The Faculty of Education at Yogyakarta State University (FIP UNY) will hold a Visiting Professor event on Thursday-Friday, October 2-3, 2025, in FIP UNY Meeting Room 1, featuring Dr. Mark Anthony D. Abenir from Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines, as the sole speaker. This activity, attended by S3 students from the Elementary Education Study Program, serves as an important platform for expanding academic horizons, particularly in strengthening pedagogical competence, basic literacy, and the implementation of service-learning in education. Through lectures and interactive discussions, students not only gain new knowledge from an international perspective but are also encouraged to develop creativity, critical thinking, and cultivate an open attitude towards educational innovation, equipping them to become professional and globally competitive educators.
On the first day, Dr. Mark thoroughly covered the material related to the preparation of pedagogical or service-learning training proposals for basic literacy, highlighting its high urgency in the context of primary education. This is because it serves as a real platform for doctoral students in primary education to integrate pedagogical theory with field practice. This proposal is not only a planning document but also a means of training skills in needs analysis, creative learning design, and assessment strategies relevant to children's real-life conditions. Its urgency lies in the challenge of low basic literacy in primary schools, which requires innovative intervention through participatory and experiential approaches. By preparing a proposal, students learn to design activities that are practical, solution-oriented, and socially conscious, preparing them to become professional teachers capable of addressing literacy issues in society. Thus, the service-learning proposal is not just an academic assignment, but also a means of developing students' pedagogical, social, and sensitivity to basic education issues.
On the second day, Dr. Mark presented materials related to Understanding More of Service-Learning, Service-Learning and Basic Literacy, and In-depth Assessment in Service-Learning for Basic Literacy. Essentially, Service-Learning is highly relevant to the Doctoral Program in Elementary Education because it equips prospective educators with contextual learning experiences that connect theory with practice. Through service-learning, students not only learn basic literacy teaching strategies but also implement them directly in community service activities, allowing them to understand the real needs of children in the field. The in-depth assessment process in this activity helps students reflect on the effectiveness of the methods used, develop creativity in literacy learning, and cultivate empathy, social concern, and professionalism as future teachers of character. Thus, service-learning becomes an integrative vehicle for enhancing the pedagogical, social, and personal competencies of doctoral students in Elementary Education.
The presence of a visiting professor for doctoral students in Elementary Education not only provides additional academic knowledge but also serves as a catalyst in fostering an open attitude towards the diversity of educational perspectives. Students had the opportunity to engage in direct dialogue, discuss best practices, and compare the context of basic education in various countries with the situation in Indonesia.