The Effect of Educative Comics on Traditional Ecological Knowledge Literacy about Corn Food Security in Elementary School

Abstract

Although the staple food of the Indonesian people is rice, some residents traditionally have non-rice staple foods. One of them is the people in Tawangmangu, Karanganyar Regency, Central Java, which used to be the staple food of corn. This can be seen from his traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), such as folklore, traditional ceremonies, offerings, and agricultural systems that were inherited from his ancestors. However, it is suspected that this knowledge is starting to disappear so that education in schools brings students closer to the real context. This study aims to determine the material and significant effects of the presentation of TEK on society, corn food consumption visually through educational comics on the level of knowledge literacy in cognitive and affective aspects. The research was conducted with a quasi-experimental design on sixth grade students from two elementary schools. The experimental group used comic media, while the control group used text. Tests and questionnaires were given before and after treatment in the experimental and control groups. The experimental results show that the use of comics has a significant effect on increasing knowledge and attitudes about the traditional ecology of corn food maintenance. Students understand the origin of the corn plant commodity, the procedures for cultivating corn, and processing traditional food made from corn. Students also have a pro-knowledge attitude towards traditional ecology, including supporting the consumption of food made from corn which is seen as "satanic" food.