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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Educ.
Sec. Leadership in Education
Volume 9 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1438882
This article is part of the Research Topic Continuing Engineering Education for a Sustainable Future View all 5 articles

Enhancing Methods Engineering Education with a Digital Platform: Usability and Educational Impact on Industrial Engineering Students

Provisionally accepted
David Escobar-Castillejos David Escobar-Castillejos 1*Iñaki Sigüenza-Noriega Iñaki Sigüenza-Noriega 1Julieta Noguez Julieta Noguez 2Daisy Escobar-Castillejos Daisy Escobar-Castillejos 3Lorena Alexandra Berumen-Glinz Lorena Alexandra Berumen-Glinz 1
  • 1 Universidad Panamericana. Facultad de Ingeniería. Augusto Rodin 498, Ciudad de México, 03920, México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
  • 2 Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Science, Calle del puente 222, Col. Ejidos de Huipulco, Ciudad de México, 14380, México, Ciudad de Mexico, México, Mexico
  • 3 Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Faculta de Ingeniería, Blvd. Belisario Domínguez Km. 1081, S/N, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, 29000, México, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Work study aims to comprehend the potential of human work by assessing the duration of tasks and identifying methods for reducing them to enhance productivity and efficiency.On the other hand, methods engineering analyzes job processes to determine the most efficient and cost-effective techniques, resulting in improved operations. These areas are essential in the field of industrial engineering. Traditionally, they are taught using printed manuals and classroombased instruction. Nevertheless, these conventional strategies frequently encounter difficulties engaging students and generating solid comprehension of the topics. Methods: This study involved the development of a digital platform to improve methods engineering education. The platform adapts the curriculum of the methods engineering course offered at Universidad Panamericana. Each laboratory's practice includes detailed instructions and tasks for students to complete. Upon finishing, students submit their reports, which the professor then assesses. If the report meets the required standards, it is approved; otherwise, students must repeat the activities. An experience system serves as a tracker for course completion and keeps track of the student's progress. Results: An experimental group of 26 students who responded to Doll and Torkzadeh's end-user computer satisfaction survey tested the platform. Participants responded positively, particularly regarding the platform’s accuracy (73.08% high satisfaction), ease of use (majority rated 5 for user-friendliness), and timeliness (majority satisfied with up-to-date information). However, the format dimension received mixed ratings, indicating areas for improvement. Additionally, participants appreciated the platform’s ability to track progress and motivate the completion of laboratories, with 61.54% finding the content relevant and valuable for learning methods engineering concepts. Discussion: The results suggest that integrating digital platforms into educational settings could significantly enhance educational settings, particularly in engineering courses where conventional approaches struggle to maintain student interest and engagement. Participants' positive responses support digital platforms' potential to complement and improve teaching methods. Future research will focus on integrating adaptive learning and generating micro-credentials to certify student expertise.

    Keywords: Work study, Methods Engineering, Digital platforms, Future skills, Educational innovation, higher education

    Received: 26 May 2024; Accepted: 01 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Escobar-Castillejos, Sigüenza-Noriega, Noguez, Escobar-Castillejos and Alexandra Berumen-Glinz. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: David Escobar-Castillejos, Universidad Panamericana. Facultad de Ingeniería. Augusto Rodin 498, Ciudad de México, 03920, México, Ciudad de México, Mexico

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.