Development of Innovative Mobile QR-EFI Simulator in Problem-Based Teaching Factory (PBTF) Model to Enhance Students' 4C Skills

This study addresses the urgent need to bridge the competency gap between vocational education graduates and the rapidly evolving demands of the modern automotive industry, particularly in the increasingly complex electronic fuel injection (EFI) systems. Conventional learning approaches have proven insufficient in equipping students with the necessary technical and non-technical skills to adapt to current technologies. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate a mobile-based EFI simulator integrated with QR code technology, enabling interactive visualization of the components, data flow, operational processes, and diagnostic procedures of the EFI system in an easily understandable manner. The simulator’s effectiveness is further evaluated through its integration within the Problem-Based Teaching Factory (PBTF) model to enhance students’ 4C skills: collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. Employing a Research and Development (R&D) approach with the 4-D model (Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate), the study involved 50 Automotive Engineering students at FT-UNP, divided into experimental and control groups. Validity analysis using SEM-PLS confirmed high validity of the simulator, especially in visualization aspects, while effectiveness testing showed that the experimental group using the simulator scored significantly higher in 4C skills than the control group. These results confirm that integrating the Mobile QR-EFI Simulator within the PBTF model significantly improves students’ critical and creative skills, bridges the gap between theory and practice in vocational automotive education, and meets the demand for interactive learning tools aligned with modern industry developments.