Combining Collaborative Learning and Digital Formative Assessment within the Independent Curriculum

Abstract

The Merdeka Curriculum was developed to meet the demands of 21st-century education by emphasizing flexible, student-centered, and contextually relevant learning. In this framework, collaborative learning and digital formative assessments serve as highly relevant and complementary strategies. Collaborative learning fosters the development of students’ social and cognitive skills through interaction and teamwork, while digital formative assessments provide rapid, adaptive, and sustainable tools for monitoring and guiding learning. This study investigates the integration of these approaches through a literature review of scholarly articles. Findings indicate that combining collaborative learning with digital formative assessments enhances student engagement, teaching efficiency, and overall learning outcomes. Nevertheless, challenges such as disparities in digital literacy, limited infrastructure, and varying teacher competence in using technology must be addressed. These insights are expected to inform the design of more responsive, innovative, and adaptive learning policies and practices under the Independent Curriculum.