New Era of Education Technology in Indonesia

These days education in Indonesia becoming advanced with the existence of technology that is increasingly developing more sophisticated. With about half of the population currently under the age of 30, Indonesia could fall into a demographic sweet spot. President Joko Widodo, better known as President Jokowi, advocated for the country to invest in education to prepare its future workforce to compete in a global market driven by information, technology and creativity.

A new era of education technology (or EdTech) comes to make a change in the educational sector. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, construction of a new capital city powered by smart technology is currently put on hold in East Kalimantan, but the local demand for skilled engineers who can support the government's initiative will continue to grow and aims to prepare the country for increased industrial automation.

As defined by The Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), EdTech is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and enhancing performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources. With the rapid changes that are occurring, educational institutions need to have adequate preparations to adapt to the current situation.

The crisis has reversed previous reluctance to accept the technology by some Indonesian institutions, teachers, and parents, with many now relying on online and distance learning. We expect the pandemic to accelerate the acceptance of online learning methods and encourage educational institutions to use distance learning to improve their resilience to future crises. Meanwhile, the use of digital technologies is increasingly intertwined with efforts to improve teaching methodologies and access to high-quality education.

Many education systems continue to teach programming languages and use outdated technology, making them irrelevant to the market. EdTech products in Indonesia have the potential to enhance the curriculum in these subjects, but also other subjects such as science, mathematics, critical thinking, and communication skills, which are essential to preparing Indonesian children for the future. However, to maximize the potential of EDTech products, one thing to keep in mind when introducing EDTech products in Indonesia is to have the right local partners.