SUMMARY
During the COVID-19 pandemic, students were educated via online learning. Teachers and students around the world faced considerable challenges in coping with the sudden shifts in teaching and learning methods. In facing this challenge, teachers were required to be creative leaders in their teaching approach. Both teachers and students had to adapt quickly to change. One way to make learning more enjoyable and interesting is through collaborative learning. During online learning, teachers may use the Breakout Room feature of the Zoom application for collaborative learning. Teacher leadership and student motivation are two important elements in sustaining collaborative learning. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of teacher leadership and student motivation through collaborative learning on the cognitive abilities of students at XYZ Elementary School. Thirty-six grade six students completed the online questionnaire. Research calculations using path analysis through the PLS SEM software were used to test the proposed hypothesis. The results showed that teacher leadership had a positive effect on collaborative learning and students' cognitive abilities. It was also found that student motivation had a positive effect on collaborative learning and students' cognitive abilities. Finally, collaborative learning has a positive impact on students’ cognitive abilities.