Developing Systemic Thinking through Gamification with Invention System Kits: Case of an Aircraft Assembly Line

Developing countries like Colombia have understood that education is an effective strategy in closing social inequality gaps to improve population’s skills. In the last decade, coverage in higher education went from 30 to 50 percent. One of the most important factors in this achievement is Colombia’s transition to peace, increasing the development of the population towards higher levels of competitiveness and education. In consequence, it is necessary to reinforce the development of competences, to encourage systemic thinking that allows the solution of problems from a holistic view and achieves effective solutions in the improvement of the local industry. During this study, an applied ludic strategy involving an airplane assembly line made with Lego blocks is created, looking for an effective and practical education framework in teaching the attributes that generate impact in a production line of goods; in this way, students can be involved in a clear and creative manner in their search for solutions. This project was developed by member professors and students from an engineering education institution in Bogotá, Colombia. The results show that through gamification, students develop skills to take decisions leading to increase the production’s competitiveness from a systemic thinking view.