The Grotesque Quest

Large, first-year undergraduate classes often present challenges in fostering student engagement, connection, and academic motivation. In this activity, we introduce Grotesque Quest, a scalable, gamified icebreaker designed to address these problems through experiential learning. Implemented in a first-year management course with over 1000 students, the activity leverages role-based information asymmetry, campus landmarks, and AI-generated videos to simulate real-world management tasks and connect students. Teams collaborate under time pressure to plan routes, solve problems, and make ethical decisions, with performance tracked via a live leaderboard. Grounded in transition pedagogy and constructive alignment, the Quest offers a flexible model for embedding team-based learning and ethical reflection into early university experiences.