The Physics of Gudeg: Learning the Mechanics and Thermal Properties Using Collaborative Project based Activities for the High School Physics

TL;DR

This paper explores the physics behind Gudeg, a traditional Indonesian food, using collaborative project-based activities to enhance high school physics education through practical experiments and cultural context.

Contribution

It introduces a novel collaborative project-based teaching strategy linking traditional food processes with physics concepts for high school education.

Findings

Qualitative interviews revealed key physics concepts in Gudeg making

Experiments demonstrated density, Young's modulus, and heat transfer in Gudeg processes

Approach promotes cultural knowledge and enhances physics learning engagement

Abstract

In this paper, we describe a presentation on the physics of Gudeg, a traditional food from Indonesia specifically originated in the Special District of Yogyakarta. This learning context is designed for the high school physics curricula. The physics presentation focuses on the making processes of Gudeg. Qualitative interviews with Gudeg makers were carried out by the researchers to thematize the process of making Gudeg and highlight its educational connections for the physics learning. Five extracted learning themes are how the density concept behind peeling the jackfruit skin (main Gudeg ingredient), how the relation between the Youngs modulus concept and the jackfruit sections, how the texture-torque experiment of the sweet and tasty gudeg, how the effect of boiling mechanism on the texture of the jackfruit, and how the conduction and convection of the preserved Gudeg. Using our learning strategy which is so-called Collaborative Project based Teaching, we provide simple experimentations and demonstrations of the physical concepts behind these Gudeg processes that are promising for conceptual physics learning by managing triple educational roles between teachers, students, and Gudeg practitioners. This approach can be generally adopted beyond physics to promote the excitement of traditional knowledge which can enhance pedagogical approach in educational setting.