DIGITAL TWIN TECHNOLOGY AND 21ST-CENTURY SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN VOCATIONAL STEM EDUCATION: AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Digital Twin Technology (DTT) has emerged as a promising educational innovation for bridging theoretical knowledge and practical application within Industry 4.0. Grounded in Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, this study examined the relationship between students' experiences with DTT and the development of 21st-century skills among 235 second-year students at Shanxi Water Conservancy Vocational and Technical College. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational design, data were collected through a validated survey measuring the four stages of Kolb's learning cycle and the 4Cs (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity). Students rated all experiential learning dimensions and 21st-century skills as Very Good, indicating positive perceptions of DTT-supported learning. Spearman's rank-order correlation revealed significant positive relationships between critical thinking and concrete experience, reflective observation, and abstract conceptualization, while collaboration was significantly associated with concrete experience. However, communication and creativity showed no significant correlations with the experiential learning dimensions, suggesting that these competencies require more explicit pedagogical support beyond technology integration alone. The findings demonstrate that DTT effectively supports experiential learning and higher-order thinking but achieves greater educational impact when combined with structured reflective and collaborative learning activities.