Sasirangan v'erse: A digital media innovation based on local wisdom for transforming biology education

This study presents the development and evaluation of Sasirangan Verse, a culturally responsive digital learning tool that integrates local wisdom into biology education. Drawing on the rich cultural heritage of Sasirangan cloth from South Kalimantan, the tool links traditional motifs and natural dyes with core biological concepts, such as biodiversity, morphology, and classification. This integration aims to foster scientific understanding while cultivating students’ appreciation for local culture. The development process followed the ADDIE model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate), ensuring a systematic and iterative approach to content creation and refinement. Validation was conducted through expert assessments involving biologists, media designers, and linguists, alongside Likert-scale questionnaires distributed to 50 biology teachers and 100 senior high school students. The tool achieved high validity across content, language, and instructional design, with Content Validity Index (CVI) scores of ≥ 0.90 and Item Objective Congruence (IOC) scores exceeding 0.80. Practicality tests revealed positive reception from both teachers and students, with inclusive usability across gender, age, and academic backgrounds. The effectiveness of Sasirangan Verse was measured through pretest and posttest assessments, which showed a significant increase in students’ cognitive learning outcomes—from an average pretest score of 41.27 to a posttest score of 68.96. The resulting Cohen’s d value of 3.45 indicates a very large effect size, demonstrating the tool’s substantial educational impact. Beyond improving academic achievement, Sasirangan Verse enhanced student engagement, scientific literacy, and cultural identity through its interactive and contextually meaningful design. The results underscore the transformative potential of integrating digital technologies with indigenous knowledge in science education. Future research should explore expanding the tool's accessibility and incorporating advanced features such as augmented reality to further enrich the learning experience and ensure scalability across diverse educational settings.