Integrating Local Culture into Digital Learning: Developing Media for Beginner BIPA Students in North Sumatra
Maya Oktora- Suci Pujiastuti- Zulfidar- Yuni Khairina

Universitas Negeri Medan

Abstract

This study aims to develop digital learning media integrating the local culture of North Sumatra to support beginner level learners of Bahasa Indonesia for Foreign Speakers (BIPA) at Universitas Negeri Medan. The objective is to enhance speaking and listening skills through interactive, culturally relevant digital tools tailored to international students. As BIPA programs increasingly serve Generation Z learners, incorporating digital technology is essential to foster language acquisition and intercultural competence. Using a Research and Development (R&D) approach based on the ADDIE model-Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation-the study has completed development and entered the implementation phase. The media features AI-generated videos with culturally contextualized dialogues, synchronized subtitles, speech modelling, and adaptive pronunciation feedback. These components aid pronunciation accuracy, sentence structure comprehension, and speaking confidence. Initial implementation reveals positive learner responses to the media^s cultural relevance and technological interactivity. Integrating North Sumatran cultural elements enriches the learning experience and deepens understanding of language and local identity. This study contributes to BIPA instruction by providing a framework for designing culturally grounded, AI-enhanced learning tools, highlighting the importance of local culture and artificial intelligence in modern language education.

Keywords: Digital Learning Media, BIPA, Local Culture, North Sumatra

Topic: Social Science, Linguistics, Foreign Language and Humanities