Author Information
Sepideh Samadi, Heriot Watt University, United KingdomAbstract
The increasing demand for industry-ready graduates has underscored the need for assessment strategies that not only evaluate academic knowledge but also cultivate practical competencies. This action research study investigates how integrating Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984) with Threshold Concepts can enhance assessment design in undergraduate marketing programs. Threshold concepts—transformative yet often troublesome ideas essential to disciplinary mastery—are explored through the lens of experiential learning, which emphasizes the cyclical process of concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. The study focuses on Year 2 undergraduate marketing students at a British-system university in the UAE, employing a qualitative methodology to examine the impact of tailored, real-world assessment tasks. Data were gathered through classroom observations, student-teacher feedback sessions, and performance analysis across two academic semesters. These data points were aligned with stages of the experiential learning cycle, providing rich insights into how students internalize complex marketing concepts through hands-on practice, reflection, and iterative learning. Findings indicate that assessments grounded in experiential learning significantly improved student engagement, conceptual understanding, and career readiness. Students showed measurable performance gains in mastering threshold concepts such as market segmentation, branding, and strategic positioning. The iterative refinement of assessment design further ensured alignment with both academic outcomes and industry expectations. This study offers a replicable framework for embedding experiential and conceptually rich assessment strategies within marketing curricula. By bridging theory and practice, it addresses critical pedagogical gaps and contributes to the development of graduates equipped to navigate the dynamic challenges of the marketing profession.
Paper Information
Conference: PCE2025Stream: Higher education
This paper is part of the PCE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
Full Paper
View / Download the full paper in a new tab/window
To cite this article:
Samadi S. (2025) Educational Pathways in Marketing Programs for Undergraduate Students: Embedding Assessment Design to Address Threshold Concepts and Bridge the Gap Between Academia and Industry ISSN: 2758-0962 The Paris Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 31-37) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2025.3
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2025.3
Comments
Powered by WP LinkPress