Learning through teaching: a peer teaching innovation in midwifery education.

Abstract

Peer led teaching (PLT) is a method whereby one group of students is involved in the teaching of another (McKenna and French 2011). Whilst almost all universities worldwide offer some form of peer support for learning, the lack of available literature suggests that peer teaching is not well integrated into pre- registration midwifery education. This article explores the experiences of both second- and third-year student midwives involved in a peer teaching initiative as part of preparation for an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) assessment. Third year students acted as peer teachers for small groups of second year students learning new practical skills related to the management of maternity emergencies. The findings of this evaluation suggest significant benefits of PLT for both groups of students.