The role of mother tongue in enhancing maritime environment education awareness in Indonesia

Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University, Tanjungpinang 29411, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: gatot.subroto@umrah.ac.id

Abstract

In this research, the term “maritime” describes issues related to the relationships and activities between humans and the sea. A country with a major maritime region, like Indonesia, can also be referred to as maritime. This serves as an idea of a starting point for a nation seeking for ways to improve its marine education. However, students find it difficult to understand the material due to the use of foreign language that they don’t understand. In order to increase student knowledge and interest, the researcher offers the use of mother tongue. For this study, researcher conduct qualitative research. 25 students from University Maritim Raja Ali Haji (UMRAH) participate in responding the questionnaire. The data indicates that people strongly agree using their mother language is a good way to raise awareness in the maritime environment. Because, it can facilitate their understanding of the subject during the learning process. Besides, students’ motivation in studying maritime education is also greatly influenced by their mother tongue. When teachers utilize their mother tongue fluently and avoid complicating things, students have an easier time processing the material and their enthusiasm in studying about maritime will also rise.