The SYNERGY Induction to Pedagogy programme was created by project partners, with the aim of helping micro-enterprise owners using the SYNERGY Exchange platform, to engage in peer-to-peer learning opportunities. This training programme comprises six modules and is delivered over 5 hours through a series of video lectures and PowerPoints which have been written, developed and recorded by project partners. These modules provide micro-enterprise owners with a sound understanding of the basics in relation to e-didactics, quality criteria of peer-learning, evaluation of online learning resources and online learning environments, producing quality learning resources for peers and other knowledge that has helped them to become competent and confident online peer-educators. This module is entitled ‘Training of Peers’ and provides content which provides an introduction to the characteristics of peer educators, instructional design theory and some common models used, and a brief overview of adult learning styles. These slides are available in English, Finnish, German, Greek, Italian and Romanian.

1. Induction to Pedagogy
Training of Peers
Introduction
SYNERGY Exchange (http://synergyexchange.eu/)
Created for “SYNERGY”, an ERASMUS+ project

2. Overview
• Introduction – Module Scope
• Unit I – Peer Educators
• Unit II – Instructional Design
• Unit III – Learning Styles
• Unit IV – Hands on with SYNERGY

3. • Characteristics of peer educators and e-tutors
• Instructional design and collaborative
methodologies
• Introduction to adult learning styles and how to
implement different approaches to each
• Introduction to the Course Creator tools
available through the SYNERGY Exchange
platform
Module Scope

4. Induction to Pedagogy
Training of Peers
Unit I: Peer Educators
SYNERGY Exchange (http://synergyexchange.eu/)
Created for “SYNERGY”, an ERASMUS+ project

5. • A peer educator is anyone who is of a similar
status as the person being educated.
• As such peer educators are the ones holding a
more in-depth knowledge or experience on a
common peer group subject.
• Peer educators are often called peer mentors
in an adult education setting.
Peer Educators

6. “Peer tutoring is the system of instruction in
which learners help each other and learn by
teaching. Tutoring schemes have been used in a
variety of contexts, with students teaching
students, students teaching school pupils, non-
professional adults teaching adults and children,
and pupils teaching pupils.”
(Goodlad and Sinclair, 1989)
Defining Peer Education or Tutoring

7. Characteristics of Peer Educators
The role of a Peer Educator is to provide guidance,
inspiration and support to his or her colleagues.
Some characteristics of a Peer Educator include:
• In depth understanding of the knowledge and skills
they will be sharing
• Respected by their peers
• Ability to lead both by modelling outstanding
practices and by guiding their peers through
observations and dialogue
Peer educators main role is to guide. They offer positive
solutions to challenges that are identified by their peers

8. The following is a list of questions the Peer Educators
should ask before they begin peer-tutoring:
• What are the goals of my course/module?
• Why am I starting this course/module?
• Have I discussed this idea with relevant peers? And, if
so, what was their response?
• What are the needs of my peers, and how will my
course/module address them?
• What steps do I need to take in order to put this
course/module together?
Peer Educators Should Ask

9. • Do I feel strongly enough about peer-tutoring to
commit the required time and energy to it?
• What will the peer learners do once they are trained?
• How do I plan on recruiting learners?
• What are the individual strengths that I bring in this
course/module, and how can I best utilise those
strengths educating my peers?
• What is a comfortable "size" for my course/module?
• How often will I have the time to support my peers in
assimilating this new knowledge and skills?
Peer Educators Should Ask

10. Induction to Pedagogy
Training of Peers
Unit II: Instructional Design
SYNERGY Exchange (http://synergyexchange.eu/)
Created for “SYNERGY”, an ERASMUS+ project

11. • Kemp’s model has been introduced in the Induction to
Pedagogy module: Design of Learning Resources.
– You may wish to re-visit this module to refresh your
memory.
• Kemp’s instructional design model is based on a
continuous process of implementation and evaluation
– This model incorporates a feedback loop that helps
the trainer to adapt and enrich their resources,
whilst delivering training.
Kemp’s Instructional Design Model

