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Indonesia Journal of Local Wisdom Education (IJLWE)
Vol 1, No 1, 2025, Page 1-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26740/ijlwe.v1n1.p1-6

Development of Character Education Based on Local Wisdom in
East Java, Indonesia
Sylvia Faustine*
Graduate Institute of Digital Learning and Education, National Taiwan University of Science and
Technology, Taiwan
email: d11211805@gapps.ntust.edu.tw
ABSTRACT

This study aims to develop a mobile application based on local wisdom in East Java to support
character education for students in the digital era. The application is designed to introduce local
cultural values to students in an engaging and interactive way. The research method used is Research
and Development (R&D) with the ADDIE model approach (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement,
Evaluate). The results show that the use of this mobile application significantly enhances students'
understanding of local wisdom, strengthens their sense of nationalism, and reinforces their cultural
identity. Additionally, the application contributes to improving positive attitudes such as honesty,
responsibility, and mutual cooperation. However, there were some technical issues related to the
application's performance that need to be addressed. This study contributes to the development of
technology-based learning media for character education that is more contextual and relevant to local
cultural values.
Keywords: character education, mobile application, local wisdom.
Article history
Received:
September 14, 2024

Revised:
January 21, 2025

Accepted:
February 18, 2025

INTRODUCTION

Published:
June 1, 2025

passed down from generation to generation
(Hasanah et al., 2023; N. N. Hidayati et al.,
2021). Examples include values such as mutual
cooperation, tolerance, politeness, and respect
for elders. These values are not just cultural
heritage but also hold great potential in shaping
students' character. Unfortunately, in practice,
formal education in East Java often focuses
more on academic aspects and less on utilizing
local wisdom as part of the learning process
(Puspita & Setyaningtyas, 2022). East Java, as
one of the largest provinces in Indonesia, is rich
in cultural diversity, with traditions such as
tahlilan, selametan, and village meetings that
teach values of togetherness, harmony, and
deliberation (Huda et al., 2023). However, in
education, this potential has yet to be fully
optimized. Data from the Ministry of Education,
Culture, Research, and Technology indicates a
gap between the understanding of character
education concepts taught in schools and their

Character education is an essential aspect of the
education system, aimed at shaping the younger
generation to be not only intellectually
competent but also to possess strong morals and
ethics (Sudarwo et al., 2023; Utami et al., 2022).
In Indonesia, character education has become an
integral part of the education curriculum, in line
with the government's efforts to improve the
quality of human resources (HR) (Utami et al.,
2022). However, the challenge in implementing
character education lies in making these values
relevant to the local context and the needs of the
students. One approach to address this challenge
is through the development of character
education based on local wisdom (Trilaksana et
al., 2023).
In East Java, local wisdom encompasses cultural
values, traditions, and norms that have been

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Faustine, Development of Character Education Based on Local Wisdom in East Java, Indonesia

application in students' daily lives. This
condition highlights the need to integrate local
wisdom values into character education,
providing a more holistic and relevant learning
experience for students.
Previous studies have shown that education
based on local wisdom can increase students'
awareness of their cultural identity and
strengthen their love for the homeland (Fauziah
et al., 2019). Furthermore, character education
rooted in local values can be an effective tool in
facing the challenges of globalization, which
often erodes traditional values. Given the
importance of this issue, systematic efforts are
needed to develop a model of character
education based on local wisdom, particularly in
East Java. Several studies have emphasized the
importance of local wisdom as a foundation in
character education. Research by Hasanah et al.
(2023) states that education based on local
wisdom helps students appreciate and preserve
cultural heritage. They found that by integrating
local values such as mutual cooperation, respect
for elders, and simplicity into the curriculum,
students showed significant improvement in
social and moral attitudes.
Moreover, research by Nuraeni et al. (2024)
shows that local wisdom-based learning models
in rural schools in East Java not only improve
students' character but also motivate them to
become more active in their learning activities.
This indicates that local wisdom can be an
effective strategy in enhancing student
engagement in schools. Other research by Huda
et al. (2023) reveals that character education
based on local culture fosters attitudes of
tolerance and respect for differences, which are
crucial in Indonesia's diverse context. The
implementation of this program was also found
to have a positive impact on students' social and
emotional development, contributing to the
creation of a more inclusive learning
environment.
While numerous studies have demonstrated the
effectiveness of character education rooted in
local wisdom, most remain broad in scope and
have not specifically examined how East Java's
local wisdom can be integrated into the

