Does Learning Factory Reveal Creativity? An Exploratory Study in Engineering Education

Abstract

Recent literature underlines the benefits of learning factories in students’ learning regarding a large range of competencies. This paper proposes to explore one of these competences (creativity) within the context of engineering education. Using a case study approach with data triangulation, this paper explores the forms of creativity emerging from a learning factory environment. The research involved engineering students enrolled in an industrial management course and collected diverse data, including surveys (22 responses), observational notes (16 pages), and photographs (47 images). The results demonstrated that the learning factory environment has a positive impact on engineering student creativity, particularly in three categories: collaboration, exploration, and perceived effort-result alignment (“result worth effort”). Additionally, the study identifies the influence of “positive management” practices in fostering creativity in learning factories. These results reinforce the potential of learning factories as dynamic environments for creativity and experiential learning in engineering education.