Need to master a new skill quickly?
Try asking a peer.
If you want to learn something quickly, try asking an expert. That’s the thinking behind ‘peer learning.’ This is the sort of learning that happens when co-workers share their skills and knowledge. For example, peers are learning from each other when:
- One worker shows another how to use a piece of equipment
- Two colleagues write a team procedure manual
- A staff member tells their supervisor how a problem was solved
- Workers tell a new employee about their team’s history
There are dozens of reasons to use peer learning in your workplace. It’s efficient and effective. Costs are low and benefits are high. Team learning boosts practical skills and raises team spirit. It also improves relationships between colleagues and builds problem solving skills. So why isn’t everyone doing it?
Because teaching your skills to someone else can be hard work. You might not even know where to begin. Luckily, there are ways to make teaching easier. Here are five tips that will turn you into a great teacher.
1. Break down the task
A task can seem simple when you’ve been doing it for years. But is it really? To work out how complex a task is, draw a flowchart. Map out all the steps involved in the task. If there are more than five steps, the task is complex. You’ll need to teach each step separately.
2. Set objectives
Objectives describe what you will teach someone to do. They keep you focussed and help you stay on track when teaching. To write objectives, finish the sentence “at the end of this session, the learner will be able to…”
3. Plan your approach
Good teaching involves thinking ahead. Consider how you will teach each skill. Does the learner need to get hands on experience? Do you need to illustrate concepts by drawing a diagram? What do you need to explain? What equipment will you need? You’ll be a much better teacher if you think about these issues before starting a peer learning session.
4. Stimulate the senses
Learning is an active process. You won’t get anywhere by delivering boring lectures. Instead, think of ways to trigger the senses when you teach. Use pictures, music, film clips and hands on activities. The more varied your approach, the more people will remember what you pass on.
5. Use stories and examples
Stories are much more interesting than dry facts. This means they stick in your learner’s mind. Tell as many stories as you can. They can come from your own experience, from books or from newspapers. The more creative you are, the better your peer learning sessions will be.
If you want to learn more about how to pass on your skills at work, enrol in the University of Wollongong’s new course Peer 2 Peer. This is a fantastic introduction to the art of workplace training.
1 & 2 Day Courses