<![CDATA[The development of science education in the 21st century faces the challenge of fostering students’ critical thinking skills and scientific literacy, which are necessary for addressing complex problems and technological advancements. This study aims to analyze and test the effect of implementing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning based on augmented reality media on the improvement of students’ critical thinking skills and science literacy. This study uses a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental research design and a Non-Equivalent Control Group design. The research subjects consisted of students divided into an experimental group and a control group. Data collection was conducted through critical thinking and science literacy tests that had undergone instrument validation and were administered during the pretest and posttest phases. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics to compare the improvement in abilities between the two groups. The results of the study show that augmented reality-based STEM learning has a significant impact on improving students’ critical thinking skills and science literacy compared to conventional learning. The integration of augmented reality into STEM learning provides a more contextual, interactive, and meaningful learning experience. Thus, augmented reality-based STEM learning can serve as an innovative alternative in the development of science education in higher education, particularly to support the strengthening of critical thinking skills and science literacy as 21st-century competencies.]]>
