Peer learning pedagogy model: connecting Kweekschool history with students in the digital age

Introduction: This study addresses “Curricular Amnesia,” a systemic structural dysfunction within formal curricula that fails to integrate the physical assets of Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi (formerly Kweekschool) as a permanent spatial framework for collective memory in Southeast Asia. The research aims to analyze this institutional disconnect and formulate an innovative heritage education strategy driven by the digital agency of Generation Z.

Methods: Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, data were collected from 13 informants through in-depth interviews with school leaders, teachers, and students, supplemented by non-participatory observations and documentation.

Results: The findings identify Generation Z’s digital agency as a corrective bottom-up force against institutional failures. Students proactively propose low-cost, high-impact solutions, such as co-creating social media content and storytelling videos, which transform the school’s historical space into a lived experience rather than a dormant monument.

Discussion: The study concludes that peer-to-peer engagement is more effective than top-down pedagogical approaches in restoring collective memory. We propose the “Gen Z-Driven Collective Memory Restoration Framework (GCMRF)” as a strategic model for heritage education, emphasizing that bridging the gap between colonial history and the digital era requires a shift from passive observation to active digital participation.

1 Introduction

Heritage Education is an interdisciplinary field that defines learning as an interactive process in which physical assets, environments, and personal narratives serve as primary sources of knowledge (Corrales et al., 2024). This approach encourages active student participation by linking academic knowledge with cultural experiences, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of local identities. At the institutional level, heritage preservation requires a commitment to sustainability, as emphasized in Malaysia, which focuses on strategic planning for the maintenance of heritage school buildings (Norazman et al., 2025).

By optimizing these heritage school buildings as historical assets, they can be transformed into “Living Museums,” providing a tangible foundation for nurturing collective memory and preserving historical values (Zolkafli et al., 2019). These assets make historical learning experiences more tangible and relevant; however, the implementation of Heritage Education heavily relies on structural support from curriculum readiness and local education policies (Van Doorsselaere, 2021). Therefore, physical heritage requires a strong institutional framework to fully realize its potential.

The Indonesia context further reinforces this regional urgency. Data from the 2024 Indonesian Social and Cultural Statistics (BPS) reveal a significant dissonance between the availability of heritage and the low level of public engagement, with only 20.80% of school-age children (7–18 years) visiting physical heritage sites (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2024). This interaction gap poses a risk of eroding cultural identity and disrupting intergenerational knowledge transmission, potentially leading to the fading of collective memory and cultural disorientation among the younger generation (Deane-Cox and Spiessens, 2022; Kianpour et al., 2025; Vermeulen and Kranendonk, 2021).

To examine this dysfunction, the study focuses on one of Indonesia’s most significant heritage schools, Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, which was originally established as a Kweekschool (School of the Native Elite) by the Dutch colonial government in April 1856. According to preliminary research through interviews with school leadership, colonial-era schools like this were aimed at producing educated native personnel for colonial service. Given its historical importance as a center of education, the old building in Bukittinggi offers a strong physical foundation for reconstructing collective memory, making it an ideal representative case study for heritage education issues in the region. Although Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi was officially designated a heritage school in 2022 (Diskominfotik, 2022), its physical potential as a center for transmitting collective memory remains underutilized. Empirical evidence from the student organization (OSIS) data for 2024/2025 shows that only 94 out of 1,081 students are engaged in local tradition-based activities. This condition suggests limited integration of heritage into formal learning, likely due to a mismatch between digital technology use and interaction with the surrounding environment.

Previous studies have explored Heritage Education from various perspectives, mostly in the European context. These studies generally emphasize the goal of building a connection between the past and the present, as well as developing responsible, conservation-minded citizens (Fontal et al., 2015; Ocal, 2016; Pérez-Guilarte and García-Morís, 2023; Trabajo-Rite and Cuenca-López, 2020). Implementation challenges include coordination time barriers and the need for teacher training (Castro-Calviño et al., 2020; Chaparro-Sainz et al., 2022), although improvements have been noted through counter-hegemonic methodologies (Domínguez Almansa and López Facal, 2017). However, there is a significant gap between theory and practice, with traditional monumental heritage concepts still dominating classrooms training (Castro-Calviño et al., 2020; Chaparro-Sainz et al., 2022). In fact, a study of prospective teachers in Spain found that 86% held materialistic views, with minimal awareness of intangible heritage values (López-Fernández et al., 2021).

