Peer Interaction Research Articles

The Effect of TPR Tasks on Word Knowledge of Thai Primary School Learners

Vocabulary acquisition is a fundamental element of mastering the English language, necessitating a comprehensive lexicon that evolves through experiential learning to facilitate accurate comprehension and production of language. The current study examined the impact of Total Physical Response (TPR) tasks on the vocabulary acquisition of Thai primary school students, with a particular focus on the definition of words. It also explored the students’ attitudes towards using TPR tasks for vocabulary learning. The TPR tasks were designed to engage three of the human senses—visual, auditory, and tactile—by incorporating multisensory tasks. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study involved 27 second graders from a primary school in northeastern Thailand. The research methodology utilized three instruments. From a quantitative perspective, the Receptive Word Knowledge Test (RWKT) and the Productive Word Knowledge Test (PWKT) were administered to assess the students’ vocabulary knowledge before and after the intervention within a single-group pretest-posttest framework. Qualitatively, a focus group interview was conducted to gain deeper insight into the students’ attitudes towards participation in TPR activities. The quantitative data indicated a significant enhancement in both receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge among the participants. Furthermore, the qualitative findings highlighted the advantages of TPR tasks, with students expressing increased enthusiasm and competitive spirit and a shared willingness and pleasure in vocabulary learning through interactive tasks and peer interaction. In conclusion, this study corroborates the efficacy of TPR tasks in significantly advancing Thai primary school students’ receptive and productive vocabulary knowledge.

The purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people

Empirical research documents the benefits of summer camps for young people, including disability-specific or medical-speciality residential camps. Using an ethnographic approach which utilized observation and individual and group discussions with the visually impaired young people who attended a summer camp, their parents, and school teachers who staffed the summer camp, we build on the extant research here by exploring, for the first time, the purpose and value of a summer camp for visually impaired young people. The qualitative data generated from our research were subjected to thematic analysis. We discuss the summer camp in relation to the following themes: (1) The summer camp facilitates peer interactions and relationship development; (2) the mixing of age groups facilitates the development of life skills; and (3) the summer camp supports the recruitment of visually impaired young people to Fieldway School [pseudonym].

Investigation of the Relationship between Prosocial and Play Behaviors of 60-72 Months-Old Children Attending Preschool Education

This study was conducted to examine the prosocial behaviours and play behaviours of 60-72-month-old children attending preschool education and the relationship between these behaviours. For this purpose, the research was designed by adopting the correlational survey model. The sample of the study consisted of 300 children aged 60-72 months attending kindergartens in Turkey in the 2021-2022 academic year. "Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale-Teacher Form" and "Preschool Prosocial Behaviour Scale" were used in the study. It was determined that peer play behaviours differed statistically according to the variables of gender, age, parental education level, parental occupation, number of siblings, family income status and previous preschool education. Upon analyzing the prosocial skills of the children participating in the study, it was found that prosocial skills showed a statistically significant difference according to the variables of gender and previous pre-school education, but did not show a statistically significant difference according to the variables of age, parents' education level, parents' occupation, number of siblings and family income status. Another result of the study was that there was a positive relationship between children's prosocial behaviours and play interaction behaviours and a negative relationship between children's play disruptive behaviours.

Exploring the Associations of Afterschool Science Participation and Friendships with Science Identities.

Building on previous research that demonstrates the association of youth experiences in afterschool science and higher science identities, this paper presents a network study of 421 middle school students that examines afterschool science participation, friendship ties, and science identities. Participation in afterschool science clubs is associated with higher science identity, but the mechanisms and order of causality are unclear. Youth form friendships inside and outside of school, and peers may influence participation in afterschool activities, as empirical research on friendships shows that they are associated with youth interests. These peer interactions also have the potential to shape identity development during adolescence. In this study, we explore associations among youth participation in afterschool science clubs, peer friendship groups, and science identity. We find that youth who participate in afterschool science clubs have higher science identities than those who do not participate. Additionally, having friends in afterschool science clubs is associated with higher science identity, even among students who report not participating in clubs themselves. Results suggest that afterschool science clubs support youth science identities, even beyond those who directly participate.