education system. Much of the existing research
has focused on regions such as Yogyakarta or
Bali, which have distinct cultural contexts from
East Java (Miranti et al., 2021). Additionally,
previous studies have yet to provide practical
guidance for teachers and educational
institutions in East Java, limiting their
applicability.
A comprehensive approach is still lacking in
identifying local wisdom values while
simultaneously developing practical teaching
modules that align with the Merdeka Belajar
curriculum (Rambung et al., 2023). Most prior
research has been descriptive or exploratory,
without offering in-depth evaluations of the
effectiveness of local wisdom-based educational
models in schools. This gap underscores the
need for an empirically tested model of character
education that is specifically tailored to East
Java’s cultural context.
Building on this foundation, this study aims to
develop a character education model based on
East Java’s local wisdom. The research is
expected to strengthen character education by
making it both contextually relevant and
adaptable
to
contemporary
educational
challenges.​
METHOD
This study uses the Research and Development
(R&D) method to develop a mobile application
that supports character education based on local
wisdom in East Java. The research method
employed is the Research and Development
(R&D) approach with the ADDIE model
(Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement,
Evaluate) (Sugiyono, 2020). The initial stage of
the research involves literature review and needs
analysis through interviews and questionnaires
with teachers, students, and parents to
understand their perceptions and needs in
integrating local values into learning (Sugiyono,
2019). Additionally, Focus Group Discussions
(FGD) with cultural and educational experts will
be conducted to determine the key features that
should be included in the application, such as
interactive learning materials, educational
quizzes, and local story-based games.

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Faustine, Development of Character Education Based on Local Wisdom in East Java, Indonesia

Next, the researchers will enter the application
development stage by designing the user
interface (UI/UX) and features based on the
needs analysis results. The application will then
undergo alpha testing by the development team
and beta testing in several schools in East Java
to evaluate its usability, effectiveness, and
acceptance by students and teachers. Feedback
from this limited trial will be used to refine the
application before proceeding to a broader field
trial. At this stage, pre-tests and post-tests will
be conducted to measure the impact of the
application on students' character development,
particularly in understanding local wisdom
values.
The results from the trials will be analyzed using
statistical methods to assess significant changes
in students' character formation. The refined
application will then be distributed more widely
to schools in East Java, accompanied by user
guides and teacher training. With this approach,
it is hoped that the developed mobile application
will serve as an effective medium in
strengthening students' cultural identity and
enhancing character education amid the
challenges of globalization.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results
The following are the results of the research for
the development of a mobile application for
character education based on local wisdom in
East Java:
User Needs Analysis
This research began with a user needs analysis
through literature studies, in-depth interviews,
and the distribution of questionnaires to
teachers, students, and parents in several schools
in East Java. The results of the needs analysis
revealed that most teachers felt there was a gap
in learning materials related to character values
based on local wisdom. A survey conducted
among 150 teachers and 300 students found that
85% of teachers and 78% of students agreed that
character education utilizing local cultural
values could enhance students' understanding of
cultural identity and strengthen their sense of
love for their homeland.

Teachers also expressed that they often face
challenges in integrating local values into the
learning process due to limited resources and
media. Additionally, interviews with several
parents revealed that they desired education that
instills moral and cultural values in their
children, especially amid the growing influence
of globalization. Based on these findings, the
development of a mobile application focusing on
character education based on local wisdom was
considered a potential solution to address these
needs.
Design and Development of the Application
After conducting the needs analysis, the next
step was the design and development of the
application. The application was developed by
considering key features based on feedback from
teachers, students, and education experts. The
main features integrated into the application
include interactive learning materials about East
Java's local wisdom, educational quizzes, folk
tales presented in animation, and traditional
story-based games. The user interface (UI/UX)
design was done iteratively, focusing on ease of
use and interactivity.
After the initial development phase, the
application underwent alpha testing by the
development team to ensure stability and smooth
basic functionality. Subsequently, beta testing
was conducted in three schools in East Java,
involving 50 students and 10 teachers. During
beta testing, feedback was collected regarding
user experience, feature usability, and content
relevance. The beta test results showed that 92%
of students found the application's interface easy
to use and engaging, while 87% of teachers rated
the content as suitable for character education
based on local wisdom.
Effectiveness Testing of the Application (Field
Testing)
After receiving feedback from the beta testing
phase, the application was then field-tested. The
trial was conducted over four weeks, involving
120 seventh-grade students from three schools in
East Java. Prior to using the application, a
pre-test was administered to measure students'
understanding of local wisdom values. The
pre-test results showed that the average
understanding score of students was 65%. After
using the application for learning, a post-test

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Faustine, Development of Character Education Based on Local Wisdom in East Java, Indonesia

was conducted, showing an average score
increase to 82%. This improvement of 17%
indicates a positive impact of the application on
students' understanding of local wisdom.
To evaluate the significance of this
improvement, statistical analysis using a paired
t-test was conducted. The statistical test results
showed a p-value smaller than 0.05, indicating
that the increase in students' understanding of
local wisdom values after using the application
is statistically significant. Therefore, it can be
concluded that this mobile application is
effective in supporting character education based
on local wisdom.
User Satisfaction Evaluation
In addition to quantitative measurements, this
study also assessed user satisfaction with the
developed application. After the trial period,
data was collected through a user satisfaction
questionnaire filled out by students and teachers.
Based on the data analysis, 88% of students
reported being more interested in learning about
local cultural values through the application
compared to conventional learning methods.
Teachers also stated that the application helped
them deliver character education materials in a
more interactive and engaging way.
However, some users provided feedback on
technical issues that need improvement, such as
slow loading speed and minor bugs encountered
during application use. Users also suggested
adding features like the integration of
educational video content and interactive
discussion features to increase student
engagement in learning. These findings will
serve as the basis for further improvements to
the application before broader implementation.
Impact Analysis on Character Education
This study not only measures students'
understanding of local wisdom but also
examines the application's impact on changes in
students' attitudes and behavior concerning
character values such as honesty, responsibility,
and
cooperation.
Through
classroom
observations and interviews with teachers during
the trial, it was found that about 70% of students
showed positive changes in their attitudes
toward peers and teachers, especially in terms of
group cooperation and initiative to behave

honestly. Teachers reported an increase in
student participation during learning activities
that used the application.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that mobile applications
incorporating East Java’s local wisdom can
effectively enhance character education by
deepening students' understanding of cultural
values and fostering national pride. The
improvement in students' comprehension scores,
along with positive behavioral changes in areas
such as cooperation, honesty, and responsibility,
indicates the app's success in instilling character
values. Teachers also noted that the app made
character education more engaging and
interactive compared to traditional teaching
methods. Although some technical issues, such
as slow loading times and occasional bugs, were
identified, the overall findings underscore the
app’s potential to enrich learning experiences
and preserve local culture. As a result, this study
presents the app as a promising model for
broader implementation in Indonesia and a
meaningful contribution to culturally-based
character education in the future.
Recommendations
Based on the results of this study, it is concluded
that the mobile application based on local
wisdom is effective in supporting character
education in schools in East Java. This
application not only serves as a learning tool but
also as a medium for preserving local cultural
values for the younger generation. The study
recommends broader implementation in schools
with support for teacher training to maximize the
use of the application. Additionally, the study
also suggests further development by adding
new interactive features, such as augmented
reality (AR)-based learning modules and
gamification features that can enhance student
engagement.
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