Elementary Teachers’ Lived Experiences in Implementing Project-Based Learning under the Merdeka Curriculum

Abstract

Educational reform has increasingly emphasized the importance of teacher autonomy and reflective practice as essential components of effective learning environments. Within Indonesia’s Merdeka Curriculum, Project-Based Learning (PBL) has been introduced as a transformative approach aimed at fostering creativity, collaboration, and student-centered learning among elementary school teachers. However, limited research has examined how teachers experience and interpret this pedagogical shift, leaving a gap in understanding the lived meaning of teaching within curriculum innovation. This study addresses that gap by exploring the phenomenological essence of teachers’ experiences in implementing PBL under the Merdeka Curriculum. Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight elementary school teachers to uncover their conscious experiences, reflections, and meaning-making processes. Data were analyzed through a structured phenomenological procedure that included horizonalization, formulation of significant statements, clustering of meaning units, and synthesis of invariant themes following Moustakas’ analytic framework. The analysis revealed four essential themes: navigating initial uncertainty, rediscovering pedagogical meaning, negotiating institutional constraints, and achieving professional growth through reflection. These findings illustrate that teachers experience curriculum reform not merely as procedural change but as a deeply personal and transformative journey that redefines their professional identity. The study also demonstrates how reflective adaptation and emotional engagement enable teachers to internalize the philosophy of educational freedom and align it with classroom realities. The findings advance understanding of teacher experience in educational reform and underscore the importance of fostering reflective spaces that honor teachers’ lived realities. This study contributes to global educational discourse by framing curriculum implementation as both a pedagogical and existential process.