Isnanik Juni Fitriyah, Sulistyo Saputro, Sajidan
This study conducts a systematic literature review to critically examine the effectiveness of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model integrated with the Design Thinking approach in enhancing students' creative thinking skills. Data were obtained from peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and other relevant scholarly publications, and were analyzed through both qualitative synthesis and meta-analysis. The combined approach of PBL and Design Thinking was found to produce a substantial positive effect, as indicated by a large standardized mean difference (SMD = 6.44; 95% CI [4.93, 7.95]), outperforming traditional instructional methods. Despite this strong overall effect, considerable heterogeneity was identified (I2 = 94%), reflecting variations in study design, participant characteristics, educational level, disciplinary context, and intervention type. These findings highlight the potential of PBL-Design Thinking as an effective pedagogical framework for fostering higher-order thinking skills, while also emphasizing the need for further rigorous, context-sensitive research to strengthen the evidence base and inform best practices for implementation across diverse educational settings. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.
Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia; Department of Science Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia; Biology Education Department, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia
