Teaching to Grow: Exploring the Development of Near-Peer Consultants in Visual and Digital Literacy Support

In 2022–2023, the Communication Intensive Course (CiC) at HKU launched the Visual and Digital Resources (VADR) programme as an educational innovation. Through VADR, trained student peer consultants provide a range of support, including in-class workshops and after-class feedback on digital and visual assignments, with the aim of strengthening students’ visual and digital literacy across the university. Our enactment of VADR reflects an increasingly prominent model in contemporary higher education, namely near-peer teaching (NPT), in which students with relevant expertise support their peers’ learning in structured ways (Evans & Cuffe, 2009; Pierce et al., 2024).

This seminar presents the VADR programme as an example of near-peer teaching as effective learning practice. Rather than focusing on the students who receive support, we examine the learning and development of the VADR peer consultants themselves. Specifically, we draw on findings from a qualitative study conducted by CiC that explored how VADR near-peer teachers supported students completing video assignments, using multiliteracies and cognitive apprenticeship as theoretical frameworks. Six peer consultants participated in semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and reflective journaling over the course of one semester. Using cognitive apprenticeship, we first present what peer consultants do at different stages of video assignment support, from foundational skill-building in early workshops to more targeted coaching and feedback in later sessions. Our analysis identifies three key pedagogical moves in their practice: modelling, coaching, and articulation.

More importantly, our result shows that NPTs experienced significant benefits from their role. These included: 1) enhanced visual and digital skills 2) greater competence in communicating and providing feedback; 3) clearer professional direction and expanded career opportunities; and 4) a strong sense of pride, identity, and belonging. At the same time, the study addresses challenges that deserve attention. NPTs navigated difficulties around 1) time management, 2) uncertainty about their authority when working with peers, and 3) gaps in discipline-specific knowledge that limited the support they could offer. These findings position VADR as an innovative and effective learning practice, benefiting not only the students receiving support, but the peer consultants who provide it.

This seminar will also feature one of our peer consultants sharing their firsthand experience and growth throughout their VADR journey. This authentic account will offer participants a grounded perspective on what it means to teach, grow, and find purpose through near-peer practice as a student-teacher, to facilitate idea exchange with people from other HKU parties.