Implementation in Curriculum is Urgent

TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Young people sign a street banner in a show of support of an anti-hoax movement initiated by the Indonesian Anti-Libel Society (Mafindo) during Car Free Day on Jl Djuanda in Bandung, West Java Barat, on March 31, 2019 (31/3/2019).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Systemic digital literacy education is the main precondition of democratic resilience and the realization of a society that is not easily consumed by political hoaxes. Political support is needed to implement digital literacy and critical thinking skills in daily teaching and learning activities.

Education in digital literacy and critical thinking is important from an early age given the large number of young voters in general elections and regional elections. However, in the midst of the need to educate the new generation of voters, the application of digital literacy in the curriculum has not been seen as a priority.

Research by the Digital Literacy Activists Network (Japelidi) involving 56 researchers from 26 universities in Indonesia in 2017 shows that digital literacy activities are dominated by short-term forums such as socialization or lectures, training or workshops, as well as seminars or discussions. Meanwhile, the curriculum ranks lowest in a range of digital literacy activities because they are considered too complex, require lengthy preparation and require political support from stakeholders.

An activist from the Digital Young Class, Afra Suci Ramadhon, in Jakarta on Monday, said the government and the House of Representatives had not shown commitment to digital literacy education based on critical thinking skills in the curriculum. Digital literacy is seen only as the responsibility of the Communications and Information Ministry, without collaborative efforts across ministries, particularly with the Education and Culture Ministry, to implement the digital literacy agenda in the curriculum.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Participants wear specially designed T-shirts during an anti-hoax campaign at the Jakarta Police headquarters.

"The ability to use technology and respond to information obtained from the internet wisely has become a survival skill that needs to be learned and applied in everyday life," Afra said.

Indonesia lags behind other countries in terms of a systemic approach to counter disinformation. Some developed countries have implemented compulsory education in digital literacy and media. The 2018 Media Literacy Index issued by the Open Society Institute found that disinformation was relatively unsuccessful among educated people.

Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands teach digital literacy to the people from the early age. As a result, the three countries have high resistance to disinformation.

Similarly, in the 2018 Democracy Index issued by The Economist Intelligence Unit, the three countries are also considered to have the highest-quality democracy.

In Australia, digital literacy and media literacy are also taught from kindergarten onward. Students are taught simple research skills early on and actively challenge the information they receive. Media literacy is taught early so that students can distinguish manipulative narratives from legitimate information.

Waiting for the time

Wien Muldian, an activist from the Indonesian Literacy Association, who is also the caretaker of the Education and Culture Ministry\'s National Literacy Movement, said that at the government level there had been no collaborative effort across ministries to create a systematic and structured digital literacy education road map.

However, the concept of digital literacy education such as in Finland and Australia would be applied in Indonesia.

At present, he added, the Education and Culture Ministry was undergoing a transition period after the change of ministers so movement towards the implementation of digital literacy was slightly constrained. However, the concept of digital literacy education such as in Finland and Australia would be applied in Indonesia. "Let’s just wait," he said.

House Commission X deputy chair Hetifah Sjaifuddian said the DPR and the government had begun to pay attention to the importance of digital literacy and that digital literacy education would be gradually implemented.

However, the challenges being faced are not easy. Teachers are still listed as among the most likely to spread misinformation and disinformation. "There needs to be an increase in capacity and a change in the way teachers comprehend. It will be difficult if the teachers and teaching staff are still illiterate in technology, uncritical and carry political affiliations. Meanwhile, training teachers also requires a large budget," Hetifah said. (AGE)