12. In the context of the SYNERGY Exchange
Platform Kemp’s model can be facilitated by:
• Supporting your peers via the Network section
discussion panels;
• Introducing Quizzes into your modules;
• Facilitating peer group brainstorming;
• Requesting feedback and reinforcing content.
Kemp’s Instructional Design Model

13. Overview of Kemp’s Model
Planning
SupportServices
SummativeEvaluation
Project Management
Revision
Formative Evaluation
Instructional
Problems
Evaluation
Instruments
Instructional
Delivery
Designing a
Message
Instructional
Strategies
Learners
Characteristics
Task
Analysis
Instructional
Objectives
Content
Sequencing

14. Induction to Pedagogy
Training of Peers
Unit III: Learning Styles
SYNERGY Exchange (http://synergyexchange.eu/)
Created for “SYNERGY”, an ERASMUS+ project

15. • People have different learning styles
• A classic model of learning styles is that proposed by
Honey and Mumford. They developed Kolb’s
experiential learning cycle and outlined four different
learning styles of learners, i.e. activists, reflectors,
theorists and pragmatists.
• Learning styles provide us with a way of understanding
how individuals learn in different ways
• Usually a person has some characteristics of all learning
styles, but they tend to have one dominant style
Honey & Mumford Learning Styles

16. Honey & Mumford: Typology of
Learners
Concrete
Experience
Reflective
Observation
Abstract
Conceptualization
Active
Experimentation
Activist: prefers doing &
experiencing
Reflector: observes &
reflects
Theorist: wants to understand
underlying reasons, concepts &
relationships
Pragmatist: likes to
experiment & see how things
work

17. Honey & Mumford: Typology of Learners
Activists:
• Learn by doing.
• Involve themselves in new experiences, and will ‘try
anything once’.
• Tend to act first and consider the consequences
afterwards.
• Activists learn best when:
– involved in new experiences, problems and opportunities;
– thrown in at the deep end;
– working with others in problem solving, games, role-playing
exercises;
– able to lead a group.

18. Honey & Mumford: Typology of Learners
Reflectors:
• Learn by observing and thinking about what happened.
• Like to consider all the possible angles and implications
before coming to a considered opinion.
• Spend time listening and observing, and tend to be
cautious and thoughtful.
• Reflectors learn best when:
– able to stand back and observe first;
– given time to think and investigate before commenting or
acting;
– given an opportunity to review what has happened;
– doing tasks without deadlines.

19. Honey & Mumford: Typology of Learners
Theorists:
• Like to understand the theory behind the actions.
• Need models, concepts and facts in order to learn.
• Like to analyse and synthesise, and feel uncomfortable
with subjective judgements.
• Theorists learn best when:
– an activity is backed up by ideas and concepts that form a
model, system or theory;
– in a structured situation with a clear purpose;
– they have the chance to question and probe;
– required to understand a complex situation.

20. Honey & Mumford: Typology of Learners
Pragmatists:
• Are keen on trying things out.
• Look for new ideas that can be applied to the problem in
hand.
• Like to get on with things and tend to be impatient with
open-ended discussions; they are practical, down-to-earth
people.
• Pragmatists learn best when:
– there is an obvious link between the topic and a current need;
– they are shown techniques with clear practical advantages;
– they can try things out with feedback from an expert;
– they can copy an example, or emulate a role model.

21. Honey & Mumford: Typology of Learners
Exercise:
Think of different activities and training approaches you
could use, which would suit the different learner styles;
o Activists
o Reflector
o Theorist
o Pragmatist

22. Honey & Mumford: Typology of Learners
Exercise:
Think of different activities and training approaches you
could use, which would suit the different learner styles;
o Activists
o Reflector
o Theorist
o Pragmatist

23. • Another common model for identifying participants
learning styles is the “VARK” theory.
• The acronym VARK stands for
o Visual (V)
o Aural (A)
o Read/Write (R)
o Kinaesthetic (K).
• VARK represents the various preferences of an
individual learner in terms of gathering, organising and
absorbing information
Flemings VARK theory

