Internalizing the Character Value of Caring for the Environment Through the Project to Strengthen the Profile of Pancasila Students in Elementary Schools

ABSTRACT


INTRODUCTION
The Merdeka Curriculum has characteristics and programs that differ from the previous curriculum; namely, there is a Project for Strengthening the Pancasila Student Profile.This project supports intracurricular activities with the ultimate goal of increasing competence and building and improving students' character as a Pancasila Student Profile through projects that raise issues or problems in the surrounding environment.One of the essential characteristics to develop is the character of caring for the environment.Through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Indonesia has a Vision for Indonesian Education, namely realizing an advanced Indonesia that is sovereign, independent and has personality through the creation of Pancasila Students (Dasmana et al., 2022;Marsaulina et al., 2023;Mauliddina & Irianto, 2023;Muji et al., 2021;Sudarsana et al., 2020;Zainuri, 2022).This vision is realized in the form of the Independent Curriculum policy.One of the characteristics of the Merdeka curriculum is that there is a project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila.The Merdeka Curriculum focuses on efforts to form national character through a Pancasila student profile for each student in the education unit (Sari et al., 2022).
The Pancasila student profile is a character that students must have, covering six dimensions in the Pancasila student profile, namely: 1) Faith, devotion to God Almighty and noble character; 2) independence; 3) Working together; 4) Global diversity; 5) Critical reasoning; 6) Creative.Extracurricular activities projects to strengthen the Pancasila student profile (co-curricular) and extracurricular Pancasila student profile (co-curricular) and extracurricular activities are needed.Several related studies regarding projects to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students were carried out collaboratively, and teachers did not carry them out based on one subject but across subjects.Learning and communicating the expectations will increase productivity, which are strengths in implementing this project according to their profile (competency).Research regarding the implementation of the independent curriculum in driving schools discusses the project of strengthening the profile of Pancasila students (Rachmawati, 2020).The research results show that the development of the profile of Pancasila students carried out activities of project-based learning (Fitriyani et al., 2023;Wasimin, 2022;Yuniharto et al., 2022).So, it is hoped that in the future, students will become people with character values that are by the character values embedded in each of the principles of Pancasila.
Internalizing the character value of caring for the environment is very important at the elementary school level, considering that protecting the environment is the responsibility of all world citizens.In the study of Citizenship Education, the cultivation of the character of caring for the environment can be seen from the indicators of students' civic engagement in protecting the environment.Civic engagement in this research can be defined as citizen participation in attitude and behavior based on an individual's awareness and in-depth understanding of the problems in their community (Liu & Shen, 2021;Malek et al., 2019;Prasetiyo et al., 2019).This research is based on the background of the problem of lack of environmental awareness in elementary school students, which is caused by a lack of habituation and direct practical experience on an ongoing basis.The results of previous research reinforce that the need for more awareness among elementary school students regarding environmental issues is due to a lack of role models, habits, and school culture.

RESEARCH METHOD
This research is quasi-experimental research, including quantitative and qualitative data.Data was collected using a mixed-method approach, starting with quantitative methods followed by qualitative methods.Quantitative research is a method for testing specific theories by examining variable relationships, and its purpose is to draw generalizations of research findings obtained from samples into the research population.Qualitative research prioritizes in-depth understanding and interpretation of meaning, reality, and relevant facts and qualitative data in descriptive form, spoken words or written words about human behavior that can be observed (Rachmawati, 2020) The population is 15 Elementary Schools for Class 1 in Temanggung Regency, with a purposive sampling technique at 3 Elementary Schools, namely Elementary Schools Shekinah, Elementary School 1 Jampiroso, and Elementary Schools 2 Jampiroso.The research procedure was carried out by distributing research instruments to see the initial picture of the environmentally caring character of the students at the 1st Generation Primary School.The following steps were chosen according to the sample of schools that took the same theme, namely sustainable lifestyles, to capture the project's overall implementation to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students.The implementation of the project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students with the theme of a sustainable lifestyle was carried out according to the project module design in the sample schools.Data were collected using literature studies, attitude scale assessments, questionnaires, and interviews.For data analysis, we used descriptive quantitative analysis with SPSS.We continued with the discussion using qualitative methods using the triangulation method, namely comparing three data sources so that they are valid and reliable.

