For half a term, students work in teams on a business simulation to set up a company, applying theoretical understanding to a practical project. Team-based learning (TBL) fosters sense of belonging and good student engagement, and the students acquire a range of academic and employability skills.

Teaching area

TBL in large workshops of 40–50 students

Course

Business School core Level 4 module: Introduction to Business and Management, delivered by a team of tutors. Most Business School students take this module – about 450 in 2025/6. The majority are UK students from many different backgrounds. We have a small number of international and visiting and exchange students.

Description

In my contribution on ‘Team-based learning to enhance student engagement and outcomes’ (see chapter 19), I describe the workshops in the first five weeks of the module. During this time, the teams decide which management model they will use for their business simulation and justify why they’re using it – this is the theoretical foundation. They develop a strategy for their business using various tools, a mission and vision statement, a sustainability strategy and a marketing plan; they need financial literacy to understand and interpret their financial statements. They also need to respond to market news and crisis. So, a lot of work for the simulation takes place in the first five weeks before teams actually play the simulation. It is a busy time!

I introduce the simulation in the Week 5 lecture. I provide students with a dummy simulation to play during Reading Week, which is the following week. In Weeks 7–11, the teams run the simulation. Students are kept in the same team as in Weeks 1–5, balanced in terms of gender, nationality and business skills. In the workshops, I and the other tutors on the module become business consultants. We make appointments with each team every week to review their progress. We don’t give answers but instead give guidance.

The teams develop a business plan in which they show how they have run their business and they must apply academic theory to it (concepts covered in Weeks 1–10). Different concepts, such as financial statements, are taught during Weeks 7–10, with business specialists from outside the University coming to speak on relevant topics, such as marketing and the supply chain.

Simulation: global bike company

We have used a couple of simulations. In one simulation, groups have to set up a global bike company. This type of company prints bike frames out of carbon fibre on site, enabling them to be made to measure for individuals. But carbon fibre is not climate friendly, and the teams must take its impact on sustainability into consideration. They have to apply a maximum of three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to their businesses, and in their assessment presentations, they need to discuss how the business meets selected SDGs. This is a conundrum for them to tackle. Teams attend Climate Fresk in Week 4 (see chapter 19) and they have a lecture on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the SDGs. For instance, as part of SDG 11 ‘Sustainable Cities’, some teams offered employees a bike so they could cycle to work, which also fits nicely with SDG 3 ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’.

During the workshops, teams complete the required rounds. They also need to meet outside the scheduled teaching hours to work on their simulation and presentation.

Leaderboard

From Week 8, we run a leaderboard so students can see how well their team is doing compared to the other teams within the module. The simulation throws curveballs, which can cause setbacks and impact a team’s position on the leaderboard. But teams must find workarounds.

The students love it – they tend to be very competitive and often ask their business coach (aka their tutor) for advice on how to get ahead. At the end of the simulation, each team has a rank position, which contributes to their grade. The lowest grade possible is 50% and the highest is 100%. This grade accounts for 20% of the overall grade for the module.

In Week 10 or 11 each team gives a 15-minute presentation to their business coach about how they set up and ran their business. They drill down on the results, highlighting what went well and what they could have done better. To prepare students for the presentations, a lecture is given on presenting and public speaking. As the cohort are first-year students and having a good experience is paramount, they are not asked to present in front of the class; instead, teams present to their business coach only. Anyone who is unable to present is offered an alternative, for example, to record their part in the presentation or sit with their business coach facing forward instead of standing at the front facing them. The task is flexible to meet students’ needs. The team members agree between themselves how they’re going to present.

Assessment

Although the students work well together, I recognise that some students do more than others in group work, and grades do reflect this. The module grade breakdown includes team and individual work:

• 70%: simulation which is made up of: 20% for the ranking, 45% for the presentation, 5% for the BuddyCheck.  Through BuddyCheck, students give feedback on their team members performance. It’s a small percentage, but students like to have their say on others’ contributions, and BuddyCheck does encourage attendance. We run a practice in Week 5 with the pre-set questions, so students know how to assess their teammates. The BuddyCheck grade will be 10% in 2026/2027 to reflect its importance. The presentation assessment awards team grades; however, individual grades are given when required (for example if a team member does not engage).
• Students also need to complete the Sulitest TASK  Certificate.  The TASK certificate is a robust certificate of sustainability knowledge. It is also an employability certificate. TASK is supported by the United Nations and is recognised by AACSB, Equis and rank organisations such as QS and Times Higher Education.

• 30%: portfolio, which is made up of 20% for a poster and 10% for an audio reflection. The poster requires students to research and evaluate a selected organisation’s approach to CSR and the SDGs. The audio file requires students to critique their work: how they developed the poster, their perception of its impact and what they would do differently if they did it again. The assessment awards individual grades.

Outcomes

Team-based learning and group work

The students learn teamwork skills, including communication and listening skills, and organisation skills.

Fostering sense of belonging

Students develop a sense of belonging through getting to know their group.

Student engagement

Attendance and engagement are high for this module.

Academic skills and student support

Students learn business theory through this interactive approach. They develop critical thinking skills within the simulation as they react and respond to situations and acquire presentation skills for the assessment. They also gain employability skills. Team-based learning is relevant for employability. Students learn financial skills, including understanding balance sheets and income statements, and they gain a recognised sustainability and employability award (TASK). Students are advised to add these achievements to their CV and LinkedIn profiles. They are also encouraged to engage with academic referencing.

Comments

In general, the students work exceptionally well together. Many say they love the module, how sociable it is, and say that it was their favourite Year 1 module. The simulation develops their social interaction and academic skills; the interactive nature of the simulation brings the theories to life.

Reflections

• Teamwork doesn’t always go well. If a team is not working, we move students to different teams.
• It is important to ensure that all the teaching team are trained and understand the simulation well so that the students are effectively supported.
• Each week on the Canvas (Virtual Learning Environment) page, academic skills are highlighted. The plan is to draw students’ attention to them in the lecture/workshops with the aim of developing skills such as referencing from the outset.

References

Bailey, A. (2022) ‘The Benefits of Team-Based Learning and Business Simulations to Re-Engage Student Learning in a Large Group Setting’, University of Sussex Conference contribution (accessed 8 April 2026)

Bailey, A. (2022) ‘Developing Student Engagement and Ownership through Team Based Learning in a Large Group Setting’, in Oprandi, P. and Betts, T. (eds) 100 Ideas for Active Learning, Brighton: University of Sussex (accessed 8 April 2026)