"Students knew the technique but actually didn't know what it meant. Something we would not have been able to assess in the exam."
–Katarina Cardozo, University of Westminster
Traditional exams test memorization, but employers need graduates who can apply knowledge under pressure. At Westminster Business School, Dr. Vincent Rich and Katarina Cardozo solved this by redesigning their 700-student Management Decision Making module around authentic assessment using business simulations.
Their transformation reveals how institutions can move beyond testing what students know to evaluating how they think.
Westminster's second-year core module serves students from eight specialist pathways. From quantitative-focused finance students to soft-skills-oriented HR students. The challenge was creating authentic learning that engaged this diverse group while integrating their first-year knowledge.
Previously, the module used traditional coursework and exams covering 90% of the material. Students could succeed by memorizing techniques without understanding their application. When the university eliminated exams in favor of authentic assessment, the team saw an opportunity for fundamental change.
They integrated Edumundo's Trainer Startup simulation, where student teams manage footwear companies making operational decisions about pricing, marketing, R&D, and market expansion.
Explore how simulations work for diverse student groups:
The redesigned assessment directly links to the simulation experience:
Individual Presentations (25%): Students explain their company's competitive strategy and justify decisions made during the simulation. Even teammates with identical company data produce different presentations because they interpret decisions differently.
Applied Reports (75%): Students answer questions using techniques learned in lectures but applied to realistic business scenarios. They must choose which techniques to use and explain why, rather than following predetermined formulas.
As Cardozo explains, "For most questions there is not just one answer."
The transformation exposed something significant. Under the exam system, students could perform well by applying techniques mechanically. The new approach was revealed when students "knew the technique but actually didn't know what it meant."
Students now must analyze which techniques apply to specific situations, combine multiple approaches when problems require it, and justify their reasoning under uncertainty. The simulation provides realistic context where these skills develop naturally.
Ready to transform your assessment approach?
The authentic approach develops employability skills that traditional exams cannot assess:
Decision-Making Under Uncertainty: Students learn there are often multiple valid solutions, requiring judgment rather than memorization.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: Teams of five must negotiate roles, share responsibilities, and reach consensus, all essential workplace capabilities.
Applied Critical Thinking: Students practice identifying relevant information and evaluating evidence in realistic contexts.
Professional Communication: Individual presentations require students to articulate and defend their reasoning, developing confidence in professional settings.
The results validate the approach. Students report higher engagement, with teams meeting multiple times weekly and some working weekends on simulation activities. Module satisfaction improved, and students demonstrate deeper understanding of how business concepts interconnect.
When one student faced a job assessment center asking how she would use business analysis to increase productivity, her simulation experience provided concrete examples and demonstrated thinking processes.
Westminster's transformation shows that moving from exam-based to authentic assessment is not just pedagogically sound. It is essential preparation for professional success.
Key Takeaways: Authentic assessment reveals deeper learning gaps than traditional exams, simulations provide realistic contexts for skill development, and individual assessment can effectively evaluate collaborative learning experiences.