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Can technology shape students’ character?
There is no question that technology shapes students’ competency — computer-assisted coding to teach basic to advanced logic, for example. But the pressing question is: can technology help shape students’ character? Can teaching virtues such as self-control, honesty, respect and fairness — which contribute to good character — be technically and effectively delivered via technology?
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo trusted Nadiem to lead this giant leap in Indonesia’s education, which is unfortunately still mired in convoluted problems such as a shortage of teachers, irrelevant vocational education, burdensome curricula and uncompetitive university graduates. (Antara/Umarul Faruq)
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he new education and culture minister, Nadiem Makarim, said that competency and character were two of the most important aspects of education. The Cabinet’s youngest minister, who led Gojek from a delivery call center consisting of 20 ojek (motorcycle taxi) drivers to a US$10 billion company with 2 million partners across Southeast Asia, said the education system should be significantly enhanced with the use of technology, which is indeed indispensable in this 4.0 era.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo trusted Nadiem to lead this giant leap in Indonesia’s education, which is unfortunately still mired in convoluted problems such as a shortage of teachers, irrelevant vocational education, burdensome curricula and uncompetitive university graduates.
With the reintegration of the Research, Technology and Higher Education Ministry into the current Education and Culture Ministry, which previously supervised only primary and secondary education, the scope of the endeavor has now widened.
There is no question that technology shapes students’ competency — computer-assisted coding to teach basic to advanced logic, for example. But the pressing question is: can technology help shape students’ character? Can teaching virtues such as self-control, honesty, respect and fairness — which contribute to good character — be technically and effectively delivered via technology?
Nadiem’s awareness about the issue of character building, which is the very heart of education, is a good sign that he is at the correct starting point in his ministership.
Adults used to be the filters through which children were exposed to proper values. But now, with mobile gadgets in most children’s hands, that role is largely absent. Children are increasingly outside the reach of adult influence.
For example, open and distance learning, which are now mostly assisted by technology, such as the digital learning management system and massive open online courses, enable students to learn anytime, anywhere — almost without the physical presence of instructors or teachers.
