Ethnomedicine as a Phenomenological Pedagogical Bridge: Optimizing Contextual Learning in Phase E through Local Lived Experiences
Keywords:
ethnomedicine; contextual learning; phenomenology; Phase E biology; Merdeka CurriculumAbstract
Biology learning in Phase E under the Merdeka Curriculum emphasizes the importance of contextual learning grounded in students’ real-life experiences. However, the implementation of contextual learning often remains superficial and has not fully addressed the meaning-making dimension of learning. This study aimed to explore local ethnomedicinal knowledge as lived experience and to examine its relevance for optimizing contextual learning in Phase E biology education. This study employed a qualitative research design using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with informants who had direct experience with ethnomedicinal practices and were analyzed to reveal the essential meanings of these experiences. The findings indicate that ethnomedicine is experienced as embodied knowledge embedded in everyday practices and supported by strong cultural legitimacy. Conceptually, this study positions ethnomedicine as a phenomenological pedagogical bridge that connects students’ lived cultural experiences with abstract biological concepts. The findings contribute to a meaning-oriented framework for contextual learning and offer conceptual insights aligned with the principles of Phase E learning in the Merdeka Curriculum.
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