Nowadays, Gen Z students are very visual, creative, and always connected to digital platforms. They also learn differently; therefore, this requires rethinking the traditional approaches to instruction and assessment. In an attempt to adapt to their learning style and move beyond rote memorization, we have incorporated the use of video to encourage a deeper understanding of concepts in a principles of marketing course.

Instead of memorizing definitions or relying on lecture-based content, students work in small groups to create short, creative videos that demonstrate their understanding of key marketing concepts such as segmentation, the consumer decision-making process, and pricing strategies, to name a few. These videos are posted on Padlet, a collaborative digital platform, and shared on TikTok, which adds an element of fun and relevance for students.

We watch and discuss the videos during study sessions to reinforce course material and clarify concepts. We have found that students enjoy the process and retain the material much better because they are actively engaged with the material and teach it to their peers through storytelling.

Videos have become part of a larger shift in how we assess learning. Assessment in the course focuses on application rather than recall. Instead of relying on multiple-choice tests focused on memorization, we use application-based questions that challenge students to think critically and apply what they have learned in new situations. The video assignment supports this by helping students understand key concepts in a way that is meaningful and memorable.

Feedback from students suggests that creating the videos helps them better understand and remember the concepts. Students also reported that by creating and viewing videos produced by their peers, abstract marketing concepts become more memorable and easier to apply in real-life situations. This approach also helps students develop their communication, collaboration, and digital storytelling skills, which are essential for success in the corporate world.

In this session, we will share strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating video-based assignments in our course. Specifically, we will highlight the assignment guidelines, provide a few examples of student work, include a rubric for assessment, share lessons learned, present students’ reflections on the assignment, and outline our preliminary findings. Attendees will leave with practical ideas they can try in their own courses to better engage today’s learners and support deeper understanding of course content.

Keywords: Student created content, active learning, Padlet, marketing education, experiential learning, video assignments, student engagement.