Incorporating Javanese Gamelan Music as Democratic Pedagogy: A Junior High School Social Studies Teacher’s Perspective

Abstract

Previous research of Javanese gamelan emphasized theory, history, and culture, but there are no studies integrating gamelan music as instruction to enhance learners’ democratic habits of mind. The purpose of the study is to examine how junior high school teachers perceive Javanese gamelan as a method of cultivating democratic thinking and values in social studies. This study employed qualitative analysis which asked social studies teachers to respond questions about elements of democracy when they integrate Javanese gamelan music in their social studies classroom. This phenomenological study obtained data from six purposive selected participants in two junior high schools which described the result through focus group discussion and interview.The result of the study identified five themes from the data: (1) rights (2) responsibility (3) participation, (4) leadership, and (5) cooperation. Implications for collaboration between gamelan teachers, teacher educators, and future research are considered.