Kulon Progo, Special Region of Yogyakarta — Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The Physics Education Department of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta conducted a Community Service Program (PKM) at MAN 2 Kulon Progo as part of its commitment to improving the quality of science education in schools. This program focused on strengthening students’ conceptual understanding of physics through innovative and contextual learning approaches.

On this occasion, the session was delivered by Mr. Joko Purwanto, S.Si., M.Sc., a lecturer in the Physics Education Department at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. He presented a topic entitled “Strengthening Students’ Conceptual Understanding of Physics at MAN 2 Kulon Progo through Local Potential-Based Learning with a Deep Learning Approach.” In his presentation, he emphasized that effective physics learning should not rely solely on rote memorization, but rather on deep understanding achieved by connecting physics concepts with real-life contexts.

The implementation of the deep learning approach in this activity encouraged students to think critically, analytically, and reflectively about the phenomena being studied. Through learning based on local potential, students were guided to relate physics concepts to various phenomena found in their surrounding environment, making the learning process more meaningful and contextual.

Throughout the session, the learning atmosphere was designed to be interactive through a question-and-answer method between the speaker and the students of MAN 2 Kulon Progo. The students demonstrated openness and high enthusiasm in expressing their ideas, responding to questions, and engaging in discussions related to the concepts presented. This interaction served as an indicator of successful learning, as it actively involved students in the process of knowledge construction.

This activity aimed not only to improve students’ conceptual understanding of physics but also to develop higher-order thinking skills, which are essential for 21st-century learning. Through the deep learning approach, students are expected to enhance their abilities in analysis, evaluation, and synthesis when addressing problems related to physics concepts.

Through this program, it is expected that students will gain more meaningful learning experiences, while also inspiring teachers to develop more innovative and contextual teaching strategies. Furthermore, this PKM activity represents a tangible contribution of higher education institutions in bridging academic knowledge with educational practices in schools, particularly in advancing adaptive and sustainable physics learning.