presence is attained synchronously through Zoom meeting lectures, Zoom office hours, and Zoom breakout room hopping, and asynchronously via discussion forums, emails, and text messages. Social presence is accomplished through Zoom breakout rooms (starting with one pair per room for PL and then adding pairs as needed for PPPL) and discussion forums in Blackboard. PPPL assessment instruments measuring knowledge gains, students' perceptions on quality of learning, and students' technological preferences, were developed, implemented, and analyzed. The results show that there were no discernable differences between the f2f and online modes in knowledge gains and student perceptions of learning, while there were some strong opposing opinions on preferences between f2f and online modes of conducting the lab.