Simulation of a competitive business environment: a case study in a Chemical Engineering Program

Abstract

This paper reports a case study about the experience of two semesters of the discipline Industrial Chemical Processes in School of Engineering of Lorena with the Project-Based Learning approach. Both semesters were based on a set of rules which established the division of the class into groups to submit projects related to the syllabus of the discipline. Two by two, groups competed for an investment which was determined by the rest of the class, who were the investors. Students approved the method and they were excited about the mood of competition. From the first to the second experiences, some modifications in the rules were done, such as the introduction of stakeholder groups, which increased access to the global content of the discipline. The simulation of a business world put forward herein may be readily adapted to other situations and, with minor changes in the ground rules, it is believed that the method can be applied to a wide variety of disciplines of any course.

Keywords
Active learning; Engineering education; PBL approaches; Business environment simulation