From this review, a fundamental gap emerges: the lack of generational theory that explains the reconstruction of collective memory in a digital-native context. In Southeast Asia, research still focuses on the physical management of heritage buildings rather than pedagogical digital dimensions aligned with Generation Z’s characteristics. This study seeks to fill this gap by bridging physical heritage with students’ digital agency. The primary goal is to analyze the challenges of collective memory formation at Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi and to formulate an innovative strategy through the adaptation of digital pedagogy to formalize a memory restoration model that can be applied globally.

The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 provides a literature review on collective memory; Section 3 details the qualitative methodology and data credibility procedures; Section 4 presents research findings related to the phenomenon of “curricular amnesia”; Section 5 discusses the findings and formalizes the Gen Z-Driven Collective Memory Restoration Framework (GCMRF); and Section 6 concludes with policy implications and research limitations.

2 Theoretical framework

2.1 Collective memory and spatial framework

Halbwachs (1992) emphasized that collective memory is always tied to a stable spatial framework; physical objects and places provide a sense of continuity that supports the mental balance of a group. Physical spaces, such as the heritage building of Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi, are not just passive containers but rather a “Permanent Spatial Framework” that guarantees the stability of memory. However, the historical disconnection currently taking place is identified as a systemic failure of the formal curriculum in leveraging this spatial framework. Although memory reconstruction through participatory strategies has been successful in contexts like museums (Syafrini et al., 2020), public archaeology (Zabala et al., 2015), and heritage applications (da Rocha Seixas et al., 2020), heritage narratives remain vulnerable to polarization Stainforth (2022) and the silencing of colonial narratives while (Prinzleve, 2023). Recent research highlights the importance of adaptive digital heritage through co-creation to reconstruct silenced narratives (Rebisz, 2025). This study extends Halbwachs’ theory by integrating Digital Pedagogy as a tool for Generation Z to reinstate their collective thoughts into the physical school space.

2.2 Heritage education and challenge-based learning (CBL)

Heritage education has now evolved into an interdisciplinary field that encompasses everything from historical didactics to emotional intelligence (Fontal et al., 2021; Cuenca-López et al., 2017). The goal is to develop active, reflective citizens (Delgado Algarra and Estepa, 2017), capable of addressing social challenges (de la Farrujia Rosa et al., 2022). The use of technologies such as digital archives and mobile devices (Boboc et al., 2022; Guerrero-Romera et al., 2021), helps students connect their school experiences with social realities (Levy, 2017). While field study methods have been consolidated (Navarro Mateos et al., 2021), the application of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) is still dominated by the sciences van den Beemt et al. (2023) and is underutilized in history education (la Felices-De Fuente et al., 2020). There is a significant methodological gap in the use of CBL and immersive technologies to explore cultural heritage, which students often consider boring.

2.3 Educator readiness in the digital age

Educator readiness to transmit heritage values is highly dependent on their self-perception of competence in 21st-century skills, including digital skills (Cabero-Almenara et al., 2020; Grande-de-Prado et al., 2021; Ortega-Sánchez et al., 2020; Usart Rodríguez et al., 2020) and lifelong learning (Matsumoto-Royo et al., 2023). While interest in the use of virtual heritage has grown (Chaparro-Sainz et al., 2022; Van Doorsselaere, 2024), a gap in practice remains, where teaching still leans toward materialistic views with minimal awareness of intangible heritage values (López-Fernández et al., 2021).

