<![CDATA[Social Studies (IPS) learning, particularly on the topic of the nation’s historical struggles, specifically “The Trace of Heroes” in sixth-grade elementary school, still faces challenges in the form of low student engagement, which is mainly caused by teacher-centered instructional approaches that emphasize memorization, resulting in passive participation and difficulties in connecting heroic values with contemporary life contexts. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the group discussion method in improving student engagement across visual, verbal, mental, and emotional aspects. This research employs a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach based on PRISMA guidelines, using data sources from Google Scholar to analyze trends in the implementation of group discussion methods during the period 2021–2026, where an initial 300 articles were identified and subsequently screened and assessed for eligibility, resulting in 25 articles that met the criteria for further analysis. The findings indicate that the structured implementation of group discussions can create a more interactive learning environment and significantly enhance student engagement, particularly when supported by audio-visual media and problem-based questions that effectively stimulate active participation. Therefore, this study provides recommendations for educators to optimize collaborative learning strategies in order to improve students’ civic competence and deepen their understanding of historical content).]]>
