Developing and Validating the Cognitive-Affective-Sociocultural Identity Digital Cultural Framework for Sustainable Cultural Heritage Education in Schools

Achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), particularly Target 4.7 on education for sustainable development and cultural diversity, and Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), especially Target 11.4 on safeguarding cultural heritage, requires innovative educational approaches that sustain local cultural identity within increasingly digitalized learning environments. While multimedia learning theory and culturally sustaining pedagogy offer strong foundations, an integrated model addressing cognitive, affective, and sociocultural dimensions in digital cultural learning remains limited. This study proposes the Cognitive-Affective-Sociocultural Identity-Digital Cultural (CASIDC) framework, synthesized from multimedia learning theory, cultural identity education, character formation theory, and empirical findings from the Malay Riau Culture E-Module. The framework consists of three interrelated dimensions: Cognitive Processing Dimension (CPD), focusing on multimodal integration and cognitive load management; Affective Engagement Dimension (AED), emphasizing motivation and value internalization; and Sociocultural Identity Dimension (SID), positioning culture as an identity anchor and learners as cultural agents. The framework is empirically grounded in a mixed-methods quasi-experimental study involving 391 students across six secondary schools in Riau Province, Indonesia. The e-module, developed using the 4D model and supported by Augmented Reality features, achieved expert validation scores above 93%. Independent-samples t-tests showed significant learning improvements (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 1.51–2.07) and moderate explanatory power (R² = 0.148–0.293). Observations also revealed progressive internalization of 28 Malay cultural identity values. Overall, CASIDC advances culturally embedded digital learning and provides a scalable framework for sustainable cultural education.