A Team of Unsri Faculty Members Empowers Early Childhood Education Teachers in Ogan Ilir to Become Parenting Educators Through Digital Educational Media Based on Local Wisdom

A team of faculty members from Sriwijaya University conducted a Community Service (PKM) program for Early Childhood Education (PAUD) teachers in Indralaya, Ogan Ilir Regency. This initiative features a program to empower ECE teachers as parenting educators using a holistic, integrative approach through digital educational media that highlights local wisdom.

The program was motivated by the need to improve parents’ comprehensive understanding of early childhood education services. Early childhood education focuses not only on the learning process but also encompasses children’s health, nutrition, care, protection, and well-being. In this regard, PAUD teachers play a crucial role as a bridge between educational institutions and families.

The reinforcement of Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Education (PAUD-HI) materials in this activity also serves as a means of disseminating knowledge from previous training sessions organized by SEAMEO RECFON. Taruni Suningsih, M.Pd., Puji Amalliyyah, S.Gz., M.P.H., and Rizki Sapriani, S.T., M.Pd. previously served as Master of Trainers (MoT) in the PAUD-HI capacity-building program. They then shared this experience with early childhood educators in Indralaya so that it could be put to broader use.

Through this program, early childhood educators are prepared to take on the role of parenting educators—that is, educators who provide information and guidance to parents in supporting their children’s growth and development. To support this role, the PKM team developed digital educational media in the form of children’s storybooks containing material on the six services of Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Education (PAUD-HI), incorporating elements of local wisdom. The media development process also utilized artificial intelligence (AI) technology, specifically Gemini AI.

The event began with a presentation on the role of teachers as parenting educators by Taruni Suningsih, M.Pd., as the chair of the organizing team. Next, Lia Dwi Ayu Pagarwati, M.Pd., and Dara Zulaiha, M.Pd., presented material on Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Education. The session on health and nutrition for young children was led by Puji Amalliyyah, S.Gz., M.P.H.

Meanwhile, Andryanto Sudiah Putra, M.Pd., and Yin Yin Septiani, M.Pd., introduced the use of digital educational media based on local wisdom with the assistance of AI. Participants were introduced to digital storybooks that can be used as a tool for conveying information to parents. The event also featured a sharing of best practices regarding the role of parenting educators by Rizki Sapriani, S.T., M.Pd., who also serves as Chair of HIMPAUDI in Ogan Ilir Regency.

The strength of this program lies in the use of digital educational media to support parenting activities. Teachers not only gain an understanding of PAUD-HI but are also equipped with tools that can help convey material to parents in a simpler and more engaging way. The use of stories rooted in daily life and local culture is expected to help parents understand the six PAUD-HI services and the importance of family involvement in supporting their children’s development.

The use of these digital storybooks is also designed to ensure that education continues within the family environment. After receiving information from teachers, parents can use the storybooks to introduce messages about education, health, nutrition, child-rearing, protection, and child welfare through reading activities and discussions with their children at home.

Thus, this program builds a continuous cycle of empowerment. Teachers receive training and develop skills in creating digital educational media, which they then use to educate parents through parenting activities. Subsequently, parents pass on this learning to their children at home.

It is hoped that this collaboration between Sriwijaya University and HIMPAUDI of Ogan Ilir Regency will strengthen the role of teachers as partners to families, improve parents’ understanding of Holistic Integrative Early Childhood Education (PAUD) services, and encourage the adoption of better parenting practices that are appropriate to the local cultural context.