An educational methodology was developed and implemented to increase both argumentative skills and interest as part of students' critical thinking competence, which would allow them to build structure and justified explanations about how engineering systems works. This methodology increases both students' argumentative skills and students' interest in building structured and justified explanations about how engineering systems work. The developed methodology has 3 steps. First, pre intervention evaluation of both argumentative skills and students' interest in developing supported explanations about how engineering systems work. Second, practice of the Affirmation-Justification-Application of sciences laws (AJA) strategy analyzing specific systems and sharing their explanations in a TikTok account. Third, post evaluation of both argumentative skills and the student's interest in developing supported explanations about how engineering systems work. Individual interest in developing structured explanations of how engineering systems work, was studied as a multidimensional construct divided into 4 dimensions: predisposition, affection, intentionality and appreciation. Our study was carried out in the engineering school of a medium size university with 61 students in 2 different campuses. A comparation between the post-test and pre-test argumentative skills using a 90% confidence hypothesis test for difference of paired means shows a significant improvement in this variable. A similar comparison for student's interest in developing structured arguments shows that after using the proposed methodology, students increased their affection, intentionality, and appreciation dimensions, which imply a significant change in their attitude towards engineering systems analysis. This study provides empirical evidence of how a structured methodology for arguing and describing engineering systems can improve competence development of students. We believe that the proposed methodology can be adopted by teachers in other courses to provide students with a framework for their explanations and analysis.

The gender gap in STEM disciplines remains a persistent challenge in education and professional spheres. Despite advances in gender equality, the representation of women in engineering careers is still limited. One factor contributing to the reduced interest of women in STEM careers is the lack of female role models. In this context, initiatives promoting female leadership and increasing the visibility of women in engineering are crucial to inspire and empower the next generation of female engineers. This document describes the organization, and the interactions developed during the event entitled Panel of EXATEC Women. Tecnologico de Monterrey, a higher educational institution, and a leader in engineering education, has organized this event. In addition, the impact of the event on the student community, using testimonies and survey results from participants, is analyzed. The event, which has been successfully held four times, aims to create a space for dialogue and inspiration. Here, EXATEC women women engineers who graduated from Tecnologico de Monterrey - leaders in their fields share their experiences, challenges, and achievements with engineering students. Topics of discussion include professional choices, challenges faced by women in leadership roles, key achievements, and equality of opportunities in project leadership, among others. The panel primarily focuses on female role models sharing experiences of empowerment and professional success. It inspires both male and female students. The event always maintains a spirit of cordiality and aims for a shared goal: gender equality. These events contribute to the discussion on effective strategies to reduce

Developing communication skills is essential for undergraduate students to effectively convey ideas and collaborate, crucial competencies in professional environments. This study explores the implementation of video podcasts as a learning tool in the online interdisciplinary course Science, Technology, and Society. The analysis includes 100 students from diverse areas, including architecture, art, design, social sciences, humanities, engineering, business, and medicine. The activity aimed to enhance students' communication skills, understanding of scientific thinking, and engagement through team-based research on paradigm-shifting scientists. A Likert-scale survey revealed high median scores for activity evaluation (6.3/7), skill development (6/7), and recognition of scientific impacts (6.5/7), reflecting strong positive perceptions. Qualitative feedback emphasized that students from non-scientific disciplines recognized the importance of scientific thinking in the advancement of humanity. Results support the potential of video podcasts as a promising pedagogical strategy for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and active learning. Recommendations for applying this methodology in diverse STEM educational contexts, including face-to-face courses, are also discussed.

Since oral evaluations are effective but stressful tools for assessing students' knowledge, alternatives to the traditional face-to-face (F2F) oral exam with the teacher are being sought. This study examines the relationship between stress and self-efficacy in two assessment formats: asynchronous video oral assessments and traditional F2F oral evaluations. The main objective is to know if the asynchronous video format is a lower stressor than the conventional F2F method. Conducted with 168 first-year undergraduate students in mathematics, physics, and chemistry courses, the study employed the validated Acute Stress Appraisal instrument. Results show that stress decreased by 10 % on average for high self-efficacy students during video assessments, compared to a 25 % increase during F2F evaluations. Students with low self-efficacy exhibited higher stress levels across both formats, with minimal variation pre- and post-assessment. Asynchronous assessments provided students with greater control over their responses, reducing stress overall, while F2F evaluations amplified stress, particularly for high self-efficacy students, likely due to real-time pressure. Consequently, they could have a minor impact on students' overall emotional wellbeing during oral evaluations. To our knowledge, this is one of the first attempts to analyze these variables in asynchronous video oral assessments in STEM courses, contributing to the development of stress-reduced evaluation practices. This alternative assessment method could be an effective way to promote better academic performance and create a more balanced learning environment in higher education.

