Introduction to Peer Learning

Peer Learning - Summary & Concepts

Table of Contents

1. What is Peer Learning
2. Fundamentals for Successful Peer Learning
3. Key Points for Peer Learning Practice on Campus
4. Quick facts about Peer Reviews
5. Peer Review Summary

What is Peer Learning?

In peer learning, you not only acquire knowledge but also develop practical skills. This approach is designed to help you master the topics and practices you engage with (#MasteryLearning) rather than just passing an exam for a certified qualification.

But don’t worry—our learning ecosystem is structured so that you’ll already be on the radar of exciting companies, employers, and organizations that recognize and appreciate your skills. Our goal is for every learner to find meaningful work, whether through founding their own venture, joining a startup, or working in a small, medium, or large company. Most importantly, we want your professional engagement to align with who you are as a person.

On campus, you will find a main learning journey with learning projects that increase your competence in entrepreneurship (mindset & practice) step by step. Along the way, you have the opportunity to make various detours onto ‘smaller’ learning journeys - where you develop skills in topics (such as self-organisation, digital media literacy or AI literacy) that interest you personally.

First, you work through each learning project at your own pace. You explore concepts and practices in a self-directed way and collaboratively with your peers—without traditional professors, trainers, lectures, or exams. On the internet, you can find lectures on any topic from the best universities and top professors. Your task is to identify the best sources for your questions and interests, tailoring your learning experience to your needs. This approach fosters initiative and a strong sense of self-efficacy. In the end, you won’t just be competent as an entrepreneur—you’ll have the ability to learn anything you want (#LearningToLearn).

Second, the emphasis on teamwork (#LearningTribes) and peer review (#PeerReviews) facilitates the exchange of knowledge and skills while strengthening the community (#CommunityBuilding). In other words, the peer-learning approach also enhances your social skills (#SocialCompetence) and communication abilities (#CommunicationSkills). You will build a diverse network of connections that form our Entrepreneurship Campus community, where you can continue learning and networking for a lifetime.

Third, this approach prepares students for real-world practice by teaching not only technical skills but also a pragmatic mindset and social competencies such as giving and receiving feedback. The model promotes a well-rounded humanistic education that focuses on self-efficacy (self-determination), lifelong learning, and practical skills.

The goal is to maximize learning by directly applying theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, bridging the gap between academic education and the business world. By providing students with opportunities to work on "real" projects across various sectors—from small independent businesses and retail or hospitality enterprises to teams in large corporations—we not only foster entrepreneurial thinking but also deliver valuable solutions to the economy and create a talent pipeline that connects highly skilled graduates directly with companies.

Foundations for Successful Peer Learning

Three key competencies for successful learning on the Peer-Learning Campus are (1) self-organization, (2) learning to learn, and (3) digital media literacy. You can find materials on these topics in the Knowledge Base, and we recommend best practices.

Self-Organization
To be successful in learning, as well as in planning and implementing your ventures, it is important to understand your learning and working style and organize your life, learning, and work accordingly. Here on the campus, we provide tools to help you understand yourself and your archetypes, along with materials and (post-beta phase) learning projects to train and optimize your self-organization.

Learning to Learn
In addition to the practical organizational aspects of how to structure effective learning for yourself, we want to help you find and establish learning methods as habits that work best for you. Topics that seem particularly important for shaping your learning journey successfully include: #MasteryLearning #SocialLearning #Feedback

Digital Media Literacy
To use the Peer-Learning Campus productively, we provide how-to materials for key functions. However, to successfully develop concepts for ventures, it is also essential that you are proficient in internet research and learn to accurately assess the credibility of sources.

To get started with these topics, we recommend (1) creating your Entrepreneur Profile and (2) exploring the Knowledge Base entries related to relevant hashtags (e.g., #SelfOrganization #LearningToLearn #MediaLiteracy).

Key Points on Peer Learning Practice on Campus

• For each topic, there is a briefing (like the one you are currently reading) that presents the key concepts, core messages, and essential questions in a compact format to help you work on the learning project.

• For aspects that particularly interest you or that you do not fully understand from the briefing, you can access additional materials in our Knowledge Base.

• When you feel ready, you can start the learning project. Most learning projects are divided into two parts. There are exercises designed to help you practice a method or task (#MasteringTheSkill), and each project includes a "Learning by Doing" section, where you apply the respective skill to yourself or your concept-creative venture. You are free to complete your projects according to your schedule. However, learners have the best experience when they form a learning group (#LearningTribe) with 2–3 learning buddies. With your learning buddies, you can establish a rhythm and create a shared commitment to your learning progress.

• Once you have completed your project outcome, you can sign up for a peer review. Peer reviews are the ultimate way to determine whether you have understood the concepts and methods and can apply them effectively. Unlike exams in traditional educational institutions, peer reviews are primarily designed for both the reviewer and the presenter to learn from each other through discussion and project implementation. The final "evaluation" by the reviewer—whether the project is passed or needs revision—is just a small formal aspect. Much more important is the exchange at eye level and the qualitative feedback that both students provide to each other afterward.

Here are a few quick facts about peer reviews:

• How long?
  The review sessions are only 30 minutes long. That's really short to present and discuss a project that may have taken several weeks to create. There's a method to this madness: you're learning executive communication – you need to focus on the essential aspects and learn to communicate effectively with others.
  
  
• Who?
  You never know who your peer reviewer will be. The system is set up so that neither the presenter nor the reviewer knows in advance who they will meet. This way, you learn to work with a variety of fellow students – and also continuously expand your network.
  
  
• When?
  The reviewers set appointments that suit them. When you ‘submit’ a project, you can browse a calendar with all possible review slots.
  
  
• Where?
  All reviews happen by default as a video call. If you want to specify a possible physical meeting place, you are welcome to do so - but since it is often difficult to travel for a 30-minute meeting, the vast majority of reviews will happen online.  

Peer Review Summary:

1. Presentation and feedback round:

• You present the process and results of your current learning project in two peer reviews.

• As reviewers, you give feedback and discuss how the current learning project has been carried out, what has worked well and what could be improved.

2. Mutual learning:

• Listen to the presentations of two other students.

• Give constructive feedback and discuss possible improvements and insights.

Procedure:

• presentation: approx. 10 minutes

• feedback: 10-15 minutes

For more information, see also the knowledge base under #How to Peer Review