Introduction
The fourth industrial revolution and the strong development of science, engineering, and especially technology have had a strong impact on all areas of life, including education. This new context promotes the restructuring of social labor, creating changes in employment and increasingly higher requirements for the quality of human resources. The fourth industrial revolution appears to be generating fewer jobs in emerging industries compared to its predecessors (Schwab, 2016). Automation has significantly reduced jobs related to precise and mechanically repetitive manual labor, while it will increase employment related to cognitive and creative skills. Therefore, to fulfill job requirements in the fourth industrial revolution context, employees must possess both technical and non-technical skills, the latter of which are commonly referred to as soft skills and are often linked to 21st centuryskills (Joynes et al., 2019). Given that soft skills constitute 85% of the requisite skills for employment and technical skills include about 15% (Monarch Institute, 2015, as cited in De Campos et al., 2020), it is necessary to incorporate soft skills into the curricula of higher education institutions. Engineering students ought to be educated in soft skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork, ethical perspective, emotional intelligence, and creative thinking (De Campos et al., 2020), as well as responsibility, self-confidence, ethical awareness, receptive and expressive communication skills, adaptability, collaboration, initiative, planning abilities, and innovation/creativity (Fernández-Sanz et al., 2017).
It not only establishes the importance of soft skills for workers’ success in their work, but it also demonstrates that the products used in people’s daily lives today combine not only technical and technological knowledge and skills, but also artistic elements. The artistic elements of products create strong competitiveness and sustainable development. To incorporate artistic elements into products, workers must possess not only professional and technical knowledge and skills, but also the ability to innovate, create, think critically, and solve problems. One of the most important things for higher education institutions today is to prepare students with soft skills to successfully perform jobs that are not only full of technology but also highly artistic. In response to these challenges, higher education institutions in engineering and technology have implemented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, particularly science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education. This approach integrates arts with science, engineering, technology, and mathematics, thereby simultaneously developing both STEAM skills and soft skills for engineering students.
The interdisciplinary approach in STEM and STEAM education aims to provide students with broad, interdisciplinary foundational knowledge and focuses on the formation and development of learners’ practical capacity. Implementing STEM and STEAM education with active and experiential teaching methods, especially the project-based learning approach, encourages students to simultaneously develop STEM/STEAM skills and soft skills such as communication, cooperation, social skills, problem-solving, creative thinking, critical thinking, and so on (Baharin et al., 2018; Mora et al., 2020; Mustafa et al., 2016; Perignat & Katz-Buonincontro, 2019; Rasul et al., 2016; Wan Husin et al., 2016).
Engineering and technology universities in Vietnam have been promoting the application of the project-based learning approach in STEM/STEAM education to meet the demand for STEM human resources during the fourth industrial revolution. The implementation of STEM/STEAM education projects enables students to simultaneously develop STEM/STEAM skills by proposing creative solutions to real-life problems in their majors and lives, all within a collaborative learning environment. With the aim of exploring the effect of project-based learning in STEAM education, the article seeks to find answers to the following questions:
How is STEAM project-based learning organized in a course?
How does implementing STEAM project-based learning impact engineering students’ 21st centuryskills?
Literature Review
STEAM and STEAM Education
STEM is an acronym for Science (S), Technology (T), Engineering (E), and Mathematics (M). Combining traditional S, T, E, and M educational fields with creative arts to enhance learners’ creativity has created a variation of STEM called STEAM (Kim & Kim, 2016). Art elements are proposed to enhance the learning process, such as student participation and interest in STEM, which will encourage them to be able to solve problems creatively and innovatively (as cited in Utaminingsih et al., 2023).
The term “STEAM” refers to the integration of arts (A) and creativity in classical STEM teaching (Conradty & Bogner, 2020). This is an interdisciplinary integration of sciences, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics for the resolution of the daily life problems of students (Zamorano-Escalona et al., 2018, as cited in Aguilera & Ortiz-Revilla, 2021). STEAM simultaneously develops and shares creative solutions to problems (Herro et al., 2018) and offers innovative and collaborative ways to reach problem solutions (Perignat & Katz-Buonincontro, 2019).
One of the main purposes of STEAM is to prepare students to solve real-world problems through innovation, creativity, critical thinking, effective communication, collaboration, and new knowledge (Quigley & Herro, 2016). STEAM education is an interdisciplinary educational approach that includes the fields of traditional S, T, E, and M education and the arts. STEAM education interprets science and technology through engineering and the arts, all based on mathematical elements (Yakman & Lee, 2012), with the aim of enhancing student engagement, creativity, and innovation (Perignat & Katz-Buonincontro, 2019). Moreover, STEAM education also develops the ability to solve different problems in a creative way, improving learning efficiency, confidence, and interest in science (Kim & Kim, 2016). According to Perales and Aróstegui (2021), STEAM education could be defined as one that proposes an integrated teaching of scientific-technological, artistic, and, in general, humanistic competencies, with integration understood in a progressive sense that goes from interdisciplinarity to transdisciplinarity.
STEAM education most commonly employs learning strategies that encourage active and experiential learning. These strategies include project-based learning, problem-based learning, and collaborative learning. The goal of these strategies is to cultivate students’ creative problem-solving abilities in real-world situations. The aforementioned active and experiential teaching approaches not only assist students in identifying practical problems, but also provide them with the chance to gain hands-on experience in resolving difficulties using proposed solutions. In the process of learning how to discover problems, propose solutions, and implement problem solving in a collaborative learning environment, students not only apply knowledge and skills in mathematics, engineering, technology, science, and art, but they also practice skills that are relevant in the 21st century, such as creative thinking, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, cooperation, and other similar skills.
