Implementing Project-Based Learning (PjBL) to enhance teaching materials based on Sentani local culture

Abstract

The development of innovative teaching materials that integrate local culture is an important effort to enhance teachers’ competencies while supporting contextual and meaningful learning for elementary school students. This community service program aimed to improve teachers’ knowledge and skills in developing Project-Based Learning (PjBL)-based teaching materials that integrate Sentani local culture at SD YPK Ifar Babrongko, Jayapura Regency, Indonesia. The program consisted of several stages: coordination and needs identification, preparation of training materials, training on PjBL concepts, workshops on integrating Sentani local culture, mentoring in teaching material development, assessment of product feasibility, and program evaluation and reflection. The participants were 12 teachers. Program outcomes were evaluated by comparing pretest and posttest scores, observing teachers’ skills, and assessing the feasibility of the teaching materials produced. The results showed that the teachers’ average scores increased from 53.75 on the pretest to 78.33 on the posttest, representing an increase of 24.58 points or 45.73 percent relative to the initial average score. Observational data also indicated that 9 out of 12 teachers (75 percent) met the established criteria in each of the assessed skill areas: applying PjBL syntax, integrating Sentani local culture, developing teaching modules, preparing student worksheets, and designing authentic assessments. Furthermore, the program produced 24 teaching modules, of which 22 (91.67 percent) were rated as feasible or highly feasible. These findings indicate that the training and mentoring program contributed to improving teachers’ knowledge and produced teaching materials with the potential to support innovative, contextual, and culturally responsive learning. However, the direct impact of implementing these materials on students’ learning outcomes and engagement has yet to be established and requires further evaluation through classroom implementation. Therefore, this program represents an initial step toward strengthening teachers’ capacity to develop project-based learning that reflects the cultural context of the Sentani community.