Cross-Disciplinary Learning Innovation through Industry Projects: Developing Digital Competencies and Business Communication

Abstract

 This study developed and evaluated an instructional innovation integrating the Gold Standard Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach with an Authentic Professional Workflow that simulates real-world industry practices. The primary objective was to enhance digital and business communication competencies through interdisciplinary collaboration between 53 students from a Communication (Advertising) program and a Digital Design Technology (Web and Interactive Media) program. Employing a quasi-experimental Research and Development (R&D) design with a purposive sample, the study yielded five key findings. First, the instructional model received highly favorable evaluations from advertising industry experts for its alignment with professional practices. Second, students’ knowledge significantly improved, with understanding levels rising from a low-moderate (79.24%) to high-advanced (98.10%) state. Third, interdisciplinary teams achieved high collaborative performance scores (4-5 out of 5). Fourth, students demonstrated industry-standard digital competencies in consumer data analysis, digital media production, and strategic pitching. Finally, 96.2% of participants affirmed that their acquired skills were directly applicable to professional contexts, confirming the model’s effectiveness in bridging the gap between academia and industry.