21st Century Skills
Since the late 20th century, the term of 21st Century Skills has increasingly been prevalent to denote the array of competencies pupils must acquire to thrive in life. The term “21st Century Skills” encompasses a wide range of concepts, is challenging to delineate, and its interpretation is often ambiguous (Lamb et al., 2017). The Glossary of Education Reform (2016) defines 21st century skills as a spectrum of knowledge, competencies, work habits, and character traits deemed essential for success in the contemporary landscape by educators, school reformers, college professors, employers, and other stakeholders. Ananiadou and Claro (2009) assert that 21st century skills and competencies are essential for young individuals to function effectively as professionals and citizens in the 21st century knowledge society. 21st century skills equip individuals to confront the challenges of the contemporary world, function globally, undergo digital transformation, collaborate for progress, innovate creatively, pursue skilled human resources, and swiftly adapt to changes (Central Board of Secondary Education, 2020) to achieve success in education and life (Chalkiadaki, 2018).
21st century skills are not a single skill but rather a collection of skills. These skills include the necessary knowledge, skills, working habits, and personality traits that are required to assist each individual in rapidly adapting to changes in technology and global development. Therefore, 21st century skills are crucial for working effectively and overcoming challenges to thrive in the 21st century.
21st century skills identified by researchers include collaboration/teamwork, technological (information or technical) literacy, creative thinking, citizenship, global citizenship and integration, information literacy, communication, self-direction, critical thinking, problem-solving, management or leadership, and so on (Griffin et al., 2012; Hien, 2022; Lemke, 2002; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2005; United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], 2023). Engineering curricula at technical and technological universities in Vietnam developed according to the CDIO approach often include 21st century skills (Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education, 2025; The School of Mechanical Engineering, n.d.).21st century skills are integrated into specialized courses or as a standalone course called “Soft skills” or “Workplace skills” 21st century skills in engineering curricula consist of collaboration skill, problem-solving skill and creative thinking skill, communication skill, presentation skill, emotional management skill... Among the skills mentioned, communication skill, presentation skill, emotional management skill are often blended into skills such as problem solving, creative thinking and collaboration. Therefore, this study will delve in to the following 21st century skills: collaboration, problem-solving and creative thinking.
Collaboration Skill: Collaboration refers to working together in groups (small or large) to achieve common goals. Collaboration is considered an important skill of the 21st century, along with communication, creativity, problem solving, digital literacy, and critical thinking (Piniuta & Meyerzon, 2018; Riaz & Din, 2023). Collaboration skills are considered both cognitive and social skills for solving complex, interdisciplinary problems (Piniuta & Meyerzon, 2018). Collaboration means working together or in groups to achieve certain common goals, which has become a need and trend of the 21st century and an essential skill in all areas of life (Riaz & Din, 2023). The collaboration skill can help students work better in groups and solve problems more effectively to attain common goals (Sirait & Amnie, 2023). This study employed a scale to assess the collaboration skills of students, which was verified for reliability by Hien et al. (2023a). The collaboration skill scale comprises 22 items categorized into four component skills: knowledge (4 items); interaction and collaboration with others or multicultural groups (4 items); project management in multicultural settings, including guidance and oversight of others (9 items); and attitudes, values, and ethics (5 items).
Creative Thinking Skill: Creativity is the ability to create work that is both innovative (i.e., distinctive, unexpected) and appropriate (i.e., useful, adaptive to task limits) at both the individual and social levels for a wide range of activities (Sternberg & Lubart, 1998). Birgili (2015) defines creative thinking as the entirety of cognitive actions performed by an individual in response to a given object, problem, or situation, or as a type of effort oriented toward a specific event and problem based on the individual’s potential. Creative thinking is linked to critical thinking and problem solving, with three elements of creative thinking: synthesis, expression, and imagination (Birgili, 2015). Creative thinking improves students’ research skills and complicated problem-solving abilities by integrating academic knowledge with practical problem-solving to discover new information. Creative thinking skills are an individual’s ability to use his or her thoughts to develop new ideas, solutions, and inventions (Hui & Abdullah, 2024). This study used a measure to test students’ creative thinking skills, which Hien et al. (2023b) found to be reliable. The creative thinking skill consists of 15 elements divided into three categories: creative thinking (3 items), creative work (6 items), and proposing, enhancing, and implementing innovative ideas or goods (6 items).
Problem-Solving Skill: According to Mourtos et al. (2004), problem solving is the process of finding the best solution to an unknown or a decision under certain constraints. Problem-solving skills are one of the basic skills needed to prepare learners to deal with increasingly complex situations in life and in their careers in the 21st century. Problem-solving skills are considered to be the ability to identify gaps in knowledge and ask important questions to clarify different perspectives and come up with better solutions (Griffin et al., 2012). Individuals can overcome difficult, unexpected, and unpredictable situations in life, study, and work with the help of problem-solving skills that existing methods cannot solve. Problem-solving skills refer to the ability to use cognitive processes (sensation, perception, thinking, imagination, language, memory) to identify problems, propose problem-solving solutions, select feasible problem-solving solutions, implement problem-solving, and evaluate problem-solving results at both the individual and social (small group and large group) levels. Other 21st century skills like critical thinking, collaboration, creative thinking, and communication are closely linked to the problem-solving skill. This study used a scale to assess students’ problem-solving skills that Hien et al. (2023b) verified for reliability. This problem-solving skills scale consists of 22 items structured into five components: identifying problems (5 items); proposing problem-solving solutions (4 items); selecting feasible problem-solving solutions (4 items); implementing problem-solving (6 items); and problem-solving outcome assessment (3 items).
