Gamification for the Development of Competencies in Tec21 Based on Mixed Reality

This study from Tecnologico de Monterrey examines whether gamification, combined with virtual and augmented reality, can strengthen student learning and competency development within the institution's Tec21 challenge-based model. Motivated by the disruption of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, which left students disengaged and showing signs of stress, anxiety, and depression, the authors developed MxREP (Mixed Reality Enterprise Planning), an ERP-style simulator emulating the supply chain and production processes of a scale car manufacturing line built from Meccano parts. The work frames gamification as a means of building engagement, academic rigor, and competencies such as teamwork, problem-solving, and information analysis.

The central quantitative evidence comes from a single course of 36 industrial engineering students taking a process improvement course with statistical methods. Students' mean exam score rose from 81.22 before using the simulator to 97.47 afterward, and a paired t-test yielded a p-value of 0.000 at a 95% confidence level, leading the authors to reject the null hypothesis of no difference. Students also reportedly averaged 32 practice hours per week, gained confidence in applying problem-solving methodologies, and showed improved emotional stability, though these qualitative outcomes rest on observation and self-report rather than formal measurement.

The study's scope is limited to one campus, one cohort, and one course over a short period, with no control group, which constrains generalization despite the statistically significant result. The authors acknowledge that the simulator's future development includes adding predictive modeling and machine learning, and that student research assistants have played an ongoing role in refining the design.