Abstract

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a Reflective–Interactive Learning Model (RILM) to enhance critical thinking skills in engineering education. A three-phase Research and Development (R&D) approach was employed. In Phase 1, students’ needs were identified using data collected from 69 purposively selected participants. Phase 2 involved model refinement through expert validation (n = 5) and pilot implementation (n = 29). In Phase 3, the model was implemented with 44 undergraduate students using a post-test design to evaluate its effectiveness.

The findings indicated that this model achieved the expected level of instructional efficiency. Its process and outcome efficiency values aligned closely (76.15/75.85). Beyond meeting the established benchmarks, students’ post-test scores surpassed the proficiency threshold with statistical significance (p < .05). The intervention also produced a remarkably large effect size (Cohen’s d = 3.86), underlining its potent impact on the learning experience. While this magnitude should be contextualized within the study’s parameters, the evidence points toward a meaningful interplay between reflective and interactive pedagogy in cultivating higher-order cognition. Ultimately, the model proves effective in narrowing the divide between abstract theory and its practical execution in complex problem-solving contexts.

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