STEAM Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered approach that focuses on the application of academic knowledge in tackling real-world problems. According to Hernández et al. (2021), PBL has been shown to be effective in increasing student learning by providing relevant experiences that focus on problem solving, many of which are common in learners’ daily lives. PBL can be used in a variety of instructional settings, including core/general courses, elective courses, and technical education, and it is almost appropriate for STEAM education. In higher education, PPL can be implemented in three ways: research project-based learning, constructive project-based learning, and real-world project-based learning (Oanh, 2020). Project-based learning engages students in solving practical, meaningful problems through individual or group projects, thereby developing not only technical/professional skills but also soft skills.
STEAM project-based learning is considered a solution to improve 21st century skills (Zayyinah et al., 2022). STEAM project-based learning is carried out with learning that produces a product by applying the STEAM principles (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) in making projects (Adriyawati et al., 2020). During STEAM learning projects, educators encourage students to apply STEAM principles to real-life and career-related projects. To carry out learning projects that require the application of STEAM principles, students need to collaborate together to find problems and propose and implement creative problem-solving solutions. In other words, the entire STEAM project-based learning process integrates 21st century skills like problem solving, collaboration, critical thinking, creative thinking, and even digital literacy.
This study proposes a STEAM-based learning organization process based on Oanh’s (2022) project-based learning organization process. The implementation of STEAM project-based learning involves the following five steps:
Step 1. Identify and Assign STEAM Learning Project Topics
Based on learning outcomes and content, lecturers and students identify STEAM learning topics that students are interested in. Lecturers apply active teaching methods (Socratic dialogue, brainstorming, mind maps, etc.) to encourage students to express their ideas about their favorite STEAM topics. Lecturers and students choose STEAM learning project topics that align with learning outcomes and content as well as students’ favorites and expectations.
Lecturers divide the class into small groups, assigning STEAM learning projects to each group. The teacher and students discuss and determine the objectives of STEAM learning projects, times, and expected learning outcomes and criteria for evaluating learning outcomes.
Step 2. Guide Students to Plan the Implementation of STEAM Learning Projects.
Under the guidance of the lecturers, students plan the implementation of STEAM learning projects: learning outcomes, tasks, methods, conditions, resources, implementation and completion time, and expected products.
Step 3. Organize Students to Implement STEAM Learning Projects
Students engage in STEAM learning projects by conducting various learning activities, including searching, collecting information, investigating or interviewing, observing or conducting experiments, analyzing, explaining, comparing, contrasting, synthesizing information, designing, and manufacturing products. During the implementation of the learning project, lecturers always support and guide students to focus on key tasks, avoiding rambling and wasting time, which can lead to not achieving the expected results.
Step 4. Organize Students to Present Products From STEAM Learning Projects.
Products of STEAM learning projects are very rich and diverse; they can be physical products (models, technical systems) or immaterial products (reports, plays, exhibitions, paintings, posters, etc.). Depending on the nature of the product, representatives or members of the group present it in many different forms, such as presentations, performances (acting, singing, dancing, etc.), or exhibitions (paintings, photos, wall newspapers, models, technical systems, etc.). Students can present the products of STEAM learning projects to the class, the school, or stakeholders such as the community and businesses. Students and stakeholders’ comment, criticize, and supplement the product to make it more complete after each group makes their presentation.
Step 5. Assess and Summarize
Lecturers or stakeholders (enterprises and communities) and students (self-assessment and peer assessment) together assess the products of each STEAM learning project based on specific criteria. Lecturers provide a summary of all STEAM project-based learning activities, highlighting key content, achieved results, and areas requiring adjustment and supplementation.
In short, to develop 21st century skills for engineering students, this study will apply the 5 steps of the STEAM project-based learning process to a specific course in engineering programs at the university level. The findings of the effect of STEAM project-based learning on the development of 21st century skills of engineering students will be presented in the following sections.
Organizing STEAM Project-Based Learning
“Workplace skills” is a general and elective course integrated into all engineering curricula at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education (Vietnam). First- and second-year students take this course to practice 21st century skills such as collaboration, written and verbal communication, critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills.
To develop 21st century skills for engineering students, lecturers organize students to carry out STEAM learning projects according to the 5-step process mentioned above. During STEAM learning projects, students concurrently utilize their knowledge and skills in mathematics, engineering, technology, and science, which they have acquired from other training program courses. Furthermore, incorporating the art element into all STEAM learning project products is a mandatory requirement.
This study illustrates the organization of a specific STEAM learning project in the “Workplace skills” course at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education:
Step 1. Identify and Assign STEAM Learning Project Topics
To develop collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills for engineering students, the lecturer builds STEAM learning projects in the “Workplace skills” course. The lecturer employs brainstorming techniques to gather students’ perspectives on STEAM learning projects that they are interested in pursuing to enhance the aforementioned skills. Most students are drawn to two types of STEAM learning projects: (1) Improve a product in a human-friendly and environmentally sustainable direction; (2) Design a green system in the direction of sustainable development.
The lecturer splits the class into study groups, allowing students to select one of the two identified STEAM learning projects. Once the groups select a STEAM learning project, the lecturer and students engage in a discussion about the innovative products and green systems that each group intends to implement for sustainable development. Learning groups need to clearly define the goals of STEAM learning projects, the time and expected learning outcomes, as well as the criteria for evaluating learning outcomes.
