Development of Experiential Learning Activities for Enhancing Active Citizenship Competency among Lower Primary School Students

Abstract

This study aimed to develop experiential learning activities to enhance active citizenship competency among lower primary school students and to examine their effectiveness. The research employed a Research and Development approach with a Mixed Methods Design. The target group comprised 10 lower primary school students from a small-sized school. Instruments included expert interviews, a citizenship competency assessment covering four dimensions (responsibility, participation, respect for rights, and democratic values), behavioral observation forms, and semi-structured interviews. The study proceeded in four phases: needs analysis, activity design, implementation using a Single-Subject Research Design (A-B-A), and evaluation/improvement. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, and content analysis. The findings indicated that the developed set of 8 activity plans effectively addressed all four dimensions of citizenship competency, based on Kolb's experiential learning cycle. Experts rated the activities as highly appropriate (mean = 4.44 on a 5-point Likert scale). The activities showed statistically significant effectiveness (p < 0.05) in enhancing citizenship competency, with observable sustainability in post-intervention behaviors. These findings highlight the potential of experiential learning as a powerful pedagogical approach for fostering citizenship competency in lower primary students within the small school context.