Integrating Self-Discovery Projects into ERP Education: A Dual Approach to Student Learning

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are recognized for their importance in corporate operations, leading to their inclusion in business curricula and training programs (Eder et al., 2019). Mastery of ERP systems enables students to understand the interrelation of various business operations and their enhancement through integrated systems. However, effectively teaching these complex systems presents a significant challenge, particularly in assisting students to understand enterprise-level concepts of business process integration (Zadeh et al., 2020). This study aims to: (1) develop pedagogical strategies for educators to integrate ERP systems into business curricula, (2) evaluate the effectiveness of combining structured and exploratory learning methods for ERP instruction, and (3) determine if engagement with diverse ERP systems improves students' understanding of essential ERP characteristics and educational results. The study utilized two ERP systems that shared fundamental functionalities yet possessed unique interfaces and configurations to accomplish these objectives. Students engaged with the initial system via structured, sequential practical tasks with restricted administration privileges. The inability to restart or modify the system following errors resulted in a limited learning environment. In contrast, the second system was employed in a self-discovery initiative, granting students increased authority to investigate ERP functionalities, alter configurations, and reset the system as required. The exploratory environment was facilitated by cloud deployment, allowing for system re-initialization. Data were gathered via surveys and interviews with undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in information systems courses centered on ERP for business process integration. Preliminary observations suggest that integrating practical structure with autonomous exploration could enhance conceptual comprehension and engagement with ERP systems.