JAMBI ELOK FOR LITERACY: INTEGRATING AI AND LOCAL WISDOM IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

By: Meila Rosianika, M. Pd

Introduction

Literacy is more than just the ability to read and write; it is a vital skill that enables individuals to reflect, evaluate, and engage with information critically in daily life. In my ten years of teaching at SMKN 3 Sarolangun, a vocational high school in Sarolangun Jambi, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges students face in engaging with traditional reading materials. Low motivation, limited access to quality texts, and a lack of contextual relevance in learning materials have contributed to our school’s low literacy levels. According to the Education Report Card, only a moderate percentage of our students between 40% to 70% have achieved the minimum literacy competency. Despite slight progress, it is evident that conventional approaches are no longer enough. A shift is urgently needed, one that combines technology, cultural relevance, and adaptive learning.

In response to these challenges, I initiated an innovation called "Jambi Elok," an offline Android application that provides accessible reading materials embedded with local wisdom. The content ranges from traditional stories and cultural practices to historical landmarks in Jambi, aimed at nurturing both literacy and regional identity. This initiative not only helped reduce barriers of internet access but also received national recognition as an Inspirational Educator in 2022. Earlier in 2018, I authored a novel based on Jambi’s cultural settings that was selected as a finalist in the National Writing Program for Teachers by the Ministry of Education and Culture. Furthermore, in collaboration with the Jambi Language Center, I documented a traditional children’s game called "Dup Dup Api," from Jambi which was transformed into a STEAM-based storybook and archived as a cultural asset.

However, I have realized that to create a sustainable and scalable impact, "Jambi Elok" must evolve. Today’s students are increasingly drawn to intelligent, interactive digital experiences. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a promising pathway to modernize literacy education while preserving local heritage. My vision is to transform "Jambi Elok" into an AI-powered digital textbook platform that can personalize content based on students’ reading levels, offer engaging multimedia from traditional games and local stories like "Dup Dup Api," and operate offline for rural accessibility. To realize this vision, I seek to participate in the 2025 Teacher Exchange Program to South Korea.

Learning from Korea

South Korea presents a compelling model for solving the problems I face in my school. As one of the top-performing countries in literacy according to PISA rankings, South Korea’s success in its holistic and technology-driven approach. The country has implemented the AI Digital Textbook Promotion Plan, begun as early as 2007, and launched national reading campaigns such as the Reading Start Campaign. The integration of AI in education has enabled personalized learning pathways, real-time feedback for students, and interactive multimedia content that keeps learners engaged. These strengths align perfectly with the innovations I aspire to implement. During the exchange program, I plan to explore how South Korea integrates AI into textbooks, particularly their strategies for adaptive learning, user interface design for educational apps, and mechanisms for offline usability in remote regions. I am also interested in studying how traditional Korean stories and cultural values are digitized and incorporated into modern curriculum. These insights will be instrumental in refining the next iteration of Jambi Elok into a smart, culturally rich, and inclusive learning tool.

In adopting and adapting South Korea’s strategies, my focus will be on three main areas. First, I aim to adopt their AI-driven personalization techniques to adjust reading levels and provide tailored content for each student. This will help address the diverse competencies found in a single classroom. Second, I will adapt South Korea’s user experience and digital textbook interface designs to suit our local context, especially considering offline functionality for areas with limited internet access. Third, I will take inspiration from their method of embedding cultural values into educational media, allowing me to better preserve and promote stories like "Dup Dup Api" within a modern digital framework.

Additionally, I plan to establish collaborations with Korean educators and developers to exchange ideas and potentially co-develop features for Jambi Elok that reflect cross-cultural literacy experiences. Upon returning to Indonesia, my primary plan is to prototype and launch a new version of "Jambi Elok" featuring AI-powered reading level detection, interactive storytelling of traditional tales like "Dup Dup Api," and learning analytics to help teachers monitor progress. I will also initiate a teacher training module  to support the implementation of AI-integrated learning materials. As the head of our internal teacher learning community and an active facilitator of literacy in Jambi, I have network to disseminate this knowledge regionally. Additionally, I serve as a literacy resource speaker for the local Department of Libraries and Archives, which provides further opportunities to share outcomes from the program with broader educational stakeholders. My involvement as a university lecturer can allows me too to introduce these global literacy practices to future elementary school teachers, encouraging a new generation of educators to integrate technology and local wisdom meaningfully. Through these multi-level dissemination efforts, I hope to contribute to a larger movement of transforming literacy education in Indonesia.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that this exchange program to South Korea will not only help me answer the urgent educational challenges I face but will also serve as a bridge to elevate local wisdom through advanced digital technology. The opportunity to learn from Korea’s excellence in literacy and AI integration will empower me to develop more inclusive, adaptive, and culturally resonant educational solutions for my students and beyond. This initiative is not only aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), but also promotes Global Citizenship Education (GCED) by fostering cross-cultural understanding, preserving local wisdom, and enhancing inclusive digital literacy.

References

Anwar, D. (2020). Offline: Cerita Cerita Reflektif Tentang Dunia yang Terhubung

Digital. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama.

https://indonesian.korea.net/NewsFocus/Korea_in_photos/view?articleId=269598

Visit Seoul. “Bulgwangcheon Stream Favorites,” 20 December 2024. [Accessed

April 17, 2025] https://english.visitseoul.net/

Official website of the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Education. [Accessed

April 17, 2025] http://www.moe.go.kr/