The development and validation of the "Kuesioner Tema Proyek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila" (KT P5): A new tool for strengthening the Pancasila Student Profile in Indonesian pioneer schools

Abstract

The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project/Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila (P5), initiated by the Indonesian government, aims to cultivate an independent curriculum in pioneer schools, presenting a challenge in selecting the most appropriate theme from the available seven: Nurture Their Spirit and Body (NS), Local Wisdom (LW), Engineering and Technology (ET), Voice of Democracy (VD), Sustainable Lifestyle (SL), Unity in Diversity/Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (UD), and Entrepreneurship (EP). This study developed and validated a P5 Theme Questionnaire/Kuesioner Tema (KT) to ascertain the priority theme aligning with student needs. Engaging ten pioneer junior high schools, the research surveyed 524 students. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed a seven-factor theme model with 34 items, each demonstrating an average factor loading of greater than 0.7. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) corroborated the model's robustness (RMSEA = 0.025, CFI = 0.984, GFI = 0.991) and high reliability (Coefficient ω = 0.945, Coefficient α = 0.825). Gender-based preferences emerged, with male students favoring Unity in Diversity, Local Wisdom, and Nurture Their Spirit and Body, while female students preferred Local Wisdom, Voice of Democracy, and Sustainable Lifestyle. This research aimed to evaluate the EFA results for each P5 theme, assess the CFA model fitness, and identify student preferences for themes. Ultimately, the "Kuesioner Tema Proyek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila" (KT P5) serves as a practical and reliable instrument for identifying preferred P5 themes in pioneer schools, facilitating effective implementation of the P5 project.

1. Introduction

The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project, commonly referred to as P5, is integral to the implementation of Indonesia's Independent Curriculum development [1]. The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project aims to cultivate Pancasila students who can act in accordance with Pancasila values, namely, believing in and devoting to God Almighty, embracing global diversity, fostering cooperation, achieving independence, and engaging in critical and creative thinking. The concept of the Pancasila Student Profile encompasses a set of character traits and competencies expected to be achieved by students based on the noble values of Pancasila [[2], [3], [4]].

This initiative carries the philosophical significance that Indonesian students should be competent lifelong learners, possess strong character, and behave in alignment with Pancasila values [5]. The values of Pancasila are founded on the 1945 Constitution [6]. The Pancasila student profile translates the national education goals and serves as the primary reference for directing educational policies, including guiding educators in building the character and competencies of students [7]. All stakeholders must comprehend the Pancasila student profile due to its essential role.

The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project employs a project-based learning approach [3]. The process and progression that each student undergoes in solving problems within the project are paramount, allowing students to perceive knowledge as a character-strengthening process and providing opportunities to learn from their surrounding environment. In executing the P5 project, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia offers several project theme options that can be implemented by academic units classified as pioneer schools. Pioneer schools can choose themes to undertake at each phase according to regulations. Junior high schools implement three to four themes in one academic year [7]. However, schools often encounter challenges in theme implementation, primarily due to difficulties in aligning these themes with student needs [3]. The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project themes are executed by educational institutions annually, tailored to the relevant issues within the students' community. At the junior high school level, phase D requires selecting and determining three themes annually [8].

The Operational Management Working Group discussions, initiated monthly since early 2022 with academic units identified as pioneer schools, have highlighted the need for an instrument to identify Pancasila Student Profile (P5) themes based on student needs. Despite existing guidelines for developing projects to enhance the Pancasila student profile, there is a noted absence of a measure to determine students' genuine preferences among the available themes. Under educator supervision, these guidelines suggest that students discuss and select issues for in-depth examination in subsequent phases. However, in Indonesia, no instrument has been established to gauge the identification of P5 themes reflecting student needs. Such a tool is crucial for pioneer schools to comprehend the students' requirements concerning the chosen and implemented P5 themes, with the findings aiding discussions among school stakeholders about P5 theme determination. The P5 theme questionnaire has been crafted following the guidelines for the Pancasila student profile strengthening project provided by the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology [[1], [2], [3], [4], [5],[7], [8], [9]].

From the background mentioned, this study aims to ascertain.

• 1.What are the results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for each proposed P5 theme?
• 2.What are the model fitness results from the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) on the P5 themes?
• 3.What are the outcomes in identifying students' preferences in choosing their desired themes based on the P5 theme test results?

1.1. Literature review

The themes of the project that pioneer schools can carry out are listed in the Pancasila Profile Strengthening Project Guide [[2], [3], [4], [5],10], namely:

Under the Sustainable Lifestyle theme, students must understand human activities' short-term and long-term impacts on global and local environmental sustainability. They are encouraged to cultivate environmentally friendly behaviors, recognize potential sustainability crises in their environment, and develop strategies to address and mitigate these issues. Integrating the Sustainable Lifestyle theme within the independent curriculum of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project aims to ensure that educators, including teachers and principals, comprehend the essence of sustainable living. This understanding should enable them to motivate and guide students in adopting sustainable practices seamlessly integrated with the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project [11]. Sustainable living is characterized by distinct patterns of thought, existence, and actions anchored in a "socio-ecological" framework [12], identifying various contributions and conditions that facilitate a shift in approach alongside the challenges faced by the environmental education sector in promoting responsible environmental behavior [13]. Campaigns to raise awareness of sustainable living, primarily targeting children, should include provisions for family and peer involvement to sustain actions at both individual and familial levels [14].

