Jakarta (BERITAPOLITIK.ONLINE) — The Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Mendikbudristek) Nadiem Anwar Makarim has collaborated with Harvard University to enhance the digital education capabilities of Indonesian teachers through the Microcredential CS50x Program.
“CS50x Indonesia–Harvard University is a tangible step as part of the Free Learning Movement’s commitment to continually improve the competencies of teachers in Indonesia,” stated Minister Nadiem Makarim during the Digital Skills Seminar for Teachers in Jakarta on Thursday (07/03/2024).
Through this collaboration, he added, computer and informatics teachers are directly instructed by Harvard University’s teacher fellows, including Prof. David J. Malan, on computer science and programming.
The program involved 273 teachers from junior high, senior high, and vocational schools. It commenced with 22 weeks of online training starting from October 2023, and selected participants underwent a five-day offline training at Jakarta Intercultural School.
One fundamental principle emphasized in the program, he explained, is Computational Thinking as the foundation of thinking in the field of informatics.
Furthermore, the program instills the principle that Informatics education is not merely about using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool but as a means to transform students into digital citizens.
Participants also gain an understanding that informatics is a flexible discipline, intertwining with other fields, as it is designed to simplify tasks and address issues in the modern era.
Nadiem expressed that informatics education should nurture a generation of creators, ensuring students don’t just become technology users.
Aligned with the spirit of Free Learning, which prioritizes the enhancement of teacher competencies, the CS50x Indonesia–Harvard University Program contributes to deepening educators’ understanding to apply computer science principles in the learning process.
Ultimately, after teachers return to their respective schools, students are expected to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently.
“By participating in this program, I hope teachers will acquire knowledge relevant to the current developments, serving as a foundation to enhance the quality of education,” said Nadiem Makarim.
The Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel at Mendikbudristek, Nunuk Suryani, mentioned that the informatics subject will contribute computational thinking skills grounded in logic.
Therefore, informatics becomes a subject that contributes to the realization of the Pancasila Student Profile, particularly fostering students’ critical and creative reasoning abilities, as well as collaboration.
“Students are expected to think critically and creatively in their work and technology, possessing proficient digital literacy skills,” Nunuk remarked.
