Creating Digital Content for Traditional Children's Games in North Sumatra to Preserve Culture and Enhance Sports Participation

Abstract

As globalization progresses, local cultures, including traditional games, are increasingly at risk of erosion. There is a pressing need to develop strategies to preserve these cultural elements, introduce them to younger generations, and enhance active participation in sports. This study focuses on creating multimedia content based on traditional games from the North Sumatra region to achieve these goals. The research utilized the Research and Development (RD) model by Borg and Gall, which includes ten systematic steps. Participants included 40 children aged 6-12 years and 40 adolescents aged 13-15 years from North Sumatra, divided into individual and small group trials. The setting comprised elementary and junior high schools in Deliserdang district and Medan city. The development process involved initial design, expert validation, iterative revisions, and field trials to test and refine the multimedia content. The developed multimedia content, featuring animated video media of traditional game activities, was validated by experts and received high feasibility ratings. Initial validation stages yielded a feasibility percentage of 73.80%, improving to 95.20% after revisions. Material validation assessments also showed significant improvement, with feasibility increasing from 75.55% to 92.22%. Field trials indicated that the content was well-received by participants, effectively preserving regional culture and promoting active participation in sports. The study demonstrates the potential of multimedia content in preserving cultural heritage and encouraging sports participation among youth. The positive feedback from expert validators and participants underscores the content's educational and cultural value. However, further research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to confirm these findings and explore long-term impacts. The multimedia content developed through this research effectively preserves traditional games from North Sumatra and promotes active participation in sports among children and adolescents. The iterative validation and testing process ensured high feasibility and user engagement, making it a valuable tool for cultural and educational initiatives.