In the "Local Wisdom" theme, students develop their curiosity and inquiry skills by exploring their community or region's local cultural wisdom and evolution. The integration of local wisdom values is advocated to foster a new paradigm in global competencies, aiming to achieve a Pancasila student profile through character education in pioneer schools [15]. It is highly recommended that local wisdom be incorporated into the educational content and that time be allocated for discussions on local wisdom [16]. Moreover, when focusing on the Local Wisdom theme, educators are urged to consider specific factors in formulating learning objectives and indicators. This approach ensures a more proportional and comprehensive implementation of the Pancasila student profile within the local wisdom context [17]. Developing national character and multicultural education based on local wisdom requires meticulous planning, organizing, executing, and monitoring [18]. A local wisdom-based model enhances student learning outcomes [18].

In the "Unity in Diversity/Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" theme, students learn to recognize and promote a culture of peace and anti-violence while constructing respectful dialogues concerning diversity and the values embedded in their teachings. They explore the perspectives of various religions and beliefs, undertaking a critical and reflective examination of negative stereotypes and their repercussions on conflict and violence. As part of the prototype curriculum in pioneer schools, the Unity in Diversity Project effectively facilitates the reinforcement of the Pancasila student profile, offering students and educators a comprehensive and meaningful opportunity to contextually observe the societal realities that schools aim to study [9]. The terms "Bhinneka" (diverse), "Tunggal" (one), and "Ika" (that) collectively convey the message of unity in diversity, symbolizing "different but still one" [19]. Using a hermeneutical approach, researchers identified six character values within the "Unity in Diversity" motto: religiosity, global diversity, cooperation, bravery and willingness to sacrifice, love, and intelligence [20].

Nurture Their Spirit and Body. Students build awareness and skills to maintain physical and mental health for themselves and those around them. Students research and discuss issues related to well-being and bullying and strive to find solutions. They also examine issues related to physical and mental health and well-being, including drug issues, pornography, and reproductive health—the need for a safe school environment for students [7]. A safe school is one that protects children in the learning process in terms of health, safety, and security. The government aims to cultivate students' character to foster positive attitudes. This endeavor aligns with the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 23 of 2015, which posits that character cultivation habituates positive attitudes and behaviors in school environments [21]. Such an approach is based on the consideration that there is still an underemphasis on implementing fundamental human values rooted in Pancasila. Understanding these values is often confined to a conceptual level and is yet to be actualized into tangible values within the school, family, and community environment.

Voice of Democracy. This theme expects students to utilize systems thinking skills, explaining the relationship between the role of the individual and the sustainability of Pancasila democracy. Through this learning, students reflect on the meaning of democracy and understand the implementation of democracy and its challenges in different contexts, including school organizations and the world of work. Several perspectives underscore the significance of students learning about democratic voices. For instance, it investigates several core values supporting student expression by striving to understand the values encapsulated in their voices [22]. The relationship between student consultation and participation reflects the legacy of progressive school democratic traditions. These traditions emphasize teaching about democracy as an investment for the future and applying democratic principles in everyday school life, fostering a whole school culture where student opinions are valued and have a place [23]. He experience of expressing student voices in schools, on themselves and their classmates, is positively related to students' attitudes to act democratically [24]. These findings underline the importance of the opportunities to practice expressing democratic voices in schools for all students. This research also illustrates the importance of schools as a foundation for learning about citizenship practices. Student voices can help increase tension and focus on pressing issues when needed; it can also help alleviate the turmoil in individual teenagers and school contexts that require resolution [25].

In the "Engineering and Technology" theme, students must cultivate critical thinking, creativity, innovation, and empathy by designing and creating technological solutions that benefit their activities and community. By addressing local problems through innovative and technological means, students foster a culture of intelligent society, blending social and technological advancements. The research underscores the importance of designing training programs that enhance students' digital literacy while integrating social-emotional competencies and developing practical digital functions for modern society [26]. Students' perception of engineering provides a foundation for developing curriculum activities or materials that introduce them to engineering work and the design process, particularly for high school students [27]. Furthermore, to enhance student skills, this research ultimately advocates for integrating 21st-century skills in classrooms to meet the demands of the workforce [28].

Entrepreneurship. This theme emphasizes the importance of learners identifying local economic potentials, understanding the challenges inherent in developing such potentials, and recognizing their relation to environmental, social, and community welfare aspects. Through these activities, creativity and an entrepreneurial culture will be fostered and developed. Learners also expand their horizons regarding future opportunities, become sensitive to community needs, develop skilled problem-solving abilities, and prepare to become professional workforce members with complete integrity. Students require an educational program that includes syllabi and curricula integrating entrepreneurship, allowing them to display their abilities and demonstrate them in the field. By completing tasks, students can showcase their interest in entrepreneurship in the classroom and through internship actions [29]. Entrepreneurial education positively affects students' entrepreneurial intentions and mindset. This research finding demonstrates that the entrepreneurial mindset successfully mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial education and students' entrepreneurial intentions [30].

