Empowering teachers as change agents: Combating mental health and social crisis through AI-enhanced reading book creation in Indonesia's literacy movement
Abstract
This community service program addresses the critical literacy challenges in Indonesia, where PISA 2022 results showed Indonesian students' reading literacy scores of only 371 out of 600, ranking 62nd out of 81 countries. The program "GELIAT GUBUK BACA" (Integrated Literacy Movement with Empowered Teachers for Children's Reading Creation) was implemented at MIN 1 Banyumas to empower teachers in developing quality reading books with moral values using artificial intelligence (AI) and QR Code technology. The program employed a participatory-collaborative methodology through intensive training, digital mentoring, and strategic partnership with professional publishers. Twenty teachers participated in a five-day intensive workshop covering book writing techniques, moral content development, AI utilization (ChatGPT, Midjourney, Canva AI), and QR Code integration. Results showed significant improvements in teachers' writing competency from 45% (pre-test) to 78% (post-test), representing a 33% increase. The program produced 18 quality manuscripts with moral content, established a sustainable teacher-writer community of 18 active members, and created a digital platform managing 85 audio narrations through QR Code technology. Student engagement in reading activities increased by 40%, vocabulary comprehension improved by 35%, and reading comprehension scores increased by 25%. This innovative approach demonstrates the potential of technology-enhanced community empowerment in addressing literacy challenges while preserving local moral values.
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