Bandung, October 23, 2024 — The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional Center for Early Childhood Care Education and Parenting (SEAMEO CECCEP) received a visit from the Master's Program in Educational Technology from Surabaya State University (UNESA). This visit served as an important discussion forum between SEAMEO CECCEP and UNESA's Master's Program in Educational Technology to explore innovations in educational technology for early childhood and families.
The event was opened by the Director of SEAMEO CECCEP, Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D., who welcomed the collaboration and emphasized the importance of developing technology in early childhood education. The delegation from UNESA was led by Dr. Andi Mariono, M.Pd, and Dr. Irena Maureen, S.Pd., M.Sc.
In her speech, Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D., expressed her appreciation to the Head of the Master's Program in Educational Technology at UNESA, the supervising lecturers, and the participating master's students. She highlighted the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between SEAMEO CECCEP and UNESA and expressed her hope that this collaboration would continue to improve early childhood education in Indonesia.
Dr. Andi Mariono, M.Pd., Head of the Educational Technology Program at UNESA, also shared his views on the collaboration. He stated that the partnership with SEAMEO CECCEP was a concrete step toward the development of early childhood education in Indonesia. He praised SEAMEO CECCEP's dedication to education during the golden years of childhood, which is crucial for brain development and character building in the future.
The meeting was divided into several presentation sessions. The first presentation focused on the development of the "Anaking" app, a digital platform aimed at becoming a comprehensive resource for parents on early childhood care and development. This app includes features such as child development and growth screening, stimulation activities, a discussion forum for parents, and information related to early childhood education and parenting. "Anaking" is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2024, with an initial trial phase involving 20 users. Prof. Vina hoped that "Anaking" would become a practical solution for parents seeking accurate parenting information.
The second presentation, delivered by Iwan Aries Setyawan, highlighted SEAMEO CECCEP's crucial role in supporting early childhood education and parenting. SEAMEO CECCEP is involved in various activities, including research and development, capacity building, advocacy, and partnerships, with the aim of improving the quality of early childhood education and strengthening family support.
In addition to educational technology, the discussion also covered the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the learning process. Dr. Andi Mariono, M.Pd., advised students to use AI as a tool to support learning, rather than for less productive activities. He emphasized that AI can be an effective tool for creating summaries and facilitating meaningful discussions.
The Q&A session concluded with a discussion on the challenges faced by SEAMEO CECCEP at the regional and international levels. Iwan Setyawan, M.TI, Head of the Knowledge Management Division, stated that the main challenges were effective document collection, human resource management, and simplifying program business procedures. Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D., added that organizational governance across regional and international levels was a significant challenge, particularly due to SEAMEO CECCEP's responsibilities in Indonesia and at the regional level with the SEAMEO Secretariat in Bangkok.
Prof. Vina Adriany, Ph.D., closed the discussion with her hopes that the "Anaking" app would be launched soon and help more parents in raising their children effectively. SEAMEO CECCEP hopes that the collaboration with UNESA will continue in the future to advance early childhood education in Indonesia.
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