Integrating Local Cultural Values in Elementary Social Studies Learning: A Case Study of Meaningful Classroom Interactions

Abstract

This research is motivated by the low level of meaningful classroom teaching in Social studies learning in elementary schools, which tends to be dominated by conventional methods and minimal contextualization of local culture. The purpose of this study is to examine how the integration of local cultural values can create meaningful classroom interactions in elementary social studies learning. This research used a qualitative approach with a case study design, involving classroom observation, in-depth interviews with teachers and students, and learning documentation in one of the elementary schools that integrates local culture in the teaching process. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns of interaction that emerged from the application of local culture in learning. The findings show that the integration of local cultures not only strengthens the relevance of teaching materials to students' lives, but also increases active participation, emotional engagement, and two-way communication between teachers and students. This study confirms that local culture can be an effective pedagogical instrument to build meaningful classroom interactions, as well as make a theoretical contribution to the development of social studies learning models based on cultural contexts.