Testing the effectiveness of hybrid PBL-case method pedagogy: an SEM study of critical thinking in teacher education

Purpose This study examines the effectiveness of PBLCAMET (Problem-Based Learning-Case Method), a hybrid pedagogy that systematically integrates problem-solving with contextualized case analysis, using structural equation modeling to understand its impact on critical thinking development. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quantitative research design using structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the proposed theoretical framework and hypotheses. SEM was selected because it allows simultaneous estimation of direct, indirect and mediating relationships among latent constructs, providing robust evidence for theory-driven models (Hair et al., 2021; Kline, 2016). The design was explanatory in nature, aiming to analyze how the integration of problem-based learning and case method (PBLCAMET) influences critical thinking both directly and indirectly through collaborative engagement, academic self-efficacy and reflective regulation. By applying SEM, the study addresses the need for empirical validation of theoretically derived instructional models in higher education (Ismail et al., 2024; Asrowi et al., 2025). Findings The findings of this study provide compelling empirical support for the theoretical foundations that guided the development and implementation of the PBLCAMET hybrid pedagogy. The strong direct effect of PBLCAMET on critical thinking (β = 0.23, p 0.01) aligns closely with constructivist learning theory, which posits that active engagement with authentic, complex problems facilitates deeper cognitive processing and knowledge construction. This finding resonates particularly well with the work of Chaiyasit et al. (2023) and Ssemugenyi (2023), who demonstrated that problem-based learning environments significantly enhance learners’ analytical and evaluative capabilities. However, the current study extends beyond these previous investigations by demonstrating that the hybrid integration of problem-based learning with case method analysis produces effects that are both statistically significant and educationally meaningful within the specific context of Indonesian teacher education. Research limitations/implications The results have significant implications for scaling innovative pedagogies in teacher education programs across diverse cultural and institutional contexts. Originality/value The PBLCAMET model, developed through design-based research in Indonesia, represents one such hybrid pedagogy that systematically integrates problem-solving with contextualized case analysis. Early evidence indicates substantial improvements in critical thinking when PBLCAMET is applied in controlled classroom settings. Yet, what remains underexplored is whether these effects can be replicated across institutions, and more importantly, whether the model’s influence on critical thinking can be explained through underlying latent constructs such as collaborative engagement, self-efficacy, and reflective regulation. Structural equation modeling (SEM) provides an appropriate methodological lens to test these pathways, offering the capacity to validate measurement models, examine causal mechanisms, and assess invariance across groups (Asrowi et al., 2025; Atmojo et al., 2025).