Industrial Implementation of Teaching Factory: Developing a Combine Brake System Simulator to Enhance Students' Creative Thinking, Skills, and Perceptions

In enhancing students' creative thinking, high-level skills, and positive perceptions in the learning process, it is essential for lecturers to implement effective teaching strategies. This study aims to describe the impact of implementing Project-Based Learning (PjBL) with an industrial Teaching Factory concept on the development of a Combined Brake System (CBS) simulator, focusing on heightening students' creative thinking, technical skills, and perceptions. The research involved 64 students over a period of 6 weeks, ensuring alignment with the expected learning outcomes of the courses. Creative thinking was measured using indicators of fluency, flexibility, and novelty. Skill indicators included completion, accuracy, and aesthetics. Perceptions were assessed based on readiness in learning, student interest, and teacher guidance. The results indicate that the application of PjBL within an industrial Teaching Factory framework significantly enhances students' creative thinking, technical skills, and perceptions of learning. Further analysis using SMART PLS revealed that creative thinking had a stronger influence on technical skills (9.425) compared to perceptions (2.824). This demonstrates the pivotal role that creative thinking plays in the development of technical abilities. The high correlation between creative thinking and skill improvement underscores the importance of fostering creativity in educational settings. Additionally, the positive student perceptions of readiness (84.20%), interest in learning (90.67%), and teacher guidance (87.75%) further confirm the effectiveness of this PjBL approach in bridging the gap between academic theory and industrial practice, providing students with a realistic and engaging learning experience.