TRANSFORMING SOCIAL STUDIES LEARNING TO STRENGTHEN STUDENTS' NATIONALIST CHARACTER IN THE BORDER AREA OF BELU REGENCY
Transformasi Pembelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial untuk Memperkuat Karakter Nasionalisme Siswa di Daerah Perbatasan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36526/sosioedukasi.v15i4.9799Abstract
Social studies learning in Indonesia–Timor-Leste border regions needs to address students’ lived socio-cultural experiences to strengthen their nationalist character. However, classroom practices often emphasize content mastery and insufficiently integrate local contexts. This study aims to examine the transformation of social studies learning in strengthening students’ nationalist character in Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. A qualitative case study was conducted at SMP Negeri 3 Atambua. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis and analyzed thematically using Miles et al.’s interactive model, comprising data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, supported by source triangulation. The findings reveal a shift from predominantly textual instruction toward contextual learning that connects social studies content with border communities’ socio-cultural realities, including cross-border interactions and local cultural ties. Contextual and reflective activities provide opportunities for students to relate national identity to their everyday experiences and social environment. However, this transformation remains dependent on individual teacher initiatives and is constrained by administrative demands, limited contextual learning models, inadequate teacher training, and curriculum pressures emphasizing cognitive achievement. The study concludes that contextual social studies learning has the potential to strengthen students’ nationalist character in border regions. Sustained improvement requires structured pedagogical innovation, teacher capacity development, and institutional support to integrate local socio-cultural contexts into classroom practice
References
Afrizal, M. T. T., & Priyadi, M. S. (2024). Penanaman Sikap Nasionalisme Melalui Mata Pelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial Pada Siswa Kelas V Sekolah Dasar Negeri 06 Kelapa Tujuh Tahun Ajaran 2023/2024. Griya Cendikia, 9(2). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.47637/griyacendikia.v9i2.1615
Andriani Ana & Agung Nugroho. (2023). Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan dan IPS dalam Dimensi Citizenship Transmission. Amerta Media.
Benu, A. Y. (2023). Aktualisasi media interaktif berbasis kearifan lokal pada pembelajaran IPS di SD Tatelek Desa Manusak. Journal on Education, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.31004/joe.v5i4.2537
BPS. (2024). Kabupaten Belu Dalam Angka 2024.
Br Sembiring, A., & Yusnaldi, E. (2025). The impact of contextual teaching and learning on students’ cognitive abilities in material “My Region My Pride.” Journal of Social Work and Science Education, 6(3). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52690/jswse.v6i3.1250
Dimas, M., & Mahardika, G. (2021). Pembelajaran IPS sebagai penguat nasionalisme dalam menghadapi tantangan di era globalisasi. Jurnal Teori Dan Praksis Pembelajaran IPS, 6(2), 78–91. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.17977/um022v6i22021p78
Dwi Jayanti, et al. (2026). The implementation of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) to foster students’ social attitudes in Social Studies learning at SMPN 1 Gedangan. International Journal of Education, Social Studies, and Management, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.52121/ijessm.v6i1.990
Fransiskus Keraf & Kokom Komalasari. (2019). Habituasi untuk Menguatkan Karakter Nasionalisme Peserta Didik Wilayah Perbatasan pada Abad 21. Jurnal Moral Kemasyarakatan, 4(1), 15–25.
