Augmented Reality Media in Social Studies Learning to Increase Nationalism in Elementary School Students

Background This study addresses the limited awareness of local history, low sense of patriotism, and weak participation in national activities among elementary school students. These issues are linked to conventional learning methods and the lack of innovative, technology-based media in social studies education. Methods The research aimed to develop an immersive and contextual learning medium using Augmented Reality (AR) to foster students’ nationalism through the local history of the Rawa Gede Monument in Karawang, Indonesia. A Research and Development (R&D) design was applied using the ADDIE model, which includes five stages: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Participants consisted of 126 fifth-grade students from five public elementary schools in four subdistricts of Karawang Regency. Data were collected through classroom observations, nationalism attitude scales, questionnaires, and interviews with students and teachers. Results The AR-based media, titled Rawa Gede History AR, was developed to integrate local historical content with interactive 3D visualizations. Expert validation indicated that the media was valid, practical, and feasible for classroom use. The implementation phase involved limited and broader field testing to evaluate effectiveness. Statistical analysis of pre-test and post-test results yielded a significance value of 0.001 (p < 0.05), showing a significant improvement in students’ nationalism after using the AR media. Observations and interviews further confirmed increased engagement, enthusiasm, and understanding of local history. Conclusions The findings suggest that integrating AR technology with local historical content enhances learning engagement and contextual understanding while strengthening students’ sense of national identity. Overall, Rawa Gede History AR serves as a validated, effective, and practical innovation for promoting nationalism and meaningful social studies learning in elementary schools.