ACTIVE LEARNING THROUGH PROJECT-BASED INSTRUCTION: IMPACT ON FINANCIAL LITERACY COMPETENCY AND SELF-EFFICACY AMONG VOCATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

This study investigates the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) integrated with digital financial tools in enhancing financial literacy competency and academic self-efficacy among students enrolled in Accounting and Finance vocational programs. Employing a classroom action research design across two iterative cycles, the study was conducted at SMK Negeri 3 Yogyakarta with 32 participants drawn from a Grade XI Accounting class during the 2023/2024 academic year. Quantitative assessment data were collected through pre-test and post-test instruments measuring financial literacy competency across four domains: financial knowledge, financial attitude, financial behavior, and financial management skills. Self-efficacy was assessed via validated Likert-scale instruments adapted from Bandura's framework. Results demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in financial literacy scores from a mean of 58.4 (SD = 9.2) in the pre-cycle phase to 71.6 (SD = 7.8) post-Cycle I and 84.3 (SD = 6.1) post-Cycle II, representing an aggregate gain of 44.3%. Student self-efficacy increased commensurately, with the proportion of students classified as high self-efficacy rising from 28.1% to 81.3% across the intervention period. Classical completeness criteria (75% of students achieving scores above 75) were satisfied upon the conclusion of Cycle II. Qualitative data from reflective journals and observational protocols corroborated quantitative findings, indicating heightened student engagement, collaborative problem-solving, and metacognitive awareness. These findings suggest that PjBL constitutes a pedagogically effective and contextually appropriate instructional strategy for vocational accounting education, with implications for curriculum design, teacher professional development, and national financial literacy policy in the Indonesian secondary education context.