Development of argumentative skills is fundamental for Engineering students, allowing them to identify assumptions and build conclusions about observed phenomena. In this paper we report results from a study involving 41 Engineering students, who practice and apply the Affirmation - Justification - Application of Laws and Principles strategy (AJA) to build an argument about and specific Engineering system. Students’ argumentative skills were measured with a validated questionnaire before (pre-evaluation) and after (post-evaluation) students knew and practiced AJA strategy. Results show a significant improvement in two of the three components of the argumentative students’ skills: Justification and Application of Laws and Principles, but in the Affirmation component, results did not show significant improvement. Evaluations were written as questions where students were asked to explain the behavior of an engineering system in two different contexts: physics context and math context. Physics context questions demanded from students, besides a correct application of AJA strategy, a correct application of physics Newton's laws to explain the movement of a system. Math context questions require from students a good knowledge of graphical interpretation of derivatives in the context of a motion to interpret certain conditions of movement in a specific system. Results show no difference between evaluation in physics and math contexts.

Maintaining student motivation during physics and mathematics classes can be quite challenging for teachers. To achieve this, an interactive technological platform, Nearpod, was integrated into the class sessions, since it allows the incorporation of gamified learning activities and follow-up on the performance of the group. This study evaluates the impact of Nearpod on the attention levels of first-semester engineering students. The interventions took place within structured five-week learning modules focused on physics and mathematics content. Robust data collection instruments, encompassing the validated survey Instructional Materials Motivation Survey, Nearpod-generated reports, and opinion surveys directed to teachers and students, were deployed. The study involved a group of 87 first-semester engineering students. According to the study, classes that used Nearpod had an average student attention rate of 76% during the 38 analyzed class sessions. Additionally, student participation in interactive activities reached an average of 86%, which is higher than the participation rates reported by teachers in traditional courses. Student feedback underscored a positive perception of Nearpod's impact, emphasizing its role in maintaining focus and enhancing the learning process. In essence, this research underscores the transformative potential of Nearpod when coupled with gamification strategies in the context of university engineering education.

In this article, we present the results of an experiment conducted in collaboration between the School of Engineering and Science (EIC) and the School of Business (EN) the Tecnologico de Monterrey, involving second-semester students and the company Labopat as a training partner. The experiment took place within two multidisciplinary courses, F1015B “Application of Thermodynamics in Engineering Systems” and EM1001B “Ideation and Prototyping.” The research design employed a quasi-experimental approach, comparing two distinct teaching methods. One method employed a multidisciplinary approach in collaboration with the training partner, while the other followed a traditional approach in which students tackled a real-world issue faced by the company. This unique educational experience provided students with a valuable opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world situations, fostering the development of essential skills and competencies. These included the ability to solve complex problems, think critically, and effectively collaborate within interdisciplinary teams. Significantly, the project not only strengthened students' academic foundations but also made a substantial contribution to the growth and development of the collaborating company. The company benefited from the effective resolution of its real-world challenges. The obtained results underscore the value of collaboration between academia and the business sector, with a focus on innovative and practical solutions. This study highlights the mutual benefits of such collaboration, emphasizing its potential to bridge the gap between theory and practice while preparing students for their future careers.

Most of the remote education strategies and techniques developed during the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown showed that Video Technology can be used as a tool to maximize overall students' performance. Over the lockdown, professionals of the educational field were forced to come up with pedagogical strategies and have continued to apply them since. This paper investigates how student's explanations and argumentation of their own work engaging in scientific activities promotes scientific thinking. We compare the performance of two groups by means of a checklist based on Toulmin's argumentative model. This assessment tool can be used in face-to-face courses too.