Integrasi Kearifan Lokal dalam Pendidikan Karakter di SMP: Studi Komparatif Lintas Daerah di Jawa Tengah

Abstrak

This study aims to examine how local wisdom is integrated into character education in junior high schools and to compare implementation patterns across different districts in Central Java, Indonesia. Employing a multi-site comparative case study design (2025), the research was conducted at SMPN 5 Salatiga City, SMPN 2 Rembang Regency, and SMPN 2 Purbalingga Regency. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with teachers and students, observations of daily routines and co-curricular activities, and document analysis (school character-strengthening programs, school rules, student affairs agendas, and activity portfolios). The data were analyzed using thematic coding and cross-case synthesis. The findings indicate that the integration of local wisdom operates through four main pathways: context-based curricular practices, co-curricular/project-based activities, school culture, and community partnerships. Notable site-specific emphases emerged: Salatiga foregrounded social-relational ethics and tolerance, Rembang highlighted communal solidarity and collective contribution, while Purbalingga emphasized guyub rukun (communal harmony), routine discipline, and character formation through arts/community-based activities. Character evaluation primarily relied on attitude journals and activity portfolios, and habituation was most effective when supported by role modelling, consistent rules, and clear consequences. The novelty of this study lies in its cross-district comparative synthesis, which generates a typology of local-wisdom integration pathways and their contextual emphases as a practical model for strengthening character education in junior high schools.