May student-centered principles affect active learning and its counterpart? An empirical study of Indonesian curriculum implementation

Education 4.0 emphasizes the use of hybrid approaches in the learning process. The use of peeragogy, heutagogy, and cybergogy may engage students in the learning processes in which active learning plays a key role. This study aimed to examine the effect of the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum on active learning practices and their relationships with hybrid activities based on hybrid learning approaches, and active learning counterparts of (1) self-regulated learning: (2) self-directed learning, and (3) self-determined learning. These relationships will be examined in Indonesian curriculum implementation in which student-centered principles are emphasized. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by collecting responses of vocational high school students on survey. The digital questionnaire was sent to 600 Indonesian students, of whom 555 completed it. The relationships among the constructs were examined using a structural equation modeling. The results showed that a curriculum emphasizing student-centered principles was fully mediated by active learning and hybrid activities to promote student self-regulated learning (SRL), self-determined learning (SDET), and self-directed learning (SDL). Active learning and hybrid activities directly affect students’ SRL, SDET, and SDL, Three counterparts of active learning that form important parts of long-life learning. This model indicates that Indonesian curriculum implementation may encourage active learning and indirectly increase learner engagement, autonomy, and metacognitive development.