The themes, as presented above, are determined following the stages of the academic unit, wherein the educational unit is eventually expected to enter the advanced stage, where each class examines different issues according to the students' choices. Students can choose different issues to provide advanced-stage challenges. However, determining this theme still poses an obstacle for pioneer schools in identifying the themes that must be implemented in one academic year; pioneer schools are still confused about which theme to choose. Considering that in determining the theme, it is also necessary to pay attention to the aspirations of the students, a needs assessment is required to determine the theme according to the needs of the students. The determination of the theme should not solely come from teachers or school principals. This phenomenon has been occurring in pioneer schools. They wish to conduct a needs assessment of the theme according to the needs of the students, but there is no tool yet to measure it. In the curriculum scheme, the implementation of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project is found in the formulation of Kepmendikbudristek No.56/M/2022 regarding Guidelines for Curriculum Implementation in the Framework of Learning Recovery, which states that the Curriculum Structure at the Early Childhood level and Basic and Secondary Education consists of extra-curricular learning activities and Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Projects [31].

2. Methods

2.1. Materials and method

This research uses ten schools categorized as pioneers for junior high school levels. Why pioneer schools? In implementing the Free Curriculum, these schools are model schools designated by the Indonesian government to strengthen the Pancasila student profile. The questionnaire was developed in Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, and Banjar Regency, Indonesia. The respondents of this study were 524 students, consisting of 261 male students and 263 female students, with a mean age of 13.025 and a standard deviation of 0.714. The respondents are junior high school students who are implementers of the pioneer school program, carrying out the implementation of the Free Curriculum, with one of their activities being the project of strengthening the Pancasila student profile. These schools are located in Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, and Banjar Regency. The samples were all grade 7 students in three school districts, pioneer schools implementing the Pancasila student profile program. The paper-based data collection method was distributed directly to students. Filling out the questionnaire was voluntary, and the time required to complete it was around 60 min.

Determining an adequate sample size for accurately representing a population has been a subject of extensive scholarly debate for several decades. Initial recommendations were often based on ratios of the number of variables to factors, such as 5:1 or 10:1, or on specific participant counts, like 100 or 200 [32]. In this study, with 34 items and 524 respondents, it can be concluded that the sample size meets the requirements for developing the questionnaire. This research utilized a saturated sample from pioneer schools in Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, and Banjar districts. Data analysis was performed using JASP software version 0.18.3.0.

2.2. Categorization criteria

Student choices among themes were categorized into three levels: high, medium, and low, following specific categorization methods [33]. It is important to note that the scores for each theme (NS, LW, ET, VD, SL, UD, and EP) are considered individually, not as a sum of the themes. For the themes NS, LW, ET, VD, SL, and UD, scores of 10 or below are categorized as low, scores between 11 and 20 are categorized as medium, and scores above 20 are categorized as high. For the EP theme, scores of 9 or below are categorized as low, scores between 10 and 17 are categorized as medium, and scores of 18 or above are categorized as high.

2.3. Ethics

The second author, designated as a certified trainer in the First Generation of School Movers Program by the Director-General of Teachers and Education Personnel, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Indonesia (Reference Number: 5465/B/KP.04.00/2021), subsequently entered into a collaboration agreement with the Kalimantan Selatan Teacher Mover Center (Reference Number: 602/B7.16/KS.00.00/2022). This agreement facilitated the researcher's access to the three schools that formed the basis of the research sample. The ethical committee of the Kalimantan Selatan Teacher Mover Center granted ethical approval for this procedure. The researchers secured a recommendation letter to conduct the study from the Dean of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Lambung Mangkurat University, with the reference number 1077a/UN8.1.2.4/KP/2023, to be submitted to the school principals. Moreover, the researcher obtained permission from the school principals in Banjarmasin City, Banjarbaru City, and Banjar Regency to collect data.

Data were collected from students who provided informed consent to participate in the study. Three days prior to distributing the instruments, the researchers collaborated with the school principals to announce the study to the parents. Parents who did not consent to their child's participation were asked to fill out and sign a refusal form, which was then submitted to the class teacher before the day of data collection. In this study, all parents gave their consent, allowing their children to participate in the research.

2.4. Procedures

This questionnaire was created by conceptually reviewing the guidelines for the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project, academic studies of the curriculum for learning recovery, and studies on the development of the Pancasila student profile. The theme of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project is applied at the Early Childhood Education level, Elementary School, High School, and Vocational School in pioneer schools. However, we are focused on developing a P5 theme questionnaire for junior high schools.

The process of developing the questionnaire incorporated various stages, and these stages include [[34], [35], [36]].

• 1.Phase 1: Construct Conceptualization. This questionnaire was created by conceptually reviewing the guidelines for the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project, academic studies of the curriculum for learning recovery, and studies on the development of the Pancasila student profile.
• 2.Phase 2: Item Creation and Modification. This phase involved the creation of items for the draft questionnaire and subsequent modifications based on feedback from an expert panel to ensure satisfactory content validity. During this phase, 35 items were developed, aligning with the seven themes of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project, with each theme represented by five statement items. Feedback included suggestions for revisions due to several typographical errors in the item statements. The response scale for these items ranged from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree," encompassing "Somewhat Disagree," "Neither Agree nor Disagree," and "Agree" to capture a comprehensive spectrum of respondent attitudes.
• 3.Phase 3: Preliminary Review. This phase entailed conducting a preliminary review to assess the questionnaire's completeness and readability, involving 15 selected students. These students were asked to evaluate the clarity and understandability of the items across each thematic dimension, using a scale where 1) indicated the item was unclear and not understandable, 2) somewhat clear and understandable, 3) clear and understandable, and 4) very clear and easy to understand. This process aimed to ensure the face validity of the questionnaire. The face validity was quantitatively measured using the Face Validity Index (FVI), where the average score obtained was 0.97, exceeding the acceptable threshold of 0.83 [37,38].
• 4.Phase 4: Data Collection and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) enables researchers to investigate shared factors contributing to participants' reactions to research tools. One notable advantage of EFA is its ability to pinpoint fundamental factors shaping the observed variables. EFA serves as a valuable instrument for comprehending the inherent structure of variables, offering insights that can guide subsequent analyses and contribute to the development of theories.
• 5.Phase 5: Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). This phase involved conducting confirmatory factor analysis to check construct validity. We sampled seventh-grade students in pioneer schools at the junior high level in Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, and Banjar Regency, amounting to ten pioneer schools, from February to May 2023. After the data was collected, we conducted an EFA, a technique widely used in exploring theoretical constructions, to determine the factorial structure of the questionnaire and explore which items collectively constitute a construct following each theme.
• 6.Phase 6: Assessing Multidimensionality and Reliability. For the statistical hypothesis test of the EFA results about item construction on each theme, we calculated CFA using a reference basis of RMSEA = <0.08, CFI = >0.9, TLI>0.9, SRMR = <0.08. Convergent validity is met if the AVE value is greater than or equal to 0.5 [39].

3. Results

3.1. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) P5 theme

The testing of this questionnaire commenced with an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to ascertain the factor loadings for each theme for which items had been devised. Table 1 displays the EFA results, indicating the measure of sampling adequacy through the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) values for each thematic dimension and a Barlett's Test result of 0.001, suggesting statistical significance. Factor loadings for each item were above 0.7, except for item number 34, which had a factor loading of 0.663 and was excluded from further analysis in the EFA, resulting in the entrepreneurship dimension containing only four items. Factor loadings of 0.30–0.40 are minimally acceptable, and values greater than 0.50 are generally considered significant for practical purposes; the correlation factor is not critical for theme sequence determination in this study [32]. This allows each school to freely implement any theme based on the needs of the students, as per the guidelines of the Directorate of Primary and Secondary Education [40].

Table 1.

Value factor loading exploratory factor analysis.

