Hepta Bungsu Agung Jayawardana, Indah Kharismawati, Mochammad Maulana Trianggono, Lailatul Nuraini, Wargo Silanto
The rapid advancement of digital transformation in higher education demands innovative instructional strategies that not only emphasize knowledge acquisition but also develop essential 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy. This study aimed to design and evaluate the effectiveness of a Project-Based Learning integrated with STEM (PjBL-STEM) model, supported by a gamified digital assessment platform developed through Quizizz. The model was systematically designed using the ADDIE framework (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) to ensure a structured and iterative development process. Conducted in a Basic Biology course, the research involved the preparation of learning materials, assessment instruments, and 120 validated Quizizz items reviewed by experts in biology and instructional technology. The validation results using Aiken’s V showed a high level of validity (mean = 0.89), confirming the quality of the instruments. The implementation consisted of six learning sessions employing a pretest–posttest control group design to measure learning outcomes and critical thinking improvements. The results indicated significant enhancement in students’ learning achievement (Mpre = 62.45; Mpost = 82.13; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.92) and critical thinking skills (Mpre = 58.72; Mpost = 79.44; p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.87). Independent t-tests also confirmed that the experimental group outperformed the control group (p < 0.001). Student responses showed high engagement, with 87.5% reporting increased learning interest and 82.1% stating that the gamified platform facilitated understanding of abstract biological concepts. Theoretically, this research enriches literature on digital and gamified learning design, while practicallyoffering a structured and effective instructional model for higher education to improve engagement, learning outcomes, and essential competencies in the digital era. Copyright (c) 2026 The Authors. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Universitas PGRI Argopuro Jember, Jl. Jawa No.10, Jawa Timur, Jember, Indonesia; Universitas Jember, Jl. Kalimantan No.37, Kampus Tegalboto,Jawa Timur, Jember, Indonesia; Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang No.5,Jawa Timur, Malang, Indonesia
