The uncertainty of global challenges demands that the education sector prepare human resources and equip them with higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). At the same time, the rapid advancement of technology requires education to manage classrooms effectively by integrating appropriate learning approaches, models, and media along with technological developments in the teaching and learning process. One of the approaches currently being developed is the deep learning approach, which emphasizes three main aspects: mindfulness, meaningfulness, and joy. However, this approach has not yet been widely implemented in classrooms. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effect of the deep learning approach in the undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Education program at the State University of Surabaya, in combination with a project-based learning model supported by a STEM-based diesel engine trainer, to improve HOTS. The study involved 56 students divided into control and experimental classes. The results showed a significance value (Asymp. Sig. 2-tailed) of 0.002, which is less than p < 0.05, indicating a statistically significant difference. The experimental class achieved an average N-Gain score of 0.73 or 73.27%, which falls into the high category. Furthermore, the estimated effectiveness of the N-Gain score is categorized as moderately effective in improving HOTS. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2025.
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