Item Code	Item	Factor Loading
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7
NS3	ID: Siswa di sekolah perlu memperoleh informasi tentang pergaulan remaja. ENG: Students at school need to obtain information about teenage interactions.	0.860
NS1	ID: Saya ingin di sekolah saya bebas dari adanya bullying. ENG: I want my school to be free from bullying.	0.853
NS5	ID: Sekolah mengembangkan kegiatan yang berbasis digital. ENG: The school develops digital-based activities.	0.848
NS2	ID: Sekolah menurut saya perlu mengembangkan program anti narkoba. ENG: In my opinion, schools need to develop an anti-drug program.	0.839
NS4	ID: Sekolah memiliki program anti bullying. ENG: The school has an anti-bullying program.	0.803
LW3	ID: Saya masih perlu banyak mengenal sistem budaya daerah lokal. ENG: I still need to learn a lot about the local cultural system.		0.879
LW1	ID: Saya bangga dengan kearifan lokal daerah. ENG: I am proud of the local wisdom of my area.		0.860
LW2	ID: Saya suka mempelajari asal usul suatu budaya daerah. ENG: I like to study the origins of regional culture.		0.853
LW4	ID: Sekolah mengundang ahli budaya untuk menampilkan kekhasan budaya lokal. ENG: The school invites cultural experts to present local cultural specialties.		0.830
LW5	ID: Sekolah mengadakan program untuk studi mengunjungi sistem tradisional suatu daerah. ENG: The school organizes programs for studying traditional systems of an area.		0.740
ET1	ID: Sekolah memiliki program digital untuk membuat konten kreatif. ENG: The school has a digital program to create creative content.			0.844
ET3	ID: Sekolah mengadakan lomba kegiatan berbasis digital bagi siswa. ENG: The school held a digital-based activity competition for students.			0.842
ET5	ID: Saya perlu mempelajari perkembangan inovasi teknologi. ENG: I need to study the development of technological innovation.			0.838
ET2	ID: Sekolah memiliki web/situs digital yang melibatkan siswa dalam mengisi konten. ENG: The school has a web/digital site that engages students in creating content.			0.805
ET4	ID: Sekolah melatih siswa berkreasi di bidang robotika. ENG: The school trains students to be creative in the field of robotics.			0.765
VD5	ID: Sekolah mengadakan pertemuan dengan siswa untuk menyampaikan aspirasi usulan kegiatan. ENG: The school holds meetings with students to convey their aspirations and propose activities.				0.852
VD3	ID: Sekolah mengundang ahli organisasi untuk melatih siswa berorganisasi. ENG: The school invites organizational experts to train students in organizational skills.				0.823
VD1	ID: Pemilihan OSIS dilakukan secara demokratis. ENG: The Student Council election is carried out democratically.				0.817
VD2	ID: Pemilihan ketua kelas dilakukan secara demokratis. ENG: The election of class presidents is carried out democratically.				0.796
VD4	ID: Sekolah membuat program internship (magang) ke lembaga organisasi. ENG: The school has an internship program for organizational institutions.				0.775
SL5	ID: Siswa semestinya memahami pentingnya menjaga kelestarian lingkungan dengan menjaga kebersihan. ENG: Students should understand the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability by keeping cleanliness.					0.836
SL3	ID: Bencana alam seperti banjir perlu dicegah. ENG: Natural disasters such as floods need to be prevented.					0.826
SL1	ID: Saya tertarik mempelajari proses pengolahan limbah sampah menjadi barang yang berguna. ENG: I am interested in learning the process of converting waste into valuable goods.					0.820
SL2	ID: Dampak perubahan iklim membuat saya tertarik ingin mengetahui penyebabnya. ENG: The impact of climate change makes me interested in knowing the causes.					0.775
SL4	ID: Menjaga kelestarian lingkungan sangat penting agar tidak terjadi krisis berkelanjutan. ENG: Maintaining environmental sustainability is very important to prevent continuous crises.					0.758
UD3	ID: Tolong menolong dalam berteman kepada semua tanpa membeda-bedakan sangat penting bagi saya. ENG: Helping each other in friendship with all people without discrimination is very important to me.						0.830
UD2	ID: Keberagaman berbagai suku di Indonesia sangat menarik untuk dipelajari. ENG: The diversity of various tribes in Indonesia is exciting to study.						0.793
UD1	ID: Saling menghormati karena perbedaan asal suku sangat penting bagi saya. ENG: Mutual respect for differences in ethnic origin is essential to me.						0.785
UD4	ID: Saya suka berteman dengan berbagai orang yang berlatar belakang budaya berbeda. ENG: I like to make friends with people from different cultural backgrounds.						0.759
UD5	ID: Saya sangat menghormati keberagaman budaya lingkungan tempat tinggal. ENG: I respect the cultural diversity of my living environment.						0.711
EP2	ID: Siswa dilatih untuk melakukan praktik langsung dalam memasarkan produk karyanya. ENG: Students are trained to do hands-on practice in marketing their work products.							0.762
EP3	ID: Sekolah mengundang orang yang sukses dalam berwirausaha. ENG: The school invites successful entrepreneurs to speak.							0.742
EP1	ID: Sekolah memiliki program membuat kerajinan lokal bagi siswa. ENG: The school has a program to make local crafts for students.							0.740
EP5	ID: Saya ingin belajar tentang wirausaha berbasis digital. ENG: I want to learn about digital-based entrepreneurship.							0.713
EP4	ID: Saya ingin praktik langsung berwirausaha. ENG: I want to practice entrepreneurship immediately.							0.649

Initially, the questionnaire comprised 35 items, but item number 34 ("I want to practice entrepreneurship immediately") was excluded from subsequent calculations due to its factor loading being less than 0.7, reducing the total to 34 items. The results of the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) for these 34 items, with factor loadings greater than 0.70, are presented in Table 1.

Cronbach's alpha was calculated based on a seven-factor model for questionnaire development. The Cronbach's alpha (α) for each factor across the respective themes was as follows: NS = 0.923, LW = 0.918, ET = 0.910, VD = 0.906, SL = 0.900, UD = 0.882, and EP = 0.826. Since Cronbach's alpha is commonly used to assess the internal consistency of an instrument, this testing involved averaging all correlations in each split-half combination. Instruments with more than two response options are suitable for this test. The Cronbach's alpha values range between 0 and 1, with a reliability score of 0.7 or higher being acceptable. All the mentioned values fall within acceptable reliability ratios [41,42]. The correlational analysis results are depicted in Table 2.

Table 2.

Factor correlations.