Use of Interaction for Enhanced Communication in Engish as a Second Language Classroom

Introduction: The acquisition of English as a Second Language (ESL) is in demand due to globalization. Although educators apply different techniques in teaching the English language effectively; acquiring a second language should incorporate interaction to facilitate both educators and learners to communicate effectively. Objective: This review aims to empower educators to incorporate interaction into active learning within the ESL classroom by exploring valuable insights from scholarly perspectives, encompassing various types of interaction, interaction principles, the pivotal roles of teachers, and a diverse range of activities to enhance communication in ESL classrooms. Methodology: A standardized methodology was deployed in this review. The literature review was carried out using keywords related to ESL classrooms and interaction to search for scholarly articles and books from 1978 to 2023. Non-peer-reviewed sources and non-English language studies were excluded. The extracted data were thematically analyzed. Results: The review identified student interaction as a fundamental element in the acquisition of English as a second language. Further, it was found that various interaction types, peer interaction, interactive principles, the teacher's role, and classroom activities are conducive to enhanced communication in ESL classrooms. Conclusion: Interaction stands as an indispensable foundation for achieving success in the acquisition of English as a second language. The factors discussed in this review empower educators to seamlessly integrate interaction into second language acquisition.

Alone, together: how a strategy of writing, reflecting and relating helped research students deal with isolation

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to assess the impact of the synchronous online teaching strategy on higher degree research students, particularly those dealing with isolation. The aim is to enhance their coping mechanisms and writing productivity, fostering a supportive learning environment.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of a synchronous online teaching strategy designed for Higher Degree Research students who may experience isolation. The strategy incorporated activities involving writing, reflection, and peer interaction, targeting students who prefer social and solitary learning.FindingsThe results indicate that the teaching strategy significantly benefited a majority of higher degree research students, promoting skill improvement in writing, reflection, and meaningful connections within the student community. Notably, it exhibited the strongest positive correlation with solitary learners, particularly in terms of social connection, reducing their sense of isolation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research underscores the potential of tailored teaching strategies in addressing isolation among Higher Degree Research students, acknowledging limitations including reliance on surveys. The study’s findings have significance for pedagogical design in online and blended learning environments, offering strategies to combat isolation and enhance the student experience while supporting diverse learning preferences. Further investigation into different learning contexts and demographics is also warranted.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the field by demonstrating the positive impact of a synchronous online teaching strategy on higher degree research students, particularly those prone to isolation. It emphasises the value of tailored approaches in enhancing their educational experience and combating feelings of solitude.

Four distinct peer interaction variables as moderators of the fearful temperament‐anxiety association, using data from the Generation R Study

Four distinct peer interaction variables as moderators of the fearful temperament‐anxiety association, using data from the Generation R Study

Impact of formative assessment in improving writing skills in English as a second language among selected senior high schools in Sulu

This descriptive-correlational study examined the impact of formative assessment on English as a second language writing skills in public senior high schools in Sulu during the School Year 2023-2024 using 100 samples taken through non-probability sampling via purposive sampling. It used weighted mean, standard deviation, t-test for independent samples, One-way ANOVA, and Pearson's and found the following:1) Of the 100 student-respondents, mostly male, 19–20 years old, enrolled in GAS strand, whose parents have elementary education and monthly incomes of 10,000 or less; 2) Formative assessment improved English writing skills on average; 3) Besides age, gender, strand, parent's educational attainment, and parent's average monthly income significantly moderate how senior high school students evaluate formative assessment's impact on English writing skills. The impact of formative assessment on English writing skills is perceived differently by student-respondents in different strands. ABM students perceive Writing Skill Development better, TVL students’ perception Teacher Feedback and Guidance, and HUMMS students’ perception Peer Interaction and Collaboration. Whereas, Student-respondents whose parent's average monthly income is within 10,000-15,000 are better perceivers of Writing Skill Development, Teacher Feedback & Guidance, and Peer Interaction & Collaboration; 4) Senior high school students in Sulu who perceived formative assessment as improving English writing skills as Agree or with High Extent are very similar; In ESL writing, this approach states that students learn from their own experiences, others, and their surroundings.

