Integration of Project-Based Learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to Improve Students’ Biology Practical Skills in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

2.1 Procedure

The author conducted this study using a systematic literature review (SLR), a process that involves locating, classifying, assessing, and scrutinizing all relevant studies (Tranfield, Denyer, & Smart, 2003; Tusianah et al., 2021). The STEM-integrated PBL enhances biology practicum skills in higher education (Abas, Amin, Ibrohim, & Indriwati, 2024). This method promotes active participation, analytical reasoning, and the practical application of biological principles, resulting in enhanced academic achievement and a more profound comprehension among students. The author uses the Publish or Perish application to search for and harvest articles from the Google Scholar and Scopus databases. The time range for publishing articles is between 2016 and 2023 to produce the latest findings (Figure 1). The keywords used are PBL, STEM education, STEM-integrated PBL, and biology practicum. Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of harvested articles by year. The number of articles published each year increases and reaches its peak in 2023, except for a decline in 2020 and 2021. The results of searching and harvesting articles in the Google Scholar and Scopus databases were 660. The number of articles published from 2016 to 2023 was 52, 61, 74, 93, 89, 82, 97, and 112.

Figure 1

The number of articles published from 2016 to 2023.

Articles harvested came from various types of publications, including trade journals, book series, books, conference proceedings, and journals, as illustrated in Figure 2. The second category consists of articles published in conference proceedings, with a total of 130. The number of articles in trade journals, book series, book chapters, and books was 23, 18, 20, and 27, respectively. According to the data, authors prioritize sources for publishing research findings in journals over others.

Figure 2

The number of articles selected based on the sources used.

The following criteria were required for inclusion:

1. The article discusses how STEM-integrated PBL improves biology practicum skills in higher education.

2. The subjects of the article are biology students in higher education.

3. The article uses quantitative methods such as descriptive surveys, experiments, or both.

4. The article comes from three databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, with a digital object identifier (DOI).

5. The article was published between 2016 and 2023.

6. The article is in English and Indonesian.

There are several reasons for exclusion criteria, including study design, demographic attributes, and ethical issues in this study. Understanding these factors is important to increase the inclusiveness and relevance of study results. Exclusion criteria include the following:

1. The article discusses the role of STEM integration in PBL but does not aim to improve biology practicum skills in higher education.

2. The subjects of the article are not biology students in higher education.

3. The study does not use quantitative methods such as descriptive surveys, experiments, or a mixture of both.

4. The article comes from another database and does not have a DOI.

5. This article appeared before 2016 and after 2023.

6. This article is available in Chinese, Russian, and other languages.

2.2 Analysis

The author utilizes the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) diagram as a tool and guide to evaluate a systematic review. Also, she uses the PRISMA to identify potential articles (Haddaway, Page, Pritchard, & McGuinness, 2022), which involves three stages: identification, screening, and inclusion (Figure 3).

Figure 3

Utilizing the PRISMA flow diagram to select potential articles.

During the identification step, 59 articles were found to be duplicates, 121 articles did not meet the specified standards, and 67 articles were excluded for various reasons; examples include articles not directly associated with the research topic, abstract-only articles, and publications lacking a peer-review process. As a result, 413 articles successfully passed the identification stage. During the screening step, 127 items were eliminated and 286 articles were obtained. STEM education is critical in current education and helps students prepare for future problems. During the inclusion stage, 24 prospective articles were selected for the literature review stage.

Furthermore, the articles were chosen based on the number of potential articles in each year. Figure 4 displays the total number of publications that were published between the years 2016 and 2023.

Figure 4

Number of potential articles by year.

Figure 4 illustrates the distribution of potential articles from 2016 to 2023 as follows: 3, 1, 0, 0, 5, 5, 6, and 4.

2.3 Data Synthesis

Data synthesis was conducted on RQ1, RQ2, and RQ3 to gather the most recent findings. Despite the limited number of studies and the diversity of study designs, a quantitative meta-analysis was not conducted. Instead, a narrative synthesis approach has been opted, which systematically synthesized all findings from the included studies. Twenty-four potential articles were ranked based on RQ, specifically RQ1 with 11 articles, RQ2 with 8 articles, and RQ3 with 5 articles (Figure 5). Twenty-four potential articles were reviewed, including the first author, highlights, results, and research gaps.