Step 2. Guide Students to Plan the Implementation of STEAM Learning Projects
Lecturers guide students to make implementation plans for each identified learning project. With a 4-week time frame for STEAM learning projects, students need to make detailed plans for each STEAM learning project. The implementation plan for the STEAM learning project should contain the following key information:
Project topic and implementation time.
Brief description of the project: STEAM learning projects help students apply knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to calculate improvements to a product or design a green system in a way that is friendly to people and sustainable for the environment. Learning products after completing the STEAM learning project include innovative products, models, presentations (slides or posters, videos, etc.). These learning products require the integration of artistic elements.
Identify STEAM elements and 21st century skills when implementing STEAM learning projects. What science, engineering, technology, mathematics, and arts disciplines are used to complete this project? What 21st century skills do students use to complete the STEAM learning project?
Identify methods, resources, and implementation time.
The evaluation criteria for expected products include size, shape, features, ease of use and safety, the product’s impact on human health and the environment, and artistic quality.
Step 3. Organize Students to Implement STEAM Learning Projects
Students implement STEAM learning projects according to the established plan. During the implementation of STEM learning projects, lecturers encourage, motivate, and guide students to search, collect information, investigate or interview, observe or conduct experiments, analyze, explain, compare, contrast, synthesize information, design, and manufacture products.
Step 4. Organize Students to Present Products From STEAM Learning Projects
Lecturers organize students to present STEAM project learning products, which they display at “Point of Purchase” (POP) - learning corners that students choose in the classroom. Each group sets up a POP to display their products. Lecturers and students move from the POP of this group to the POP of another group. At each POP, representatives from each group showcase their learning outcomes, elucidating not only the STEAM principles applied to the product but also its features, uses, and particularly its impact on users and the living environment.
Step 5. Assess and Summarize
The lecturer evaluates STEAM learning products, while learning groups conduct peer assessments and self-assessments based on the defined criteria. The lecturer gives feedback on each product and directions for future product improvement. Finally, the lecturer summarizes all the periods of STEAM project-based learning.
Methodology
Research Design
This study used the one-group pretest-posttest design to examine the effect of STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course on changes in engineering students’ 21st centuryskills, including collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
The one-group pretest-posttest design is widely used in behavioral research, primarily for the purpose of comparing groups and/or measuring changes due to experimental treatments (Dimitrov & Rumrill, 2003). Although the one-group pretest-posttest design is an appropriate research design that provides tentative insights into an intervention and is cost-effective when there is a huge sample (Ma et al., 2019), it also has inherent limitations that should be acknowledged.
The one-group pretest-posttest design does not use a comparison group but compares participants’ developmental outcomes before and after the treatment. However, the differences in findings between pretest and posttest may be influenced by other factors besides the treatment (Ma et al., 2019). The one-group pretest-posttest design may make participants more sensitive to the focus of the experiment, which may influence the results. Furthermore, the validity of this design may be threatened because participants in the control and experimental groups may communicate about the study outside the experiment, which may also contaminate the findings (Rogers & Révész, 2019). Last but not least, testing and regression to the mean may adversely affect the internal validity of the study, leading to overestimation or underestimation of the effects of the treatment (Ma et al., 2019). In this study, the course “Workplace Skills” was implemented on a credit-based system, meaning that engineering students were given the option to choose and enroll in a course that fit their learning time and pace. So, it was not possible to select a comparison group of engineering students who took the “Workplace Skills” course in the same semester. As a result, this study did not use a comparison group but compared the development of 21st centuryskills of engineering students before and after they took part in STEAM project-based learning (experimental treatments).
Before taking part in STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace skills” course, engineering students were required to self-evaluate their three 21st century skills, including collaboration, problem solving, and creative thinking, using the 21st century skills scale for engineering students, formulated by Hien et al. (2023a) and Hien et al. (2023b), which has been tested for reliability.
After participating in STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace skills” course for 4 weeks, engineering students also self-evaluated their three 21st century skills using the Hien et al. (2023a) and Hien et al. (2023b) scale.
The comparison of the three 21st century skills before and after engineering students participated in STEAM project-based learning will reveal the extent to which the STEAM project-based learning influenced the development of these skills.
Research Hypothesis
H: There is no significant difference in the mean value of each 21st century skill before and after implementing the STEAM project-based learning in 47 engineering students.
H1: There is a significant difference in the mean value of each 21st century skill before and after implementing STEAM project-based learning in 47 engineering students.
Sample and Data Collection
There were 47 freshmenstudents majoring in Mechanical Engineering Technology enrolled in the “Workplace Skills” course in the second semester of the 2022–2023 academic year. They were divided into small groups, each consisting of 4 to 6 students.
During the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year, data were collected using a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was delivered to 47 engineering students at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education in Vietnam by email, along with a link to the Google Forms survey. Prior to participating in the STEAM project-based learning, 47 valid responses were collected on their three 21st century skills: collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking. After completing the STEAM project-based learning, 47 valid responses to these skills were collected for data analysis.
Instrument
This study used a scale to evaluate 21st century skills, including collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking formulated by Hien et al. (2023a) and Hien et al. (2023b) (described in the section “21st Century Skills”). The 21st century skills scale consists of 59 items, with 22 items for the collaboration skill, 15 items for the creative thinking skill, and 22 items for the problem-solving skill. Three 21st century skills with 59 items were designed using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from “Very poor” to “Very good.”.
The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for each factor was as follows: Collaboration skill = .907, Creative thinking skill = .903, and problem-solving skill =.932. All factors demonstrated strong internal consistency, with alpha coefficients surpassing the acceptable threshold of .70.
