Bringing Industry into the Classroom: AI-Driven Stakeholder Simulation for Social Media Strategy Assessment

This project aims to enhance assessment design in social media marketing education by integrating an AI-supported training tool to provide scalable, tailored feedback in large cohort settings. It focuses on the Managing Social Media Platforms unit, where students are required to conduct a social media audit and develop a communication plan for a real brand. While this assessment reflects authentic industry practice, large enrolments across multiple campuses limit the ability of teaching teams to deliver detailed, sector-specific guidance to each student group. To address this challenge, the project pilots the use of Yoodli, an AI-enabled role-play tool that simulates interactions with diverse industry stakeholders such as CEOs, marketing managers, and clients. By engaging with these simulated perspectives, students can present, test, and refine their strategic recommendations in a setting that mirrors professional evaluation processes. This evaluation will provide insights into how AI-supported role-play can enhance strategic thinking, communication skills, and feedback quality. Ultimately, the project aims to demonstrate how AI tools can strengthen assessment authenticity and improve learning outcomes in large-scale marketing education contexts.