Figure 5

Number of publications based on the RQ.

3.1 RQ1: What Role Do PBL and STEM Play in Learning?

The incorporation of STEM education has a substantial effect on student performance in mathematics and science, as it enhances learning outcomes, fosters interest in STEM subjects, boosts motivation, and develops higher-order thinking abilities (Abdul-Rahaman & Tindam, 2024). Students have the opportunity to cultivate a profound understanding of disciplines such as graphic design, proficient client communication, and statistical principles through the use of PBL, resulting in enhanced educational achievements (Table 1).

Research suggests that PBL improves student learning experiences by promoting self-directed learning, enhancing critical thinking abilities, and cultivating skills such as proficient communication, collaborative teamwork, and independent learning (Table 1). According to Dema and Choden (2024) and Hidayat, Fami, Prayudo, and Mu’taz (2023), PBL has a positive effect on academic performance, student involvement, and conceptual comprehension, resulting in a transition toward more participatory and inventive teaching methods (Pudjiarti, Rusdarti, Lintong, & Hamu, 2024). Early scientific education benefits greatly from PBL, as it enhances children’s critical thinking, cooperative skills, engagement, and collaborative abilities by engaging them in real-world problem-solving and interdisciplinary learning. This prepares them effectively for future academic and professional problems (Dongjin & Ashari, 2024). Generally, educators recommend incorporating PBL into the educational curriculum to maximize student capabilities. This approach highlights the significance of continuous professional development for educators to successfully integrate PBL in educational environments (Kadirhanogullari & Kose, 2023).

PBL helps students develop vital competencies for addressing real-life problems by involving them in practical projects that closely resemble genuine scenarios (Kelley & Knowles, 2016). PBL involves students in hands-on activities such as planning, analyzing client needs, conceptualizing, producing, and evaluating, thereby promoting a profound comprehension of disciplines like graphic design and efficient client communication (Kelley & Knowles, 2016). This methodology encourages active engagement in the learning process, improves problem-solving capabilities, and fosters the development of critical thinking, cooperation, and experimenting skills (Alarfaj et al., 2024; Piccolo, Buzzo, Knobel, Gunasekera, & Papathoma, 2023). PBL encourages students’ self-efficacy, motivation, and deep understanding of complex concepts by engaging them in real-world scenarios. These scenarios include tasks like designing a motion graphics project or solving practical engineering problems, such as a crane system. This approach effectively prepares students for the challenges they will face in their future careers and everyday lives (Calabrese & Songer, 2024; Ismail et al., 2023).

STEM education is essential for equipping students with the necessary skills to tackle real-world problems by incorporating multidisciplinary methods and addressing key global concerns (Table 1). STEM education seeks to include students in practical activities that address real-world problems and offer tangible solutions, with the ultimate goal of promoting sustainability and preserving life (August, 2023; Calabrese & Songer, 2024; Nugroho, Juwita, & Febrianti, 2022). The primary goal of the Real STEM initiative is to cultivate interdisciplinary STEM experiences that enhance critical reasoning skills. The STEM professional learning communities achieve this through ongoing professional development and collaboration (Calabrese & Songer, 2024). Incorporating STEM courses into the curriculum not only enables students to identify and actively address relevant problems but also cultivates their enthusiasm for pursuing careers in STEM fields, helping to alleviate the scarcity of skilled workers in these areas (Calabrese & Songer, 2024). STEM education empowers students with the required information, skills, and competencies to effectively address real-world situations by offering genuine learning experiences, encouraging interdisciplinary thinking, and providing resources that foster student autonomy (Dobrin, 2020).

