The findings arrive at a time when educators are increasingly seeking ways to make learning more relevant to students' daily lives. Around the world, schools are embracing experiential learning, project-based education, and community engagement to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The researchers argue that Indonesia's traditional markets already provide rich educational environments capable of supporting these goals.
Traditional Markets Offer More Than Commerce
For decades, Social Studies education has relied heavily on classroom instruction and printed learning materials. While these resources provide theoretical knowledge, they often fail to connect students with the social and economic realities surrounding them.
Pasar Senggol demonstrates how a local environment can become a living laboratory. Located in Parepare City, the market operates mainly during the late afternoon and evening, attracting residents who shop after work. Every day, traders, buyers, farmers, fishermen, and distributors interact in ways that naturally illustrate economic principles such as production, distribution, consumption, pricing, and supply and demand.
According to the researchers from Universitas Negeri Makassar, these real-world activities create meaningful opportunities for students to observe how economic systems function within their own communities.
Observing Real Economic Activity
The research was conducted using a qualitative descriptive approach at Pasar Senggol in Parepare City. Rather than relying on numerical surveys, the researchers gathered information through direct observation, interviews with traders and consumers, and field documentation. The collected information was then analyzed to identify patterns of economic activity, social interaction, and educational value.
Field observations revealed a vibrant marketplace where food commodities—including vegetables, fish, fruits, spices, and staple foods—move through a complete local supply chain. Traders obtain products from farmers, fishermen, and distributors before selling them directly to consumers.
The researchers found that the market clearly demonstrates several key economic concepts taught in Social Studies, including:
- Distribution of goods from producers to consumers.
- Consumption through household purchasing activities.
- Price formation influenced by supply and demand.
- Communication and bargaining between sellers and buyers.
- Social cooperation and interaction within the local community.
These activities occur naturally every day, allowing students to witness economic theories in action rather than simply reading about them.
Learning Economics Through Everyday Life
One notable finding is the way commodity prices change according to market conditions. Interviews with traders showed that prices increase when supplies decline or customer demand rises, while abundant stock tends to stabilize or lower prices.
This everyday process offers students a practical demonstration of market mechanisms that are often introduced only through diagrams and textbook examples.
Consumers also explained why they continue shopping at Pasar Senggol. They appreciate the availability of fresh products, competitive prices, and the opportunity to negotiate directly with sellers. These interactions illustrate not only economic exchange but also communication skills and community relationships that are central to Social Studies education.
A Contextual Classroom Beyond School Walls
The study concludes that Pasar Senggol has strong potential as a contextual learning environment.
Instead of memorizing abstract definitions, students visiting the market can directly observe:
- How products move from producers to retailers.
- How buyers make purchasing decisions.
- How bargaining influences transactions.
- How social relationships support economic activities.
- How local communities meet their daily needs.
Such experiences encourage students to connect academic concepts with real-life situations, making learning more concrete, engaging, and memorable.
Educational Benefits Extend Beyond Economics
The researchers emphasize that traditional markets are not only economic institutions but also social spaces rich in educational value.
Students observing market activities can learn about cooperation, trust, communication, responsibility, honesty, and community interaction. These social values complement the economic lessons taught in Social Studies and contribute to character development.
The study also notes that using local environments aligns with the Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) approach, which encourages students to build understanding through authentic experiences. By integrating traditional markets into learning activities, teachers can create lessons that are more meaningful and closely connected to students' everyday lives.
Implications for Schools and Policymakers
The findings offer practical guidance for educators, curriculum developers, and education policymakers.
Rather than depending exclusively on classroom instruction, schools could incorporate visits to traditional markets as part of Social Studies learning. These field experiences may improve students' understanding of economic concepts while strengthening critical thinking, observation skills, and awareness of community life.
For local governments, preserving traditional markets also means preserving valuable educational spaces. Markets such as Pasar Senggol contribute not only to local economies but also to experiential learning that connects schools with surrounding communities.
As Imron Burhan and colleagues from Universitas Negeri Makassar explain through their findings, traditional markets provide authentic settings where students can observe economic activities, social interaction, distribution systems, and community life simultaneously, making Social Studies education more contextual and meaningful.
Author Profile
Imron Burhan is a researcher from Universitas Negeri Makassar (UNM) specializing in Social Studies education, contextual learning, and the use of community environments as educational resources. This study was conducted in collaboration with Nur Fadny Yuliani, Siswati Rachman, and Amriadi, who are also affiliated with Universitas Negeri Makassar and focus on educational innovation, community-based learning, and Social Studies instruction.
Source
Article Title: Exploring the Role of Senggol Market in Economic Activities in Parepare City as a Contextual Learning Resource for Social Studies
Journal: International Journal of Sustainable Applied Sciences (IJSAS), Vol. 4, No. 7 (2026)
Authors: Imron Burhan, Nur Fadny Yuliani, Siswati Rachman, Amriadi
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijsas.v4i7.28
URL: http://ijsasjournal.my.id/index.php/ijsas
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