Indonesian Journal of Education Methods Development
Vol. 21 No. 4 (2026): November

Role Playing Application For Concrete Civic Mutual Cooperation Comprehension In Primary Education: Aplikasi Bermain Peran Untuk Pemahaman Gotong Royong Kewarganegaraan Konkret Pada Pendidikan Dasar

Maneria Dakhi (Program Studi Pendidikan Guru Sekolah Dasar, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)
Kemil Wachidah (Program Studi Pendidikan Guru Sekolah Dasar, Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo)



Article Info

Publish Date
24 Sep 2026

Abstract

General Background Civic education in elementary schools aims to instill fundamental social values, including solidarity and mutual cooperation, into young learners. Specific Background Fifth-grade students in disadvantaged areas frequently perceive mutual cooperation strictly as a memorized theoretical concept, severely lacking active participation and direct practice. Knowledge Gap Although civic education emphasizes character building, practical pedagogical approaches that transition abstract social values into concrete, participatory experiences remain insufficiently applied in primary classrooms. Aims This teaching implementation report evaluates the role-playing method's application in enhancing fifth-grade students' comprehension and affective awareness of mutual cooperation. Results A 70-minute classroom implementation involving twenty-one students divided into heterogeneous groups demonstrated significant improvements in active engagement. Assigning specific roles—such as group coordinators, cleaners, and reporters—enabled students to conduct school cleaning simulations using safe tools effectively. The observation results indicated average scores of 85 for both active participation and teamwork, while conceptual understanding through structured reflection achieved an average score of 75. Novelty Integrating explicit role cards and safe physical tools transforms traditional rote civic learning into an experiential, egalitarian, and highly participatory civic exercise. Implications Primary educators should consistently embed structured role-playing simulations within civic curricula to actualize abstract social values and foster authentic collaborative skills among students. Highlights: The role-playing application shifted civic learning from rote memorization to active student participation. Students demonstrated strong teamwork capabilities by executing specific assigned roles during the simulation. Explicit role cards and structured reflection significantly improved cognitive understanding of mutual cooperation. Keywords: Civic Education, Role Playing, Mutual Cooperation, Active Participation, Experiential Learning

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ijemd

Publisher

Subject

Education

Description

Aim : This journal aimed at communicating the results of research of professors, teachers, practitioners, and scientists in the field of education covering teaching areas in primary education or all education, applied science and critical analytical studies education. - Readers targeted by this ...