After watching Star Wars: The Last Jedi with his parents, Azka (12) did not rush into the room. Borrowed his father's gadget.
The newly enrolled boy in sixth grade elementary school is busy looking for a way to make Lightsaber, the shining sword that is the main weapon in the fictional movie.
The next day, all the stuff needed to make the sword of the toy was already collected. Plastics, used torch lights, batteries, glue, wood popsicle sticks, and others seemed scattered in the room.
It did not take long. Three days later, the sword of the toy was finished. In fact, voila! The sword can burn!
Then pretend Azka is like the main character of Rain Johnson's trilogy film. He immediately tried his own homemade sword: a child's version of Lightsaber
Up and down
Azka is just one obvious example that in today's era of digital technology, children can act faster than adults or their parents think about in terms of seeking information. That's only among elementary school kids, especially with children aged above, teenagers of junior high and high school age.
Perhaps, there are still thousands of other children in Indonesia or the world doing the same thing. The "fellowship" between gadgets and the internet makes them more independent in their search for information, if they do not want to be called "prefers to ask" to gadgets rather than their own parents. "
Not just related to the need to play and pursue hobbies, even the utilization of gadgets and the Internet is already on the subject of learning.
"If there is a problem or a difficult question in the lesson, and not found the answer in the book, my children are definitely first look it up on the internet. From Biology, Mathematics, to English, they are getting used to it now, "said Fahmi Syah (44).
"I myself too. If the deadlock to look for a child's high school PR reply, then I recommend that they find yourself wearing a gadget. I understand, sometimes have to succumb to follow the habit of finding information through gadgets and internet, "he added.
After all, indeed, gadgets are not new things among students, ranging from elementary to high school, good for just looking for entertainment, like enjoying movies and songs, to find various tutorials to meet the demands of hobbies and insights.
It's inevitable, of course. As of this year, the number of internet users in Indonesia reached 143.26 million people. The number of users according to survey data from the Association of Internet Service Providers Indonesia (APJII) was recorded increased compared to the previous year, which is 2016, which reached 132.7 million inhabitants.
As for its age, as many as 16.68 percent of users aged 13-18 years, and 49.52 percent aged 19-34 years. Meanwhile, the percentage of Internet users aged 35-54 years reached 29.55 percent, and internet users aged 54 years and over as much as 4.24 percent.
That is, internet users among the young age is not less much than the age of adults. The growth of internet users themselves can not be separated from the rapid number of users of gadgets or smartphones in the country.
The population of Indonesia reaching 250 million people is a big market for gadgets. No wonder, digital marketing research institute Emarketer even estimates that in 2018 the number of active users of smartphones in Indonesia more than 100 million people.
What can be said, the penetration of technology increasingly difficult dammed, not least in the education sector for children.
Inspiring education
In any part of the world, the desire to play children is higher than learning. The child's instinct does play, and it is not to blame.
To that end, when gadgets and the Internet are present in their daily lives, and also with the desire and need to incorporate gadget-internet "fellowship" into the realm of their education or teaching-learning process, questions arise, whether parents, teachers, schools to balance the wants and needs it?
At home for example. Learning through the gadget can quickly switch to games or games available on the gadget itself, especially when the child is bored. The risk, when children play convenience, they will forget to learn, especially if the use of gadgets that are not directly supervised parents.
So is the use of gadgets at school. Teacher assistance is a major factor in the transformation of learning using gadgets and the internet.
Teachers or schools and parents should act as "referees" in order to use gadgets appropriately considering the age of the child. For that, before equipped with gadgets, children need to get basic knowledge that the gadget is a learning media complement and companion on their learning process in school.
As a complement, gadgets can help the development of students' adaptive function, ie the ability to adjust to the circumstances surrounding and the development of the times.
If in today's gadgets so dominate the days, then the students must know how to use it properly and correctly, and guided to get the benefits. In short, the use of gadgets in learning will inspire the child's step to welcome his educational future.
Can not be denied, with all sophistication, "fellowship" gadgets and the internet will increase knowledge. With the help of technologically advanced gadgets, children will easily and quickly obtain a variety of information about their tasks, desires, and ideals during their education at school.
Not just will open the relationship to the corners of the world, gadgets in their hands must also open up the insight and creativity so that it can produce many works or innovations that benefit the community, nation, and country.
Therefore, the application of technology in schools is needed so that students get the widest access to the ocean of knowledge.
The teacher also acts as the key to success in the application. They will be at the forefront in designing and implementing the changing of this learning method.
Even so, teachers in this inspiring education through technology are no longer a "sage on the stage" teacher model or a stage star, but a "guide on the side" or a teacher who stands behind them and will motivate students as they build understanding and offer mentoring at the same time.