An Instruction Based on Situational Pedagogy with Collaborative Learning to Enhance Communication Skills and Interpersonal Skills for First-Year Students in Secondary Vocational High Schools

Background and Aim: With the emphasis on holistic competency development in vocational education, cultivating communication and interpersonal skills among first-year secondary vocational students has become crucial for their academic adaptation and future career success. Traditional teaching methods often prioritize theoretical knowledge over the development of practical soft skills. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of an instructional approach that integrates situational pedagogy and collaborative learning in enhancing these competencies. Methodology: A quasi-experimental design was implemented with a sample of 50 first-year students from a vocational art school in China. The experimental group received a 16-week intervention featuring situational teaching modules and structured collaborative learning activities, while learning outcomes were assessed using the Communication Competence Scale and the Adolescent Interpersonal Ability Inventory. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests to examine pre-post intervention differences. Results: The intervention resulted in statistically significant improvements(p<0.001) in both communication and interpersonal skills. Specifically, verbal expression scores increased from 3.12 to 4.35, listening comprehension from 3.45 to 4.28, cooperation from 3.34 to 4.56, and emotional regulation from 2.87 to 3.79. Implementation metrics showed high fidelity, with 92%activity completion rate and 88%teacher compliance with lesson plans. Conclusion: The integration of situational pedagogy with collaborative learning demonstrates substantial effectiveness in enhancing first-year vocational students' communication and interpersonal skills. These findings support the adoption of scenario-based and collaborative instructional approaches in vocational education curricula to better prepare students for workplace demands. Future research should explore long-term skill retention and transfer to professional settings.