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.

In order to provide greater insight and knowledge about Cultural Heritage in the Sleman Regency area, especially for the younger generation, on May 21, 2024 a visit to the Cultural Heritage object was held, namely the Wisma Kaliurang Building, Wisma Merapi Indah I Building and Sri Widodo Joglo Building. The participants of this activity were high school students in the Sleman Regency area totaling 15 people accompanied by several teachers. The purpose of this activity is to introduce cultural heritage from the type of building, especially from the aspect of the important value contained in it. The important value of cultural heritage is related to the importance of history, the importance of education, the importance of science, the importance of culture and the importance of strengthening national identity.

The buildings of Wisma Kaliurang, Wisma Merapi, and Joglo Sri Widodo have historical significance as buildings used in the historical momentum of the Indonesian independence struggle. The Wisma Kaliurang building was used as the location of the KTN (Three State Commission) meeting on January 13, 1948 in order to obtain recognition of the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia from the Dutch colonial occupation. The meeting was attended by representatives from three countries, namely Australia, America and Belgium. While from Indonesia, there were a number of national figures such as Soekarno, Mohammad Hatta, General Sudirman, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Sutan Sjahrir and others. An important result of this meeting was the minutes decision which stated that the Republic of Indonesia retained full power over the area it controlled.

This KTN meeting actually followed up on the Renville Agreement, which was disrupted by the Second Dutch Military Aggression which seized Yogyakarta as the capital of the Republic of Indonesia at that time. Wisma Merapi Indah I, located not far from Wisma Kaliurang, is a building that was once used as a place to stay by national figures when attending the KTN meeting, along with the Ngeksigondo Pesanggrahan complex which is also located not far from Wisma Kaliurang.

It is hoped that with this activity, the cultivation of cultural heritage preservation values among the younger generation, especially students in the Sleman Regency area, can provide provisions in the future for the community to be able to participate more in preserving heritage in the form of tangible cultural heritage that has noble values that must be preserved.

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.