Design and Implementation of Interactive, Remote Online Escape Rooms in Medicinal Chemistry

This research explores the development, execution, and student feedback on a multi-themed digital escape room (ER) activity, designed for teaching medicinal chemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aimed to examine students' perceptions of the ER activity, focusing on its effectiveness in enriching students’ understanding of medicinal chemistry and increasing their engagement level. Implemented in a synchronous online lecture for third-year pharmacy students, this ER activity was designed with the intention of fostering active learning and teamwork. A total of 184 students participated in various medicinal chemistry-themed challenges, using puzzles on a virtual whiteboard and breakout rooms for team discussions. The findings gathered from the post-implementation survey highlight the impactful learning outcomes associated with a replicable ER activity designed for online medicinal chemistry courses. This innovative teaching strategy not only cultivated a deeper understanding of key medicinal topics among students (mean=4.36) but also enhanced their collaborative skills through increased peer interaction (mean=3.73). They also reported higher level of engagement due to the interesting activities (mean=4.53). The quantitative results were affirmed by the qualitative feedback obtained from the open-ended questions, indicating a consistently positive learning experience and student reception towards the ER implementation. Although they encountered obstacles like stress, internet issues, and unfamiliarity with the ER format, more than 70% of the students agreed that the ER activity was a highly effective learning tool. This digital ER activity also demonstrates promise as an educational tool to encourage active learning and enhance students' motivation in learning medicinal chemistry. The study has showcased the potential benefits of integrating digital ERs into traditional teaching methods, especially for catering to the preferences of Generation Z students in a collaborative learning environment. In addition, the research offers valuable insights into the use of ERs in pharmacy education, contributing to the scarce literature on ER applications in medicinal chemistry and opening avenues for further research on ER-based educational strategies.

Using AI-Based Virtual Companions to Assist Adolescents with Autism in Recognizing and Addressing Cyberbullying.

Social media platforms and online gaming sites play a pervasive role in facilitating peer interaction and social development for adolescents, but they also pose potential threats to health and safety. It is crucial to tackle cyberbullying issues within these platforms to ensure the healthy social development of adolescents. Cyberbullying has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes among adolescents, including anxiety, depression, academic underperformance, and an increased risk of suicide. While cyberbullying is a concern for all adolescents, those with disabilities are particularly susceptible and face a higher risk of being targets of cyberbullying. Our research addresses these challenges by introducing a personalized online virtual companion guided by artificial intelligence (AI). The web-based virtual companion's interactions aim to assist adolescents in detecting cyberbullying. More specifically, an adolescent with ASD watches a cyberbullying scenario in a virtual environment, and the AI virtual companion then asks the adolescent if he/she detected cyberbullying. To inform the virtual companion in real time to know if the adolescent has learned about detecting cyberbullying, we have implemented fast and lightweight cyberbullying detection models employing the T5-small and MobileBERT networks. Our experimental results show that we obtain comparable results to the state-of-the-art methods despite having a compact architecture.

Incentivising peers in local transactive energy markets: A case study for consumers, prosumers and prosumagers

AbstractA decarbonised future grid should couple technological novelty with innovative market models to efficiently capture the value of grid‐edge decarbonised assets. The transactive energy (TE) concept inverts the centralised grid model by leveraging the evolution of consumers to prosumers to prosumagers. The principal TE market design challenge is transactive control—using market and pricing mechanisms to coordinate autonomous peer interactions, to optimally allocate power and incentivise peers. Peer attraction, incentivisation and retention are all critical for practical TE implementation along three adoption stages, starting from independent peer transactions with the centralised market; to decentralised peer coordination; towards distributed peer‐to‐peer trading. Addressing gaps in related scholarship, the authors investigate the economic positions of distinct peer roles in each adoption stage and two local pricing strategies. Using a real market dataset, trading decisions are simulated over a 1‐year horizon at hourly granularity. Coordinated action achieves better transactive control for the community, with economic superiority over centralised and distributed mechanisms. Distinct peer incentives should equitably align with their contribution to market functionality, such as the value ascribed to prosumagers' flexibility in local pricing and the constrained bargaining power of prosumers in distributed bilateral negotiations.

