Abstract

In the evolving educational landscape, the integration of culturally responsive STEM education is critical for developing 21st-century competencies. This study modeled the impact of interactive ethno-STEM learning materials infused with ethno-scientific and local cultural contexts, on students' critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills. A cross-sectional design involving 385 senior high school students in West Sumatra was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling. Results show that exposure to ethno-STEM learning materials significantly enhanced perceived usefulness, cultural relevance, and learning engagement, with strong model fit indices. Lerning engagement was the strongest predictor of skill development, while cultural relevance particularly supported creativity. The indirect effects on 21st-century skills were substantial, demonstrating that student perceptions serve as key mediating pathways. These findings highlight the role of culturally embedded, interactive learning in driving 21st-century skill acquisition and provide a validated predictive framework to strengthen culturally responsive STEM instruction in diverse educational settings.

Keywords

References

• Abadi, M. K., Pujiastuti, H., & Assaat, L. D. (2017). Development of teaching materials based interactive scientific approach towards the concept of social arithmetic for junior high school students. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 812(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/812/1/012100
• Alpindo, O., Liana, M., & Fitriani, R. (2022). Pengembangan bahan ajar fisika interaktif berbasis discovery learning untuk meningkatkan critical thinking skill peserta didik. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika, 10(1), 35–48. https://doi.org/10.24127/jpf.v10i1.4297
• American Educational Research Association. (2011). Code of ethics. AERA.
• Anyichie, A. C., Butler, D. L., & Nashon, S. M. (2023). Exploring teacher practices for enhancing student engagement in culturally diverse classrooms. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 7(5), 183-207. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.202322739
• Ardianti, S. D., & Raida, S. A. (2022). The effect of project-based learning with an ethnoscience approach on science conceptual understanding. Journal of Innovation in Educational and Cultural Research, 3(2), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.46843/jiecr.v3i2.105
• Asrizal, A., Desnita, D., & Darvina, Y. (2021). Analysis of validity and practicality test of physics enrichment e-book based on CTL and environmental factors. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1876(1), 012034. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1876/1/012034
• Asrizal, A., Amnah, R., N, A., Uzfa, V., Helma, & Hidayati. (2025). STEM integrated e-teaching material to promote students' conceptual understanding and new literacy skills. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 15(4), 803–811. http://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2025.15.4.2286
• Baran, M., Baran, M., Karakoyun, F., & Maskan, A. (2021). The influence of project-based STEM (PjBL-STEM) applications on the development of 21st-century skills. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 18(4), 798–815. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2021.104
• Brislin, R. W. (1970). Back-translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1(3), 185-216. https://doi.org/10.1177/135910457000100301
• Cahapay, M. B. (2023). Introduction to Special Issue on Critical and Emergent Issues in Education: 21st-Century Skills. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 5(3), 1. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpsp.20231000
• Chalkiadaki, A. (2018). A systematic literature review of 21st-century skills and competencies in primary education. International Journal of Instruction, 11(3), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.12973/iji.2018.1131a
• Ciarli, T., Kenney, M., Massini, S., & Piscitello, L. (2021). Digital technologies, innovation, and skills: Emerging trajectories and challenges. Research Policy, 50(7), 102289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104289
• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage.
• Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319-340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
• DeVellis, R. F. (2017). Scale development: Theory and applications (4th ed.). Sage.
• Ezmeci, F. (2023). Brain development as 21st-century skills: What is the play doing to my brain?. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 5(3), 21-27. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpsp.202323257
• Fatmawati, A., Zubaidah, S., Mahanal, S., & Sutopo. (2019). Critical thinking, creative thinking, and learning achievement: How they are related. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1417(1), 012070. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1417/1/012070
• Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (5th ed.). Sage.
• Fredricks, J. A., Filsecker, M., & Lawson, M. A. (2016). Student engagement, context, and adjustment: Addressing definitional, measurement, and methodological issues. Learning and Instruction, 43, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.02.002
• Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.
• Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage.
• Hu, L., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
• Insorio, A. O. (2024). Integrating differentiated instruction to improve STEM students’ mathematical engagement and academic performance. International Journal of Didactical Studies, 5(2), 27678. https://doi.org/10.33902/ijods.202427678
• Kamila, Wilujeng, I., Jumadi, J., & Ungirwalu, S. Y. (2024). Analysis of integrating local potential in science learning and its effect on 21st-century skills and student cultural awareness: Literature review. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 10(5), 223–233. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v10i5.6080
• Kline, R. B. (2016). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
• Kwangmuang, P., Jarutkamolpong, S., Sangboonraung, W., & Daungtod, S. (2021). The development of learning innovation to enhance higher-order thinking skills for students in Thailand junior high schools. Heliyon, 7(6), e07309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07309
• Liesa-Orús, M., Latorre-Cosculluela, C., Vázquez-Toledo, S., & Sierra-Sánchez, V. (2020). The technological challenge facing higher education professors: Perceptions of ICT tools for developing 21st-century skills. Sustainability, 12(13), 5339. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135339
• Little, R. J. A., & Rubin, D. B. (2020). Statistical analysis with missing data (3rd ed.). Wiley.
• Mertasari, N. M. S., & Candiasa, I. M. (2022). Formative evaluation of digital learning materials. Journal of Education Technology, 6(3), 507–514.
• N, A., Asrizal, A., Festiyed, F., Ashel, H., & Amnah, R. (2023). STEM-integrated physics digital teaching material to develop conceptual understanding and new literacy of students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(7), em2289. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/13275
• Novitra, F., Festiyed, Yohandri, & Asrizal. (2021). Development of an online-based inquiry learning model to improve 21st-century skills of physics students in senior high school. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(9), em2006. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11177
• Partnership for 21st Century Learning [P21]. (2019). Framework for 21st-century learning. http://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21
• Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.
• Sari, F. P., Maryati, & Wilujeng, I. (2023). Ethnoscience studies, analysis, and their integration in science learning: Literature review. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 9(3), 1135–1142. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v9i3.2990
• Stohlmann, M. (2019). Integrated STEM education through open-ended game-based learning. Journal of Mathematics Education, 12(1), 24–38.
• Sumarni, W., & Kadarwati, S. (2020). Ethno-STEM project-based learning: Its impact to critical and creative thinking skills. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 9(1), 11–21. https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v9i1.21754
• Supena, I., Darmuki, A., & Hariyadi, A. (2021). The influence of the 4C (constructive, critical, creative, collaborative) learning model on students’ learning outcomes. International Journal of Instruction, 14(3), 873–892. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2021.14351a
• Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2019). Using multivariate statistics (7th ed.). Pearson.
• Tanase, M. (2020). Is good teaching culturally responsive?. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 4(3), 187-202. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.2020063333
• Triana, D., Anggaraito, Y. U., & Ridlo, S. (2020). Effectiveness of environmental change learning tool based on STEM-PjBL towards 4C skills of students. Journal of Innovative Science Education, 9(2), 181–187.
• Wang, Y., Lavonen, J., & Tirri, K. (2018). Aims for learning 21st-century competencies in national primary science curricula in China and Finland. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(6), 2081–2095. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/89840
• Yusuf, I., Widyaningsih, S. W., & Br. Sebayang, S. R. (2018). Implementation of e-learning STEM on quantum physics subject to student HOTS ability. Turkish Science Education, 15(Special Issue), 27–39.
• Zakiyah, N. A., & Sudarmin. (2022). Development of E-module STEM integrated ethnoscience to increase 21st-century skills. International Journal of Active Learning, 7(1), 49–58.

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.