If you are running an online course, bootcamp, or virtual training activities, you might have come across with the pedagogy called peer learning. It's one of the learning methods that has been adopted in an online learning environment due to its collaborative learning aspect. At Teachfloor, we believe it's the future of online education.

A study showed that peer learning, compared to lecture-based learning, increases the student's performance in final exams and semester grades. Also, this study found that peer learning significantly motivated students and delivered a more positive attitude toward learning with their peers.

As an instructor & trainer who wants to carefully improve the learning experience of your students, then you should consider integrating peer learning into your curriculum. Thanks to the power of technology. Several repetitive tasks can be automated. All you need is to find the best learning platform or LMS that fits your curriculum.

What is Peer Learning?

At Teachfloor, we simply define it as a collaborative learning method where fellow classmates - AKA peers - work together to learn from each other. Remember the group assignments your instructors made you do in school? That is an example of Peer learning.

In this article, we will focus on sharing with you the best LMS that we can recommend among all thousands of learning platforms out there. But before diving into that, let's take a look at the must-have features when choosing an LMS for peer learning.

3 Must-have Features of Peer-to-Peer Learning LMS

Peer Review

A great student experience is about learning not just from the teacher, but more importantly, from and with their peers. In peer-to-peer learning, you can enhance the learning experience by integrating engaging activities among students. An exemplary way to do that is through peer review or feedback-based learning methodology. 

Peer review is a tool where peers review an activity made by their peers, and they are asked to give constructive feedback. This strategic feature diminishes one-way learning with instructors.

Top LMSes have automated this so that instructors don't have to manage it by themselves. It can take more than 50% of your workload by just choosing an LMS solution that has this feature.

Built-in Community/Discussion boards

As we all know, learning doesn't only happen in live sessions and classrooms. It happens when students exchange ideas, share, and discuss their opinions with each other.

Having a discussion board and built-in community in your learning management system allows students to collaborate with each other organically.

Managing these discussions apart from the live sessions is a great way to engage and build relationships among peers. Choosing a top LMS that has this feature can elevate your course into a success!

Embed Option for Collaborative Tools

Another must-have feature to look into is the embed option for collaborative tools. Due to the innovation in education technology, there are thousands of collaborative tools to choose from to enhance your courses. So, if you are choosing an LMS, it is crucial to consider the embed option in your checklist!

The advantage of this is that you can integrate or embed all your collaborative tools in one platform. Students don't need to open several tabs and sign up for online tools just to have that great learning experience they crave for.

Best 7 Learning Platforms for Peer and Social Learning

Now that you have the 3 must-have features in an LMS, let's dive into the best 7 learning platforms we recommend for you!

#1 Teachfloor, The Best Social Learning Platform

When it comes to peer learning and social learning experiences, Teachfloor is the best overall and is highly recommended by educators, founders, and learning organizations.

Not only it has all the top 3 must-have features for peer learning, but this learning platform also swept off our feet when it comes to customer support, user-friendly interface, and notable features that you need to create a smooth and transformative learning experience!

Teachfloor is the forerunner of the learning model called cohort-based learning where students learn collaboratively in a group led by an instructor.

Its all-in-one platform is designed with cutting-edge technology that helps out more than 300 learning organizations including Georgia Audubon in building a transformative learning environment for their community members and stakeholders.

Key Features:

Peer Review and Collaborative Learning.

Teachfloor is one of those few LMSes that has the peer review feature. When you sign up for a free trial, you can access this feature and set it up as an activity in your first course. No need to manually assign students to review their peer's assignments. Our system will do it for you!

Built-in Community and Discussion Boards.

Tired of managing several tools all at once? Not anymore with Teachfloor! Our built-in community is just one tab away beside our course tab. Once you invite your students into your course, it's easier to invite them into the community.

Embed Option for Collaborative Tools.

Are you using Miro for your project session? You can embed your board easily as 1-2-3 in Teachfloor's all-in-one platform. Students can collaborate inside the platform without going back and forth with other tabs. This way, they can focus more on your session, instead of dealing with troubleshooting other tools.

Unlimited Storage and Affordable Pricing Plans.

Say goodbye to concerns about costs and storage limitations. Teachfloor offers affordable plans starting at just $59 per month. We are committed to providing unlimited storage for files, unlimited students, and unlimited courses across all our plans. Whether you're starting small or expanding your online courses, Teachfloor has the perfect solution for you.

User-Friendly Interface Design.

Our platform boasts an intuitive and clean interface, eliminating any steep learning curves. Users of all ages will find it a breeze to navigate, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience. We prioritize enhancing the overall user experience, making learning enjoyable and effortless.

Course Templates for Efficient Employee Onboarding and Training.

Simplify your employee onboarding process with Teachfloor's comprehensive course templates. Designed to offer a structured framework, these pre-designed templates ensure consistent training delivery, reduce administrative overhead and enable learning organizations to swiftly onboard new employees without compromising quality or cohesion in the learning activities. 

