Tuesday, May 21, 2024, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM participated in a webinar on the Kick-Off of Micro Credential Development for University Leaders through UGM Online organized by the Directorate of Academic Studies and Innovation, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This activity aims to introduce the term Micro Credential which is a certificate or recognition given to individuals after completing a course or learning module that focuses on certain competencies or skills. In conjunction with the learning management system portal through UGM Online, to form a new educational ecosystem to support continuing education and lifelong learning for students and alumni by obtaining online learning resources. Microcredentials that are delivered through the types of online learning classes offered are usually short in duration and highly focused. They are designed to enhance certain skills or master specific competencies to the point of recognition for learning credits.

Microcredentials are divided into six different classes, namely:

• Technical Skills Class
• Professional Development Class
• Soft Skills Class
• Compliance and Regulatory Class
• Entrepreneurship Class
• Industry Specific Classes

Each class is designed with a specific focus to develop different skills. This specific skill development is able to support each individual to deepen their knowledge and insight in a specific focus for career advancement and improve individual competence. Module or course development of micro credentialing modules is developed from courses that are then packaged and reproduced according to the principles of micro credentialing. Lecturers can develop micro credential modules from their expertise, which has strategic value in the community/market to be accessed widely and massively. The module may be different from the material in the course and what is taught to students.

Leveling is the determination of the equivalence of books for readers with reading levels. Non-textbook is a type of book that aims to provide enrichment of knowledge, insights and skills for textbooks from certain scientific studies. From this limitation, “Nontext Book Leveling” is an important tool that should be known, understood, and applied for writers/authors of nontext books.

The topic was delivered by Wiwien Widyawati Rahayu, lecturer of Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture study program, Department of Language and Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM at the “Technical Guidance on Writing Javanese Children’s Stories” organized by Yogyakarta Language Center (BBY) at Grand Rohan Hotel Yogyakarta on May 18, 2024 at 08.00-16.00 WIB. Bimtek is a series of activities that began with a proposal writing competition which was attended by 375 people / titles. From the assessment of three judges, including Wiwien Widyawati Rahayu, 97 titles were selected. This proposal contains not only the chosen theme, topic, title, and level but also contains a description of the character and his characterization, a synopsis of the story, as well as a draft of the contents of the script per page along with a description of the illustrations that must be included. Why does it have to be this detailed? Because through what is written by the proposer, it will be known that it is suitable for the age level chosen.

With the guidance, it is hoped that the discrepancies found in the 97 selected proposals can be recognized, consulted, and corrected by the authors. The suitability is based on the classification of readers, including early readers (A: 0-7 years), early readers (B1, B2, B3: 6-10 years), intermediate readers (C: 10-13 years), intermediate readers (D: 13-15 years), and advanced readers (E: 16 years and above). Of the five classifications, only three were presented (except for intermediate and advanced readers) in detail because they were adjusted to the provisions set by BBY as a requirement for the competition level.

The participants, who were children’s story writers, came from various districts in Yogyakarta. The diversity of professions, such as formal and non-formal educators, civil servants outside the field of education, students, journalists, retirees, professional writers, housewives, entrepreneurs, and private employees proves that writing activities occur widely in society. This can be used as additional evidence that being a writer is a professional choice that can be pursued and relied upon for all time.

At the end of her presentation, Wiwien said that, “writing non-textbooks is an opportunity for all of us as long as we are able to identify the disparity between the curriculum objectives to be achieved and the availability of textbooks, as well as existing learning practices. This needs to be known, considering that the function of non-textbooks is to complement and strengthen existing textbooks”.

The activities that have been carried out are related to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), namely Quality Education (4) because the participants/writers involved in the technical guidance can improve their writing competencies in accordance with the reader’s level; Decent Work and Economic Growth (8) because with the competencies gained, the technical guidance participants can recognize the opportunity that writing can be used as a profession; Partnership to achieve goals (17) because the relationship between participants with various professions, academics as resource persons, and institutions as stakeholders can take place well because they are aware of their own capacities so that relations of mutual need and complementarity are realized to achieve goals.

The evaluation and preparation of the BPK Region X Technical POS was held on April 23-26, 2024 at the Solia Zigna Hotel, Surakarta. This activity is part of the 2024 work program of BPK Region X, which in the previous year had compiled POS Technical Activities for several types of main tasks and functions of the working groups within BPK Region X. Participants who attended were all staff from the BPK Region X office from each working group. The activity began with a presentation from a resource person related to the main task of the BPK (Cultural Preservation Center), namely the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Promotion Objects, especially the Protection aspect which includes Cultural Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Given that the Development and Utilization tasks are currently under the newly inaugurated MCB (Museum and Cultural Heritage) office. On this occasion, material was presented on aspects related to preservation activities in accordance with academic principles and rules according to the scientific field of archaeology. At the beginning of the presentation, the challenges of the field of archaeology in the future, especially those related to the preservation of cultural heritage, the parties who are stakeholders and have an interest in cultural heritage, were presented.