To further evaluate the performance of engineering students’ skills, including problem-solving and creative thinking, this study also evaluated their STEAM project-based learning products utilizing a rubric for the problem-solving skill and a rubric for the creative thinking skill. Each rubric is composed of criteria and a 5-point scale, which ranges from very poor, poor, average, good, and very good.
The evaluation of the problem-solving skill through STEAM project learning products includes the following criteria: (a) the product's meaningfulness, which is the ability to define the problem; (b) the product's quality, which includes functionality, product characteristics, durability, and safety, which is the ability to solve the problem; (c) the product's practicability, which is the ability to solve the problem successfully and effectively.
The criteria for evaluating the creative thinking skill through STEAM project learning products are based on a framework for creativity and the creative thinking process, formulated by Torrance (1979) (as cited in Ghaedi et al., 2015): (a) Fluency: Generate a large number of ideas or alternative solutions to a problem; (b) Flexibility: Generate ideas that demonstrate many different possibilities or domains of thinking and look at things from different angles; (c) Elaboration: Enhance an idea by providing additional introductory details; and (d) Originality: Generate unique or unusual ideas.
Data Analysis
The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22 was employed to analyze the data, andcalculate statistical metrics such as mean, standard deviation (SD), Pearson correlation coefficient (r), compeared mean by paired-sample t-test, effect size value and subsequently interpret the findings.
To explore the significant differences of three 21st century skills of engineering students before and after the intervention, this study used a t-test for normally distributed samples and the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test in non-parametric tests for data with non-normally distributed samples (Field, 2013; Pallant, 2016). Since the sample size of this study was less than 50, it was suitable for the Shapiro-Wilk normal distribution test (Razali & Wah, 2011). The findings of the Shapiro-Wilk test indicated that the Sig of three 21st century skills of 47 engineering students before and after the intervention was all > .05, with the exception of the Sig of the problem-solving skill before the intervention (Sig = .016). Thus, all three 21st century skills achieved normal distribution before and after the intervention, with the exception of the problem-solving skill, which did not achieve normal distribution before the intervention. Therefore, a t-test was used to identify the pre- and post-significant differences for the collaboration skill and the creative thinking skill, while the Wilcoxon test was utilized to determine the pre- and post-significant differences for the problem-solving skill (Table 1).
Table 1.Shapiro-Wilk test
| Tests of Normality | Shapiro-Wilk | |||
| Skills | Time | Statistic | df | Sig. |
| Collaboration skill | Before | .975 | 47 | .393 |
| After | .957 | 47 | .080 | |
| Creative Thinking skill | Before | .969 | 47 | .253 |
| After | .988 | 47 | .912 | |
| Problem solving skill | Before | .939 | 47 | .016 |
| After | .971 | 47 | .288 |
To explore the correlation between the three 21st century skills of 47 engineering students before and after the intervention, the assumptions of normality were tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test, and a scatter plot was used to test linearity. The findings from the Shapiro-Wilk test and the scatter plot showed that the collaboration and creative thinking skills were normally distributed before and after the intervention (Table 1), and their data points tended to form a straight line (Figure 1 and Figure 2). However, the problem-solving skills were not normally distributed (Table 1), and their data points did not form a straight line (Figure 3). Based on the findings from the Shapiro-Wilk test, the scatter plot, and Field’s (2013) guidelines for choosing correlations, Pearson correlation analysis was used to find the relationship between the differences before and after the intervention for the collaboration skill and the creative thinking skill, while Spearman correlation was used for the problem-solving skill.
Figure 1. TheScatter Plot of the Correlation Between the Collaboration Skill Before and After the Intervention
Figure 2. The Scatter Plot of the Correlation Between the CreativeThinking Skill Before and After the Intervention
Figure 3. The Scatter Plot of the Correlation Between the Problem-Solving Skill Before and After the Intervention
To ensure uniformity in data interpretation, a 5-point Likert scale was employed, with each point's value determined by the formula: (highest value - minimum value) / number of points = (5 - 1) / 5 = 0.8 (Table 2).
Table 2. Scale Values for Response Meanings
| Scale | Meaning | Mean |
| 1. | Very poor | 1.00 < M ≤ 1.80 |
| 2. | Poor | 1.80 < M ≤ 2.60 |
| 3. | Average | 2.60 < M ≤ 3.40 |
| 4. | Good | 3.40 < M ≤ 4.20 |
| 5. | Very good | 4.20 < M ≤ 5.00 |
Findings
21st Century Skills of Engineering Students
Table 3 displays the mean values, standard deviation, correlation coefficient, and statistical significance (p) for three 21st century skills: collaboration, creative thinking, and problem-solving, among 47 engineering students in the one-group pretest-posttest intervention.
Table 3. Mean, Standard Deviation, Correlation Coefficient of Three 21st Century Skills Before and After Implementing STEAM Project-Based Learning
| Skills | Time | Mean (M) | Standard Deviation | Pearson correlation coefficient (r) | Spearman correlation coefficient (r) | p |
| Collaboration skill | Before | 3.99 | 0.39 | .528** | .000 | |
| After | 4.21 | 0.40 | ||||
| Creative Thinking skill | Before | 3.65 | 0.52 | .537** | .000 | |
| After | 4.07 | 0.42 | ||||
| Problem solving skill | Before | 3.82 | 0.47 | .336* | .021 | |
| After | 4.25 | 0.38 |
*Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-detailed)
Table 4. Paired Sample and Effect Size Value
Before and after implementing STEAM project-based learning, all Sig. (2 tailed) for the three 21st century skills were .00 in t-test and Wilconxon test. Therefore, the H hypothesis was rejected, while the H1 hypothesis was approved. The mean value of each skill differs significantly at the 5% level before and after the implementation of STEAM project-based learning.
