EVALUATING THEMATIC PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES AND GROUP WORK MANAGEMENT ON COLLABORATION SKILLS AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i3.1247Keywords:
early childhood education, thematic strategies, group work management, collaboration skills, preschool pedagogyAbstract
Collaboration is a key skill in early childhood education. Although Malaysia's National Preschool Standard Curriculum (KSPK) highlights social skills, further evidence is needed to support its teaching methods, thematic integration, and classroom management strategies. This study investigates the relationship between Thematic Pedagogical Strategies, Group Work Management, and Children’s Collaboration Skills among preschools in a selected district in Selangor. Utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 95 preschool teachers selected through simple random sampling. The instrument comprised 20 items measured on a 7-point Likert scale, validated by a panel of three doctoral-level experts. The instrument demonstrated superior internal consistency, with an overall Cronbach’s Alpha of .957. Descriptive analysis revealed "Very High" levels of thematic strategies (xˉ=5.82) and group work management (xˉ=5.95), alongside "Extremely High" levels of children’s collaboration (xˉ=6.12). Inferential results indicated significant positive correlations for both thematic strategies (r=.672, p<.01) and group work management (r=.760, p<.01). Notably, Multiple Regression analysis identified Group Work Management as the dominant predictor of collaboration (β=.712, p<.001), explaining 57.8% of the total variance (R2=.578). The findings conclude that while thematic content provides a necessary cognitive context, the structural management of group activities is the primary engine for social development. The study suggests that high academic qualifications among educators effectively bridge the experience gap, ensuring quality pedagogical implementation. These results advocate for specialized professional development focusing on group dynamics and duration management to further enhance early childhood social competencies.
References
[1] Adu, E.O., Omodan, B.I., Tsotetsi, C.T., Damoah, B. (eds.) (2024): Pedagogical strategies for 21st-century classrooms. – ERRCD Forum/Open Books and Proceedings 156p.
[2] Akpalu, R., Boateng, P.A., Asare, E.A. (2025): Barriers to quality early childhood education development in Keta Municipality, Ghana: A focus on teacher and infrastructure factors. – International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science 9(1): 2819-2830.
[3] Amini, M., Ravindran, L., Lee, K.F. (2022): A review of the challenges and merits of collaborative learning in online translation classes. – Journal of Research, Policy & Practice of Teachers and Teacher Education 12(1): 69-79.
[4] Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum (BPK) (2017): Kurikulum Standard Prasekolah Kebangsaan: Dokumen Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran Semakan 2017. – Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum, Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia 172p.
[5] Buyuktaskapu Soydan, S., Alakoc Pirpir, D., Ozturk Samur, A., Angin, D.E. (2018): Pre-school teachers’ classroom management competency and the factors affecting their understanding of discipline. – Eurasian Journal of Educational Research 73: 149-172.
[6] Cockerill, M., Craig, N., Thurston, A. (2018): Teacher perceptions of the impact of peer learning in their classrooms, using social interdependence theory as a model for data analysis and presentation. – International Journal of Education and Practice 6(1): 14-27.
[7] Cohen, J. (1988): Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd ed. – Lawrence Erlbaum Associates 567p.
[8] Ekeh, M.C. (2023): Developing early graders’ collaborative skills through group-work, play-based pedagogy. – International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research 22(4): 160-177.
[9] Gomez, S., Senan, D.C. (2025): From theory to classroom practice: A case study on cooperative learning in inclusive science education. – International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research 7(6): 1-7.
[10] Guo, K., Nolan, A., Lanting, C. (2025): Positioning the notion of group in children’s learning: An Australian study. – The Australian Educational Researcher 52(1): 471-490.
[11] Ismail, A.F., Shahpo, S.M. (2025): The integrative learning approach in early childhood: A proposed framework based on STEM – A field study. – European Journal of STEM Education 10(1): 16p.
[12] Lindner, J.R., Lindner, N.J. (2024): Interpreting Likert-type scales, summated scales, unidimensional scales, and attitudinal scales: I neither agree nor disagree, Likert or not. – Advancements in Agricultural Development 5(2): 152-163.
[13] Manas, G.M. (2020): A study on childhood development in early stage. – Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies 59(7): 13928-13938.
