The Mangkuk Tepen: Enriching Students’ Knowledge and Awareness Through Culturally Responsive Game Approach

The purpose of this research is to design and develop a Culturally Responsive Game to raise awareness and enhance knowledge about Malaysian cuisine among secondary school students. This Culturally Responsive Game Approach helps sustain and disseminate knowledge among secondary school students about our local cuisine, especially the traditional desserts. By introducing The Mangkuk Tepen, students will be provided with information about Malaysian cuisine and its heritage. The Mangkuk Tepen is one of the initiatives for the young generation and society to be informed about the traditional desserts in Malaysia which are rarely found nowadays. It is mostly due to the lack of proper documentation and exposure; that this traditional food heritage is slowly being forgotten by the young generation. These traditional Malaysian cuisines should be preserved for future generations as they represent our culture and heritage uniqueness. The Mangkuk Tepen focuses on developing puzzle games or more specifically jigsaw puzzles with the concept of Malaysian cuisine and multicultural elements being incorporated into the games to increase student engagement in the learning process. Developing a creative design for teaching and learning could be one of the ways to capture students’ attention and interest and be able to increase awareness among students towards multiculturalism. The Mangkuk Tepen serves as a teaching tool to promote culturally responsive pedagogy focusing on the culture and heritage of Malaysia which in turn can enhance the student’s knowledge and awareness.