Improving Communication Skills Through Collaborative Project-Based Learning Models (PROAKSI) in Early Childhood Education

This study aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a Collaborative Project-Based Learning model (PROAKSI) in improving communication skills in early childhood education (ECE). Grounded in the theories of project-based learning (PjBL) and social constructivism, the model integrates collaboration into four phases: planning, exploration, collaborative project activities, and reflection. This study employed a Research and Development (R&D) design. The research was conducted in four ECE institutions involving 112 kindergarten children (aged 5–6 years) in East Jakarta. The development process included expert validation, preliminary field testing, main field testing, and operational field testing. Data were collected using observation-based assessments of children’s communication skills and analyzed using the N-gain score. The results indicate that the PROAKSI model is valid and practical based on expert judgment and field implementation. Furthermore, the model demonstrated effectiveness in improving children’s communication skills, with an average N-gain score of 0.79 (high category) in the experimental group. These findings suggest that integrating collaborative elements into PjBL provides meaningful learning experiences that enhance early childhood communication skills. Therefore, the PROAKSI model offers a pedagogically sound and empirically supported approach for improving communication competencies in ECE.