Evaluation of a soft skills serious game educational methodology in an industrial branches technical training program

Abstract

The technical training of the industrial branches sometimes shows important shortcomings of new graduates in training and practice in analytical skills, high-level critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork and understanding of engineering in business practice. Gamification, understood as the application of design elements and game principles in the context of achieving learning outcomes, acquires a remarkable dimension and relevance. In this context, this job is focused on designing, developing, and measuring the results of a training module including gamification. This module is taught in an experimental training course aimed at a group with a heterogeneous educational level whose all its members play the role of team leader in manufacturing industries. The course is promoted by the Aragon (Spain) Government, and the Aragon Automotive Cluster Association, Caar. This work carries out a methodology and results evaluation project for soft skills problem solving and conflict resolution module, through gamification. For this evaluation, a discussion is carried out on the evaluation methods of gamified training. The work allows to obtain significant results on the methodology used in relation to the heterogeneity of the group. The study draws conclusions about the design of the methodology, the validity and efficacy of the educational method, the evaluation model and the relationship between training, experience and educational results.