A follow-up study of peer relationships in autistic and non-autistic youths: Mediating effects from autistic, emotional and behavioral symptoms

BackgroundLittle is known about how clinical features prospectively influence peer relationships in autistic populations. AimsThis study investigated the clinical symptoms mediating the link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and peer relationships at follow-up, i.e. the second time evaluation of this study. MethodsThe sample consisted of 366 autistic youths and 134 non-autistic comparisons. The autistic traits and emotional/behavioral problems were measured at baseline by Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The interactions and problems with peers were assessed by the Social Adjustment Inventory for Children and Adolescents (SAICA) at follow-up. ResultsEach subscore of SRS and CBCL showed significant mediation effects. Multiple mediation analyses showed atypical social communication, social awareness problems, and delinquent behaviors mediated the link from ASD to less active peer interactions after controlling for sex, age, and IQ. Moreover, atypical social communication, social-emotional problems, and attention difficulties predicted problems with peers. After considering these mediation effects, the diagnosis of ASD still demonstrated a significantly direct effect on peer relationships at follow-up. Conclusions and implicationsOur findings support that social-related autistic features, attention problems, and delinquent behaviors mediated a link between ASD and peer relationships. These mediators are potential measures for improving interactions and decreasing difficulties with peers in the autistic population.

The role of feedback type and peer interaction on knowledge acquisition in a flipped classroom on social science research methods

The role of feedback type and peer interaction on knowledge acquisition in a flipped classroom on social science research methods

Participation for learners with cognitive disabilities in class activities during the pandemic in UAE: issues and barriers

The study examines issues related to achieving meaningful participation in class activities as an element of social inclusion of learners with cognitive disabilities aged 14–19 years that are enrolled in educational institutions (schools/centres) during COVID-19 in United Arab Emirates. The paper relied on a qualitative approach with 5 sessions of virtual observation and 18 semi-structured virtual interviews with learners themselves and their care givers/parents as the main methodological tool given lack of access to physical means at the time of data collection during the global pandemic (2021–22). The analysis was thematic, focusing on explored and extracted main issues that impact one important aspect of the social inclusion of such learners, which is their active participation during a difficult time. The results showed that learners with cognitive disabilities faced additional several issues in addition to what members of the surrounding community dealt with during the disaster. Data revealed that they were immensely affected by the pandemic, with another layer of social isolation, lack of peer interaction as well as family restriction that is directed at them with additional measures than everyone in the household. It also showed that despite the efforts and programmes designed by schools/institutes that were in place to support their engagement in academic and social activities, participation as an important social aspect of their school lives was badly impacted. Despite calls for prioritizing such learners, the study revealed that learners with cognitive disability were constructed as ‘last on the list’ among class community members in terms of their participation and active engagement in different class activities. The data were purposefully collected at a time that is unlikely to be replicated for many years to come (a global pandemic), the purpose was to give a reflection on the status allocated to such individuals during hard, unusual and/or difficult times for any future practice. The paper forwards recommendations to support educational institutions to promote active participation of learners with cognitive disabilities.

Households in energy transition: Promoting household energy-sufficient routines via app-based peer-to-peer interaction

We engage a community of ca. 200 voluntary Swiss households in using a smartphone app that provides energy consumption feedback and offers peer-to-peer interaction possibilities to share experiences on household routine change. Surveys prior to and three months after app use, in-app usage analytics, and analysis of in-app posts indicate that most households preferred individual-level consumption feedback: app-mediated peer interaction was only performed by a small household subsample, precluding community-level social learning. Most self-reported daily energy routines changed after app use, though effect size was generally small, apart from thermostat settings. Also, we found most app users were already well-informed on energy topics and engaged in energy savings at home. Future research could explore how to better reach alternative audiences for app-based interventions, and improve the effectiveness of social interactions to collectively experiment with new sustainable practices, therefore giving less prominence to individual-level app features.

