Critical thinking is highly valued as an integral skill for promoting students’ development, and problem-based learning (PBL) is widely used as an essential method to facilitate the development of critical thinking. However, since individual studies cannot determine the precise overall effect size of PBL on the development of critical thinking, it is difficult to systematically analyze the various influencing factors that hinder PBL from achieving sufficient effectiveness. Therefore, this study adopts a meta-analysis method to examine PBL in depth, aiming to clarify the crucial methods and elements of applying PBL to enhance critical thinking and address the shortcomings of existing studies. This study investigates two primary questions: first, the efficacy of PBL in enhancing critical thinking skills in comparison to traditional pedagogical approaches, and second, the influence of moderating variables on the effectiveness of PBL. To address these questions, a total of 25 studies were selected for meta-analysis. The findings revealed an overall effect size of 1.081 under the random-effects model, with a confidence interval of [0.874, 1.288] and p < .05, indicating that PBL significantly outperforms traditional methods. The analysis demonstrated that the effectiveness of PBL is not significantly influenced by learning stage, sample size, or measurement tools, thereby broadening the applicability of PBL and challenging preconceived limitations associated with its implementation. However, the results also indicated that PBL effectiveness is moderated by teaching methods and subject types, which offers critical insights for educators seeking to adapt their instructional strategies when employing PBL.

The aim of this study is to investigate how postgraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students perceive the impact of the Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Teaching program on promoting effective education for sustainable development (ESD). The study employed a descriptive approach, involving 228 participants. The study employed a 28-item questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software. The findings suggest that participants believe the program employs strategic actions and policies to achieve its long-term development goals for effective English teaching. The results also showed that participants place a high value on the program because it encourages innovative efforts to enhance the quality of learning, provides them with a range of assessment tools to help teach English effectively in the long term, and offers students opportunities to practice feedback techniques that enhance learning in the classroom. Furthermore, because participants were exposed to a pre-service training program in an effective manner, the results demonstrated statistically significant differences among participants regarding the program's impact on promoting effective ESD based on the study's variables. According to the study, it is also necessary to incorporate sustainable development concerns into English instruction and provide participants with information about the benefits of sustainable development.

This mixed-methods study investigates the impact of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) method and fifth-semester student engagement on entrepreneurial competencies in the higher education of the makeup and beauty program at Padang State University. Using a convergent parallel design, data were collected from 117 fifth-semester students through questionnaires, interviews, observations, and portfolio assessments. The data were analyzed using Two-Way ANOVA and thematic analysis. The quantitative results revealed that the STEAM approach significantly outperformed conventional methods. Specifically, 83.33% of students achieved excellent leadership scores (M = 89.00, SD = 2.85), and 78.33% excelled in creativity (M = 87.50, SD = 2.98). High levels of engagement (M = 4.33) across behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions correlated with enhanced competencies (p < .001). Qualitative findings indicated increased motivation, collaborative learning through platforms like TikTok Shop, and heightened mental engagement from diverse resources. The interaction between the STEAM and student engagement further amplified outcomes (F = 3.75, p = .025, R² = 0.454). This study highlights the transformative potential of the STEAM method in developing entrepreneurial competencies, underscoring its applicability in vocational education. Educators should integrate STEAM methodologies and digital platforms into their curricula, while future research should examine the long-term impacts and scalability of these approaches.