After implementing STEAM project-based learning, the average difference for three 21st century skills is greater than before. Among the three 21st century skills studied, compared to before implementing STEAM project-based learning, engineering students’ problem-solving skill improved most significantly (DM = .43), followed by creative thinking skill (DM = .42), and finally collaboration skill (DM = .22).
Before implementing STEAM project-based learning, all three 21st century skills were at a good level. However, the mean values of all three 21st century skills were below 4.00, with the mean of the creative thinking skill reaching the lowest value of the good level (M = 3.65) as indicated by the scale values for response meanings in Table 2.
Following the implementation of the STEAM learning project, the creative thinking skill remained at the good level, with the mean value exceeding 4.00 (M = 4.07). The problem-solving skill (M = 4.25) and collaboration skill (M = 4.21) both attained a very good level, as indicated by M > 4.20. Despite the elevation of these skills from Good to Very Good, the mean values tended to lean towards the lower end of the Very Good level. Therefore, in terms of mean values, the problem-solving and creative thinking skills showed more significant improvement than the collaboration skill did. Prior to the implementation of STEAM project-based learning, the mean of the collaboration skill was 3.99, approaching the minimum threshold of the Very Good level (M > 4.20). This study used Cohen’s (1988) effect size formula to explain the change in 21st centuryskills of engineering students following the intervention. The effect sizes ranged from .2 to .49, from .5 to .79, and from .8 to 2.0, which were defined by Cohen (1988) as small, moderate, and large, respectively. Table 4 revealed that the collaboration skill had the moderate effect with d = .56, while the thinking skill and problem-solving skill changed to the large effect size with d = .91 and .93, respectively.
The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) is used to quantify the strength of the linear relationship between quantitative variables. Hopkins et al. (2009) established thresholds of .10, .30, and .50 for small, moderate, and large correlation coefficients, respectively, as well as .70 and .90 for very large and extremely large. In this study, Pearson correlation analysis between the average of each skill before and after implementing STEAM project-based learning revealed that the collaboration skill (r = .528) and creative thinking skill of engineering students have a large correlation (r = .537), while their problem-solving skill has a moderate correlation (r = .336). Therefore, the implementation of STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course enhanced the three 21st century skills of engineering students. The problem-solving and creative thinking skills of 47 engineering students improved significantly, while their collaboration skill increased slightly.
These findings showed that the application of STEAM project-based learning enhanced three 21st century skills among engineering students. However, to strengthen and sustain this improvement, STEAM project-based learning should be implemented synchronously in other courses in engineering curricula in addition to the “Workplace Skills” course.
STEAM Project-Based Learning Products
Thirteen STEAM learning projects were identified and implemented in 4 weeks, including “Benefit school desk,” “Distinctive bag,” “Enhancement of ballpoint pens into multipurpose pens,” “Table and chair sets with integrated refrigerators and storage compartments,” “Mosquito killing device,” and “Integrated saw-knife-sickle set,” among others. Students integrate the above 21st century skills with the principles of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics according to a weekly schedule to execute these learning projects.
When implementing the above-mentioned STEAM learning projects, engineering students were encouraged to work together in small groups of 4 to 6 students. In these learning groups, students exchange ideas, discuss concepts, propose solutions, select strategies, implement them creatively, and test and evaluate the outcomes. These learning activities offer students the chance to hone their cooperation skills, enabling them to successfully complete STEAM learning projects. Collaborative learning fosters harmonious relationships among individuals with diverse perspectives on the same problem. As a result, implementing STEAM learning projects encourages engineering students to collaborate, develop problem-solving skills, and think creatively to solve real-life problems.
During the first week, engineering students collaborated in groups, engaged in conversations, developed ideas, and selected a project topic to pursue. They thereafter elucidated their rationale for the selection and articulated their brief project topic to the class for a duration of three to five minutes apiece. The lecturer and other groups provided feedback on each project topic. These group activities facilitated engineering students in honing their collaborative skills through interaction and discourse with peers and instructors.
During week 2, each group formulated a comprehensive plan and presented significant content and execution milestones to the class. The lecturer developed instructional strategies that aligned with each plan, providing students with immediate and timely support. During weeks 3 and 4, students applied their foundational knowledge of general science, encompassing physics, chemistry, electricity, and energy, to produce various products according to their STEAM learning project topic. Students analyzed design requirements, wrote design specifications, established criteria and constraints, created models or prototypes, tested and evaluated, and refined their designs. They employed a synthesis of principal diagrams and mathematical expertise to compute the maximum achievable efficiency. In addition, students actively searched for and selected recycled or reused materials and components and then utilized their technical expertise to organize and integrate them for optimal efficiency. Students not only focused on the aesthetic aspects of the product, such as shape, size, and color, but also incorporated these elements into the creation of videos or posters to showcase their STEAM learning products. All activities included planning, applying interdisciplinary knowledge to each STEAM learning project topic, selecting materials, designing and making prototypes with carefully calculated shapes, colors, and sizes, and creating posters or videos with colors, sounds, and images that inspired students to address problems through various creative approaches. The following are illustrations of two rather impressive products:
Figure 1. Anti-Lock Braking System and Vehicle Locator
The “Anti-lock Braking System and Vehicle Locator” was a STEAM learning project that six first-year automotive engineering students undertook. The project involved improving and integrating anti-lock braking and signaling features for old cars to locate vehicles within a radius of 100 meters. To carry out this STEAM learning project, students collaborated to identify the limitations of the anti-lock braking and signaling features of an old car. Students also used their knowledge of engines, mathematics, and physics to calculate and build a schematic diagram of the system’s operation. Additionally, the students constructed a simulation model that simulated the system’s operation. When designing a poster to present the results of the STEAM learning project, students combined text, graphics, and colors to arrange the content on A3 paper in a creative way. The poster’s content encompasses an introduction, hypothesis, objectives, novelty, implementation process, schematic diagram, achieved results, and conclusion, all arranged not only scientifically but also creatively. In this STEAM learning project, engineering students not only coordinated with peers to perform learning activities, but the quality of the anti-lock braking system and vehicle locator model also revealed their ability to solve problems in creative ways.
