Inspiring future leaders – Teams Glued in the FE sector: Coventry College

Context

Coventry College sought to enhance the employability and interpersonal capabilities of its BTEC Level 3 Computing students by introducing an experiential learning opportunity that went beyond the traditional classroom. Recognising that many students entering the early stages of their careers often lack exposure to collaborative working environments, the College identified a need to build awareness of behavioural preferences, teamwork dynamics, and real-world problem-solving.

To address this, Coventry College partnered with Teams Glued to deliver two immersive, in-person sessions as part of the programme’s beta phase. The sessions introduced students to a unique combination of virtual reality (VR) challenges and behavioural insight frameworks, providing a safe and engaging environment in which to explore how individuals think, communicate, and collaborate. 

These sessions formed part of a broader ambition to equip students not just with technical computing skills, but with the human and professional skills required to succeed in modern, team-oriented workplaces.

The Requirements

The College’s objective was to deliver a structured yet engaging intervention that would introduce students to key concepts of behavioural awareness, team building, and applied problem solving. Specifically, the sessions needed to help students understand their own behavioural preferences, recognise the differences in how others approach challenges, and develop the flexibility to adapt their behaviour in team settings.

To achieve this, Teams Glued designed two half-day sessions for groups of approximately 20 students, ensuring that the experience was both scalable and interactive. The programme blended a behavioural introduction—using accessible models to explain personality and communication styles—with a hands-on VR challenge known as “The Train Challenge.” (find out more about this challenge here)

Students were grouped into mixed teams based on behavioural profiles to encourage diverse thinking and collaboration. During the experience, teams worked together to solve a series of puzzles within a VR environment, requiring coordination, communication, and strategic problem solving. Facilitators guided the process while ensuring that students remained focused on both the task and the behavioural dynamics unfolding around them. 

A key requirement from the College was that the sessions should not only be engaging but should also provide structured opportunities for reflection. Therefore, each session incorporated facilitated debriefing discussions, allowing students to analyse their performance, explore how their behaviours influenced outcomes, and consider how they might approach similar challenges in future academic or workplace settings.

The Outputs

The delivery of the two Teams Glued sessions provided Coventry College with a comprehensive, immersive learning experience that combined multiple aspects of personal and professional development within a single programme.

Students participated in a fully facilitated journey that included behavioural awareness training, collaborative VR problem-solving activities, and structured reflection. The VR element created a highly engaging environment that challenged students in real time, requiring them to communicate effectively, manage pressure, and work as a cohesive team to succeed.

Alongside the VR experience, students were introduced to behavioural profiling concepts, helping them to identify their own preferred ways of working and interacting. They also gained insight into how different personality styles can complement each other within a team. The deliberate mixing of behavioural types within teams ensured that students experienced both the challenges and advantages of diverse approaches to problem solving.

The sessions also delivered tangible teaching and learning assets for the College, including facilitated discussions, observed team interactions, and shared insights that could be applied in future tutorials, project work, and career preparation activities. Importantly, the portable and scalable nature of the Teams Glued format demonstrated how such programmes could be embedded into wider curriculum delivery or enrichment activities. 

The Results

The impact of the Teams Glued sessions at Coventry College was evident in both student engagement and the development of transferable skills. Students responded positively to the immersive format, with the combination of VR and team-based challenges generating high levels of participation and enthusiasm.

Through the experience, students gained a clearer understanding of their own behavioural tendencies and how these influence their interactions within a team. They developed greater awareness of the importance of communication, adaptability, and collaborative problem solving: skills that are critical in both academic group work and future employment.

The structured reflection element enabled students to connect the experience directly to real-world scenarios, helping them to recognise how different approaches to problem solving can lead to varying outcomes. By experimenting with new behaviours in a low-risk environment, students were able to build confidence in adapting their approach when working with others.

For Coventry College, the sessions demonstrated the value of integrating immersive, experiential learning into further education. The programme successfully combined technical engagement with personal development, supporting the College’s goal of producing work-ready students equipped with both digital and interpersonal skills.

More broadly, this case study highlights the benefits for other Further Education colleges of adopting immersive, in-person experiences such as Teams Glued. By creating an engaging and reflective learning environment, colleges can accelerate students’ understanding of teamwork and behavioural dynamics, improve engagement, and bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace expectations. The result is a more confident, adaptable, and collaborative cohort of students, better prepared to succeed in their chosen careers.

“The level of engagement throughout the session was exceptional, with students fully immersing themselves in the activities, discussions, problem-solving and learning collaboratively.  The feedback they gave as part of the session made it clear that many of them had learned valuable insights and practice and how to approach behavioural differences as they progress into work and university.
 
Given the positive impact and relevance of the experience, I intend to introduce it to all year groups earlier in the academic year, creating opportunities to reinforce and develop these skills throughout their studies and alongside their progress.”

Aman Purewal, Curriculum Lead for Digital, BTECH Computing, Coventry College