Contributing to the Actualization of Performing Arts to Improve Education National Character

摘要

Globalization, as a new world order characterized by its swift and unpredictable changes, has caused societies to lose their confidence related to their identity as a nation. Education, on one hand, becomes one of the national elements which existence can be easily detached. On the other hand, Indonesian traditional culture along with its expressions provide everlasting sources that can be utilized to improve national character education. Nevertheless, being considered to be able to maintain cultural diversity, arts could serve as an appropriate instrument in a learning process within its educational context. When being employed as an approach to improve the quality of education in Indonesia, arts can be realized to exist within a societal situation. The performing arts'approach to education creates, firstly, a paradigm shift from teaching to learning by giving the student an active role to develop their potentials and creativity. Secondly, a paradigm shift enables from viewing the student as an an object to viewing the student as a subject for education national development. Accordingly, education is to respect high-culture traditional values that serve as a reflection of human's self-improvement. As student appreciate their local culture roots, they are able to be steadfast in encountering globalization. They also improve their self-confidence when using up those traditional values in order to collaborate them with other cultural values during their creation process. Therefore, they are able to create new works without losing their state of the art.