Figure 2. Mosquito Killing Device
Freshmen in the Mechanical Engineering major have carried out a STEAM learning project called “Mosquito Killing Device.” This device utilizes old mosquito nets and combines them with solar batteries. To make this product, students used their knowledge of mathematics and physics, as well as general knowledge of electricity, heat, and energy, to calculate and design the operating principle of the mosquito trap. Then, students used their technical knowledge to locate the connections between the elements of the mosquito trap. When creating the product, students also focused on coordinating the colors of the elements in the mosquito trap and creating handles attached to the two sides of the device for the convenience of the user. Not only does this device cater to a diverse range of users, but it also fits seamlessly into all household spaces, whether in rural or urban areas. The originality of the "Mosquito Killer" product is the combination of used mosquito nets and solar panels. This combination not only lowers the cost of manufacturing the product but also lowers the cost of operating the system. This is due to the use of solar panels, which harness solar energy, a popular source in the southern region of Vietnam. Thus, within 4 weeks, students coordinated harmoniously in all learning activities to successfully implement STEAM learning projects in a creative way.
In brief, the implementation of STEAM project-based learning enhanced students' three 21st century skills, as indicated by the statistical parameters and STEAM project learning products. How do the findings of this study relate to previous studies? This question will be clarified in the next section.
Discussion
The findings of this study demonstrated that STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course significantly affected the improvement of engineering students’ 21st century skills, including collaboration skills, problem-solving skills, and interpersonal skills. STEAM project-based learning provides students with the opportunity to apply the principles of S, T, E, A, and M to solve real-life and professional problems. By implementing the expected STEAM learning topics, students experience the steps of developing an engineering system, which include collaboratively exploring the problem, proposing new solutions, selecting the most feasible solution, implementing the solution, and evaluating the problem-solving results. Students experience 21st century skills right in the process of collaborating to apply knowledge of S, T, E, A, and M to discover and propose solutions to problems in a creative way.
The findings of this study are consistent with many previous studies on the development of 21st century skills for students through STEAM project-based learning. STEAM project-based learning fosters the development of critical thinking skills, creative problem solving (Ismiati, 2024), collaboration, communication, and higher-order thinking skills, such as creative and critical thinking, creativity, and innovation (Rahmawati et al., 2019), as well as critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and communication skills (Izzatillaeva, 2024).
The influence of the project-based learning model on students' collaborative learning skills was shown in the study of Sirait and Amnie (2023). The project-based learning model (PjBL) can be applied to train collaborative skills because it promotes students' ability to discuss with friends, communicate and express, work in groups, and think effectively to plan and produce work while enhancing cognitive and affective creativity (Sirait & Amnie, 2023).
The findings on the effect of STEAM project-based learning on the development of creative thinking skills for engineering students in this study are consistent with the study of Ekayana et al. (2024). Implementing STEAM-integrated project-based learning improves the creative thinking skills of Information Technology students through fluency, construction, flexibility, and creativity (Ekayana et al., 2024). In this study, the ability of engineering students to effectively and rationally combine innovative ideas or create a human-friendly, environmentally sustainable product using recycled materials at a lower cost than commercial devices demonstrates their creative thinking skills. The findings of this study on the effects of STEAM project-based learning are similar to those of Diawati et al. (2017), who had students at StudiPendidikan Kimia Program in Provinsi Lampung build a basic steam distillation device as part of a course on chemical separation (Diawati et al., 2017).
This study shows that STEM project-based learning helps engineering students get better at solving creative problems. This is similar to Handayani and Nurhamidah’s (2024) finding that STEAM project-based learning can help students get better at soft skills in Organic Chemistry 1, specifically when it comes to hydrocarbons. When implementing STEAM learning projects, students respond to various questions related to the learning topic to identify problems and propose solutions. After identifying the problem and its solutions, students plan and execute the problem-solving process, which includes designing the product, sourcing suitable materials, assembling it, testing it, and reporting the results. Solutions related to the artistic element in the process of implementing STEAM learning projects help increase students’ creative problem-solving ability.
Previous research has not corroborated the findings of this study about the effect of STEAM project-based learning on the enhancement of engineering students’ collaboration skill. Previous research has primarily focused on the effect of STEAM project-based learning on soft skills, or 21st century skills, in the context of higher education or K–12 students in general (Ismiati, 2024; Izzatillaeva, 2024; Rahmawati et al., 2019; Ridwan et al., 2022; Sangwaranatee et al., 2024). Research on the effect of STEAM project-based learning on engineering students’ collaboration skills still shows a substantial gap in higher education. This not only confirms the significance of the study’s investigation of the effect of STEAM project-based learning on engineering students’ collaboration skills, but it also paves the way for future, more in-depth, and larger research on this topic.
