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Anyone in the world Over the past 3 years collegial or Peer practice, has become part of the tradition of the European Forum. Although it is a non traditional learning style more like kohai-kohai or sempai-sempai practice, the benefits of this way of studying have been clearly recognised by everyone who has experienced it.
In academic circles peer learning has been defined by Anderson and Boud (1996) as
"Students learning from and with each other in both formal and informal ways"
The emphasis is on the learning process, including emotional support learners offer to each other, as much as the learning task. The roles of teacher and learner may either not be defined or may shift during the course of the learning experience, unlike peer teaching in which roles are fixed.
In Shintaido terms collegial practice means doing keiko together as equals to share our knowledge of a particular practice and helping each other to improve our skills. Examples are practicing an exam subject, or collaborative thinking and practice on a new aspect of Shintaido curriculum. It is particularly useful for those people who are isolated where they live and do not have a chance to do kumite or study with others of the same level.
Psychologists Dill and Boykin (2000) compared students' level of knowledge following peer learning and individual learning tasks. The results demonstrated a significantly greater level of knowledge in the experimental group of peer learners.
Feedback from Shintaido practitioners is that practicing in this way helps to improve the "ma" between the peer group who all have a desire to help one another do well. There is a generous sharing of information and an honest feedback process during the practice which helps to elevate not only our technical skills but also our appreciation of each others personality and place in the Shintaido world.
During the Shintaido Forum 2008, we will be especially lucky to have many potential partners from across the globe. Each person will bring a new perspective and understanding to our keiko - let's make the most of this chance to deepen our keiko and appreciate one another's unique contribution.
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