Education in the era of globalization demands the development of students' social skills, including collaboration, to prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. One effective method to train these skills is small group discussions, which encourage students to share ideas, listen to other perspectives, and reach consensus. This study aims to identify effective strategies in guiding small group discussions to improve student collaboration, focusing on the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum. The research method used is qualitative descriptive with a case study design in one of the high schools that implements the Merdeka Curriculum. Data were collected through observation, interviews, documentation, and student collaboration questionnaires. The results of the study indicate that effective strategies include the use of open-ended questions, providing constructive feedback, and dividing roles in groups. In addition, the dynamics of small group discussions can be improved with good conflict management by teachers. This study also found that small group discussions can improve students' collaboration skills, which are reflected in communication, individual responsibility, and group decision making. Implications for the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum show the importance of teacher training to improve the ability to guide small group discussions effectively. This study provides practical and theoretical contributions to the development of collaboration-based learning in Indonesia.

This research aims to analyze the skills of providing learning variations to increase the effectiveness of the learning process in early childhood. Early childhood is in a very dynamic development phase, where monotonous teaching methods can hinder their attention and motivation. Therefore, the use of variations in teaching methods, such as changes in activity types, duration, learning media, and interactive approaches, can have a positive impact on children's involvement in learning activities. This research uses a qualitative approach with a literature study method that examines various sources related to variations in learning and their impact on early childhood development. The results of the analysis show that a variety of learning activities can increase children's motivation, prolong concentration, support multisensory learning, and develop children's social and emotional skills. Learning that involves various methods and media allows children to learn through direct experience thereby strengthening their understanding of the concepts being taught. This research concludes that the skill of providing variety in learning not only increases learning effectiveness, but also contributes to children's holistic development. Therefore, it is important for educators to master these skills and apply them consistently in early childhood learning activities.

This study analyzes variation skills as a strategy to improve the effectiveness of learning in early childhood. Early childhood has unique characteristics, such as short attention span and high curiosity, so variation in learning is essential to maintain their interest and engagement. Variation includes the use of various methods, media, teaching styles, and activities, which are adjusted to the developmental needs of children. Through a qualitative approach based on literature studies, this study found that variation in learning can improve children's learning motivation, concentration, and social and emotional skills. Variation also supports multisensory-based learning that strengthens conceptual understanding. The conclusion of this study emphasizes the importance of training for teachers to master variation skills in learning, in order to create meaningful and enjoyable learning experiences for early childhood.

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of interactive learning approaches in developing explanation skills in early childhood. Explanation skills are an important aspect in children's language, cognitive, and communication development, which supports critical thinking skills and effective social relationships. Although important, these skills are still relatively low in early childhood in Indonesia, largely due to less supportive learning methods. Interactive learning approaches involving games, stories, and discussions have been identified as a solution to improve these skills. This study used a quasi-experimental design with two groups of subjects, namely the experimental group given interactive learning interventions and the control group using conventional methods. Data were analyzed using a t-test to compare the pretest and posttest results between the two groups. The results showed that the interactive learning approach significantly improved early childhood skills. This study suggests the need for ongoing training for teachers and collaboration between schools and families to support the implementation of more effective and relevant learning. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of innovative learning strategies in early childhood education.

Speech delays are a developmental challenge often experienced by young children, which can affect their communication skills and social aspects. This research aims to explore the effectiveness of applying visual and audio media in improving the language skills of young children who experience speech delays. The visual media used are picture flashcards, interactive videos and picture story books, while the audio media is children's music, voice recordings and regional songs. This research was conducted at a language therapy center in Indonesia with a case study approach on 10 children aged 3–5 years. The research results show that the combination of visual and audio media can significantly increase children's attention, vocabulary understanding and speaking abilities. The use of local culture-based media such as regional songs also has a positive impact by creating a sense of relevance and emotional closeness. In addition, active involvement of parents in this process increases the success of the intervention. This research recommends consistent application of visual and audio media as part of local context-based therapy to support the language development of children with speech delays.