Kulon Progo, Special Region of Yogyakarta — Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The Physics Education Program of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta conducted a Community Service Program (Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat/PKM) at MAN 2 Kulon Progo under the theme “Contextual Physics Based on Local Potential to Foster Students’ Cultural Awareness.” This activity aimed to provide students of MAN 2 Kulon Progo with a deeper understanding that physics concepts are closely related to everyday life and can be explored through local potentials within their surrounding environment.

The PKM activity featured Dr. Ika Kartika, S.Pd., M.Pd.Si., a lecturer from the Physics Education Program of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, as the main speaker. In her presentation, she emphasized the importance of contextual physics learning that is relevant to students’ real-life experiences. Physics should not be perceived merely as an abstract body of knowledge, but rather as a discipline that is inherently connected to daily activities and deeply intertwined with local cultural practices.

Throughout the session, the speaker fostered an interactive learning atmosphere by encouraging active discussions with the students of MAN 2 Kulon Progo. In this discussion, students were invited to identify various local potentials found in the Kulon Progo region. One of the key examples highlighted was geblek, a traditional local delicacy. Through this example, students were guided to analyze the relationship between the process of making geblek and various scientific concepts, particularly in physics, thereby making the learning process more contextual, meaningful, and relevant to their daily lives.

Students demonstrated high enthusiasm, as reflected in their active participation and their ability to articulate ideas and perspectives regarding the phenomena being discussed. This activity not only enhanced students’ conceptual understanding but also fostered awareness of the importance of preserving local potential as part of cultural identity. Therefore, physics learning is expected not only to focus on cognitive aspects but also to cultivate students’ appreciation toward their environment and cultural heritage.

In addition to delivering the material, the speaker also introduced several instructional products in the form of teaching modules developed based on the analysis of local potentials in relation to scientific concepts. These modules were subsequently provided to the school as learning resources, with the expectation that they will support classroom instruction and inspire students to engage with physics in a more contextual and applied manner.

Furthermore, the speaker presented a simple instructional medium called “Smart Media (Plane Mirror and Angles),” which was developed by university students. This medium was used as a demonstration tool to visually and interactively illustrate physics concepts, enabling students to gain a more concrete understanding of the material. Through the use of such media, it was demonstrated that physics learning can be designed to be engaging, creative, and enjoyable.

The PKM activity was carried out successfully and received positive responses from both students and the school. It is hoped that this initiative will motivate students to learn physics through a more contextual approach and to develop a deeper understanding by connecting scientific concepts with their everyday experiences and local potentials. Moreover, this activity is expected to strengthen collaboration between higher education institutions and schools in improving the quality of science education in Indonesia.