Indonesian teachers' fantastic victory at the AI TEACH Regional Hackaton last November signals a new era in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) and education can complement each other.
Source:@kitakerja.id at Instagram
Two teacher groups from Sorong, West Papua, and Probolinggo, East Java, earned 1st and 2nd place at the event held by the ASEAN Foundation. Both groups created AI-generative learning projects after obtaining such knowledge through a training program called AI TEACH, which PLAN Indonesia held with support from Microsoft Indonesia.
AI TEACH Indonesia, launched in February 2024 as part of the AI TEACH for ASEAN program, aims to provide AI training to vocational educators.
Here are three key points from Indonesian teachers' achievement at the AI TEACH Regional Hackathon:
AI for critical thinking skills
Many fear that technology will erode students' critical thinking skills, given that AI tools have generated all answers. However, some teachers have debunked such a myth and created AI apps to boost students' critical thinking.
Teachers from Probolinggo created a project called AI MISS YOU (Artificial Intelligence to Improve Students' Original and Unique Critical Reasoning). The app encourages students not to take answers from AI unthinkingly but to observe and verify them first.
Teachers from Sorong developed an app called AI ASIS (AI-ASIS) (student assistant) that automatically answers students' questions based on curated learning materials from their teachers.
This app helps students study independently, and teachers are facilitators.
Tech giants offer training for Indonesian teachers and students
As of November 2024, the AI TEACH program for Indonesia has provided training for over 2,500 educators and students across the archipelago, indicating a strong commitment to improving the quality of education by implementing AI technology.
Last year, Google provided AI training for educators through a Gemini Academy program. Indonesian teachers are enthusiastic in learning how to use AI in classrooms.
Since October 2023, more than 186,000 teachers from 35 provinces have completed their Google Academy training programs. Teachers are happy with the training, which can help students explore their creativity and build critical thinking skills.
The Country Marketing Manager Google Indonesia, Muriel Makarim, stated that the company's internal survey showed that 98 percent of teachers felt more confident in using AI tools for preparing materials. In comparison, 99 percent admitted that the technology helps reduce their workload.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital also stated that Microsoft has committed to investing US$1.7 billion in ElevAlte AI training programs in Indonesia.
Indonesia's growing AI adoption
According to the research from the International Data Corporation or IDC Asia-Pacific Enterprise Cognitive/AI Survey in 2018, Indonesia's AI adoption stood at 24.9 percent, even higher than that of Singapore (9.9 percent) amid the island country's excellence in AI infrastructure.
As many as 92 percent of Indonesian workers are using AI generative to streamline their tasks, as the study from Microsoft and LinkedIn's Work Trend Index 2024 revealed.
Indonesia will continue to make significant progress in enhancing its AI adoption amid challenges such as access to technology and internet infrastructure. The AI TEACH Regional Hackathon win encourages educators and students to embrace and boost AI skills that can shape a better future for them.
