Integrating CAD Through the TPACK Model to Foster Critical Thinking in Technical Education

This study explores the integration of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software as a pedagogical strategy to promote critical thinking in university technical education, considering the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework. The objective was to explore how the articulation of disciplinary knowledge, digital tools, and active teaching methodologies enhances students’ technical reasoning and reflective skills. The case study involved the design and simulation of a gearless mechanical transmission mechanism. The instructional approach combined Blended Learning and flipped classroom strategies, encouraging active student engagement in the structural and kinematic analysis using CAD tools. Simulation results confirmed the mechanism’s technical feasibility, withstanding a torque of 200 Nm and maintaining Von Mises stress levels below 350 MPa, acceptable within material safety limits. Quantitative and qualitative assessments revealed significant educational outcomes, inasmuch as students reported a 99% effective integration of disciplinary knowledge and digital tools, 85% improvement in technical understanding, and 97% recognition of practical applicability. Furthermore, 81% found the pedagogical model useful, and 74% considered it scalable to other technical subjects. The findings demonstrate that the TPACK framework is a powerful model for connecting theory with practice, enabling students to apply engineering concepts through digital environments while fostering creativity, autonomy, collaboration, and decision-making. The strategic use of CAD within this framework supports a more meaningful and reflective learning experience, positioning technological tools as instruments for design and also as catalysts for deeper cognitive and professional development in engineering education.