Peer-led team learning model in a graduate-level nursing course

The peer-led team learning (PLTL) model was introduced into a graduate-level course in health economics at our school of nursing. We believed this collaborative learning program, emphasizing peer-to-peer interaction to solve complex problems, would increase student engagement and mastery of course content. The course was redesigned to accommodate a weekly 1-hour workshop conducted by peer leaders. To gain better understanding of the effect of the PLTL model, focus groups were conducted at the end of the course. Evaluation of the focus group discussions showed that peer-led workshops helped students understand the subject matter. The opportunity to discuss concepts taught during lecture with their peers helped deepen students' understanding of the material and apply this knowledge in the classroom. These findings support continuation of the PLTL model in future health economics classes and suggest that this approach may be beneficial in other graduate level-nursing courses.