Collaboration is essential in STEM education since it improves communication, nurtures group dynamics, and facilitates a more profound comprehension of scientific subjects. Technologies such as virtual reality and machine learning play a crucial role in STEM education by enabling collaborative processes, connecting learners who are physically apart, and fostering the sharing of collective knowledge (Wang & Shen, 2023). Furthermore, integrating communication skills into STEM courses might equip students with the ability to effectively engage in cross-cultural collaborations within STEM domains, hence enhancing their cultural competence as professionals (Ma & Lucietto, 2024). In addition, pedagogical approaches such as PBL and problem-based instruction offer students the chance to effectively communicate scientific concepts, create scientific posters, and improve their skills outside of the classroom. This contributes to a more holistic learning experience in STEM education (Odell, Dyer, & Klett, 2023). In summary, cooperation in STEM education not only enhances academic achievements but also provides students with vital skills for their personal and professional development, such as practical biology skills.

3.2 RQ2: What are the Advantages of STEM-Integrated PBL in Biology Education?

STEM-integrated PBL models have proven to be successful in enhancing students’ eco-literacy competencies (Odell et al., 2023). This highlights the need to employ new instructional approaches to enhance environmental education and metacognitive skills. Furthermore, higher critical thinking scores and better learning outcomes for biology students demonstrate that combining STEM and PBL is a beneficial way to improve students’ critical thinking skills, which are crucial in today’s world (Table 2).

STEM-integrated PBL in biology learning offers numerous advantages (Table 2). It enhances collaborative abilities, responsibility, compromise, productive work, communication, and technology skills among students, leading to a holistic understanding of science and learning experiences (Qurratu’ain et al., 2024). The integration of PBL based on STEM principles cultivates valid and practical character building, shaping students’ character while enhancing their academic abilities (Indrasari & Wulandari, 2024). Additionally, STEM-integrated PBL implementation in science learning significantly increases student creativity, demonstrating a positive influence on the learning process (Agustin et al., 2023). Moreover, training activities focusing on STEM-based PBL improve teachers’ knowledge, enabling them to design contextual learning experiences that enhance students’ problem-solving skills and prepare them for the demands of the twenty-first century (Widiyaningsih et al., 2024). Overall, STEM-integrated PBL in biology learning fosters collaboration, critical thinking, experimentation, and problem-solving skills, providing students with hands-on experiences that prepare them for success in the modern workforce (Hehakaya et al., 2022) (Table 2).

STEM-integrated PBL has demonstrated substantial enhancements in students’ ability to solve problems across different educational environments. According to Muskania’s research, combining STEM education with PBL improves twenty-first-century skills such as problem-solving, creative thinking, cooperation, and communication (Muskania et al., 2023). Furthermore, research by Hayuana, Suwono, and Setiowati (2023), Safitri, Chotimah, Hudha, and Rahardjanto (2023) demonstrates that integrating PBL into STEM education enhances students’ problem-solving abilities in scientific disciplines like biology (Hayuana et al., 2023; Safitri et al., 2023). Also, the research by Iwan, Sumitro, Ibrohim, and Rohman (2024), Najib, Sari, Hastuti, and Balqis (2023) shows that STEM-integrated PBL can help students get better at solving problems in biology classes by using electronic modules and local knowledge, respectively (Iwan et al., 2024; Najib et al., 2023). Hence, the use of STEM-focused PBL methods in biology instruction might effectively improve students’ ability to solve problems, equipping them for upcoming challenges in the discipline.

STEM-integrated PBL has a notable influence on student engagement in biology by improving their motivation, scientific literacy abilities, and overall learning outcomes (Nurhayati et al., 2023). Combining technology with PBL methods in STEM disciplines exposes students to interactive and real-world learning experiences, better preparing them for the demands of the job market (Muskania et al., 2023). Studies have demonstrated that STEM-PBL learning models are successful in enhancing students’ science literacy, highlighting a significant disparity in science literacy between the groups that underwent the experimental model and those in the control group (McKinney, 2023). Incorporating STEM-integrated PBL in biology teaching enhances students’ comprehension of the subject matter by providing them with real-life experiences, which in turn promotes critical thinking, experimentation, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities (Smith et al., 2022). Ismail et al. (2023) also say that the PBL-STEAM integrated strategy makes a big difference in how well students do on tasks related to plant anatomy structure models compared to traditional PBL approaches. This results in higher achievement levels.

