Depok-The LITER-ASA platform, created by the “Penta Makara” student team at the Universitas Indonesia (UI), is promoting the strengthening of a reading culture in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province. This innovation was created by three UI students from Bangka Belitung who wanted to dedicate themselves to their homeland. They are working to address the problem of limited access to and a lack of reading culture in their region, particularly among lower-middle-class communities.
One team member, Eva Meitaliya (Vocational Education Program), stated that the LITER-ASA innovation presents local wisdom-based content supported by Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. She, along with Maria Angelita Saragih (Faculty of Psychology) and Vania Odelia (Faculty of Cultural Sciences), developed this platform as a contribution to literacy and education in their hometown.
“LITER-ASA is an acronym for Literasi (Literacy) and Asa Cerah (Bright Hope) on Tin Island. We created this innovation because we feel a responsibility to return and contribute to our home region. Through LITER-ASA, we hope to bridge the literacy gap between regions using technological and cultural approaches,” said Eva.
(Photo: The Penta Makara Team receiving the second place award with other participants)
The LITER-ASA platform offers a variety of engaging, easily accessible features, such as local folklore, current news, reader track records, and interactive visual experiences using AR technology and automated audio. This initiative has received a positive response from the local community, including Marudur Saragih, a member of the West Bangka Regency Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD). He believes the platform’s local wisdom approach is beneficial for introducing regional cultural identity to the younger generation.
In its development, LITER-ASA has not only had a social impact, but has also succeeded in bringing the Penta Makara Team to 2nd place in the national Scientific Writing Competition (LKTI) at the SINTESA (Synergy of Science, Technology, Culture, and Student Fair) event held by Universitas Tidar this year. With the theme “The Role of Students in Optimal SDGs Contribution through the Digital Era 5.0”, LITER-ASA represents student innovation that is able to answer challenges while being in line with the sustainable development agenda.
“This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate that students from the region are also capable of providing concrete solutions to local problems that are relevant to global targets,” said Eva.
Padang Wicaksono, S.E., Ph.D, Director of the UI Vocational Education Program, described the Penta Makara Team’s success as a form of student collaboration across disciplines that has had a positive impact on the nation’s progress. He said, “I strongly support the LITER-ASA platform created by Eva, Maria, and Vania. Hopefully, this victory will be a gateway for this innovation to gain support from various parties, such as local governments, the private sector, and educational institutions for the development and implementation of this platform.”
