Bibliometric Analysis of Character Education in Senior High School Indonesian Textbooks Based on the Merdeka Curriculum

Abstract

This study aims to understand the publication trend and research contribution related to character education in Indonesian high school textbooks based on the Merdeka Curriculum from 2015 to 2024. Character education is crucial for student development, and textbooks play a central role. Using bibliometric analysis, the study identified 428 publications from Google Scholar and Scopus, including journal articles, proceedings, reviews, and books. Journal articles dominated with 363 publications, followed by 30 proceedings, 32 books, and three reviews. The study focused on the number of publications and the issues underlying the keyword emergence. While 2023 had the highest number of publications (75), 2018 saw the highest citations (890) and h-index (14), indicating significant influence. The highly cited study "Strategy and Implementation of Character Education in Senior High Schools and Vocational High Schools" had 135 citations. Keyword analysis using VOSviewer revealed that "Indonesian textbook" was the most popular topic, particularly concerning gender representation and basic education. Despite increased productivity, recent publications need higher impact, achievable through improved research quality, appropriate journal selection, online dissemination, collaboration, and scientific community engagement. The focus on gender representation and basic education should be sharpened for inclusive teaching materials and to instill positive values early in Indonesian education. This study provides valuable insights and direction for future research and practice in character education within the Independent Curriculum framework.

Keywords

• Indonesia Textbook
• Character Education
• Senior High School
• Merdeka Curriculum