Major Constraints of Peer-Learning to Promote Quality of Education:The Case of Jigjiga University Students

Abstract

While admitting the advantages of peer-learning as a cooperative learning strategy, many instructional researchers still raise their concern on its limitations and shortcomings. This research is primarily dealt with assessing the practice of peer-learning approach in Jigjiga University and revealing the prospects and challenges faced by Jigjiga University academic community. The researchers used cross-sectional study design, while survey, depth interview and FGD were triangulated as a research method. The study employed multistage-cluster sampling to draw samples of 303 students, while purposive sampling was used to select samples of 28 teachers and 17 concerned officials. The study findings revealed that though 60.06% of students accepted the approach as a good concept, while the rest 39.93 % of students did not agree with the concept as an approach. In addition, the teachers also had complaints on the way the approach is being implemented. The major challenges students encountered were loss of interest in group formation, principles of peer leader selection, lack of follow up from teachers, and low English language proficiency of students.

To curb the identified problems, the university should have to do a lot on raising awareness on the benefit of the approach and the concerned bodies should revise their principles of group formation, peer-leaders selection, follow up and monitoring activities.