IMPLEMENTATION OF CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL DEFENSE ATTITUDES AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Civics education plays a crucial role in shaping students' character, particularly in instilling a sense of national defense from an early age. However, in practice, civics education in elementary schools still faces various obstacles, such as a lack of varied learning methods, low student engagement, and limited teacher competency. This study aims to examine the implementation of civics education in strengthening national defense attitudes in elementary school students. The method used was a literature study by analyzing various relevant literature sources, such as scientific journals and academic articles published since 2020. The results of the study indicate that civics education can strengthen national defense attitudes through the application of active and contextual learning methods, such as problem-based and project-based learning. In addition, the role of teachers as facilitators, the use of learning technology, and support from the school and family environment are important factors in the successful implementation of learning. However, several obstacles remain, such as limited resources and the influence of globalization, which can influence student attitudes. Therefore, integrated and sustainable efforts are needed to optimize civics education learning. Thus, civics education can be an effective means of developing students with a strong sense of national defense.