Online Peer Learning: What Influences the Students' Learning Experience

This longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships among perceived teacher support, peer support, and student engagement in middle school physical education classes. Using a two-wave panel design, data were collected from 477 Chinese middle school students at two time points: Wave 1 (Time 1, T1) in November 2022 and Wave 2 (Time 2, T1) in May 2023, with a six-month interval representing a typical academic semester. This temporal spacing allows for observing developmental changes while minimizing seasonal effects on physical activity patterns. Participants completed validated measures of teacher support, peer support, behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement. Data were analyzed via cross-lagged structural equation modeling to test bidirectional pathways while controlling for grade and gender. (1) Behavioral engagement at T1 positively predicted teacher support (β = 0.22, p < 0.01) and peer support (β = 0.19, p < 0.01) at T2. (2) Emotional engagement at T1 positively predicted teacher support (β = 0.22, p < 0.01) and peer support (β = 0.21, p < 0.01) at T2. (3) Peer support at T1 positively predicted emotional engagement (β = 0.16, p < 0.01) and teacher support (β = 0.14, p < 0.05 for behavioral model; β = 0.17, p < 0.01 for emotional model) at T2. These findings reveal a spillover effect wherein student engagement fosters subsequent social support, and peer support reinforces both emotional engagement and teacher support. The study underscores the importance of pedagogical strategies that promote active learning and peer interaction, such as cooperative activities and student-centered tasks, to create mutually reinforcing cycles of engagement and support.

&lt;div&gt;&lt;table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td align="left" valign="top"&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iron deficiency anemia remains a pressing public health issue among adolescent girls, particularly in Southeast Asia. Despite the implementation of school-based weekly iron-folic acid (Fe) supplementation programs in Indonesia, adherence rates remain suboptimal. This study aimed to examine the association between family, teacher, and peer support and adherence to Fe tablet consumption among adolescent girls in DKI Jakarta Province. A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2024 at SMP Negeri 79 Jakarta. A total of 57 female students aged 12–15 years were selected through purposive sampling, based on their participation in the school-based Fe tablet supplementation program. Data were collected using structured, pre-validated questionnaires assessing levels of social support and adherence to Fe tablet intake, with adherence defined as consuming ≥75% of the recommended dosage over the previous four weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman Rank correlation test via SPSS version 25.0, with significance set at p &amp;lt; 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval (CI). The findings revealed that most participants received low family (56.1%) and peer support (59.6%), while teacher support was reported as high in 42.1% of respondents. Only 24.6% of participants were categorized as adherent. Significant positive correlations were observed between adherence and family support (r = 0.724; 95% CI: 0.57–0.84), teacher support (r = 0.555; 95% CI: 0.34–0.72), and peer support (r = 0.677; 95% CI: 0.48–0.80), with all associations statistically significant at p &amp;lt; 0.001. Family, teacher, and peer support are critical determinants of adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation among adolescent girls. Strengthening multi-level social support mechanisms within school health programs could significantly enhance compliance and contribute to the prevention of anemia in this vulnerable population&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Keywords: &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Iron Folic Acid Supplementation, Adolescent Health, Social Support, Compliance&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;

The academic study of work engagement among pre-service teachers during their practicum has been notably sparse, with even fewer investigations examining the influence of environmental stimuli on their engagement levels and the role of individual psychological and emotional factors throughout the practicum. To address this research gap, the present study, informed by the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theory, has developed a structural equation model. This model posits teacher support and peer support as stimuli, L2 grit and the foreign language teaching enjoyment as the organism, and the work engagement of pre-service teachers as the behavioral response. A quantitative survey was conducted among 516 preservice EFL teachers to examine the relationships among variables in the model. Findings showed direct predictions of work engagement by teacher support, L2 grit, and FLTE. L2 grit and FLTE sequentially mediated the relationship between teacher and peer support and work engagement. This study identified the factors influencing preservice EFL teachers' work engagement, contributing to a deeper understanding of their psychological characteristics and emotional experiences during the teaching practicum. Additionally, the study offers practical implications for universities and internship schools to enhance preservice teachers' work engagement during the practicum.

