The Effect of Role-Playing Techniques on Assertive Communication Ability among Online Business and Retail Students at SMK Pasundan 1 Bandung

Assertive communication is a core competency for vocational high school (SMK) students, particularly those majoring in Online Business and Retail, whose future work demands strong interpersonal skills in customer service, negotiation, and teamwork. Classroom instruction in Indonesian vocational schools, however, still tends to privilege cognitive content over practical, contextual communication training. This study examines the effect of the role-playing technique on the assertive communication ability of twelfth-grade Online Business and Retail students at SMK Pasundan 1 Bandung. A quantitative survey approach is employed, with role playing—operationalized through three dimensions (role taking, role marking, and role negotiation) adapted from Zaini (2008)—as the independent variable, and assertive communication—operationalized through five dimensions adapted from Albert and Emmons (2001)—as the dependent variable. Given a population of 36 students, a saturated (census) sampling technique is used, so all members of the population serve as respondents. Data will be collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using path analysis with the assistance of SPSS, examining both the simultaneous effect of role playing on assertive communication and the partial effects of its three dimensions. The study is grounded in Bandura's (1977) Social Learning Theory, which posits that behavior is acquired through observation, modeling, and reinforcement. The anticipated outcome is empirical evidence on the effectiveness of role playing in strengthening assertive communication, together with practical recommendations for teachers and schools seeking to design more participatory, work-relevant instructional strategies.