ITB Holds Cyberkids Camp for Elementary School Students
The Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) held the 2016 Indonesia Cyberkids Camp (ICC) at the Bandung City Hall Multipurpose Building on Thursday (July 27th). The event, attended by participants from Bandung, Depok, Tangerang, Jakarta, and Bogor, featured a virtual game competition for selected elementary school students.
Yusep Rosmansyah, Director of the ITB Cyber Security Center and lecturer at STEI ITB, stated that the goal of this event is to instill 21st-century learning and skills in children. These include critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, communication, and collaboration. "Those are four essential skills," he said during the event.
In the competition, participants were challenged to create drawings or animations themed around Indonesian culture. They were also challenged to solve math problems using Avatar-style games. "They're in a world of play, but in games, we're working on math, so it's beneficial," he said.
He hopes this activity will foster future skilled programmers and experts in Information Technology (IT). He believes that in developed countries, 21st-century skills have been developing since the 2000s.
The Head of the Bandung City Education Office, Elih Sudiapermana, expressed his appreciation for the activity. He stated that through a digital approach, children will develop initiative and creativity in solving problems around them.
He said the activity also supports the Bandung City Government's smart city program, which involves training teachers and developing digital school programs in the city.