Author: Desiani Muliasari
Muliasari, Desiani, 2025 Transforming Indonesian teachers’ understanding and implementation of critical pedagogy of place as a foundation to foster students’ critical and creative thinking, Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
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Addressing the need for fostering critical and creative thinking (CCT) in primary education, this study investigated how critical pedagogy of place (CPoP) can support CCT in Grade 1 classrooms in the Bandung Metropolitan Area of Indonesia. The primary research question guiding this study is: What does a CPoP approach offer for CCT possibilities in Indonesian primary schools?
Using a community-based action research approach, the study explored teachers’ intentions, understanding and classroom practices related to CPoP. The research involved 12 Grade 1 teachers in the Bandung Metropolitan Area. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and classroom observations. The findings reveal that CPoP offers the potential to engage students with their local culture, environment and community, fostering deeper social and environmental awareness.
Key findings indicate that teachers demonstrated varying levels of engagement with CPoP. Some exhibited basic understanding, focusing on initial implementation without critical reflection. In contrast, others showed signs of potential transformation, integrating CPoP more deeply into their teaching practices with a focus on critical inquiry and student-centred learning. However, challenges such as overcrowded classrooms, time constraints and traditional pedagogical norms hindered the full realisation of CPoP’s potential. The challenges emphasise the necessity of specific strategies to overcome these barriers, which are essential for the successful implementation of CPoP.
This research bridges CPoP with CCT, providing valuable insights into how localised pedagogies can nurture CCT in young learners. It highlights the importance of sustained professional learning and adaptable teaching strategies, particularly through teacher professional learning supported by communities of practice, to address the unique challenges faced by Indonesian primary schools. This study emphasises the potential of CPoP to foster CCT in young learners and contribute to meaningful educational reform in Indonesia. Additionally, the findings possess practical implications for curriculum development, particularly in integrating place-based approaches within the Merdeka curriculum to promote meaningful, inquiry-driven education that prepares students for facing and solving real-life issues.
Keywords: Critical Pedagogy of Place (CPoP), Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT), primary education, community-based action research, teacher professional learning (TPL), Communities of Practice (CoP)
Subject: Education thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2025
School: College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Supervisor: Associate Professor Amy Hamilton