Project-Based Digital Photovoice: Teaching Local History through the Visual Method

Abstract

This project-based research falls within ​​visual sociology in history education, which focuses on integrating local cultural heritage through digital photovoice (DP). It aims to build the students’ historical and cultural identity to preserve Indonesian cultural heritage. However, research on DP in history education is still scarce and understudied. Grounded in the Project-Based Learning (PBL) theory, this study explored how DP facilitated the students’ history learning of the local heritage. Forty-one history education students from an Indonesian public university agreed and consented to participate in the study. Data were analyzed from the PBL portfolio, student-created DP, and focus group interviews (FGI) with the students. As a result, the study highlights three key findings that PBL-DP integrated strategy: 1) facilitated and increased the students’ learning engagement, participation, autonomy, collaboration, and activeness in learning activities, 2) encouraged the production of student-created digital photovoice, and 3) promoted their historical and cultural identity. The implication of this study suggests integrating DP into history pedagogy and history teachers’ professional development.