Blended learning (BL) has been widely adopted to improve students’ academic achievements in higher education. However, its success relies mainly on student engagement, which plays an essential role in active learning and provides a rich understanding of students’ experiences. The study utilized three self-designed scales—the Teacher Support Scale, Student Engagement Scale, and Student Learning Experience Scale—to gauge and examine the impact and relationship between perceived teacher support, student behavioral engagement, and the intermediary role of learning experiences. A cohort of 899 college students undertaking the obligatory College English course through BL modes across five Chinese universities actively participated by completing a comprehensive questionnaire. The results showed significant correlations between perceived teacher support, learning experience, and behavioral engagement. Perceived teacher support significantly predicted students’ behavioral engagement, with socio-affective support exerting the most substantial predictive effects. All predictive effects were partially mediated by learning experience (learning mode, online resources, overall LMS-based learning, interaction with their instructor and peers, and learning outcome). The influence of perceived teacher support on behavioral engagement differed between students who reported the most positive (vs. negative) learning experiences. Suggestions for further research are offered for consideration.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how different forms of social support, namely, family, friends and teachers enhance students’ computer internet self-efficacy (CIS) and its subsequent impact on learning satisfaction. By understanding these relationships, this study aims to provide insights into how social interactions influence digital competency and self-directed learning (SDL). In addition, it seeks to assess the significance of course clarity (CC) in promoting a positive learning experience. These findings aim to guide educators and policymakers in improving online education by integrating effective social support structures and clear instructional strategies. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to examine the role of social support in enhancing self-efficacy and learning satisfaction among secondary school students in India. Data were collected from a diverse sample of urban secondary school students across six major cities. The study investigates how social support from family, friends and teachers influences students’ CIS, subsequently impacting CC, SDL and overall learning satisfaction in online education settings. The analysis highlights key relationships between these factors, offering insights into the dynamics of digital learning experiences. Findings This study reveals that family and friend support significantly influence students’ CIS, which in turn enhances their confidence and ability to navigate digital learning tools. Peer support emerged as the most influential factor in fostering digital confidence, whereas teacher support (TS) was particularly crucial in online learning settings. Furthermore, CC was strongly associated with perceived satisfaction, highlighting the need for well-structured digital curricula. Students with higher self-efficacy were more likely to engage in SDL, emphasizing the importance of digital competency in fostering independent study habits and overall learning satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to urban secondary school students in six major Indian cities. Future research should explore rural and international contexts to understand how social support influences self-efficacy and learning satisfaction in different educational settings. In addition, the study focuses on current digital learning environments and does not account for emerging technologies that may further impact student experiences. Expanding the research to include newer digital learning tools and platforms can provide a more comprehensive understanding of these dynamics. Practical implications The findings highlight the need for educational institutions to strengthen social support mechanisms, particularly peer and TS, to enhance students’ digital confidence. In addition, ensuring CC is essential for improving learning satisfaction. Schools and educators should focus on structured, well-organized course designs that facilitate easy navigation and comprehension. Training programmes for teachers on effective digital pedagogies and the role of social support in online education can also be beneficial. These insights can help shape policies aimed at improving student engagement and satisfaction in digital learning environments. Social implications This study underscores the importance of social interactions in online education, emphasizing the role of peer and TS in enhancing digital learning experiences. The findings suggest that fostering a supportive learning community can significantly improve students’ self-efficacy and engagement with digital tools. By promoting strong social networks in online learning, educators can help bridge digital divides and create inclusive learning environments. In addition, recognizing the role of family support in education can encourage policies that involve parents in their children’s digital learning experiences, ultimately contributing to better academic outcomes. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by providing a nuanced understanding of how social support, self-efficacy and CC collectively influence learning satisfaction in online education. Although previous studies have examined these factors in isolation, this study integrates them to offer a more comprehensive perspective. The findings provide valuable insights for designing effective, supportive online learning environments. By emphasizing the significance of peer and TS, as well as structured course design, this research informs educational policies and practices that aim to improve digital learning experiences for secondary school students in India and beyond.

