The Development of RBL-STEAM Learning Materials to Enhance Undergraduate Students’ Combinatorial Thinking Skills in Solving Zakat Distribution Problems Using Perfect Dominating Set

This study aims to develop and validate learning materials based on Research-Based Learning (RBL) integrated with the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) approach. The learning materials were designed to meet the criteria of validity, practicality, and effectiveness in enhancing undergraduate students’ combinatorial thinking skills. The developed learning materials focus on optimizing zakat distribution through the use of blockchain technology with the perfect dominating set technique. This study employed the Research and Development (R&D) method by adopting the 4D development model, which consists of the Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate stages. The products developed in this study included the Student Task Design (RTM), Student Worksheet (LKM), and Learning Outcome Test (THB). The validation results indicated that the developed learning tools obtained a validity percentage of 94.5%, which was categorized as highly valid. Furthermore, the trial involving 35 students showed that the RBL-STEAM learning tools achieved a practicality percentage of 96% and an effectiveness percentage of 91% in improving students’ learning outcomes. During the learning process, students demonstrated positive responses and a high level of active engagement. The post-test results showed that 91% of students were classified as having a high level of combinatorial thinking skills, 9% were in the moderate category, and no students were in the low category. In addition, the statistical analysis using the paired sample t-test obtained a significance value of Sig. = 0.000 < 0.05, indicating a significant improvement between the pre-test and post-test scores. Therefore, the developed RBL-STEAM learning tools were proven to be effective in enhancing students’ combinatorial thinking skills and their ability to apply mathematical reasoning to zakat distribution problems.