Can peer to peer interaction (PPI) be a global theme to promote engagement in students of diverse characteristics and country contexts?

Investigating postgraduate students’ experience of peer-to-peer interaction (PPI) to promote engagement, across diverse student characteristics and country contexts, is rare, but a task necessary to improve outcomes for increasingly diverse students in higher education. This study implemented a questionnaire survey in an Asian developing (i.e. Bangladesh; n = 65) and a Western developed country (i.e., Australia; n=28) to address two research questions: first, is student experience of PPI to promote engagement consistent across developing and developed country contexts? Second, do characteristics of students influence their experience of PPI? In both contexts, PPI facilitated students’ discussion of readings from different viewpoints, cognition to apply classroom learning to work and teamwork and practical problem-solving skills. In the developed country, students’ age negatively correlated to engagement with readings (r = -.644) and cognition of applying classroom learning to work (r = -.649). In the developing country, age did not impact on the experience of PPI, whereas a lack of adequate technology had a negative impact. Working students in the developed country, unlike that of the developing country, were critical of relying on peers, reflecting the influence of individualism cultural orientation. The study implies PPIs can be a global theme to promote student engagement if developed in alignment with the pedagogy of social constructivism and academic and cognitive student engagement themes. Furthermore, academics should design PPIs in partnership with students, accommodating the PPIs to the characteristics of relevant student cohorts and contexts. Future studies of a greater sample size will facilitate the agenda for effective PPIs for all students.