INTEGRATING STEM AND PROJECT-BASED DIGITAL WORKSHEETS TO FOSTER 21ST-CENTURY STUDENT CHARACTERS

Retni S Budiarti; Asni Johari; Muhammad Rusdi; Evita Anggereini

doi:10.22437/jiituj.v9i4.47635

Authors

Retni S Budiarti Universitas Jambi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7584-6041
Asni Johari Universitas Jambi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9776-0617
Muhammad Rusdi Universitas Jambi https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1075-6023
Evita Anggereini Universitas Jambi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3360-5394

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22437/jiituj.v9i4.47635

Keywords:

Character Education, E-Worksheet, PjBL, STEM

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of STEM–Project-Based Learning (PjBL) integrated E-Student Worksheets in cultivating character development specifically curiosity and creative thinking among biology education students. Using a quasi-experimental post-test-only control group design, the research involved 50 participants equally divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group engaged with STEM–PjBL-based E-Worksheets, while the control group used conventional worksheets. Statistical analyses, including tests of normality, homogeneity, and independent t-tests, revealed significant differences between the two groups. Students in the experimental class achieved markedly higher levels of curiosity (M = 83.01; p = 0.001) and creative thinking (M = 79.39; p = 0.003) than their counterparts, demonstrating that the integration of STEM and PjBL within digital worksheets not only increases engagement but also fosters deeper character formation by strengthening inquisitiveness, originality, and problem-solving abilities. The study provides evidence that technology-enhanced project-based learning environments can function as catalytic spaces for nurturing essential 21st-century competencies. The novelty of this research lies in its synthesis of STEM, PjBL, and character education within a single digital learning device an integration rarely explored in higher education. By embedding character attributes directly into project workflows, the E-Worksheets move beyond content delivery toward the cultivation of intellectual dispositions. This study contributes a practical framework for designing character-oriented digital learning tools, offering implications for lecturers, curriculum developers, and instructional technologists seeking to promote holistic student development through innovative, technology-supported pedagogical models.

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Author Biographies

Retni S Budiarti, Universitas Jambi

Universitas Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia

Asni Johari, Universitas Jambi

Universitas Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia

Muhammad Rusdi, Universitas Jambi

Universitas Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia

Evita Anggereini, Universitas Jambi

Universitas Jambi, Jambi, Indonesia

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