The launch of a fantasy storybook by the Begadon Village community entitled The Mystery of Sendang Bangsri by the Bojonegoro Regency Government with the ITS KKN Abmas Team

ITS Campus, ITS News – One of the movements that the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) is concerned with is literacy improvement. Through Community Service Real Work Lectures (KKN Abmas), ITS promotes community literacy by providing writing workshops and launching books written by residents of Begadon Village, Bojonegoro Regency.

The chairman of the ITS Abmas KKN Dr Kartika Nuswantara SPd MPd stated that training in creating fantasy stories improved the literacy of the Begadon Village population. The team also introduced the community to digital literacy through smartphone-based graphic design applications for social media and learning, as well as literacy practice training at schools, homes, and communities. This Abmas KKN activity has been held since July 2022 with ITS Development Studies Department students.

The ITS Abmas KKN team, together with students from Persada Kindergarten in Begadon Village, Bojonegoro to support literacy culture among students

As the event’s centerpiece, the Begadon Village community published Mystery of Sendang Bangsri, an anthology of fantasy stories. The story is based on local phenomena and is expected to become a magnet for readers interested in learning more about the Begadon Village community. “They should make literacy one of the pillars of human resource development in this village simultaneously,” stated the English lecturer.

Kartika said that the anthology book was written by the indigenous people of Begadon Village who came from various backgrounds. The community consists of housewives, youth groups, kindergarten teachers (TK), elementary school teachers (SD), and village officials. “This program is packaged in such a way as to provide opportunities for students of the Department of Development Studies to practice being a social planner,” said Kartika.

The Abmas KKN team with Begadon Elementary School students to introduce reading culture among students

Not only teaching the public how to write fantasy books, the ITS KKN Abmas team is also involved in the School Literacy Movement (GLS). That is a literacy movement within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) which is part of the National Literacy Movement. Kartika explained, the ITS KKN team teaches the practice of reading aloud at the level of children of preschool age and balanced literacy for elementary school age.

One of the Begadon State Elementary School students is doing a reading activity

Specifically, a series of children’s literacy activities were carried out at Persada Kindergarten, where students guided children to read aloud with an interactive method. “Then, balanced literacy is carried out at Begadon Public Elementary School in stages and varies in reading activities 15 minutes before school starts,” continued the woman who is also active in this Literacy Village activity.

Kartika assessed that cultivating literacy is one way to overcome problems in the field of education. The 51-year-old woman hopes that the book launch and the literacy movement can stimulate the community to cultivate literacy and make it an element in advancing village human resources. “Even though the activity ends, sustainability will continue to be carved out to make Begadon Village even better,” concluded Kartika.

ITS Abmas KKN team with Dr Kartika Nuswantara SPd MPd (five from left standing) and Begadon Village Head H Hariyono (center standing)

On the same occasion, the ITS KKN Abmas team also visited farming and livestock businesses to exchange insights on managing agriculture and animal husbandry to maintain food security. In addition, the team also visited and practiced making processed products made from cassava and pumpkin to increase the value of food ingredients in supporting the agricultural and industrial sectors. (ITS PR)

Reporter: Yanwa Evia Java