Peer-Supported Learning in the Digital Transformation of Higher Education: A Theory-Informed Systematic Review

Peer support in higher education settings plays an important role in fostering collaboration, motivation, and resilience among learners in higher education. Higher education has undergone a rapid and sustained shift toward digital learning spaces, a transformation that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated and that continues to expand with the growing integration of online, hybrid, and AI-enabled learning technologies. This systematic review synthesised evidence on peer-supported learning interventions and their association with academic performance, engagement, well-being, and professional development among higher education students in online and hybrid learning environments. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, ERIC, and Web of Science, supplemented by Google Scholar, identified 19 eligible studies published between January 2020 and December 2024, a period spanning the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. A narrative, theory-informed synthesis was undertaken as substantial heterogeneity in study designs, interventions, and outcome measures precluded meta-analysis, and study quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Models of peer-supported learning interventions included peer-assisted learning (PAL), near-peer teaching (NPT), team-based learning (TBL), and peer-led team learning (PLTL). Structured peer-supported learning interventions were associated with improved academic performance, particularly in the development of practical and clinical skills, although the underlying evidence base is dominated by descriptive, single-group, and small-scale comparative designs rather than adequately powered controlled trials, and effect claims should be interpreted accordingly. Peer-supported learning was also associated with greater student engagement, motivation, and psychosocial well-being, including reduced anxiety and stronger connectedness in digital settings, although a minority of studies reported null or mixed results. Most studies reported feasibility and satisfaction, although effectiveness depended on structure, facilitation quality, and task complexity, and the evidence base remains disproportionately drawn from medicine and nursing disciplines. Findings were interpreted through the lenses of self-determination theory, social learning theory, and constructivist theory, suggesting that autonomy, relatedness, and active participation underpin the benefits of peer support in learning. Well-designed, structured peer-supported learning interventions show promise for enhancing both cognitive and affective outcomes in digitally mediated higher education, although confirmation across a broader range of disciplines and more rigorous comparative designs is needed.