PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING FOR ENHANCING TECHNICAL SKILLS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW AND BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

Background: Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has emerged as a transformative pedagogical approach in vocational education, yet a comprehensive synthesis examining its effect on technical skills development remains lacking. Objective: This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis of publications examining the integration of PBL in vocational education for enhancing students' technical skills, based on the Scopus database. Methods: A total of 875 records (823 unique) were retrieved from four structured Scopus searches conducted in April 2026, covering PBL, technical skills, vocational education, and conceptual frameworks. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 105 articles were included for synthesis. Bibliometric analyses were performed using publication trend mapping, keyword co-occurrence, author productivity, and country distribution analyses. Results: Publications in this domain have grown exponentially, from 7 articles in 2017 to 202 in 2025. Indonesia is the most productive country (>70% of publications). Five major research themes were identified: (1) PBL implementation models, (2) technology integration in vocational settings, (3) technical competency development, (4) higher-order thinking skills (HOTS), and (5) curriculum and policy alignment. PBL consistently demonstrated positive effects on technical skills, critical thinking, and collaborative competencies across engineering, automotive, and electrical vocational programs. Conclusion: PBL is a highly effective strategy for developing technical skills in vocational education when integrated with digital technology, collaborative approaches, and competency-based curricula. Future research should explore longitudinal effectiveness, cross-country replication, and the integration of Industry 5.0 competencies.