Civic Education Teachers' Inquiry Strategy for Cultural and Civic Visual Literacy Skills Using Video Learning Media: An Ethnographic Study at MTs NU Bina Insani

Abstract

The low level of visual literacy of culture and citizenship among students of MTs NU Bina Insani, Probolinggo City, is the background of this research. Although PPKn teachers have integrated video media into learning, students tend to only see it as a means of entertainment, so that the civic values in it fail to be conveyed optimally. Visual literacy of culture and citizenship is defined as students' ability to interpret, understand, and write moral messages contained in visual content. To explore the problem, this research applies a qualitative approach with a classroom ethnography method. The data collection process was carried out from March to April 2026 through participatory observation techniques, in-depth interviews with related sources, and documentation studies in the madrasah environment. The research findings indicate that the optimization of video media at MTs NU Bina Insani is implemented through three structured phases: (1) Reading Visuals through the pause and analysis strategy to help students recognize symbols and normative behavior in videos; (2) Understanding Visuals in the process of linking narratives in videos to social realities and students' personal lives; and (3) Writing Visuals in evaluating understanding of Pancasila values through the preparation of critical summaries or worksheets based on students' independent analysis. This study concluded that integrating Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) strategies through an inquiry model with animated video media significantly improved students' visual cultural and civic literacy. This approach proved effective in transforming students from passive audiences into critical observers capable of reviewing social norms in their daily lives.