.Using nation-wide survey data (N=2328) from China, this study investigates how social support from family, peers, and teachers influence low-income household children’s (from 13 to 15 years old) academic resilience, as well as how academic resilience mediates the relationship between social support and children’s academic achievement. Structural equation modelling was adopted to analyse the data. The results reveal that (1) low-income household children’s family, peer, and teacher support are associated with their academic resilience; (2) peer support and academic resilience of low-income household children significantly relate with their academic achievements; (3) academic resilience plays a full mediation role in teacher support and a partial mediation role in peer support on children’s academic achievement. The implications of this study on theory and practice, the limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

This study explores the lived experiences of Mandarin-speaking learners as they navigate the challenges of acquiring English as a foreign language (EFL). Recognizing the growing importance of English proficiency in global contexts, the research aims to uncover the personal, linguistic, and cultural hurdles faced by this unique learner demographic. Utilizing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the study draws insights from in-depth interviews with six Mandarin-speaking EFL learners. The participants were selected through purposive sampling, and data were collected via semi-structured interviews. Colaizzi’s method of analysis was employed to distill themes from the participants' narratives. The findings reveal five major themes: challenges in pronunciation and grammar, influence of mother-tongue interference, emotional and psychological barriers, role of peer and teacher support, and adaptive strategies in language learning. Participants commonly cited difficulties in phonological aspects of English, such as consonant clusters and intonation, and expressed anxiety and self-doubt as persistent obstacles. Despite these challenges, learners demonstrated resilience and adopted various coping strategies, including immersion in English media and peer collaboration. The study concludes that Mandarin-speaking EFL learners face multifaceted challenges that extend beyond linguistic competence, encompassing emotional and sociocultural dimensions. It underscores language educators' need to adopt learner-centered and culturally responsive pedagogies. The insights gained from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of the EFL learning experience and may inform future curriculum development and instructional practices aimed at supporting Mandarin-speaking students.

BackgroundStudents emotional health and bullying behavior are receiving greater attention worldwide due to their long-term effects on students’ health. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between perceived school climate, peer support, teacher support, school pressure and emotional health and bullying among adolescent school students in Jordan.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive design was used to recruit a sample of 1166 in-school adolescents in Amman between November 2013 and January 2014. A multi-stage cluster sampling technique was used to select respondents and Health Behavior in School Aged Children questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed using Pearson Correlation to detect relationships among study variables.ResultsSignificant correlations (P value was ≤.05) were found between school climate including teacher and peer support and emotional health and bullying behavior of school students. School pressure was not correlated significantly with emotional health and bullying.ConclusionStudy findings emphasize the importance of school related factors in influencing students’ emotional health and bullying behavior. This indicates that the issue of bullying and emotional health of students in Jordanian schools requires further attention, both for future research and preventive intervention.

Team teaching, where two teachers teach in the same classroom at the same time, while not a new concept, is increasingly being positioned and repositioned in research and policy literatures as central in advancing a range of valued educational goals. These goals include supporting inclusive learning for all students as well as supporting classroom-based elements of teacher learning and professional development. However, team teaching remains more often encouraged by policymakers than enacted effectively by practitioners. This article focuses on the visibility and viability of students’ learning experiences within a larger team teaching initiative involving 20 teaching dyads in 7 post-primary schools in Ireland, between 2007-2011. The research method adopted an interpretative paradigm to capture the evolving perspectives of participants. Data collection encompassed interviews and observations (n=9) with three pairs of teachers (n=6) in two schools involving 34 lower-secondary students. Adopting an inductive approach, Positioning Theory offers a framework for theorising learner experiences of teaching and learning in team-taught lessons. Findings are discussed in terms of their possible implications for both research, practice, and policy vis-à-vis more nuanced understanding and enactment of team teaching.

Despite the importance of professional development (PD) and recent government efforts, PD provision for Vietnamese teachers living outside major cities remains a challenge due to distance and costs. Mobile learning offers a potential solution thanks to its capacity to enable learning anytime, anywhere, and this study investigated its use to provide pronunciation PD for Vietnamese tertiary TESOL teachers, since the development of oral skills is considered problematic in this context.This study aimed to identify the essential conditions and principles for mobile learning as an effective PD provision method in the Vietnamese context. To do so, it investigated: 1. factors influencing participation and learning experience; 2. attitudes, behaviours and engagement patterns regarding self-directed mobile assisted language learning; and 3. strategies to facilitate learning for different groups of learners. Design-based research was employed as the research paradigm and data collection involved iterations of an online PD pronunciation course over a two-year period through a questionnaire, pre and post test, interview and records of app usage, with the interview being the primary and most important source for data analysis. The participants were 57 TESOL teachers from 46 Vietnamese higher education institutions.Data analysis revealed five groups of factors influencing participation and learning experience relating to the learner, personal context, peers, instructor and technology. The learner-related factors were found to be the most important in motivating learners to initiate learning and persist in their engagement with technology. While contextual factors were influential, they did not always play a decisive role in determining learners’ behaviours, which differed from previous findings on the significance of personal context (Gao & Krogstie, 2010; Terras & Ramsay, 2012). Peer interaction and instructor support were critical in sustaining learners’ efforts and positive experience as they helped address issues in learning with technologies. The Factor Relationship and Interaction model was proposed to explain the complexity of the influences on self-directed mobile learning, contributing a synthesizing model to the fragmented literature on this topic.The study also identified five learner profiles—Tasters, Steadies, Players, Hard-workers and Perfectionists—according to their attitudes, behaviours and engagement patterns with technologies. Learners were found to hold different attitudes and behave differently with the same technologies at different times, producing overlaps and movement between the profiles. These resulted in the Learner Profile and Factor Interaction model, which explained the relationships between learner attitudes and behaviours and the prominence of particular factors. While the profiles were broadly similar to those proposed by Sardegna (2012), this project furthered understanding on the overlaps and movement among learner profiles in interaction with influential factors.Specific strategies that suited particular learner profiles were identified. Bite-sized learning fitted the tight schedules of busy, impatient or less interested learners. Clear, succinct open-ended instructions assisted self-directed learning and ensured learners could explore independently without feeling overwhelmed. Peer interaction and instructor support were critical in problem solving and in sustaining engagement for all profiles, which was consistent with Stockwell’s (2012) findings on feedback and interactivity. This study, however, proposed a more comprehensive learner-centred approach with consideration given to role of the personal context, peers and instructor in facilitating personalized self-directed learning with technologies.Among the essential conditions and principles identified for PD mobile self-directed learning, peer interaction, instructor support and provision of regular instructions were the most critical for learners who were less ready for self-directed learning. Convenience, enjoyment and flexibility were also important for learners to stay motivated despite technical difficulties. These conditions and principles devised for the Vietnamese context may be applicable to other settings with similar challenges in access, infrastructure and training. The study offers practical implications for teachers, learners, technology developers, institutions and policy makers in improving professional development.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, the Innovation Management &amp;amp; Design Thinking course at NOVA IMS suddenly transitioned to a 100% online setting after only two presential classes, requiring adaptations to the learning experience, course materials and class dynamics. There were concerns that the learning experience would suffer and if it would be possible to promote empathy in an online environment. This study evaluates the impact of this disruption on the learning experience, student performance and engagement by comparing the final grades, applying two surveys and conducting in-depth interviews. Our results show that instead of a contingency situation, it turned out to be a transformative experience. Learning performance and engagement were not meaningfully affected, as students were just as able to commit to their innovation projects and produce quality outcomes. We propose that blended learning experiences will leverage the best of both online and presential worlds in the future after COVID-19 and offer specific suggestions drawn from the collected data. The results are valuable for lecturers – from any course – who want to improve their learning experience in the new reality after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ability to identify, reflect, and generalize mathematical concepts from previous learning experiences into new situations is known as reflective abstraction. This study intends to examine the reflective abstraction process carried out by students with disabilities in solving mathematical problems. This research is a qualitative study that employs a descriptive approach. This study involved two students with hearing impairments who were purposively selected at the middle school level in Branjangan, Jember. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and supporting documents related to the mathematical problem-solving process. The results of the study show that this reflective abstraction process varies depending on the type of disability and the students' learning experiences. Factors such as teacher support, the use of visual aids, and previous learning experiences play a significant role in student success. This study offers explanations for how students with disabilities develop their understanding and highlights the importance of adaptive and inclusive learning approaches to support them. We hope that these findings will serve as a foundation for the creation of more inclusive learning strategies, especially in teaching.