Hidayat H. (2025). Fostering contextual and collaborative learning: Integrating learning resources and interactive media in social studies classrooms. Perspektif Pendidikan Dan Keguruan, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.25299/perspektif.2025.vol16(2).23092
Howell, J. B., & Maddox, L. E. (2024). Geographic inquiry for citizenship: Identifying barriers to improving teachers’ practice. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 48(1), 17–36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2022.04.001
Keegan. (2021). Critical affective civic literacy: A framework for attending to political emotion in the social studies classroom. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 45(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2020.06.003
Lubis, F. U., Ramadani, E., Rahmi, R., Harahap, Z. A., & K. (2025). The constructivist approach in social studies learning to develop social literacy in elementary school students. International Journal Of Education, Social Studies, And Management (IJESSM), 5(3). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.52121/ijessm.v5i3.883
Marsini. (2023). The role of social sciences in character education based on Pancasila student profiles. Multidisciplinary Output Research for Actual and International Issue, 2(4). https://doi.org/10.54443/morfai.v2i4.874
Martono, D. (2022). The national identity on the border: Indonesian language awareness and attitudes through multi-ethnic community involvement. Journal of Community Psychology, 50(1), 111–125. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22505
Mustoip, S., & Fadhlullah, M. Z. F. (2025). Building the spirit of nationalism through culture-based learning in elementary schools: A comparative study of Indonesia and Türkiye. EduBase: Journal of Basic Education. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.47453/edubase.v6i1.3104
Pamungkas C. (2016). Nasionalisme masyarakat di perbatasan laut: Studi kasus masyarakat Melayu Karimun. Jurnal Masyarakat Indonesia, 41(2). https://doi.org/10.14203/JMI.V41I2.253
Pujilestari, W., Hendrawan, J. H., & Halimah, L. (2025). Peran Guru IPS dalam Menumbuhkan Semangat Kebangsaan Peserta Didik di SMP Negeri 15 Cimahi The Role of Social Studies Teachers in Fostering Nationalism Among Students at SMP Negeri 15 Cimahi. 18, 270–280.
Ruhimat, M. (2010). Geografi Penduduk. Ombak.
Sapriya. (2017). Pendidikan IPS: Konsep dan Pembelajaran. Remaja Rosdakarya.
Shimauchi, S. (2025). Internationalization, diplomacy, and beyond: Considering studying abroad as a medium of learning through the lens of cultural studies and public pedagogy. Education Sciences, 15(5). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15050544
Suardi, et al. (2021). Kajian Penelitian Pembelajaran IPS di Sekolah Dasar. CV AA Rizky.
Suciati, S., & Ariningsih, A. (2016). Pengembangan model pendidikan menengah “Sekolah Kebangsaan” di daerah terpencil, tertinggal, terluar dan perbatasan sebagai implementasi pembelajaran PKn. Jurnal Moral Kemasyarakatan, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.21067/JMK.V1I1.1188
Sudarmiani, et al. (2022). Memperkuat Kepekaan dan Ketrampilan Sosial untuk Indonesia Tangguh. CV. AE Media Grafika.
Supriatna Nana dan Neni Maulidah. (2020). Pedagogi Kreatif: Menumbuhkan Kreatifitas dalam Pembelajaran Sejarah dan IPS. PT Remaja Rosdakarya.
Susanti & Henni. (2018). Konsep Dasar IPS. In CV. Widya Puspita.
Susanto, A. (2014). Pengembangan Pembelajaran IPS di SD.
Trabajo-Rite, M., & Cuenca-López, J. M. (2020). Student concepts after a didactic experiment in heritage education. Sustainability, 12(7). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/su12073046
Trisiana Anita, S. & R. (2020). Pendidkan Karakter berbasis Nasionalisme. UNISRI Press.
Widiana I.W. (2020). Project assessment with nationalism insight at elementary schools and its impact towards students’ social science achievement and nationalism attitude. Journal of Education Research and Evaluation, 6(2). https://doi.org/). https://doi.org/10.23887/jere.v6i2.48472
Witarsa. (2016). The model of integrating culture and nation characters into the school-based curriculum at the remote areas in the border of Indonesia and Malaysia. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Social and Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.2991/ICSE-15.2016.73
Wiyanarti, E., & Holilah, M. (2023). Narrative harmony : Empowering students through the national anthem in social studies education. Jurnal Teori Dan Praksis Pembelajaran IPS, 8(2), 87–94. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.17977/um022v8i22023p87
Zakiah U. (2023). Peningkatan pemahaman materi IPS dengan menggunakan metode kontekstual model Learning Together. Journal of Education Research, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.37985/jer.v4i2.257
.png)