	Factor 1	Factor 2	Factor 3	Factor 4	Factor 5	Factor 6	Factor 7
Factor 1	1.000	0.218	0.185	0.234	0.089	0.062	−0.008
Factor 2	0.218	1.000	0.086	0.027	0.035	0.070	0.176
Factor 3	0.185	0.086	1.000	0.139	0.034	−0.029	0.012
Factor 4	0.234	0.027	0.139	1.000	0.045	0.119	−0.013
Factor 5	0.089	0.035	0.034	0.045	1.000	−0.014	0.012
Factor 6	0.062	0.070	−0.029	0.119	−0.014	1.000	0.023
Factor 7	−0.008	0.176	0.012	−0.013	0.012	0.023	1.000

Furthermore, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy was 0.867, indicating that the sample size was adequate for factor analysis. Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (p = 0.001), suggesting that the correlations between items were sufficiently large for principal component analysis. These results support the appropriateness of conducting exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

3.2. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the P5 theme

After determining factor loadings through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted. CFA is a more advanced technique for testing validity, employed to ascertain whether the indicators accurately represent the theoretical constructs of the research [43]. In this study, the results of the CFA, as indicated by Bartlett's test of sphericity, yielded a chi-square (Χ²) value of 10,974.081 with degrees of freedom (df) = 561 and a p-value of less than 0.001, confirming the model's suitability.

For the model test, it can be seen in Table 3 where RMSEA = 0.025 (<0.05), CFI = 0.984 (>0.9), GFI = 0.991 (>0.9), NFI = 0.940 (>0.9), TLI = 0.982 (>0.9), and IFI = 0.982 (>0.9).

Table 3.

Model Fit indices.

Index	Value	Model
Root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)	0.025	fit
Comparative Fit Index (CFI)	0.984	fit
The goodness of fit index (GFI)	0.991	fit
Bentler-Bonett Normed Fit Index (NFI)	0.940	fit
Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI)	0.982	fit
Bollen's Incremental Fit Index (IFI)	0.982	fit

Furthermore, the factor loadings from Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), as shown in Table 4, demonstrate that the items on this factor are capable of measuring the dimensions of the Pancasila Profile Strengthening Project theme [28,42,44]. The model plot illustrating the results of the CFA is presented in Fig. 1.

Table 4.

Factor loadings.

						95 % Confidence Interval		Std. Est. (all)
Factor	Indicator	Estimate	Std. Error	z-value	p	Lower	Upper
NS	NS1	0.909	0.038	24.215	<0.001	0.836	0.983	0.860
	NS2	0.826	0.038	21.907	<0.001	0.752	0.900	0.807
	NS3	0.911	0.037	24.429	<0.001	0.838	0.984	0.865
	NS4	0.863	0.040	21.803	<0.001	0.785	0.940	0.804
	NS5	0.884	0.036	24.361	<0.001	0.813	0.956	0.864
LW	LW1	0.888	0.037	23.676	<0.001	0.814	0.961	0.850
	LW2	0.878	0.037	23.645	<0.001	0.805	0.950	0.849
	LW3	0.920	0.037	24.744	<0.001	0.847	0.993	0.873
	LW4	0.881	0.039	22.480	<0.001	0.804	0.957	0.822
	LW5	0.742	0.037	20.124	<0.001	0.669	0.814	0.763
ET	ET1	0.865	0.037	23.593	<0.001	0.793	0.937	0.851
	ET2	0.774	0.037	20.913	<0.001	0.701	0.846	0.786
	ET3	0.853	0.037	23.173	<0.001	0.781	0.925	0.841
	ET4	0.786	0.039	20.305	<0.001	0.710	0.862	0.770
	ET5	0.800	0.035	23.179	<0.001	0.733	0.868	0.841
VD	VD1	0.828	0.036	22.807	<0.001	0.757	0.899	0.833
	VD2	0.751	0.037	20.329	<0.001	0.679	0.824	0.771
	VD3	0.836	0.036	23.016	<0.001	0.765	0.907	0.838
	VD4	0.788	0.039	20.322	<0.001	0.712	0.864	0.771
	VD5	0.807	0.035	23.398	<0.001	0.740	0.875	0.847
SL	SL1	0.810	0.036	22.406	<0.001	0.739	0.881	0.826
	SL2	0.742	0.037	20.135	<0.001	0.670	0.814	0.769
	SL3	0.814	0.036	22.517	<0.001	0.743	0.884	0.829
	SL4	0.779	0.040	19.554	<0.001	0.701	0.857	0.753
	SL5	0.790	0.035	22.803	<0.001	0.722	0.858	0.835
UD	UD1	0.757	0.036	21.048	<0.001	0.687	0.828	0.798
	UD2	0.745	0.036	20.471	<0.001	0.673	0.816	0.784
	UD3	0.806	0.036	22.178	<0.001	0.734	0.877	0.827
	UD4	0.755	0.039	19.309	<0.001	0.679	0.832	0.751
	UD5	0.644	0.036	17.944	<0.001	0.574	0.714	0.713
EP	EP1	0.639	0.035	18.256	<0.001	0.570	0.708	0.750
	EP2	0.665	0.037	17.883	<0.001	0.592	0.738	0.737
	EP3	0.637	0.036	17.572	<0.001	0.566	0.708	0.727
	EP5	0.607	0.034	17.791	<0.001	0.540	0.674	0.734

Description: Nurture Their Spirit and Body (NS), Local Wisdom (LW), Engineering and Technology (ET), Voice of Democracy (VD), Sustainable Lifestyle (SL), Sustainable Lifestyle (SL), Unity in Diversity/Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (UD), Entrepreneurship (EP).