[14] Massari, N., Mat Saad, N.S., Puteh-Behak, F., Ahmad, S., Abdullah, H., Harun, H., Ahmad Mahir, N., Selamat, S., Baharun, H., Yaakub, M.B.H. (2021): 21st century skills in practice: Malaysian trainee teachers’ experience at managing students’ learning during the pandemic. – Sains Insani 6(1): 17-24.
[15] Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) (2022): Sociocultural theory of cognitive development: A guide to Vygotsky’s theory of learning. – Office of Educational Improvement, Medical College of Wisconsin 2p.
[16] Meireles, J., Guzzo, R.S.L. (2021): From interpsychological to intrapsychological: Developing students’ agency. – Cultural-Historical Psychology 17(3): 69-76.
[17] Mousena, E., Raptis, N. (2024): Perspective chapter: Slow pedagogy approach vs hurried schooling in early childhood. – Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education and Care, IntechOpen 10p.
[18] Moxie, J., Dahl, A.A., Fernandez-Borunda, A., Partridge, H. (2025): Teamwork makes the dream work: Group effectiveness in a “Paper Chase” collaborative writing exercise for higher education. – Frontiers in Education 10p.
[19] Ollonen, B., Kangas, M. (2025): Teacher motivational scaffolding and preschoolers’ motivational triggers in the context of playful learning of multiliteracy and digital skills. – Early Childhood Education Journal 53(4): 1079-1093.
[20] Pereira, M., Santos, N.N., Brito, A.T., Mata, L. (2026): Time and routines organization in early childhood education and care: Participation, opportunities, and constraints. – Journal of Research in Childhood Education 40(2): 391-410.
[21] Rahmatullah, B., Muhamad Rawai, N., Mohamad Samuri, S., Md Yassin, S. (2021): Overview of early childhood care and education in Malaysia. – Hungarian Educational Research Journal 11(4): 396-412.
[22] Riaz, M., Din, M. (2023): Collaboration as 21st century learning skill at undergraduate level. – Sir Syed Journal of Education and Social Research 6(1): 93-99.
[23] Robertson, S.L. (2021): Global competences and 21st century higher education – And why they matter. – International Journal of Chinese Education 10(1): 1-9.
[24] Shafie, O., Ab Rahim, F., Shaik Abdullah, S. (2021): Pre-school curriculum: Implementation challenges. – Practitioner Research 3: 121-139.
[25] Silva, A.R.D. (2025): The learning process of preschool children. – Cognitus Interdisciplinary Journal 2(1): 263-282.
[26] Singh, A., Venugopal, K. (2025): Thematic approach in early childhood education: A critical examination of its theoretical foundations, pedagogical implementation, and future directions. – Research Review International Journal of Multidisciplinary 10(9): 154-162.
[27] Tabasa, C.S., Camingao, F.B., Sanchez, R.P., Papasin, J.B., Tunggamos, A.C., Añoza, L.J., Bagsican, Z.M.G., Lamadora, M.D. (2024): The influence of years in teaching towards efficient classroom management in the context of basic education. – World Journal on Education and Humanities Research 4(1): 181-190.
[28] Varun, A., Venugopal, K. (2016): Impact of thematic approach on communication skills in preschool. – Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research 2(10): 394-397.
[29] Wadkar, S.K., Singh, K., Chakravarty, R., Argade, S.D. (2016): Assessing the reliability of attitude scale by Cronbach’s alpha. – Journal of Global Communication 9(2): 113-117.
[30] Wang, M. (2024): Rethinking how people learn: A holistic framework for effective learning design. – Knowledge Management & E-Learning 16(2): 208-216.
[31] Wang, X., Cheng, Z. (2020): Cross-sectional studies: Strengths, weaknesses, and recommendations. – Chest 158(1S): S65-S71.
[32] Zin, D.M.M., Mohamed, S., Bakar, K.A., Ismail, N.K. (2019): Further study on implementing thematic teaching in preschool: A needs analysis research. – Creative Education 10(12): 2887-2898.
[33] Zucker, T.A., Jacobs, E., Cabell, S.Q. (2021): Exploring barriers to early childhood teachers’ implementation of a supplemental academic language curriculum. – Early Education and Development 32(8): 1194-1219.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 SITI NUR NADIRAH IBRAHIM, SYED LAMSAH SYED CHEAR, YES MATHEOS LASARUS MALAIKOSA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