2.4 Formalizing the Generation Z-driven collective memory recovery framework (GCMRF)

Referring to the limitations in the literature explaining the dynamics of memory transmission in the digital-native generation, this study formalizes the Generation Z-Driven Collective Memory Recovery Framework (GCMRF). Figure 1 illustrates a model synthesizing three main interacting components: (1) Physical Spatial Anchorage, which positions the historical building of Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi not merely as an inanimate object, but as a “anchor” or physical stabilizer for memory; (2) Digital Agency, which refers to the students’ ability and sovereignty in producing and managing historical narratives through digital platforms; and (3) Peer-to-Peer Engagement, which emphasizes the transmission of memory through organic peer interactions. By integrating these three elements, GCMRF extends Halbwachs (1992) theory by adding a digital dimension as a prerequisite for the functionality of the spatial framework in the modern era.

Figure 1

Figure 1. The Gen Z-driven collective memory recovery framework (GCMRF) model. Source: Research 2025.

Furthermore, GCMRF assumes that the reconstruction of collective memory in heritage schools is no longer effective if it remains top-down, from teacher authority to students, but must be horizontal and participatory. In this model, the systemic dysfunction of the curriculum, or “Curricular Amnesia,” is addressed by providing space for students to become creators of historical content, where the learning process occurs as they co-create digital narratives relevant to their identity. To operationalize this model, Table 1 outlines five stages or learning syntaxes that function as mechanisms for memory restoration.

Table 1

Table 1. Pedagogical syntax of GCMRF as a mechanism for memory restoration.

This mechanism aims to bridge the gap between colonial history, which is often perceived as static and foreign, and the students’ need for digital expression. Theoretically, GCMRF offers an adaptive heritage pedagogy model that can be transferred to other heritage school contexts in the Global South, positioning student agency as the primary driver of collective memory restoration.

3 Method

3.1 Research design and case selection

This study adopts a qualitative approach with a case study design (Yin, 2018). This design was chosen for its relevance in gaining an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of “Curricular Amnesia” within the real-world context of heritage school environments. The research site, Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi, was purposively selected as an ideal representative case due to its dual identity as both an active educational institution and a national cultural heritage site (formerly the Kweekschool). The researcher positions this school as a social laboratory to investigate how curriculum dysfunction interacts with the digital agency of students.

3.2 Participants and sampling rationale

Participants were selected through purposive sampling, with a total of 13 informants. The sample composition consists of 10 Generation Z students and 3 leaders/teachers. The rationale behind this composition is to place the students as the primary actors who actively engage in the process of heritage transmission; they are not merely passive research subjects but the key drivers who will preserve and restore the heritage in the future. Meanwhile, the involvement of leaders and teachers is critical to mapping the structural barriers within school policies and understanding the complexities of why the current curriculum struggles to reach students’ historical consciousness. Data collection was concluded after the 13th informant, as data saturation was achieved, where the information provided became repetitive and no new significant themes emerged to address the research objectives (Flick, 2024). A complete profile of the informants is presented in Table 2.

Table 2

Table 2. Participant profile.

3.3 Data collection protocol

Methodological triangulation was employed through in-depth interviews, non-participatory observation, and document analysis (Denzin and Lincoln, 2018). Fieldwork took place from July to August 2025. To ensure protocol transparency, semi-structured interviews were guided by an instrument covering three main parameters: (1) perceptions of the historical value of the school, (2) barriers to integrating history into the curriculum, and (3) aspirations for utilizing digital agency. Observations focused on student interactions within the historical space, while documentation included curriculum archives to verify narrative data. The researcher maintained reflexivity by recording emotional nuances in field notes to mitigate personal bias.

3.4 Data analysis and coding procedure

Data analysis was conducted continuously following the interactive model by (Miles et al., 2014), to ensure theoretical abstraction depth. This process was operationalized through four SOP stages: (1) Data Collection with the preparation of field notes, (2) Data Condensation through Open Coding to filter basic codes, (3) Data Presentation through Axial Coding in thematic matrices to analyze the cause-and-effect relationships among variables, and (4) Conclusion Drawing through Selective Coding to build the formal GCMRF model.

3.5 Trustworthiness and researcher reflexivity

The credibility of the findings was ensured through source triangulation and member checking (Creswell and Poth, 2016). To mitigate personal bias, the researcher practiced reflexivity by maintaining professional distance while establishing a strong rapport with students to ensure that the data was natural. Data validity was also strengthened through peer debriefing to ensure that the findings were based on empirical data rather than the researcher’s subjective assumptions.

4 Results

4.1 Transformation of public senior high school 2 Bukittinggi: from Kweekschool to permanent spatial framework

Non-participatory observations and presentations by the Cultural Heritage Preservation Center on July 16, 2025, confirmed that Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi functions as a living artifact that preserves a long historical narrative. Its physical and functional transformation, from a colonial educational institution to its status as a national cultural heritage site, forms the primary foundation for collective memory formation. From a theoretical perspective, this building is identified as a Permanent Spatial Framework that provides continuity of memory amidst changing times. This school is rooted in the Kweekschool established by the Dutch colonial government in April 1856 to meet the needs of skilled labor after the Padri War. The current building structure is the result of renovations made in 1873, which have preserved its architectural integrity.

The robust architecture, as depicted in Figure 2, visualizes the “physical memory” that serves as a living monument. Analytically, this physical existence is not just a backdrop, but an element that guarantees the stability of the group’s mental framework in consistently producing the past. The moniker “Royal School,” which is attached to this institution, reflects the social exclusivity of the past, where strict selection of local elite children aimed to create a new middle class that acted as cultural acculturation agents.

Figure 2

Figure 2. Front view of the main building of Senior High School State 2 Bukittinggi (Kweekschool). Source: Information and Documentation Management Officer of Senior High School State 2 Bukittinggi.

Illustrated in Figure 3, graduates of the Kweekschool introduced symbols of modernity such as European style clothing and drama arts (tonil), gradually displacing the dominance of local traditions. More than just a change in lifestyle, this school developed into an important intellectual hub in Sumatra. Through access to Western literature, key figures such as Tan Malaka and General Nasution transformed this physical space into a breeding ground for nationalist ideas. Although the institutional function shifted to a public school after independence, its historical identity remains a scientifically validated asset.

Figure 3

Figure 3. Illustration of Kweekschool students and teachers with modern lifestyles (early 20th century). Source: Information and Documentation Management Officer, Senior High School State 2, Bukittinggi.

The verification process by the National Cultural Heritage Expert Team, as shown in Figure 4, affirms that the school’s architectural features possess significance comparable to other national monuments. However, data reveals a paradox: while the physical infrastructure as the “anchor of memory” is permanently available, the historical narrative remains latent and insufficiently internalized by students unless activated through adaptive pedagogical strategies.

Figure 4

Figure 4. National Heritage Experts Team conducting a study at the Senior High School State 2 Site. Source: Information and Documentation Management Officer, Senior High School State 2, Bukittinggi.

4.2 Structural dysfunction: “curricular amnesia” and institutional barriers

The findings of this study identify two systemic barriers that prevent Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi from actualizing its function as a heritage site. This phenomenon is categorized as Curricular Amnesia, where the structure of formal education systematically marginalizes local historical narratives from students’ awareness. The findings show that the physical presence of the colonial building does not automatically lead to an understanding of history without the support of an affectively integrated curriculum. The primary barrier identified is the disconnection between the general national history material and the specific local context. This condition causes the learning material to lose relevance to students, as expressed by Informant 4:

“…History teaching at school is often inconsistent and incomplete. The introduction to Minangkabau culture and history is general, but lacks focus on the local history of Bukittinggi. In fact, history is very important to learn so that it doesn't change over time. Cultural awareness should start with a strong curiosity…” (Informant 4, Interview July 18, 2025).

Analytically, this view reflects a Cognitive-Spatial Gap; students are in a historical space, but their minds are detached from the narrative that forms the space. The curriculum’s failure to spark “individual curiosity” indicates that current teaching methods have not been able to emotionally engage Gen Z students. This limitation is reinforced by the finding of the Marginalization of Local Material in class instruction. Educators acknowledge that discussions about the school’s status as a cultural heritage site are incidental or merely a “brief mention” in the curriculum, without any structured, in-depth modules. This indicates that teachers are trapped within the rigidity of the national curriculum, which does not allow space for the exploration of the school’s micro-history. The impact of this neglect goes beyond cognitive aspects, extending to the weakening of students’ character and their appreciation of their identity. Informant 1 emphasizes the urgency of this issue:

“…There is indecision in the school today regarding fostering students' respect for history, so they consider it unimportant. This is critical if continuously neglected…” (Informant 1, Interview July 20, 2025).

The school leader’s statement implicitly performs Axial Coding on the phenomenon of Institutional Commitment Dysfunction. Without policies that mandate the structured cultivation of heritage, students will collectively experience value disorientation. This systemic failure results in the school losing its function as a “Living Museum,” where history should be felt as a tangible reality, not just an outdated story of the past. This condition highlights the need for intervention through digital agency to bridge the gap in the narrative within the formal curriculum.

4.3 Memory reconstruction strategy: digital agency and participatory pedagogy

This study identifies that an effective solution to address the structural dysfunction of the curriculum comes from a new paradigm centered on students, utilizing digital assets and cross-sectoral collaboration. This strategy marks a fundamental shift from traditional passive approaches to a more participatory, creative methodology based on knowledge co-production. These findings directly validate the Digital Agency component within the GCMRF framework, where technology is not merely a tool but a space for students to reclaim the sovereignty of their historical narratives.

Given the inherent connection of Generation Z with social media ecosystems, the informants agree that creative content and interactive teaching methods are key to reaching a young audience. This strategy aligns with global trends that emphasize cultural heritage education’s relevance when integrated with local cultural assets and technology familiar to students’ daily lives. This transformation turns students from passive consumers into active agents who independently produce historical content. Informant 5 shared aspirations to digitize the narrative through storytelling techniques:

“…I want to create video content about the history of this school, a type of storytelling that explains the historical value of the building and Bukittinggi's culture. We need to be clever in presenting it so that my friends don't feel like they’re being lectured…” (Informant 5, Interview August 18, 2025).

This aspiration reflects students’ efforts to avoid an authoritarian instructional style (being lectured) and replace it with a Peer-to-Peer Engagement approach. The use of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram is not only about popularity, but a strategy to build more organic and widespread cultural awareness. This indicates that the school needs to adopt official channels that regularly post cultural content to counterbalance the dominance of non-educational entertainment content. In this process, students act as co-creators of the school’s collective memory narrative, ensuring that history is no longer seen as a burden of the past but as a prestigious identity.

The utilization of digital media is also strongly integrated with intra-school organization activities such as the student council and student representative council. Data analysis shows that these organizations function as independent cultural preservation units at the student level. Informant 7 explained how historical discourse is maintained within the organization:

“…As members of the school organization, we regularly hold discussions about alumni figures and historical buildings. Social media like TikTok is also used as a means of spreading information, while still being cautious so that pride in the school's culture doesn’t diminish…” (Informant 7, Interview July 17, 2025).

In addition to the digital dimension, revitalizing teaching methods in the classroom through humor and group discussions is considered crucial to prevent academic boredom. This modern pedagogical paradigm requires teachers to move away from being the sole source of truth and become facilitators who value student initiatives. Another strategy identified as having a high affective impact is the use of physical evidence (artifacts) and community alumni involvement to make history feel more empirical. Informant 9 gave an example of practices that enhance students’ pride:

“…Teachers often show physical evidence like historical photos in the teacher’s room, and then involve alumni to tell the history of Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi. This method makes history easier to understand and more alive, which increases the students' sense of pride…” (Informant 9, Interview July 17, 2025).

The use of old photos and personal narratives from alumni creates an emotional bridge between the colonial past and the present reality of students. This approach is reinforced by the need for authentic visual presentation to complement the limitations of information found in formal textbooks. Informant 10 emphasized the importance of collaboration with the local community:

“…Culture presented visually and directly is more easily accepted by students. History teachers sometimes don’t provide complete material, so the local community and more knowledgeable students can fill in the gaps. Local community involvement is crucial for authentic information…” (Informant 10, Interview August 18, 2025).

This leads to the application of an effective Peer Learning method, where students with a special interest in history can share knowledge with their peers in an egalitarian manner. This strategy mitigates the reluctance to speak in class that often arises due to overly formal and pressuring learning environments. Providing space for students’ voices means respecting their individual agency in the transmission of living heritage. The concept of the school as a “Living Museum” becomes central to this strategy, where every corner of the original Dutch colonial building at Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi is viewed as an active learning tool that must preserve its authenticity. To concretize this spatial understanding, the idea of exploratory activities like “Heritage Walks” emerged as a strategic recommendation. Informant 12 explained the potential of this activity:

“…Even though many are interested in gadgets, digital content is attractive, and activities like 'Heritage Walk' guided tours of historical buildingscan enhance understanding…” (Informant 12, Interview August 18, 2025).

This activity is a tangible form of Spatial Encounters in the GCMRF model, which transforms the school building from merely a physical facility into a dynamic historical narrative. Furthermore, proactive collaboration with external parties, such as the Bung Hatta Library, and plans to involve students in the physical maintenance of cultural heritage buildings, show the application of a participatory approach in heritage management. By involving students physically in the maintenance of buildings, they become not just observers, but protectors of historical assets. Integrating heritage education into extracurricular activities, such as making historical understanding of the school a requirement for joining the student council, ensures that future leaders at the school have a strong ideological commitment to the institution’s identity. The role of students as tour guides for school visitors is a highly effective form of cultural interpretation, deeply embedding heritage values. Overall, the convergence of the school’s physical assets, social dynamics, and students’ digital tendencies allows SMA 2 Bukittinggi to transform into a relevant cultural preservation center for Generation Z. Through strengthening the sense of ownership and collective responsibility, this strategy not only addresses student apathy due to curricular amnesia but also ensures that the school’s collective memory remains alive as a proud identity amidst modernization.

5 Discussion

This discussion outlines the crucial findings from the qualitative study at Public Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi through four pillars of analysis: identification of structural dysfunction, challenges in global literature, critique of pedagogical gaps, and formalization of the memory restoration model. The main issue identified is “Curricular Amnesia,” a condition where the formal curriculum systematically fails to integrate local historical narratives and activate the school building as a physical heritage asset. This institutional failure directly hinders the formation of collective memory among students. However, amidst this dysfunction, the study identifies Generation Z’s Digital Agency (Gen Z) as an innovative bottom-up solution. Students proactively propose participatory-digital strategies, such as co-creating social media content, peer learning, and Heritage Walks, as authentic efforts to reclaim the school’s historical narrative.

The findings related to Curricular Amnesia are validated by Halbwachs (1992) Collective Memory theory, which asserts that collective memory is strongly tied to the Permanent Spatial Framework of the old Kweekschool building. However, the data in this study shows that the integrity of the spatial framework, although physically robust, can collapse functionally if not supported by an integrated curriculum framework. The systemic failure to connect historical narratives with the physical space of the school causes heritage objects to lose their memory-triggering function. Instead of becoming a “Living Museum,” the building risks transforming into a “Dead Monument,” a phenomenon indicated by the weakness of institutional stewardship.

This finding challenges the geographical dominance in Heritage Education literature, which is predominantly from Europe and America. Most previous studies focused on curriculum issues in Western contexts (Abril-López et al., 2020; Martínez Rodríguez and Fontal Merillas, 2020; Van Doorsselaere, 2021), while Southeast Asian studies have tended to focus mainly on the physical management of buildings (Mohd Noor et al., 2019; Nazri et al., 2015; Norazman et al., 2025; Yacob et al., 2019; Zolkafli et al., 2019). This research fills that gap by providing qualitative data from the context of Dutch colonial heritage in Indonesia. The findings demonstrate that the crisis faced transcends physical preservation issues; it is a crisis of regional collective memory transmission that requires specific solutions relevant to historiography and culture.

The structural dysfunction embodied in Curricular Amnesia directly contrasts with global pedagogical trends moving toward interactive approaches through Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) and field studies (de la Farrujia Rosa et al., 2022; Vilar et al., 2025). The literature from 2015 to 2025 emphasizes that CBL has become a strategic pillar for developing critical competencies. This study identifies that, in Southeast Asia, physical heritage assets ideal for CBL are, in fact, underutilized. In response, Gen Z’s Digital Agency emerges as a corrective force. Instead of waiting for top-down reforms, students proactively use social media and peer learning as manifestations of “pedagogical resistance.” This strengthens the argument by Guerrero-Romera et al. (2021) regarding the effectiveness of mobile learning. Low-cost strategies through platforms like TikTok and video storytelling offer a realistic alternative to expensive immersive technologies such as VR/AR (Barbara, 2022; Challenor and Ma, 2019), which are often difficult to implement in developing countries due to infrastructure cost constraints (Bekele and Champion, 2019; Shanmugasundaram and Tamilarasu, 2023; Zhao et al., 2025).

As a major theoretical contribution, this study formulates the Gen Z-Driven Collective Memory Restoration Framework (GCMRF). This model integrates three core components: (1) Physical Spatial Anchorage (the school building as an anchor), (2) Digital Agency (students as content producers), and (3) Peer-to-Peer Engagement (horizontal memory transmission). This framework positions the school’s physical assets not just as passive observation objects, but as platforms for content production. The originality of this research lies in the convergence of these factors: the analysis of Curricular Amnesia in Southeast Asia, the transformation from apathy to co-creation, theoretical enrichment of Halbwachs (1992) through digital pedagogy, and offering high-impact solutions based on popular platforms. Implementing GCMRF is key to ensuring that cultural heritage remains relevant and sustainable amidst contemporary digital challenges, while also urging reform in heritage school practices globally.

6 Conclusion

This study concludes that “Curricular Amnesia” is the primary structural dysfunction hindering Senior High School 2 Bukittinggi from fulfilling its role as a collective memory site. The research contributes theoretically by extending Halbwachs’ (1992) concept, demonstrating that the functional integrity of a “Permanent Spatial Framework” in the modern era depends on the effectiveness of digital pedagogy. As a solution, the study formalizes the Gen Z-Driven Collective Memory Restoration Framework (GCMRF), a bottom-up model that repositions students as active agents of historical reconstruction through digital co-creation. Practically, this framework offers a realistic, low-cost alternative for heritage institutions in developing countries compared to expensive immersive technologies. While providing a robust theoretical proposition, this study is limited by its single-case design and assumption of stable digital access. Therefore, future research should test the scalability of the GCMRF through quantitative approaches across diverse heritage sites in the Global South. The policy implications urge educational authorities to reform curricula by integrating local narratives and empowering students as the primary drivers of cultural heritage preservation in the digital age.

Data availability statement

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Ethics statement

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent for participation in this study was provided by the participants/ participants’ legal guardians/next of kin. Written informed consent was obtained from the individual(s), and minor(s)’ legal guardian/next of kin, for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.

Author contributions

SA: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Data curation, Resources, Project administration, Funding acquisition, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. DS: Supervision, Validation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing. MF: Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing. BD: Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing. ND: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. RF: Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing.

Funding

The author(s) declared that financial support was not received for this work and/or its publication.

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my gratitude to the research team for their valuable assistance in writing this draft.

Conflict of interest

The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Generative AI statement

The author(s) declared that Generative AI was used in the creation of this manuscript. Researchers use AI (Google Gemini) to act as grammar accuracy.

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