Stakeholder Engagement in a Large Enterprise Class Showcase

In the business or enterprise classroom, industry engagement within the curriculum can provide opportunities for students to gain a professional network, an understanding of the world of work, and to develop their mastery of business concepts. This article presents a case for educators to foster collaboration with external stakeholders in the assessment of undergraduate students. To increase purposeful industry involvement in a large university module of enterprise education, an innovative showcase assessment method was developed and implemented. Leveraging the power of a large class cohort, business professionals and university staff were invited to contribute to student assessment at a poster showcase that was run to scale. Through careful planning, this instructional innovation allowed a large student body (450-500 students) to have direct contact with industry representatives, while retaining standards of care and grading legitimacy. The authors describe and analyse this innovation, share challenges faced, and offer suggestions for application in future or remote (virtual) settings. A number of recommendations for the logistical and scholarly application of such a method are provided, to aid educators aiming to replicate such a pedagogical technique.