‘Learning to the power of two’ by Moritz Poser, Training Journal, February 2011

This did not strike me as a great surname for someone who is trying to gain acceptance from cynical readers like me but then I saw that the author is of German origin where presumably ‘Poser’ has a quite different meaning. But despite this poor start, I persevered with the article and found it to be thought provoking, but in a different context to the author’s intention.

The basic premise of the article is that people attending learning programmes will learn more if, as part of the design, there is the ability to work in pairs. My first inclination was that this is nothing new; most of us running interactive programmes will include the idea of pairs working together, for instance on short tasks that do not justify breaking into syndicate groups.

However the author takes this further by advocating a more structured and controlled approach, ‘rotating pairs’ which allow participants to experience joint learning with a number of people during a programme, interspersing these sessions between more formal inputs.

The argument is that people working in pairs are more likely to communicate as people do in real life, like having a conversation with a ‘friend, shopkeeper or hairdresser’. There is not the same formality and tension that you find with larger groups. Pairs will create a level of confidence and trust which is particularly important for those of a shy disposition. The author also quotes research which suggests large increases in learning effectiveness if pairs are involved

While accepting some of this reasoning, I was unsure about its general application. Doesn’t this depend on the compatibility of the pair concerned, on their learning styles and their existing levels of knowledge? If this method is used instead of the more normal syndicate groups of 4 or 5 people, don’t you miss out on the richness of discussion and the interaction achieved by group dynamics? And why not use ‘trios’, which might achieve the best of both worlds?

After finishing the article I remained unconvinced, because the design of learning programmes should not involve ‘either/or’ choices, it should involve all sorts of activities and groupings, depending upon the task and the context. I accept that maybe we should make greater use of pairs for the more challenging case studies where larger groups find it difficult to maintain cohesion, or for non-English speakers who can get lost in a larger group discussion.

However, the main benefit of the article was to remind me of a conviction I have long held in the context of e-learning. This is that if you can encourage learners with similar knowledge levels to go through e-learning packages in pairs, you can get the best of both worlds. You remove some of the loneliness and insecurity of e-learning work, while maintaining most of the benefits of self driven learning. For some reason that I have never fully understood, individuals and clients have rarely bought into this idea. Maybe Herr Poser would perhaps be better directing his ideas towards this context, where it might well increase both the take-up and the effectiveness of computer based learning.

Click here to read the article in full;
http://www.trainingjournal.com/feature/2011-02-01-learning-to-the-power-of-two/