This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: While parents' roles in a child's education are well studied, new research examines the role siblings play in collaborating on educational projects. Researchers found that siblings often develop a few key roles in these working relationships.
A study by Binghamton University and Indiana University researchers recorded nearly 13 hours of video of six pairs of siblings, ages 2–8, working on at-home engineering projects. These projects included building a rain gauge, a paper roller coaster and an animal house to protect animals from the elements. Over the course of these projects, clear roles for the older sibling emerged.
The findings are published in the Journal of Engineering Education. The most common was a colleague-peer arrangement, in which both siblings worked side by side on the task. Older siblings in this role often positioned their younger sibling as a partner or collaborator.
Second, there were many times when the older sibling acted as a "lead engineer" on the project—clearly the one in charge. Examples recorded on video varied: One showed the younger sibling being ignored, while in another, the younger sibling simply waited for instructions from the older sibling before carrying out a task. Third, and most distinctively, other examples showed the older sibling taking on the role of a provocateur, intentionally teasing or provoking emotions in the younger sibling during a task.
In one example, provocation did not hinder the project; instead, it led the younger sibling to defend their opinions to the older sibling. At other times, the younger sibling stayed engaged despite the provocation and helped solve a problem. The roles siblings took on largely depended on their existing relationship, and the working relationships they developed varied greatly.
Still, researchers found that older siblings can be natural and effective teachers. Sibling relationships can be a safe space for children to develop engineering-related skills in a way they can't with friends or teachers. The researchers suggest that more educational engineering programs should be developed that tap into sibling relationships at home and in after-school programs.
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