Empowering Students with Disabilities through Digital Literacy

Empowering Students with Disabilities through Digital Literacy

November 23, 2024

Contributor: Supriyono | Editor: Dadi Darmadi | Photo: Achmad Jatnika

As the second speaker at the collaborative webinar series between UIII and the University of Melbourne, Australia, on November 19, 2024, Dr. Emily H. White, Lecturer in Learning Intervention Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia shared her insights on integrating digital technologies into educational frameworks for students with intellectual disabilities and autism. 

Dr. White presented her research, which draws on years of study supported by the Australian Research Council in partnership with the Victorian Department of Education. Her work emphasizes the critical role of digital literacy in ensuring students with disabilities can access their education and engage as active citizens in the 21st century.

“Education is a fundamental right for students with disabilities,” she remarked, citing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. “However, without proper tools and teaching strategies, these students face barriers that limit their participation in a digitally driven world.”

Central to her research is the concept of teaching students "how to use technology so they can use technology to learn." Dr. White outlined two major challenges identified by teachers: a lack of confidence and training in using technology for inclusion and the need for specialized knowledge to teach students with disabilities effectively. Addressing these gaps, her study developed a targeted psychometric framework to assess students' digital literacy skills. This approach allows educators to tailor teaching strategies to a student’s zone of proximal development—an optimal learning point where tasks are challenging yet achievable with guidance.

The study's outcomes include a detailed rubric created through collaboration with expert teachers and extensive data collection across 56 Australian schools. Feedback from over 1,500 students with intellectual disabilities and autism shaped the framework, providing a comprehensive map of students' abilities and readiness to learn digital skills. Dr. White demonstrated how this evidence-based model aids teachers in identifying precise teaching points, fostering both inclusion and skill development.

A standout aspect of Dr. White's research is its cultural sensitivity. She emphasized that digital literacy encompasses more than technical skills—it includes understanding the cultural context of technology use. “What’s appropriate in one cultural setting may not be in another,” she noted, advocating for an inclusive approach to teaching digital practices.

The webinar series exemplifies the strong partnership between UIII and the University of Melbourne, uniting their shared commitment to advancing educational equity and innovation. By bringing together experts from diverse fields and cultural contexts, the collaboration aims to address global challenges in education, foster knowledge exchange, and develop strategies that benefit students and educators.

source: https://uiii.ac.id/news/preview/57758/home/empowering-students-with-disabilities-through-digital-literacy

by Bambang Sumintono

Enhancing Education Through Digital Literacy

Enhancing Education Through Digital Literacy

November 23, 2024

Contributor: Supriyono | Editor: Dadi Darmadi | Photo: Achmad Jatnika

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, the UIII Faculty of Education hosted the second session of its collaborative webinar series with the University of Melbourne, Australia, focusing on digital literacy in education. The event featured Dr. Tati Lathipatud Duriyyah, the head of MA in Education study program at UIII and Emily H. White, PhD, Lecturer in Learning Intervention Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia.

The first speaker, Dr. Tati Lathipatud Duriyyah, shared her research on digital literacy perspectives and experiences among high school teachers in the Greater Jakarta area. Her ongoing study, conducted in collaboration with former graduate students, builds on the foundational research which highlighted a gap between students’ use of digital technology in schools and their needs outside the classroom. Dr. Duriyyah’s research extends this focus to the perspectives of teachers, using mixed methods that combine surveys and interviews to gather data.

The preliminary findings of the study revealed that teachers in Jakarta's secondary schools are highly aware of the importance of digital technology in education and have actively integrated it into their classrooms. The majority reported frequent use of devices such as laptops, projectors, and smartphones, as well as digital platforms like Learning Management Systems (LMS). Teachers expressed confidence in their ability to combine technology, pedagogy, and lesson content effectively, indicating a strong belief in the transformative potential of digital tools to enhance teaching and learning.

