"In the simulation, students can make decisions on inventory, HR, and advertising and see directly how that affects the financial outcome. That's what happens in the real world."
– Cheryl Bryant, CPA, Assiniboine Community College
Capstone projects should demonstrate the culmination of student learning, but traditional paper-based approaches often fall short. At Assiniboine Community College in Manitoba, accounting instructor Cheryl Bryant revolutionized her business capstone by replacing static case studies with dynamic business simulations.
Her transformation shows how institutions can create authentic assessment experiences that develop both technical competencies and essential soft skills.
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Bryant's business administration program had relied on paper-based problems and case studies that had become repetitive and failed to capture real business complexity.
As a CPA with over 20 years of industry experience, Bryant recognized a critical gap: "When I was hiring, I was looking at the soft skills. Public speaking, teamwork skills. Everyone coming out of a business degree has those hard skills."
The challenge was creating capstone experiences that developed the differentiating competencies employers actually seek.
Bryant introduced Edumundo's CFO Challenge simulation, allocating 10 weeks of her 16-week term to the experience. Students work in teams managing virtual companies across multiple rounds while making strategic decisions that directly impact financial outcomes.
The competitive element proved crucial: "It was something different; it wasn't just another paper. It was competitive, which really spurred their interest and commitment because after every round they could see where they fell."
Based on student feedback requesting greater complexity, Bryant evolved to the PhoneVentures simulation, offering international expansion options and integrated sustainability features.
Discover how capstone simulations develop real-world skills:
Bryant created a multi-faceted assessment approach weighing 65% on simulation-related activities:
Simulation Performance (30%): Teams receive marks based on competitive ranking within a narrow range (24-30/30) to encourage risk-taking without penalizing learning from mistakes.
Reflective Report (20%): Students document their decision-making process each round, creating a progression record of analytical thinking.
Professional Presentation (15%): Teams deliver formal presentations reflecting on their simulation experience and outcomes.
Bryant addresses group assessment challenges through sophisticated peer evaluation systems. Underperforming members receive prorated marks based on peer evaluation averages rather than simple point deductions.
Students appreciate instructor-assigned teams over self-selected groups: "90% come back and say, 'I'm glad you picked the teams because then you're not with your friend.'"
The simulation develops competencies that translate directly to professional success. Students learn to make decisions affecting financial outcomes, work collaboratively under pressure, and present their reasoning, which are all essential workplace skills.
Bryant emphasizes the holistic perspective: "Students can see that any decisions you make within an organization affect the financials. As CPAs, it's looking at the whole business."
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Student response validates the approach's effectiveness. Rather than dreading written assignments, students actively engage with competitive simulation environments, spending approximately four hours per round working collaboratively.
Students report using simulation experiences as concrete examples in job interviews, demonstrating their ability to make complex business decisions and work in teams. Exactly what employers seek.
Key Takeaways: Effective capstone projects should integrate multiple disciplines while developing soft skills, competitive environments drive engagement better than traditional assignments, and comprehensive assessment strategies balance individual accountability with team collaboration benefits.