Innovative Pedagogical Approach: STAD-Integrated Debate Method as a Catalyst for Developing 21st Century Skills Among Vocational Students

Graduates of vocational schools in Indonesia still face serious challenges regarding low absorption by industry. The high unemployment rate among vocational school graduates indicates a mismatch between graduates' competencies and the needs of the job market, creating a gap between education and the industrial world. Therefore, a learning strategy is needed that can hone these skills in a vocational school environment. This research aims to determine students' responses and skills, including critical thinking skills, communication skills, and teamwork skills, through the application of the Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) learning model with the debate method. This research was conducted at one of the vocational schools located in the Sumedang, Indonesia. The research used a quantitative approach and a quasi-experimental design with two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The study was conducted in the Building Construction Fundamentals subject over three meetings. Based on the research results, the experimental class achieved a higher score compared to the control class. The results of students' responses to this learning model yielded an average TCR of 77.4%, which is categorized as good. This indicates that students perceive learning with this model as capable of developing activity, material understanding, and 21st-century skills. Based on the hypothesis test, the significant value is p (0.001) < (0.05), which indicates that using the STAD learning model with the debate method can significantly measure students' skills.