UNS — Early Childhood Education (PG-PAUD) FKIP Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta faculty members provided training on Whiteboard Animation-based Digital Learning for PAUD teachers in Surakarta as a community service program. This program was specifically targeted teachers in Gugus 2 Bougenvile Kecamatan Laweyan, Surakarta, which consists of TK LKMD Marsudisiwi and TK Siwi Peni 16.
The faculty members who are involved in this program are Novita Eka Nurjanah, M.Pd. (Team Leader), Dr. Upik Elok Endang Rasmani, M.Pd., Muhammad Munif Syamsuddin, S.Pd.I., M.A., Nurul Shofiatin Zuhro, S.Pd., M.Pd., and Anjar Fitrianingtyas, S.Pd., M.Pd. To uns.ac.id Novita explained that this training is provided to improve PAUD teachers’ skills in preparing digital learning media. This training is deemed important in answering the challenges from Industrial Revolution 4.0 and online learning that is implemented today.
Based on the observation results on PAUD teachers in Surakarta, the team concluded that digital learning for early childhood requires special attention because most teachers only forwarded videos from the internet and not creating their own learning media. This practice had led to videos that do not align with the learning objectives. “As a result, children’s growth is not optimally stimulated. Various skills needed by early childhood to adapt to the changes in their surrounding are also hindered,” Novita explained on Saturday (28/8/2021).
Novita added that whiteboard animation is an effective digital media for early childhood education. Whiteboard animation is a presentation of whiteboard and inserting various project components, including text, picture, voice, and animations that will attract children’s attention and facilitate material delivery. The application used in preparing whiteboard learning material is Explee. This application generates animation video by inserting texts, pictures, and audio by importing resources from a computer or using available albums from the application.
“Explee will guide teachers in preparing desired materials without great skills in technology. Using this app, teachers only need ideas and creativity to prepare story and storyline in the learning video,” Novita said.
The training has five stages, and all stages were conducted online through the Zoom Cloud Meetings and WhatsApp groups. The first session on whiteboard animation-based digital learning was held on 13-14 August 2021, followed by a workshop on learning media preparation using whiteboard animation. The third stage was simulation with a small group and supervised by the team to prepare a digital learning media using whiteboard animation. The fourth stage was implementing the media on children online following the current theme, and the fifth, evaluation and follow-up on 27 August 2021.
“Partner’s response is very positive towards this program. Participants could prepare innovative whiteboard animation after the training,” Novita explained. Humas UNS
Reporter: Kaffa Hidayati
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