24. Visual learners:
• Information presented in maps, spider diagrams, charts,
graphs, flow charts, labelled diagrams, and all the
symbolic arrows, circles, hierarchies and other devices,
that people use to represent what could have been
presented in words.
• Does NOT include still pictures or photographs of reality,
movies, videos or PowerPoint.
• Does include designs, whitespace, patterns, shapes and
the different formats that are used to highlight and
convey information.
Flemings VARK theory

25. Aural learners:
• Information that is “heard or spoken.”
• Learn best from lectures, group discussion, radio, email,
using mobile phones, speaking, web-chat and talking
things through.
• Email is included here because; although it is text and
could be included in the Read or Write category, it is
often written in chat-style with abbreviations, colloquial
terms, slang and non-formal language.
Flemings VARK theory

26. Read or Write Learners:
• Information displayed as words.
• Teachers and students have a strong preference for this
mode.
• Emphasizes text-based input and output – reading and
writing in all its forms but especially manuals, reports,
essays and assignments.
• Addicted to PowerPoint, the Internet, lists, diaries,
dictionaries, thesauri and quotations.
Flemings VARK theory

27. Kinaesthetic Learners:
• Connected to reality, either through concrete personal
experiences, examples, practice or simulation.
• Demonstrations, simulations, videos and movies of real-
life things, as well as case studies, practice and
applications.
• Reality or concrete nature of the example. If it can be
grasped, held, tasted, or felt it will probably be included.
• Learn from the experience of doing something and they
value their own background of experiences and less so,
the experiences of others.
Flemings VARK theory

28. Induction to Pedagogy
Training of Peers
Unit IV: Hands On with SYNERGY
SYNERGY Exchange (http://synergyexchange.eu/)
Created for “SYNERGY”, an ERASMUS+ project

29. From Design to SYNERGY
You have identified a knowledge or skills gap which your
peers are experiencing, and you have decided to address
it through peer-tutoring.
To begin as a peer tutor, you follow the steps as
outlined below:
• Ask yourself the questions related to a peer-educators
role
• Design a Lesson Plan (template below)
• Design a Learning Outcomes Matrix (template below)

30. From Design to SYNERGY
• Prepare your material taking into account the
limitations & features of the ‘SYNERGY Exchange’
online platform
• Upload your material and run through it to check for
issues, discrepancies and typos
• Share your module with peers and invite them to
discuss the module with you in the “Network” section
of the SYNERGY Exchange platform
– The ‘Network’ section can be used to provide them with
further support, get feedback and if necessary to adjust your
material accordingly

31. Design Exercise
Now that you know the basics of instructional design, use
the following two templates to:
• Design your own Lesson Plan
• Design your own Learning Outcomes Matrix
As in all processes involving peers, you may find it useful
to share your designs with them and request their
feedback. This will allow you to revise your lesson plan
and module design until the outcomes, competencies
and methods to be used are clearly defined and
understood by your peers.

32. Sample Lesson Plan
Name of the Module:
Module “x”
Estimated learning time:
“x” hours
Description of the Module:
Describe your module and its purpose
Description of the competences related to this module:
These are the competencies that will be acquired by the learners after having taken this
module
Description of the content and its relevance:
Describe your content in brief in outline of your module structure
Methodological hints:
Describe some of the methods you will use to present your content
Assessment:
Describe some of the assessment procedures you will employ

33. Sample Learning Outcomes Matrix
Name of the Module: ……………………………….
Outcome Teaching and
Learning Activities
Assessment
Describe the skills and
competencies, the learners
need to have acquired
when they have taken this
module.
Describe how the learner
will be provided with the
contents and how you aim
to achieve a specific
learning outcome
Describe how you plan to
assess the achievement of
the specific outcome.
In part I the learner will
understand the ….
•Mini-learning format
resource…
•External links detailing….
Online quiz, self
assessment exercise….
In part II the learner will
understand the ….
•Presentations…
•Mnemonic tables &
graphs….
Design a LOM & share
within the group….

34. Thank you for your interest and attention
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