MODELING THE IMPACT OF MOBILE AND E-LEARNING ON COMPUTATIONAL THINKING SKILLS AMONG ENGINEERING STUDENTS USING SEM-PLS

Abstract

The rapid advancement of digital learning technologies has transformed higher education, emphasizing the need to develop higher-order cognitive skills such as computational thinking. This study investigates the impact of e-learning and mobile learning on computational thinking skills among engineering students in Indonesia using the Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) approach. A total of 216 undergraduate students participated in this study. The measurement model demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity, with indicator loadings exceeding 0.70. Cronbach’s alpha values range from 0.798 to 0.896, and composite reliability values range from 0.869 to 0.928, indicating strong internal consistency. Convergent validity is confirmed by Average Variance Extracted (AVE) values between 0.625 and 0.763, while discriminant validity meets the Fornell–Larcker criterion. The structural model results reveal that e-learning has a significant positive effect on computational thinking (β = 0.509, p < 0.001), followed by mobile learning (β = 0.421, p < 0.001). The model exhibits substantial explanatory power (R² = 0.888), indicating that both constructs jointly explain a large proportion of variance in computational thinking skills. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of integrating e-learning and mobile learning in enhancing computational thinking. The findings highlight the importance of combining structured and flexible digital learning environments to support the development of essential 21st-century skills in engineering education.