‘Someone has taken all my tiaras' pre-teen girls’ emotional engagements with controversial online behaviors

ABSTRACT Based on ethnographic fieldwork including video recordings, this study examines how pre-teen girls, in everyday peer interaction, deal with controversial issues on a social media network. Drawing on a multimodal interactional approach, we analyze the situated affective and collaborative embodied work through which a peer group unravels and remedies problematic online behaviors (cheating, scamming, stealing). The results show how the girls affectively align themselves to deal with online risks in ways that demand different social media skills as well as networks of supportive peers. The girls agentively draw upon the affordances (texting, images, social norms) of the social media network as well as their expertise and collective knowledge of similar online events. The creative power of the peer group plays an important role, in terms of how the girls nourish their peer culture while building mutual trust and collaborative competencies for interpreting and anticipating risky practices in their lives with peers.

Exploring Conflict Dynamics Model in Second Language Collaborative Writing Classrooms

Global pioneers had done quite a lot of theoretical and pedagogical research on peer conflicts, among which they considered Second Language (L2) peer assessment, teachers’ assessment, and the classification and identification of conflicts. While few scholars stand in L2 collaborative writing classrooms in early attempts to witness the conflict dynamics that learners confront in producing peer feedback. Therefore, this study gathers data from a Chinese university and seeks to expose the dynamic development of the conflict in peer interaction and characterize the intragroup conflict phase model. It is of great reference value for teachers to enact much of the teaching design in China since the data was initially extracted from Chinese classrooms. Implications for teaching are addressed, along with recommendations for future research.

Potential Mechanism Linking Peer Relationships and Adolescent Prosocial Behavior: Mediation of Cognitive Empathy and Moderations of OXTR and DRD2.

Peers are important socializers of adolescent prosocial behavior. Still, the proximal cognitive and emotional process underlying this link and the sources of individual differences in sensitivity to peer influence have yet to be explored. Utilizing the gene-gene-environment (G × G × E) approach and multi-informant measurement, this study investigated how peer relationships operate to influence adolescent prosocial behavior by examining the mediating role of cognitive and emotional empathy, and the moderating role of the OXTR and DRD2 genes. The study utilized longitudinal data from a community sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 1080, Mage = 13.32 years at T1). Results showed that cognitive empathy rather than emotional empathy mediated the link between peer acceptance/rejection and prosocial behavior. Furthermore, the association among peer acceptance, cognitive empathy, and prosocial behavior was moderated by OXTR and DRD2. Specifically, adolescents with the combinations of AA/AA or G/G genotypes of OXTR/DRD2 benefited more from peer acceptance compared to their counterparts carrying other combined genotypes. The findings highlight cognitive empathy as a proximal process linking peer interaction to prosocial behavior and lend support to the interaction between oxytocinergic and dopaminergic systems on environmental sensitivity.

How Competition Shapes Peer Effects: Evidence from a University in China

Abstract Competition is widely used to enhance effort and performance. However, in many domains, like education, competition could backfire, as performance is not solely reliant on individual efforts but also on collaboration endeavors among peers. Utilizing university administrative data, we examine how competition changes peer effects and peer interactions. Exploiting randomly assigned roommates, we first demonstrate that high-ability roommates have detrimental effects on the academic performance of high-ability students. More importantly, such negative peer effects significantly increase along various dimensions of competition intensity within dorm rooms. Follow-up survey findings reveal that competition hinders mutual assistance and fosters unfriendly behaviors among roommates.

Out-of-class Language Learning (OCLL): A Case Study of a Visually-Impaired EFL Learner

There is an increasing concern on how to meet the needs of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners with visual impairments. Existing literature has explored how visually-impaired EFL learners participate in learning activities within the formal classroom. However, there is a lack of research examining their out-of-class language learning (OCLL) activities. Therefore, anchored on Benson's (2011) concept of OCLL, a qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the OCLL behaviors of a proficient visually impaired EFL learner. Through personal interviews and journal writings, the study identified three primary stages of OCLL activities that the participant went through: the initial exposure to English, the early production of English, and the development of communication skills. The study revealed that the participant transitioned from passive to active learning by effectively exploring the locus of control and combining a physical and online learning environment. Additionally, the social dimension, encompassing peer interaction and support, helped the participant in optimizing their learning outcomes.