The Effectiveness of Marketing-Oriented Project-Based Mobile Learning in Improving Students’ Critical Thinking and Collaboration Skills in Business Education

Background/purpose. The rapid advancement of technology, particularly in mobile learning, presents new opportunities for flexible, accessible education. In business education, especially marketing courses, integrating technology while cultivating essential 21st-century skills like critical thinking and collaboration remains challenging. This study was conducted to address this gap by developing and evaluating an interactive mobile learning platform tailored to business students' needs. Materials/methods. This study utilized the ADDIE instructional design model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) to develop and validate the Marketing-Oriented Project-Based Mobile Learning (MOPjBML) platform for business education. The research involved 63 undergraduate students (aged 18–22) enrolled in an Introduction to Business course at a university in Indonesia, alongside expert validators (n=3) in economics education, learning media, and business instruction. The data were collected through surveys, observations, and phased trials (small- and large-group implementations) to assess platform validity, practicality, and efficacy. Quantitative analyses (paired t-tests, validity/reliability assessments, normality testing) and qualitative evaluations (expert reviews, learner feedback) were conducted to examine the platform's educational impact and implementation outcomes. Results. Results demonstrated significant improvements in critical thinking (23.4% gain, p<0.001) and collaboration (26.2% gain, p<0.001) using the MOPjBML platform. Expert validation confirmed high validity (85.6%) and practicality (88%). The multimedia-enriched platform effectively enhanced marketing comprehension through videos, quizzes, and textual materials, confirming its efficacy in business education. Conclusion. This study concludes that the MOPjBML platform is an effective and innovative tool for enhancing 21st-century essential competencies in business education, particularly those related to critical thinking and collaboration skills.