SOCIAL LEARNING PLACE STUDY OF CHILDREN FROM SCAVENGER VILLAGE IN PONDOK KELAPA

• Main Author: Alfiani, Kirana
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/83937
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This study explores the role of space in facilitating social learning among children in a scavenger village in East Jakarta, where poverty limits access to education and resources essential for improving their prospects. Institutional interventions, such as the ERBE Learning House, have been introduced to address these challenges, serving as a learning center where children can develop their potential through social interactions in informal spaces. The research adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on Bandura's Social Learning Theory and Unwin's Element of Space Theory. The study focuses on three primary spaces: the ERBE Learning House, the Pondok Kelapa Cemetery, and a field. The subjects include 13 children aged 5-15 years and two mentors involved in the learning activities. Data were collected through observations and interviews to evaluate how the affordances of these informal spaces support social learning and shape the children's sense of place. Findings reveal that the children engage in 27 types of social activities, with the ERBE Learning House being the most dynamic space due to its ability to be modified for various activities. In contrast, the cemetery and field offer more limited affordances. These activities are categorized into five groups: Qur'an Education (TPA) classes, large events, adaptive activities, creative activities, and explorative activities. Through participation in these spaces, the children not only acquire practical skills but also enhance their social capital, such as building social networks and receiving community support. While the children's adaptation to spatial limitations demonstrates creativity and resilience, there is a potential for negative impacts if not accompanied by sufficient ethical understanding, particularly regarding activities in the cemetery. The relationship between the children and the spatial elements reveals both real and perceived affordances, where the children either utilize the space as intended or modify it to meet their needs. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of providing inclusive and safe open spaces to support the cognitive, mental, and social development of children from low-income families. Institutional interventions like the Learning House can have long-term positive effects on children in marginalized communities. This research offers valuable insights into how informal spaces can function as significant sites for social learning and their impact on enhancing the social and cultural capital of children.