Fig. 1.

Model plot of KT P5.

To assess the validity and reliability of the model, we employed metrics such as Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Reliability Coefficient ω, and Coefficient α. The findings confirm the model's validity and reliability, with the AVE for each dimension of the Pancasila student profile enhancement project's themes exceeding 0.5. The average reliability coefficients were ω = 0.945 and α = 0.825, detailed in Table 5.

Table 5.

Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Reliability Coefficient ω, and Coefficient α

Factor	AVE	Coefficient ω	Coefficient α
Nurture Their Spirit and Body (NS)	0.707	0.923	0.923
Local Wisdom (LW)	0.696	0.919	0.918
Engineering and Technology (ET)	0.669	0.910	0.910
Voice of Democracy (VD)	0.660	0.906	0.906
Sustainable Lifestyle (SL)	0.643	0.899	0.900
Unity in Diversity/Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (UD)	0.603	0.883	0.882
Entrepreneurship (EP)	0.543	0.826	0.826
Average		0.945	0.825

3.3. Analysis of students' theme selection trends based on P5 test results

To examine the preferences of students based on percentages, Table 6 reveals that the theme "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" received the highest percentage of selections from male students, at 73.18 %. In contrast, female students predominantly chose the "Local Wisdom" theme, at 71.86 %. Following this, the "Local Wisdom" theme was selected by 68.20 % of male students, and the "Voice of Democracy" theme was the second highest choice for female students, at 68.068 %. The third-ranking theme, "Build the Spirit and Body," was chosen by 67.82 % of male students, and the "Sustainable Lifestyle" theme was selected by 67.68 % of female students as their third choice.

Table 6.

Percentages students' theme selection trends based on P5 test results.

Gender	Category	Theme
		(NS)	(LW)	(ET)	(VD)	(SL)	(UD)	(EP)
		%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Male	Low	9.58	5.75	7.28	8.81	6.51	4.98	1.15
	Moderate	22.61	26.05	25.29	25.29	26.82	21.84	51.34
	High	67.82	68.20	67.43	65.90	66.67	73.18	47.51
Female	Low	7.61	6.84	6.84	4.94	6.08	4.56	1.90
	Moderate	28.90	21.29	27.76	27.00	26.24	28.14	48.29
	High	63.50	71.86	65.40	68.06	67.68	67.30	49.81

4. Discussion

To identify the themes of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project, a measurement tool is needed to provide input to schools about the dimensions of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project themes to be implemented. Thus, the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project should be implemented based on the students' needs assessment, and the school can finally implement the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project. In the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project activities, students can learn about essential themes or issues such as climate change, anti-radicalism, mental health, culture, entrepreneurship, technology, and democratic life. This allows students to take real action in addressing these issues according to their learning stages and needs, and this research fulfills this objective.

The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project (P5) represents an initiative to achieve the Pancasila Student Profile through a new paradigm of project-based learning. By implementing P5, educators are expected to facilitate the learning process, helping students to develop their capacities and cultivate noble character traits as outlined in the Pancasila Student Profile. This project, serving as a means to attain the Pancasila Student Profile, offers students the opportunity to "experience knowledge" to strengthen their character and allow them to learn from their environment [45].

The Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project, utilizing the KT P5 for needs assessment, is a crucial tool for understanding the students' needs concerning the P5 theme implementation. This effort enhances the effectiveness of the P5 project [7] and brings about significant changes across different educational sectors.

The introduction of the KT P5 questionnaire has had significant implications, particularly for school teachers, as it highlights that their preferred thematic choices may differ from those of the students. Traditionally, theme selection has been predominantly teacher-driven; however, this questionnaire facilitates access to data on students' dominant thematic preferences. This impact extends to how teachers set objectives to equip students with necessary competencies, thus enriching their skills. Themes can be revisited or replaced to ensure the exploration of all available options each year [7]. Educational institutions must ensure documentation and portfolio recording of profile projects at the educational unit level to guarantee comprehensive theme coverage.

The project is pivotal for students in strengthening their character and fostering competencies needed for proactive global citizenship. It empowers students to plan and maintain their learning activities effectively, developing essential skills, attitudes, and knowledge for managing projects over time. Moreover, the project enhances students' ability to solve problems in various learning environments, encourages them to take on responsibilities, and fosters awareness of community issues. It also promotes respect for the learning process and instills pride in their achievements. The Operational Management Working Group facilitates quicker problem-solving and fosters closer stakeholder relationships and cooperation in implementing the pioneer school program [46].

Inspirational schools focus on holistically developing students' learning outcomes [47]. This is achieved by realizing the Pancasila student profile, which includes literacy and numeracy competencies and character. Therefore, implementing this project is crucial for creating an effective learning environment and supporting the overall growth of students.