Results
The findings are based on the literature study results, starting from forming a project team to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students.In implementing the Merdeka curriculum, the steps taken in preparing the project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students are as follows: Forming a team of profile project facilitators, Identifying the readiness stages of educational units in carrying out the profile project, Determining the dimensions and theme of the profile project Designing the time allocation for the profile project Developing the profile project module Determining learning objectives Develop topics, activity flow, and profile project assessments (Ismail et al., 2020;Nurhayati et al., 2022;Shuhailo & Derkach, 2021).By the project theme chosen by the sample schools regarding sustainable lifestyles, in this research, the school carried out a project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students with hydroponic gardening activities, which have objectives including students experiencing the process of sowing, planting, caring for, and harvesting hydroponic products so that they can experience gratitude to God Almighty for His blessings and grace so that plants can grow, develop, and produce so that they can be used as nutritious food.
Students can develop good characteristics when carrying out the hydroponic process, such as respecting each other when working together in groups, patience in waiting for the sowing process, transplanting, growth, and harvest, and discipline to always check the condition of the plants and nutritional needs.Students have a love of the environment, and they care about the environment around them.If they do not take care of the environment, who else? Students have creativity and turn used bottle waste into their hydroponic installations.Reducing environmental pollution from plastic waste reflects an environmentally caring character.From a series of hydroponic activities, students can understand a sustainable lifestyle that can be carried out at home.In the future, they can continue planting at home and even develop it so that the harvest can be sold to the community.From the basics of hydroponic development, creative ideas can be developed regarding the use of hydroponics towards aquaponics, namely, the development of hydroponics by raising fish.
Meanwhile, the findings related to the description or initial description of the environmentally caring character of elementary school students at Elementary School in Temanggung Regency in five schools with 37 questions related to environmentally caring character before the project activity to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students showed that the average number of students who answered correctly was 54.4% and those who answered wrong 45.4%.The number shows that it is still in the low category regarding the environmentally caring character of elementary school students.The following are the results of the recapitulation from five schools distributed to 500 students regarding the initial description of the caring character at Pengwisata Elementary School in Temanggung Regency. Figure 1 shows that the results of the initial description of the environmentally caring character of Pengpeng Elementary School students in Temanggung Regency, seen from the indicators of civic behavior, civic skills, and civic attitude, are still in the deficient category.The average is still 65-40 percent.So, it is necessary to develop innovative learning models that can improve the environmentally caring character of elementary school students.Three schools are implementing the project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students with the theme of a sustainable lifestyle in the form of hydroponic gardening activities, including Elementary Schools Shekinah, Elementary School 2 Jampiroso, and Elementary Schools 1 Jampiroso.The project was carried out in two cycles.Namely, in the first cycle, failure occurs.Because many factors influence this failure, many spinach plants planted are thin and even wilt and die before being harvested.From this, the teachers and the students evaluated the process of implementing hydroponics and the second cycle.In the second cycle, we provide students with the character strengthening needed to implement hydroponics as expected.Plants can be harvested with satisfactory results.Students start sowing responsibly.During the transplanting period, they monitor plant growth and measure plant height with a ruler every two days and the vitamin content in the water.As time went by, with intensive assistance from the teachers, the hydroponic process and character habituation began to emerge.Students begin to care about the environment, and discipline is formed from the habit of monitoring plants.With discipline, they can know the growth and development of plants and anticipate wilting or lack of nutrition.Students begin to take responsibility for their respective projects.The process is celebrated with a Grand Harvest of Hydroponic Products.The students were pleased with the satisfactory harvest results; they could process vegetables according to their tastes, and of course, a lifestyle of liking vegetables began to grow.
After carrying out project activities to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students with the theme of a sustainable lifestyle and the activities carried out were gardening through hydroponics, you can see the final picture of the environmentally caring character in the three primary schools.The final description of the environmentally caring character shows that the average correct answer score for the control class was 54.6%.In comparison, for the experimental class, it was 82.2%, while the wrong answer score for the control class was 45.4%, and for the experimental class was 17.8%.This shows a significant difference between the scores obtained in the control and experimental classes, which means that the character of caring for the environment experienced a significant change after carrying out project activities to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students.In more detail, it can be seen in Figure 2. Looking at the picture above regarding the average score of the control class for each indicator of environmentally caring character, namely civic behavior, civic skills, and civic attitude, with the results obtained for Elementary Schools 1 Jampiroso a civic behavior score of 50.0%, civic skill 45.0% and civic attitude 50.0%,Meanwhile, Elementary Schools 2 Jampiroso scored 55.0% civic behavior, 44.0% civic skills and 42.0% civic attitude and 60.0% civic behavior at Elementary Schools Shekinah, 50.0%civic skills and 50.0%civic attitude, all of which are still in the poor category.Meanwhile, the results of recapitulating the environmentally caring character in the experimental class are as in Figure 3. Looking at the picture above regarding the average score of the control class for each indicator of environmentally caring character, namely civic behavior, civic skills, and civic attitude, with the results obtained for Elementary Schools 1 Jampiroso a civic behavior score of 82.0%, civic skill 80.0% and civic attitude 81.0%,Meanwhile, Elementary Schools 2 Jampiroso had a civic behavior score of 81.0%, civic skill 80.0% and civic attitude 80.0% and Elementary Schools Shekinah civic behavior 83.0%, civic skill 80.0% and civic attitude 82.0%, all of which were in the excellent category and rose higher than the control class.This shows that the project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students with the theme of sustainable lifestyles and hydroponic gardening activities effectively improves the character of caring for the environment from civic behavior, civic skills, and civic attitude.This data is strengthened by the results of interviews with teachers who act as part of the project team who say that changes in student behavior with the project activities to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students are very good, especially the character of caring for the environment, discipline and cooperation, this is one of the internalizations in instilling good character values for students.

Discussion
In this research, the aspect of environmental care character is measured by three aspects.Namely, civic behavior can be defined as someone's actions to try to be actively involved and change their community.In contrast, civic attitude can be interpreted as individual beliefs and feelings where everyone has involvement and ability in their community and the ability to feel to make a difference or change in the community, and civic skills related to citizen skills, in this case, the aspect of caring for the environment.The findings above show that the Pancasila Student Profile program established by the Minister of Education and Culture can help instill character education in students.According to Samsul (2021), the Pancasila student profile is one of the implementations of a student who is continuously expected to have global abilities and character following the values of Pancasila.So, the conclusion of the Pancasila Student Profile program is a program that applies more character to students using the method of practicing Pancasila (Saphira, 2022;Saphira et al., 2022).In the Pancasila principles, some meanings serve as guidelines for national and state life, where one principle and another are interrelated and by the character of the Indonesian nation, one of which is the aspect of the character of caring for the environment at the elementary school level.
Character education through the Pancasila Student Profile can grow students' character.Character education through the Pancasila Student Profile provides students with an understanding of having a character following the values contained in Pancasila.Because Pancasila is one of the guidelines for the Indonesian nation.The values contained in Pancasila are related to one another and per the Indonesian nation's life.So, the Pancasila Student Profile can assist in learning related to character education, where this can be seen from the first point that the Pancasila Student Profile can teach students.Students, as a generation of the nation, must believe and be devout following their respective beliefs and religion, where students also need to have an attitude to get closer to God Almighty (Bahr, 2019;Basir et al., 2022;Hadi, 2019;Ismail et al., 2020;Nurhayati et al., 2022).
The Pancasila Student Profile can also teach students as the nation's successors to understand that.Social creatures where humans are related to one another to help and respect each other; apart from that, the Pancasila Student Profile in character education can instill character in students as the nation's next generation to have an attitude of unity in the diversity of the Indonesian nation (Amri, 2022;Putri & Dahnial, 2022;Zakso et al., 2022).Not only that, the Pancasila Student Profile also teaches students to be more independent and creative in dealing with the problems they face so that they can take responsibility for the problems around them.So, the Pancasila Student Profile programmed by the Ministry of Education and Culture can help instill character in students to become students or the nation's next generation who have the spirit of Pancasila throughout their lives if we compare it with the ecological citizenship theory, which states that ecological Citizenship is a new concept that aims to raise citizens' awareness and encourage them to participate in environmental conservation.The government and existing environmental institutions must encourage citizens who care about the environment.Forming ecological citizens is crucial because they need to learn more about the environment so that they can take action to consciously safeguard, manage, and preserve the environment (Shah et al., 2023).So, to save the environment in the future, changing people's awareness to love the environment is more effective.The character of caring for the environment cannot be achieved overnight or instantaneously but requires a long, time-consuming process and a complex range of steps.An individual can have an attitude of caring and loving the environment because it goes through a repeated change process.
Changes that occur consistently will be firmly embedded in his brain, and his behavior will always be conveyed in daily changes under his character values.A young person with a very environmentally centered character will influence the environment's versatility.The completely environment-centric character introduced early on does not effectively fade away as he matures.Samrin (2021) states that there are several strategies for implementing character education, including providing role models, strengthening discipline, adjustment, integrity, and internalization.The strategies that have been mentioned can help teachers in developing character education in students, starting with teachers who provide role models for students.Because a teacher is a role model for his students, teachers must provide examples of good attitudes, namely obeying-school rules by arriving on time before learning begins.So, students can imitate their teacher's behavior by having a teacher as a role model for good character (Snyder, 2019).Apart from providing role models, teachers also need to introduce the rules that apply within the school.Role models, but a teacher also needs to strengthen discipline in students by paying attention to the rules that apply at school, and then the teacher reprimands students who violate the rules (Baehaqi & Murdiono, 2020;Harianto & Kandedes, 2023;Juraidah & Rafiqoh, 2020;Lian et al., 2020).At school, by giving warnings or punishing students by school regulations.

CONCLUSION Fundamental Finding:
The project to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students, which is one of the characteristics of the Merdeka curriculum, is quite effective in internalizing the character values of caring for the environment in primary school level driving schools in Temanggung Regency, of course, by taking the theme of a sustainable lifestyle and with hydroponic gardening project activities.This can be seen from the results of the initial and final description of the environmentally caring character, which increased significantly after students carried out project activities to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students.The Pancasila student profile can be used for student character education.The Strengthening the Pancasila Student Profile Project can further accelerate the growth of character in students that is by the principles of Pancasila.Implication: This research has a positive impact on cultivating the environmental care character of elementary school students, which is one of the goals of strengthening the profile of Pancasila students in the independence curriculum.Limitation: Elementary school teachers in implementing learning with this hydroponic project require quite large funds.It is less effective for schools in rural areas with significant agricultural land.Future research: Future academics should develop this research with more innovative modifications to capture the progress of student character formation according to the profile of Pancasila students.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Recapitulation of the initial characteristics.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Recapitulation image of environmentally caring characters of control class.

Figure 3 .
Figure 3. Image of recapitulation of experimental class environmental care characters.