Pricing & Trial: With a 15-day trial period, the plan starts at $59/month.

#2 Sibme

Enhance your team's growth and facilitate peer learning with Sibme. One of its standout features is Sibme Huddles, which enables your team to have synchronous meetings, chat, and engage in discussions while easily sharing videos and learning resources. Through collaborative task management and private connections, your team can actively participate, connect privately, and reflect on their workplace learning. 

Key Features:

• Sibme Huddles: Conduct synchronous meetings, chat, and discussions while sharing videos and learning resources.
• Collaborative Task Management: Collaborate on tasks, connect privately, and discuss workplace learning experiences.
• Active Skill Practice: Transform passive learning into active skill practice with peers.
• Peer Discussions: Encourage peer-to-peer discussions for knowledge sharing and improvement.
• Fully-Integrated Web and Mobile Platform: Access learning materials anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

Pricing: plans start at $10 per month per user

#3 Go-to Training

GoToTraining stands out as a top LMS for peer learning due to its robust live training sessions. With small group activities and team collaboration, learners can work together towards shared goals. Engaging discussion sessions allow for knowledge exchange among peers, while individual or team assessments promote comprehensive learning.

Furthermore, GoToTraining ensures no content is lost by recording and storing live training sessions in a content library, enabling learners to access materials whenever required on this virtual training platform. Experience effective peer learning with GoToTraining.

Key Features:

• Live Training Sessions: Conduct interactive live training sessions for peer learning.
• Small Group Activities: Facilitate collaboration among learners to achieve shared goals.
• Engaging Discussion Sessions: Encourage learners to share opinions and gain a deeper understanding.
• Individual and Team Assessments: Provide tests and assessments for both individual and team performance.
• Content Library: Record and store live training sessions for easy access to learning materials.

Pricing: plan starts at $109/month, billed annually

#4 Schoox

Schoox's learning platform stands out with its Social Collaboration module, fostering group communication, social learning, and gamification to cultivate a connected learning culture.

Key features:

• Team Building with Groups and Discussion Boards: Create cross-functional groups for collaboration and idea-sharing around specific topics.
• Improved Social Communication: Keep employees connected through news feeds, messaging, and announcements to share updates and celebrate achievements.
• Fun and Competitive Learning: Activate leaderboards and badges to drive friendly competition, offering custom games and rules for learners to earn points and level up.

Pricing: Book a demo to learn more

#5 Blackboard LMS

Blackboard LMS revolutionizes peer learning with its collaborative tools and solutions. Blackboard excels in remote learning and online conferencing, ensuring learners can join and stay connected anytime, anywhere, with easy access on all mobile devices. 

Key features:

• Virtual classroom solution, enabling real-time interaction during virtual training sessions.
• With interactive whiteboarding, hand-raise notifications, breakout groups, and chat features, peer learning becomes engaging and enjoyable.
• Automating attendance reduces IT headaches.
• Easy access on all mobile devices.

Pricing: Available upon request

#6 RockStar Learning Platform

ELB Learning's Rockstar Learning Platform is your go-to solution for creating and delivering exceptional learning experiences. 

Key Features:

• User-Generated Content: Users can easily share text, images, and videos. Videos are automatically translated for multilingual closed captions and voice-overs, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.
• Share With Boards: Users can create boards to curate and share their favorite content instantly with others, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Peer-To-Peer Video-based Learning: Users can add expert commentary to any video, creating valuable educational resources that can be shared via boards, and facilitating peer learning.

Pricing: With a range of plans available, including a free starter account, the Rockstar Learning Platform offers a powerful and user-friendly solution for social and collaborative learning. It's designed to meet your current needs while providing room for future innovation.

#7 Arlo

Arlo is an excellent learning software for implementing engaging and interactive peer learning or employee training through live sessions. With Arlo, administrative tasks from registration to course distribution become hassle-free, allowing you to focus on the peer learning program itself.

The platform also supports discussion forums, fostering learner collaboration and knowledge sharing. 

Key Features:

• Live and Interactive Training Sessions: Conduct engaging live webinars and self-paced online activities for peer learning and employee training.
• Automation Tools: Streamline administrative tasks, from registration to course distribution, with automated processes.
• Discussion Forums: Foster learner collaboration and knowledge sharing through dedicated discussion forums.
• Team Assignments: Increase engagement and collaboration by incorporating team assignments into the learning process.
• Quizzes: Assess learner understanding and retention through interactive quizzes.

Pricing: Simple plan starts at $101/month

To sum it up!

When it comes to implementing peer learning and creating better learning experiences, choosing the right learning management system (LMS) is crucial.

Teachfloor emerges as the best overall solution, offering essential features such as peer review, built-in community and discussion boards, and an embedded option for collaborative tools.

These top LMS platforms in 2024 enable organizations and educators to facilitate peer learning and enhance the learning experience for their learners.

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