Students Perceptions on the Use of AutoCAD Activities in Courses of the Mining Engineering Program

AutoCAD is a professional tool used by engineers, architects, designers, and other professionals worldwide. Particularly in mining engineering, AutoCAD has been used to facilitate the teaching quality of the specific content of modeling, design of geological anomalies, tunnels, ramps, and plan readings. In addition, used in university settings, it can be an excellent tool for collaborative learning and developing social skills that involve students. This contribution investigates the perception of mining engineering students on AutoCAD in their courses regarding its value as a computational tool and its intense use of digital resources. We used a Likert-type survey of mining engineering students from a large private university in Chile to collect the data. The results show that the acceptance given by students to the use of AutoCAD as a design and three-dimensional modeling tool is very favorable. AutoCAD tools facilitate students' management and construction of knowledge since they can progress at their own pace. Course results show a lack of training in technological skills by students. We recommend strengthening students' digital literacy with activities in previous courses.