Direct instruction approach has been widely used in higher education. Many studies revealed that direct instruction improved students' knowledge. The characteristics of direct instruction include the subject delivered through face-to-face interaction with the lecturers and materials that sequenced deliberately and taught explicitly. However, direct instruction resulted in low creative thinking and teamwork skills among students. Therefore, problem-based learning activities were adapted to reform and create an innovation of a direct instruction approach in developing the new situation. Objective: This study aimed at exploring lecturers' and students' perspectives towards Direct Problem-Based Learning (DPBL) activities as a new approach for activities in the classroom. Design: A quasi-experimental design was used. Participants: Third-year students (N = 276) who signed up for Computer Networks subject from Dian Nuswantoro University, Indonesia and five lecturers were involved. Findings and Results: Learning outcomes were significantly positively (Sig. p = 0.00). Creative thinking skills score increased 8.4%, Teamwork skills score increased 11.5%, and knowledge score increased 25.9% of DPBL approach. The majority of students have difficulties in the direct instruction approach x-bar = 4.71(0.472). Whereas, x-bar = 1.99(0.655) students have low difficulty in DPBL approach. Expert participants agreed that DPBL approach can enhance creative thinking and teamwork skills x-bar = 4.70(0.50)