In this study, the development of 47 engineering students' collaboration skills was determined to change less than their creative thinking and problem-solving skills after participating in STEAM project-based learning. The difference in the level of change of 47 engineering students' collaboration skill compared to the two skills mentioned above can be explained as follows: (1) 47 engineering students had been trained the collaboration skill through group learning activities in high school and in other courses at university, so their collaboration skill were already at a high level before participating in STEAM project - based learning; (2) 47 engineering students had only studied for one semester at university, so they had not participated in STEAM project - based learning in other courses requiring them to apply interdisciplinary knowledge to solve real-life situations in creative ways; (3) 47 engineering students are too familiar with the way of learning that only requires memorization, understanding and application in typical situations in high school, and have little or no experience in learning activities that require solving real-life problems in many different ways and thinking outside the box like in university.
Conclusion
21st century skills play an important role in the academic and career success of each individual. Learners must receive proper training during the learning process at educational institutions, including general and higher education, as well as in life, to master these skills. STEAM project-based learning has a significant effect on the development of 21st century skills among engineering students. When engineering students participate in STEAM learning projects, they collaborate to engage in active learning activities, apply the principles of S, T, E, A, and M, and solve practical life and career problems within a collaborative learning environment. The integrated STEAM learning product not only demonstrated that engineering students are able to apply the principles of S, T, E, A, and M to a specific situation in life and career but also demonstrated the ability to solve problems creatively in collaboration with stakeholders (classmates, lecturers, and the community).
This study highlights the significance of integrating STEAM project-based learning into engineering education to help students develop 21st centuryskills. Engineering students' collaboration skill showed a moderate effect size among the three 21st centuryskills integrated into STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course, while problem-solving and creative thinking skills showed a large effect size. The development of 21st centuryskills during the university learning process is the best preparation for students to adapt to the changing world of work in the context of the fourth industrial revolution and digital transformation that are taking place strongly in Vietnam.
Recommendations
In the context of higher education reform in Vietnam, universities encourage lecturers to apply active and experiential teaching methods such as group work, case studies, situational learning, project-based learning, etc., to develop students' professional, technical, and soft/core/key competencies. In addition to STEAM project-based learning, other active and experiential teaching methods are also applied in general and specialized courses in university training programs. So, does the application of active and experiential teaching methods that do not include STEAM project-based learning affect the 21st century skills of engineering students? Empirical studies related to the above issue will provide lecturers and administrators with creative pedagogical strategies and best practices to develop 21st century skills for engineering students as required by employers.
In addition, comparative studies of the influence of STEAM project-based learning on the 21st century skills of students across various engineering disciplines should be conducted in depth. These studies furnish lecturers and managers with scientific bases for choosing appropriate and effective teaching strategies to cultivate 21st century skills among engineering students across several disciplines. In addition, these studies also provide engineering students with specific instructions on how to practice 21st century skills in a positive and experiential way in a real-world environment.
In parallel with the study on the impact of STEAM project-based learning on 21st century skills of engineering students, research on the sustainability of 21st century skills of students after implementing STEAM project-based learning should also be conducted. The findings on the sustainability of 21st century skills of engineering students will be scientific evidence of the effectiveness of applying STEAM project-based learning to develop 21st century skills for engineering students.
Last but not least, the majority of lecturers at engineering universities in Vietnam major in engineering, such as vehicle and energy engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, chemical and food technology, civil engineering, graphic arts and media, and information technology… To become lecturers at higher education institutions, individuals only need a certificate in general university pedagogy, in addition to degrees in technical majors and foreign languages. Therefore, Vietnamese engineering higher education institutions need to develop and implement in-service training programs focused on active and experiential teaching methods, STEM/STEAM-integrated education, and 21st centuryskills for engineering students, specifically tailored for lecturers.
Limitations
Although STEM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course significantly improved the problem-solving skill, creative thinking skill, and collaboration skill of 47 engineering students, this study still has certain limitations.
This study did not use a comparison group to compare participants’ developmental outcomes before and after STEAM project-based learning. So, the differences in findings between pretest and posttest may be influenced by other factors besides STEAM project-based learning.
This study solely examined the influence of STEAM project-based learning on specific 21st century skills among engineering students in a general and elective course that focuses on employability skills for the freshman students.
Furthermore, this study did not investigate the sustainability of the 21st century skills that were developed through STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course, due to the short effect period of only 4 weeks and the lack of a re-examination of the skill’s performance after this period in this and other courses.
Last but not least, can the STEAM project-based learning in the “Workplace Skills” course solely influence the 21st century skills developed for 47 engineering students, or can project-based learning in other engineering curricula at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education also influence them? The impact of general and specialized courses taught using STEAM project-based learning on students’ 21st century skills has not been discussed or mentioned in this study.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to engineering students who participated in STEAM project-based learning in the course “Workplace Skills” and conducted the survey of the 21st century skills.
Conflict of Interest
No potential conflict of interest is declared by the authors.
Funding
The author received no financial support for this article's research, authorship, and publication.
Ethics Statements
“Workplace Skills” is an elective course in the undergraduate training program of engineering majors at HCMUTE. 47 Mechanical Engineering Technology students voluntarily enrolled in the “Workplace Skills” course in the second semester of the 2022–2023 academic year at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Education. To complete this course, students are not only required to complete STEAM learning projects to develop 21st century skills but also to respond on their 21st century skills before and after they participate in these projects. So, students voluntarily enrolling in the “Workplace Skills” course provided informed consent to participate in this study.
Generative AI statement
The authors used QuillBot to enhance the work’s language and eliminate semantic errors. Following the use of this AI tool, the authors thoroughly reviewed, edited, and verified the final version of their work. The authors take full responsibility for the content of this publication.