Nurturing Research Culture

Dunia penelitian adalah dunia yang sepi, Prof. DR. Ir. Ahmad Jasidi, M.Eng said in his speech yesterday. It’s just easy to boost art world, like creating new singers, new boy or girl groups. Also for some other events, like Cycling Community, or Car Free Day community, this kind of groups can improve the followers extremely quickly. Let’s look back to science community, the progress runs so slowly, even almost unknown, only very few who run it. That’s why this training for about 450 teachers from all over Indonesia is being held. At first I was a little bit surprised then asked myself what is the purpose of this? Spending money for the end of the year, but wait, wait, there is the aim behind this. Sponsored by Intel, this training wishes teachers can share what they get here to the students, ask them to write, become active participants then can be a part of ISEF in United States next upcoming year. Intel, LIPI, and Kemdikmen want this information spread out evenly since most teachers from different areas are invited.

SAInS (School in Action for Innovation in Science)

I would like to take a short note about the topic that had been delivered by Rebecca Johnson from Columbia University.

She started by saying her personal experience, her fear of science like many kids have, just like what i have actually. She took her bachelor purely in social then recently she just turned into somebody else who loves science and lives science as well. So, here the wise words came then never give up if you find your students aren’t interested yet, maybe someday they will just love it.

That’s only an acknowledgment by the way. The point is about what she called STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). It is a new (most recent even in America) curriculum that concerns on scientific things a lot more than others do. There are several schools in New York that has been implementing this new idea and it brings such a greater output. Well yah, why science? Is that only about calculating or similar stuffs? It is related to the theme of this huge event, nurturing research culture through Indonesia educator academy 2013. One of many ways to increase the quality of education is making research as a part of lifestyle, not something unreachable.

The curriculum is simply applied based on these current educational theories discussed, which are constructivism, differentiated learning, inquiry, experimental learning, project-based learning, outdoor education or expeditionary learning. Well, if I m not mistaken some of those methods have been instructed to be implemented. But, there’s always but in this case.

Let’s come to the big inventory of this STEM Education, they call this “FAB LAB” or Fabrication Laboratory. It is a simple laboratory that produces many different fancy stuffs. Indeed, it needs a lot of money, that’s why only some schools run the program. Rebecca said she is now making a project for transferring the idea to Indonesia. That program has brought her here.

Scientific Event for Both Teachers and Students

Last night, Ms. Indri from LIPI mentioned some annual events that have been held for long time but the participants are still not even. The winner are mostly from similar schools from year to year. So, she asked us to be involved. There are many of them, such as, PIRNAS (a scientific camp), LKIR, or NYIA. The greatest one of course is ISEF that will be done in Los Angeles next year.

At first, I was asking my presence here since I am not a science teacher nor fond of this world. But, I can say I can be the part of social science. And the most demanding and important thing that those events need English as the language of presentation. So, it's not that bad uh? Being in the middle of many teachers who have (let say) the same mission.