Despite these promising trends, challenges persist. Dr. Duriyyah pointed out that issues such as unreliable internet connections, limited access to digital devices, and disruptions caused by students using non-educational apps in class remain significant barriers. Additionally, some teachers reported feeling inadequately trained in the integration of digital technology into their teaching practices.

The findings underscored the proactive measures taken by schools to address these challenges. Many schools provide training, host technology conferences with experts, and support teachers’ personal initiatives to stay updated with technological advancements. Dr. Duriyyah noted that such efforts are pivotal in ensuring that teachers remain equipped to meet the evolving demands of digital literacy in education.

The webinar highlighted the importance of cross-institutional collaborations in addressing global educational challenges. By bringing together educators and researchers from Indonesia and Australia, the event underscored the shared commitment to leveraging digital technology to enhance educational outcomes and bridge the gap between policy, practice, and student needs.

source: https://www.uiii.ac.id/events/read/57757/enhancing-education-through-digital-literacy

by Bambang Sumintono

Critical Literacies and Gender Take Center Stage at FoE LunchTalk

Critical Literacies and Gender Take Center Stage at FoE LunchTalk

November 08, 2024

Contributor: Supriyono | Editor: Dadi Darmadi | Photo: M. Sufyan As-Tsauri 

On October 29, 2024, the UIII Faculty of Education (FoE) hosted an insightful LunchTalk #34 in the Theater Room of Faculty A, where Zulfa Sakhiyya, PhD, shared her expertise on "Critical Literacies, Gender & Social Inclusion." Dr. Sakhiyya is currently a scholar-in-residence at the faculty, originally coming from the Literacy Research Centre at Semarang State University (UNNES), Central Java.

In her talk, Dr. Sakhiyya unpacked the transformative potential of literacy when viewed through a gendered, critical lens. Her presentation covered gender as a foundational aspect of social inclusion and the historical role of women’s movements in shaping literacy practices in Indonesia.

Dr. Sakhiyya opened her talk by addressing the question, "Why Gender?" She described it as the "mother of critical perspectives" that weaves together themes of social justice, inclusion, and environmental responsibility. Gender perspectives, she argued, offer alternative frameworks for tackling societal challenges and rethinking literacy as a tool for empowerment.

Exploring the contributions of historical figures like R.A. Lasminingrat, R.A. Kartini, and Ruhana Kudus, she highlighted early Indonesian women’s movements that utilized literacy as a means for empowerment and social reform. These women pioneers, she explained, laid the groundwork for literacy as a pathway to social change and inclusion.

Delving into contemporary issues, Dr. Sakhiyya presented findings from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which indicate ongoing gender-based disparities in education and literacy. From the data, she argued that there is a critical need to apply gendered perspectives to literacy to unpack the societal forces shaping these inequalities.

Furthermore, Dr. Sakhiyya also shared insights from her two-year qualitative study on the Women’s March Serang (WMS), an organization rooted in a literacy community in Cilegon, Banten. Her research sought to explore how grassroots literacy practices can foster new meanings and empower women.

The findings suggest a framework for critical literacy practices aimed at social inclusion. This framework divides literacy practices into three approaches: the Direct Literacy Approach, which encourages reading culture through activities like mobile libraries and book picnics; the Political Approach, which advocates for women’s rights through public discussions and campaigns; and the Digital Approach, which sustains activism through online platforms, particularly crucial during the pandemic. She argued that these critical literacy practices can be "a communal resource contributing to the quality of local life," echoing Barton and Hamilton's vision (2012) for literacy as a tool for social good.

The LunchTalk series at UIII, including the recent session with Dr. Sakhiyya, reflects the university's mission to foster critical discourse and inclusivity. Designed as an informal yet intellectually engaging forum, LunchTalk sessions offer students, faculty, and the broader community a unique opportunity to discuss pressing social issues that intersect with academic and societal values.

sources: https://uiii.ac.id/events/read/57733/critical-literacies-and-gender-take-center-stage-at-foe-lunchtalk

by Bambang Sumintono