Understanding students’ feelings about daily school life can be a tool for schools to enhance their learning experience and sense of belonging. Despite the abundant research on achievement and engagement, few studies jointly examine the effect of students’ over-age status considering the grade attended, gender, and school level within a multi-domain framework of student feelings. Even rarer are studies that examine how these variables interrelate to identify predictors of students’ feelings about the learning experience, the aim of this study. Then, adopting a quantitative research approach, data were collected through a 1012-participant survey to map the students’ feelings about school life. The data were analyzed using t-tests, ANOVA, and linear regression statistics to identify causes and associations with the schooling experience. The findings indicate that students who did not disclose their gender or are over-age, considering the grade attended, exhibited less-positive feelings. Additionally, positive feelings decrease along the school path, and six predictors—assessment, school climate, teacher support, emotional discomfort, relationship with peers, and grade—explain the learning experience feelings, with relevance to their interaction effect. The findings highlight the need for coordinated school interventions that promote students’ positive feelings through inclusive, student-centred, and context-sensitive practices.

Teacher education in Sub Saharan Africa has been highlighted as key in helping to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education across the continent. Digital technologies that support new modes of teacher education can improve access and quality in developing regions (Moon and Villet, 2017a, b; Moon, 2007; Power, 2013), however little is known about how teachers develop digital literacies to enable them to effectively use these new resources, nor the ways in which student teachers are introduced to the technologies they need to support their professional development. Given the scarcity of research in this area and with teacher support and preparation having been the least examined topics in mobile learning research, this project investigated the ways in which student teachers in one College of Education in Ghana participate in learning experiences that develop their digital literacies to support their professional development throughout the college course, both on campus and in school placements. Using ethnographic approaches within a sociocultural theoretical rationale, the aim of this research was to address the gap in literature by examining the ways in which student teachers participate in learning experiences that develop their digital literacies during their training at a College of Education in Ghana. In view of the slow pace of ICT infrastructure advancement in Ghanaian schools, tutors at one college of education are encouraging the use of student teachers’ personal devices such as mobile phones to support their professional learning, both on campus and in the absence of other equipment in school placements. Smartphone use was found to be an enabling tool for students, whose formal and informal use of communication tools such as WhatsApp supported their developing professionalism and gave them access to new ways to locate and use materials for teaching and their wider professional development, including the academic requirements of their courses.

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between online platforms, instructor support, and teaching quality and the level of satisfaction among students. This study utilized an online survey targeting students from the Faculty of Business and Management at Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor. In targeting this population, the researcher used a convenience sampling technique and collected 160 samples. Quantitative data was analyzed using a statistical analysis tool called SPSS to reveal statistically significant between these variables. Current research evidence points towards instructor support as having a positive correlation with attitudinal behavioural outcomes for students, particularly in regard to feedback and correspondence about online courses. Moreover, having high-quality teachers impacts learners’ overall satisfaction with the subject they are learning, quality content, and technique. The readiness to participate in virtual classrooms also depends on the usability of the platforms used, as convenient interfaces increase satisfaction. This research underlines the need for well-ordered procedures of instructors and students’ communication to provide supportive educational environment of online classrooms. There are recommendations that institutions should consider supporting instructors to provide better learning experiences on the platform and redesign the platform to increase its effectiveness. Subsequent research should include diverse student demographics by identifying how different factors affect satisfaction in environments for online learning