Communities of Practice or Communicative Rationality? A Study of Autonomous Peer Assisted Learning

Autor/inn/en	Jayathilake, Chitra; Huxham, Mark
Titel	Communities of Practice or Communicative Rationality? A Study of Autonomous Peer Assisted Learning
Quelle	In: Active Learning in Higher Education, 23 (2022) 3, S.205-216 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Huxham, Mark)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1469-7874
DOI	10.1177/1469787421998123
Schlagwörter	Communities of Practice; Peer Teaching; Personal Autonomy; Undergraduate Students; Tutors; Learner Engagement; Foreign Countries; Student Attitudes; Sri Lanka + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Community; Peer group teaching; Peer Group Teaching; Individuelle Autonomie; Förderlehrer; Lehrender; Tutor; Ausland; Schülerverhalten; Ceylon
Abstract	Defined as 'networks of learning relationships among students and significant others', peer assisted learning takes a bewildering array of forms in higher education. A useful way to conceptualise these is to draw from ideas of communities of practice and communicative rationality, with the degree of student autonomy a third key element. We illustrate this approach with a study of Kuppi, an example of peer assisted learning initiated and organised entirely by students. We interviewed undergraduate participants from six state universities in Sri Lanka and found strong support for this model of peer assisted learning from student learners and student tutors. These classes are characterised by informality and discussion, flexibility in timing and location and a focus on assessments. Students determine the content and who teaches, whilst tutors give their time without payment, out of fraternity and to improve their own learning and skills. The theory of communicative rationality helped explain much of the attraction of this form of peer assisted learning. There was evidence for a strong community of practice; however apart from peer tutors aspiring to become academics, this involved mostly reinforcement of student identity rather than transformation into emerging roles. The high levels of engagement and student autonomy shown by Kuppi challenge suggestions that peer assisted learning must be organised by tutors if it is to be effective. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01