The existence of the P5 Theme Questionnaire (KT P5) for the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project is expected to serve as a measurement tool to identify the priority themes of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project that meet the needs of students. This can encourage the optimal implementation of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project in promoting students to become competent lifelong learners, develop strong character, and behave according to Pancasila values [[2], [3], [4], [5],10]. By utilizing these surveys, students can experience greater engagement in the learning journey and perceive themselves as actively contributing to the transformation of their behavior. This heightened involvement can boost students' motivation and foster a more profound commitment to shaping the Pancasila student profile. The findings from these surveys may be employed to reinforce and enhance the overall quality of character education for students.

Research on the Pancasila student profile project questionnaire offers critical insights into the cultural diversity and values of Indonesia, potentially enhancing global comprehension of these aspects. Such investigations highlight the significance of character education in educational frameworks to boost student engagement and inculcate values anchored in local wisdom [48,49]. Moreover, studies stress the importance of a holistic approach in developing learning models that integrate character education, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods [50]. Delving into the Pancasila student profile project questionnaire enables a deeper understanding of character education and multiculturalism and provides a blueprint for promoting values related to diversity, communal wisdom, and character building among students worldwide.

Implementing Pancasila principles to shape student character, as evidenced by research on Pancasila student profiles [[51], [52], [53], [54], [55]], can serve as a model for character education globally. By utilizing questionnaires to assess and enhance student motivation and involvement, schools worldwide can improve character education outcomes. The development and evaluation of Pancasila student profiles offer a structured approach to fostering desirable student traits. This research contributes to a broader international dialogue on effective character education practices, facilitating a global knowledge exchange to enhance student character development.

Research on the Pancasila student profile project questionnaire in Indonesia provides valuable insights for enhancing student character education globally. The noble qualities highlighted in the Pancasila student profile, such as critical reasoning, creativity, and global cooperation, inspire educators worldwide to develop character education programs. The importance of experiential learning methods in bridging the gap between moral knowledge and embodiment is underscored [51,56]. These initiatives not only benefit local communities but also have the potential to influence character education practices on a global scale. Emphasizing character education alongside technological advancements is crucial for cultivating well-rounded individuals in today's rapidly changing world [57].

4.1. Strengths and limitations of the study

To our knowledge, this research is pioneering in developing and validating a questionnaire to identify the themes of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project in pioneer schools in Indonesia. The study engaged 524 respondents to evaluate 34 items, adhering to the guidelines of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project established by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, Research, and Technology. These guidelines encompass seven themes at the junior high school level in pioneer schools. A significant strength of this study is the novelty of the questionnaire, as there has not yet been an instrument capable of measuring and identifying themes within the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project. This questionnaire is anticipated to serve as a solution for pinpointing the thematic choices favored by students.

However, the study also has limitations, primarily its scope confined to the Indonesian context, particularly within pioneer schools at the junior high school level, focusing on Grade 7 students. Additionally, the development of the instrument did not incorporate the emerging trend of artificial intelligence (AI), which is increasingly prevalent in education and other aspects of life. Future generations will likely interact with AI regularly, making it crucial to integrate AI-related themes into educational instruments. AI has the potential to enhance education by promoting critical thinking, as discussed in the literature on the role of AI in education [58,59]. Incorporating AI in the curriculum can help students develop better critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of AI's context and applications.

5. Conclusion

The 34-items questionnaire, framed within the seven identified themes of the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project (P5 Themes), has been validated and proven reliable for discerning the thematic preferences of students in pioneer schools. However, there is a need for further research to corroborate the questionnaire's reliability and validity across a broader sample size, aiming to extend the generalizability of the findings, particularly among high school and elementary school students.

This study has established the psychometric properties of validity and reliability scales, creating a practical tool for educators to identify the themes that align with student needs. The questionnaire items were designed to test seven factors (NSS, LW, ET, VD, SL, UD, EP), revealing internal consistency among the items after evaluating the factor loadings for each item specifically through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), along with acceptable Average Variance Extracted (AVE) for validity and reliability of the factors.

Male students tended to prefer themes with the highest percentages, including Unity in Diversity (Bhinneka Tunggal Ika), Local Wisdom, and Nurture Their Spirit and Body. Female students, on the other hand, favored Local Wisdom, Voice of Democracy, and Sustainable Lifestyle. These results indicate that specific themes must be prioritized in program activities to facilitate the implementation of student-chosen themes. Educational institutions must optimize school resources to monitor the progress of student projects and address the challenges encountered, thereby enabling students to overcome obstacles in project execution, especially by making ‘Pancasila' a moral foundation to maintain mental health [60].

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Ali Rachman: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Validation, Resources, Project administration, Methodology, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Data curation, Conceptualization. Hendro Yulius Suryo Putro: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Resources, Project administration, Methodology, Formal analysis, Data curation. M. Arli Rusandi: Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Validation, Software, Project administration, Formal analysis, Data curation. Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang: Writing – review & editing, Validation, Formal analysis, Data curation.

Declaration of competing interest

Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang has the position to declare himself as one of Associate Editors in this journal. However, this article has been handled by another unidentified Associate Editor and reviewed by the Reviewers in an objective and double blind manner, according to applicable regulations from Elsevier, Heliyon, and Cell Press.

Appendix A. Supplementary data

The following is the Supplementary data to this article: