Buddhist Methods for Developing Innovative Instructional Media in Buddhism for 21st-Century Learners

Abstract

This article presents Buddhist methods for developing innovative instructional media in Buddhism for 21st-century learners. The traditional learning management, which emphasizes lectures and rote memorization, is facing a critical challenge as it fails to meet the needs of digital-age learners. This has resulted in a disconnect between students and the core principles of Dhamma, thereby failing to achieve the goal of developing learners into complete human beings as stipulated in the National Education Act. Therefore, this article aims to study and synthesize the principles of Buddhist methods, the Buddha's pedagogical processes that align with modern learning theories, to serve as a conceptual framework for designing innovative media. The study proposes three key development guidelines: 1) The use of parables and analogies (Upamā-upameyya), which focuses on creating interactive media for students to learn through simulated experiences; 2) A learner-centered approach, which utilizes Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create personalized learning paths; and 3) Progressive instruction (Anupubbikathā), which designs media in a gamified format to establish a systematic path for self-training. These Buddhist methods can shift the learning paradigm in Buddhism from passive reception to active practice, making learning engaging and relevant to the modern era. This approach ensures that Buddhism can serve as a sustainable means of cultivating wisdom and virtue for learners in the 21st century.