Bridging Imagination and Education: How Students Perceive Fantasy Stories within the Merdeka Curriculum

The success of the learning process is greatly influenced by students' perceptions. The main question that will be answered in this research is how students perceive learning fantasy stories from the perspective of the Independent Curriculum. The study addressed students' perceptions, which can be crucial when developing or revising curricula. Educators can create more effective teaching methods and materials by understanding how students perceive specific topics or subjects. Also, the discovery that students have no interest in studying fantasy stories but prefer contextual learning based on Jambi regional folklore is a significant one. This finding highlights the importance of context and cultural relevance in curriculum design. Again, the study could have direct implications for the Merdeka curriculum and potentially for other curricula in Indonesia or regions with similar cultural contexts. Including regional folklore might be a more effective way to engage students and promote learning. Thus, the manuscript seems relevant, especially for educators and policymakers in the region or those interested in curriculum design and cultural context in education. However, its broader applicability might be limited due to its specific focus on one city in Jambi. Nevertheless, it serves as a starting point for more extensive research on the topic and offers a valuable perspective on students' preferences in curriculum content.