Indigenous Technology-Based Physics Learning to Support Global Scientific Literacy among Prospective Physics Teachers

Abstract

This study investigates indigenous technology-based physics learning as a culturally responsive approach to support global scientific literacy among prospective physics teachers. The study addresses the need to connect physics concepts with local cultural knowledge while providing more inclusive learning experiences for male and female students. A mixed methods design was employed through two phases: an exploratory phase and an implementation phase. In the exploratory phase, indigenous technologies from West Kalimantan were examined through field observations, cultural document analysis, and expert consultation. Sape’ and Senggayung were selected and reconstructed as physics learning media representing standing waves, harmonics, frequency relationships, air-column vibration, and acoustic resonance. In the implementation phase, the learning media were used in a basic physics course involving 21 prospective physics teachers selected through purposive sampling. Students’ global scientific literacy was measured using the Global Scientific Literacy Questionnaire before and after instruction, and the results were analyzed descriptively using normalized gain. The findings showed an increase in students’ global scientific literacy from a mean score of 3.20 to 3.98, with an n-gain of 0.43 in the moderate category. Improvements were observed across male and female students, with a preliminary tendency toward a smaller gender gap in the dimension of science as a human endeavor. This study concludes that indigenous technology-based physics learning has potential to strengthen global scientific literacy through culturally meaningful experimentation, although further studies with larger and more balanced samples are needed.