Changes in the scientific paradigm and also the condition of society also affect the scheme of involvement of stakeholders with an interest in cultural heritage. The development of research methods in the academic world needs to be conveyed to the participants in an effort to maintain the scientific spirit of each working group’s activities at the CPC. The presentation was closed with discussion and questions from the participants.

The Center for Manuscript Research, Literature, and Oral Tradition, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in collaboration with the Indonesian Literature Scholars Association (Hiski) held a Horror Literature Book Review Seminar with the theme “Horror Literature & the Ecranization Industry” on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, at 10:00 am – finish. This seminar was held in a mix at the Widya Graha Building Hall, 2nd floor, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jl. Gatot Subroto No. 10. Jakarta and through the Zoom Meeting application. In this seminar, the participants consisted of students, lecturers, academicians, literacy communities, and the general public who have an interest in horror literature and the field of ekranisasi.

In this seminar, the title of the material presented was “Examining Horror Events in Babad and Hikayat”. According to Cuddon, horror literature is a narrative-fictional story that scares the reader and causes feelings of disgust or hatred. Good horror literature is able to explore the capacity of fear, hysteria, madness, and everything that is on the dark side of the mind. The horror events in the chronicles and hikayat discussed consist of the episode of Dursasana’s death in Kakawin Bharatayuddha (1540); the depiction of Calon Arang’s magic ritual, supernatural beings as intermediaries, and victims of magic in Calon Arang (1647); the murder of Truna Jaya, Raden Ayu Lembah, and Raden Sukra in Babad Tanah Jawi (1647); the murder of Tun Beraim Bapa in Hikayat Raja Pasai (XV century AD); and the murder of Hang Jebat in Hikayat Hang Tuah (XVII century AD).

The Horror Literature Book Review Seminar with the material “Examining Horror Events in Babad and Hikayat” is in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) program, the fourth goal of quality education, which includes achieving quality education by ensuring the quality of education that is inclusive and equitable and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all people. In addition, with the industry subtheme, this seminar is also in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) eighth goal, decent work and economic growth, which includes efforts to support inclusive and sustainable economic growth, a productive full workforce, and decent work for all. Then, this seminar is also in accordance with SDG’s goal nine, industry, innovation and infrastructure, which includes building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and encouraging innovation.

This seminar has been reported in various media, both online and offline, such as “Dar-Der-Dor Horror Novels” and “Terror of Horror Literature” in Koran Tempo, and “Horror that Revives Literature and Creative Industries” in Media Indonesia.

On Monday, May 13, 2024, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM received a comparative study visit from SMAK Penabur Jakarta in order to increase the insight of foreign language subject teachers at SMAK PENABUR Jakarta to implement foreign language learning programs. The Japanese Language and Culture and French Literature study programs received the first comparative study visit held by SMAK PENABUR Jakarta to the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

On this occasion, Dr. Tatang Hariri, M.A., as the Head of the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program welcomed the guests by explaining the early history and future prospects of the Japanese Language and Culture study program for students. Not only that, the explanation of the curriculum and scholarships available from the collaboration held by the Japanese Language and Culture Study Program of FIB UGM with universities in Japan, also became one of the interesting opportunities for students to increase exposure to the experience of skills and abilities around Japanese language and culture. In addition, the French Literature study program also presented a similar explanation that focused on the process of learning French gradually from the initial semester to the final semester, so that students and new students did not have to worry about the lack of speaking and practicing French in everyday life. The curriculum and learning process of both study programs are arranged in stages so that new learners can slowly master the foreign language they are studying.

In addition to improving insights and methods of implementing foreign language learning programs, this comparative study visit studied:

1. Japanese and French curriculum development.
2. The process of teaching and learning activities
3. Activity programs in the Student Activity Unit (UKM) related to Foreign Language
4. Prospects for graduates of the Faculty of Culture, UGM
5. Approach to student interest in studying at the Faculty of Culture

The event then ended with a group photo session and the giving of mementos from SMAK Penabur Jakarta and Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. Hopefully, this comparative study visit is not only a learning tool for foreign language teachers of SMAK Penabur, but also an interesting information material for students of SMAK Penabur Jakarta who want to carry out further education in the field of foreign languages at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM.