Peer Learning to Promote Active Learning in Online/Hybrid Classes—A Case Study for Science Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted traditional face-to-face (F2F) teaching to hybrid/online class delivery. Student-instructor interaction in this new teaching mode is rather limited. The online classroom platforms used at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University including Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, MS Teams and Zoom, can support students’ learning during the pandemic; but we wonder whether this alternative mode can be as effective as the traditional F2F mode. Particularly, students may become more passive in their learning. In this study, we reported our provisions to promote peer learning among students with the aid of designed activities. To prepare our students with better life-long learning, group effort and communication characteristics, we incorporated peer learning activities to enhance the learning experience of our undergraduates. We herein reported our preliminary investigation of the use of peer learning provisions in improving the online/hybrid teaching and learning. In general, students believed that the online learning and peer learning could assist them to achieve the learning outcomes. Over 66% of the students are satisfied with their online learning and peer learning experience in the 2021–2022 academic year.