{"id":711,"date":"2026-11-02T11:12:15","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T11:12:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/?p=711"},"modified":"2026-11-02T11:12:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T11:12:15","slug":"from-learners-to-teachers-using-peer-led-workshops-to-enhance-engagement-in-business-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/from-learners-to-teachers-using-peer-led-workshops-to-enhance-engagement-in-business-education\/","title":{"rendered":"From Learners to Teachers: Using Peer-Led Workshops to Enhance Engagement in Business Education"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Learners to Teachers: Using Peer-Led Workshops to Enhance Engagement in Business Education<\/h1>\n
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\"SoTL@SHU<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Students as Teachers<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is often difficult to gauge how students engage with taught content and learning materials. The opportunity we identified when teaching final-year Business and Human Resource Management students emerged from considering both the skills students would require after graduation and the expectations outlined by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD). The CIPD Profession Map sets out the standards and behaviours expected of HR professionals. In particular, it encourages individuals to demonstrate courage, influence others effectively, and communicate with confidence. These professional expectations became a key focus of the assessment design (Ashton & Stone, 2018).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How This Was Achieved<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rather than engaging students through a traditional model in which we disseminate theory and content before assessing knowledge through coursework, students were presented with a range of HR-related topics from which they could choose. Their task was to design and deliver a training workshop on their selected topic to their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This approach shifted students from being passive recipients of knowledge to active facilitators of learning. Students were required to research their topic independently, develop engaging learning activities, and consider how best to communicate key concepts to an audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Outcome<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Students became subject specialists in their chosen areas and were required to design and deliver a 60-minute interactive workshop for their peers. The aim of this approach was not only to deepen students’ understanding of relevant HR theories and concepts but also to increase their confidence in presenting information and engaging different audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From a pedagogical perspective, this enabled tutors to create an authentic learning experience in which students developed a deeper understanding of their subject area through the process of teaching others. By assuming the role of tutor, students moved beyond knowledge acquisition and into knowledge application and dissemination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student Experience<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Students gained first-hand experience of designing, planning, and delivering a professional workshop. They were able to critically evaluate the complexities involved in creating an engaging learning experience, including the need to accommodate different learning preferences and ensure activities and materials were suitable for a diverse audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assessment also helped students appreciate the level of preparation required to facilitate a successful 60-minute workshop. In particular, it encouraged them to consider how participants could engage meaningfully with the learning materials and activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The activity was designed to help students meet the expectations of the professional body overseeing HR practice while simultaneously developing skills sought by employers, including communication, facilitation, confidence, and the ability to disseminate information effectively (Bloom et al., 1956).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student responses to the assessment were varied. Many students valued the opportunity to design and deliver a workshop, recognising the benefits it provided for their professional development. Others reflected on the experience and concluded that learning and development was not a career path they wished to pursue. Importantly, this was also a positive outcome, as it enabled students to critically evaluate their future career aspirations and make more informed decisions about their professional direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assessment also provided an opportunity for students to receive feedback from both peers and tutors. This feedback supported reflective practice and encouraged students to identify areas for future improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ashton, S., & Stone, R. (2018). An A\u2013Z of Creative Teaching in Higher Education<\/em>. Sage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bloom, B. S. (Ed.), Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals<\/em> (Handbook I: Cognitive Domain). New York, NY: David McKay Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr Lyle Odendaal, Senior Lecturer, Sheffield Business School, College of Business, Technology and Engineering (BTE)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Course Leader for Business Management and AI, Business Management and Finance, and Business and Financial Management<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Learners to Teachers: Using Peer-Led Workshops to Enhance Engagement in Business Education<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":314,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"wds_primary_category":33,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-active-learning","category-students-as-teachers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=711"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":717,"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/711\/revisions\/717"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.shu.ac.uk\/sotl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}