New findings from a collaborative study conducted by the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the Australian Literacy & Numeracy Foundation (ALNF) highlight the effectiveness of peer mentoring, allowing educators to share skills and knowledge from professional learning in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.
AERO is Australia’s independent education evidence body, established in 2021 and funded by Commonwealth, state and territory governments. Its vision is to achieve excellence and equity in education outcomes for all children and young people through effective use of evidence.
The experimental trial, conducted in Western Sydney, explored peer mentoring as an alternative to a professional learning approach where all or most staff are trained (direct participation). The study involved 37 teachers and educators from 10 ECEC services, comparing peer mentoring with direct participation in training.
In this study, peer mentoring involved select staff receiving external training and then sharing their knowledge with colleagues internally in a way that worked best for them, individually. In contrast, direct participation involves most or all staff attending training directly.
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 key
AERO CEO Dr Jenny Donovan emphasised the importance of ongoing professional learning, and the potential impact of these findings:
“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,” she says.
“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.
“However, important to note that successful peer mentoring programs require appropriate skills, strong collaboration, and a supportive environment fostered by service leadership.”
Donovan says, “services should carefully consider their needs and circumstances when considering a peer mentoring approach”.
Peer mentors must be carefully selected
The study 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.
ALNF Co-Founder and Executive Director, Mary-Ruth Mendel, notes the value of collaborative learning environments that support quality professional development, benefiting 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,” she says.
“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.”
“We know that children need many, many opportunities to grow their oral language and early literacy concepts. Children’s growth flourishes when educators form a community of practice and share knowledge and skills; reflecting on how they can respond, in a practical way, to expand each child’s learning.”
