Strengthening character of cultural conservation through an android application containing public history for high school students in Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction. The cultural heritage passed down by our ancestors to the next generation must be preserved. It is necessary to understand the history of the formation and development of the preservation of this cultural heritage to know its importance. Innovative methods are needed to increase the awareness and understanding of the younger generation regarding the history and conservation of cultural heritage. This research aims to analyze the strengthening of the character of cultural conservation when students learn history using an Android application with public history content. The public history content developed contains historical narratives of Semarang, as shown in videos. Information about the content is compiled using historical methods, including discussions about the importance of understanding historical heritage conservation for a society. Study participants and methods. This research involved 25 students in the experimental class and 25 in the control class to test the effectiveness of the Android application on students' cultural conservation characteristics. This research was conducted at SMA 5 Semarang (a High School) in Central Java Province, Indonesia. This school is one of the schools in the province with intense research activities. This study uses a quantitative research approach with quasi-experimental methods. The statistical method used is the Pearson chi-square test to evaluate the relationships between relevant categorical variables. Results. The results showed that high school students in the experimental group had a higher understanding and appreciation of public history and cultural conservation than students in the control group. The calculation results (χ² = 8,72; α < 0,05) conclude a significant relationship between the use of Android applications and interest in cultural preservation activities. So, the Android application is called DiHistory, developed to increase students' access to information on historical objects or buildings. This application was developed by the Research Center from the History Education Laboratory at Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia. The application is practical in increasing the interest and motivation of high school students to study public history and strive to participate in preserving the local cultural heritage. Practical significance. This research has practical significance in education and cultural preservation in Indonesia. Through the development of the DiHistory application, which contains public history, this research has been proven to strengthen the character of secondary school students by introducing and increasing their understanding of Indonesia's cultural heritage. This research also shows the impact on strengthening character, student involvement, understanding cultural preservation, and increasing awareness. This research combining these aspects, this research has practical significance, which can positively contribute to education, student character, and cultural preservation in Indonesia.