Peer mentoring is a powerful tool for sharing professional learning knowledge

A new report has highlighted the effectiveness of peer mentoring when it comes to allowing early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals to share skills and knowledge they acquire during professional development sessions. 

Conducted by Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) the study touches on the outcomes of an experimental trial, conducted in Western Sydney, which explored peer mentoring as an alternative to the more traditional professional development model where most or all staff are trained at once – termed a ‘direct participation model’ in the study. 

The study involved 37 teachers and educators from 10 ECEC services, with select staff receiving external training and then sharing their knowledge with colleagues internally in a way that worked best for them, individually.

Key findings from the study suggest:

• Peer mentoring is a feasible and promising approach for delivering professional learning across a service

• Both peer mentoring and direct participation can result in positive learning outcomes for educators

• While peer mentoring can successfully transfer skills and knowledge, it requires appropriate planning and support

“Professional learning is crucial for refining and improving teaching practices, but it can be resource intensive if a large number of staff participate in off-site training,” AERO CEO, Dr Jenny Donovan said.

“Our collaborative study with the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation demonstrates that peer mentoring, when implemented with careful planning and support, can be a promising alternative to direct participation.”

“This is, of course, beneficial for education providers looking to maximise the impact of professional development while managing limited time and resources efficiently.”

Despite the findings, Dr Donovan said it was important to note that successful peer mentoring programs require appropriate skills, strong collaboration, and a supportive environment fostered by service leadership. 

Services, she continued, should carefully consider their needs and circumstances when considering a peer mentoring approach.

For ALNF co-founder and Executive Director Mary-Ruth Mendel, the value of collaborative learning environments is that they support quality professional development as well as benefitting both adult and child learning. 

“I congratulate the early years staff who participated for their enthusiastic engagement with the professional learning and peer mentoring in this study,” Ms Mendel said.

“ECEC workforce development where staff learn within their services, with their colleagues as they engage with children in their everyday activities, is very powerful for both adult and child learning, as well as families.”

The study, authors note, highlights the need for careful selection of peer mentors, along with effective staff and time management, to improve the success of peer mentoring as a means of sharing skills and knowledge from professional learning programs.

For more information on the study and its findings, please visit the AERO website.