Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo (UMPWR) - showed its commitment in supporting the transformation of education in the digital era by holding a training entitled ‘Implementation of Coding and Artificial Intelligence Learning for Elementary School Teachers and Principals’ in Karanganyar District, Kebumen Regency.
This activity was held on Wednesday, 28 May 2023, at SDN 3 Jatiluhur, Karanganyar District, and was attended by 65 participants consisting of teachers and principals from various elementary schools in the area. This training is the result of collaboration with the Learning Community ‘Kombel Kemepyar’ and is supported by the Karanganyar Principal Working Group (KKKS).
Siti Mutmainah, S.Pd., as the School Assistance Supervisor of Karanganyar Sub-district in her speech conveyed the importance of the readiness of teachers and principals in facing the era of digital transformation in the basic education environment. ‘We need to prepare teachers who are not only able to teach, but also able to adapt to the developing technology,’ she said.
UMPWR Rector, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Teguh Wibowo, M.Pd., who was also part of the implementation team, emphasised the importance of digital literacy among teachers and principals. "Education today must produce a generation that is not only ready to work, but also ready to innovate. Coding and AI must be introduced early on as part of that readiness," he said.
The training was divided into two main sessions. The first session was delivered by Murhadi, S.Pd.T., M.Eng., who discussed the importance of introducing coding and artificial intelligence at the elementary school level, with an internet-based, plugged, and unplugged approach. This strategy allows teachers to adjust learning methods according to the conditions and facilities of each school.
The second session, led by Hamid Muhammad Jumasa, S.T., M.Eng., provided hands-on practice using the Scratch application, a visual programming platform that is intuitive and easy to use for elementary students. The participants practised creating simple animations and games, as well as designing project-based thematic learning.
The participants' enthusiasm was evident throughout the session. "This training really equips us, especially in schools with limited facilities. Now I have a clear picture of how to start introducing coding to students," said one of the teacher participants.
At the end of the activity, participants filled out an evaluation questionnaire which showed very positive results. The average participant satisfaction score reached 90%, with the highest responses on the benefits of the training, clarity of the material, and readiness to apply the training results in their respective schools.
Through this activity, UMPWR emphasises its active role in supporting basic education in rural areas. This training is expected to be the beginning of a sustainable mentoring programme to build a contextual and inclusive digital learning culture. (edt.Akb/KP).