One of the challenges encountered is the inability to effectively integrate STEM and PBL into biology education. These challenges include the scarcity of media, tools, and teaching aids (Agustin et al., 2023; Yusuf, 2023). Furthermore, using E-Student worksheets for STEM-based PBL students has the potential to foster character development and academic abilities (Budiarti et al., 2023). However, the integration of STEAM into the PBL learning model has a significant impact on cognitive learning outcomes and creative thinking. However, this may have only a small impact on digital literacy among secondary school students (Hehakaya et al., 2022). These barriers emphasize the importance of overcoming resource constraints, enhancing collaborative capabilities, and efficiently combining local knowledge to optimize the advantages of STEM-integrated PBL in biology education.

3.3 RQ3: How does STEM-Integrated PBL Improve Biology Practicum Skills in Higher Education?

Research has demonstrated that incorporating PBL into STEM can improve practical abilities in biology among students in higher education. Studies have shown that combining STEM with PBL leads to notable enhancements in students’ cognitive learning outcomes, creative thinking abilities, and critical thinking abilities (Table 3).

Biology labs refer to hands-on, experiential learning in the biological sciences, where students engage in laboratory work, field studies, and practical applications of biological concepts. This approach enhances understanding through direct interaction with biological materials and processes. According to Trang, Na, Lanh, and Mai (2021), establishing concepts and cultivating practical skills in biology education is essential to enhance students’ competence and problem-solving abilities. Activity-based methodology in practical work fosters critical thinking and analytical skills, which are essential to address the challenges of contemporary society (Moskalenko & Mironets, 2024). Practical lessons enhance research skills in biology students, as evidenced by increased retention of knowledge and its application in a laboratory setting (Mammadova, 2024). STEM-integrated PBL has the potential to enhance the success of biology laboratories (Markowetz, 2017). PBL to STEM greatly improves the results of the biology practicum by improving students’ scientific process skills, scientific literacy, and creative thinking (Table 3). Similar research shows that STEM-based PBL e-Worksheets for character building in microbiology learning are highly valid and practical, positively impacting students’ academic abilities (Budiarti et al., 2023).

STEM-integrated PBL has demonstrated considerable promise in improving the practical application of biology teaching in real-world contexts. Research has shown that combining STEM with PBL has a beneficial effect on cognitive learning outcomes, creative thinking abilities, and scientific literacy (Purwati, Indiati, & Savira, 2024; Putri, Oktavia, & Azzahra, 2024). Other studies by Salmah, Susanto, and Suwono (2023), Yaki (2022) have supported this. Integrating STEM disciplines with PBL not only enhances students’ comprehension of scientific concepts but also cultivates practical skills through experiential projects and interdisciplinary methods (Odell et al., 2023). Furthermore, studies have demonstrated that developing electronic worksheets focused on STEM for PBL enhances the development of character traits and boosts academic skills in the field of practicum microbiology. This suggests that combining technology with PBL is an effective way to create engaging and relevant learning experiences (Salmah et al., 2023). As a result, the inclusion of STEM-integrated PBL can effectively enhance the practical implementation of biology concepts by fostering a comprehensive approach to science education that is in line with the skills required in the twenty-first century.

The incorporation of STEM-integrated PBL markedly improves the cultivation of practical implementation abilities in higher education students. This methodology promotes participation, critical analysis, and collaboration, which are vital for practical applications in biology and other STEM disciplines. PBL has demonstrated enhancements in academic performance and student engagement within STEM fields, resulting in increased interest in subjects such as biology practicum (Hasbullah, 2023). The acquisition of biology practicum skills in higher education is essential for improving students’ learning outcomes and research capabilities. Studies have shown that including biology practicum activities can have a substantial positive impact on students’ ability to think critically and their overall academic achievements (Alfaraby & Sipahutar, 2023). Moreover, the acquisition of essential practical skills, such as pipetting, data manipulation, and experimental planning, is crucial in bioscience programs, especially in difficult circumstances (Rayment et al., 2022). Research also indicates that individuals pursuing a biology education major have a satisfactory level of science process skills, highlighting the significance of hands-on activities in developing students’ abilities (Anita, 2022). Furthermore, studies emphasize the importance of practical skills gained during high school practicum in supporting seamless transitions to practical work in higher education, underscoring the advantages of early exposure to hands-on experiences in the field of biology (Lestari & Handayani, 2021).