Cooperative Learning-Based PAI Learning Strategy to Improve Students' Social Competence

Islamic Religious Education (IRE) is not only aimed at providing religious knowledge but also plays a vital role in developing students' social competence, including mutual respect, cooperation, responsibility, and empathy. In this context, active and student-centered learning strategies are needed to support character building. One of the effective strategies is cooperative learning, which emphasizes collaboration through group-based tasks where students are encouraged to interact, share ideas, and help each other in achieving common goals. This learning model promotes meaningful social interaction, allowing students to improve communication skills, build positive relationships, and develop a sense of belonging. The purpose of this article is to explore how cooperative learning strategies can be applied within IRE classrooms and how they contribute to enhancing students' social competence. Using a qualitative approach through literature review, the findings show that cooperative learning creates an inclusive and democratic classroom atmosphere that supports the holistic development of students, particularly in the affective and social domains. Therefore, cooperative learning can be considered an effective approach to improve both learning outcomes and students' social behavior.