Introducing artificial intelligence literacy and computational thinking into classrooms begins with empowering those on the frontlines: our educators. Between November 2025 and September 2026, the Practical AI & Coding Skills for Educators program—held under Microsoft Elevate, led by Alkademi, and supported by ParagonCorp—served as an expansive collaborative hub connecting thousands of passionate teachers across Indonesia.
Within this program, there was never a notion of a “lead instructor” or rigid hierarchy. We upheld the core principle that all educators and facilitators stand on equal footing. Whether gathered in-person or across online video rooms, every session functioned as a collaborative circle to exchange real-world classroom challenges, demystify technology, and co-create engaging ways to deliver computational thinking to young learners.
Paragon Collaboration: Wardah Inspiring Teacher Gen 8 & Training of Trainers (TOT)
Beyond routine offline workshops and cohorts, this initiative collaborated closely with ParagonCorp through its flagship education empowerment program, Wardah Inspiring Teacher (WIT) Generation 8. Our team had the special honor of leading the curriculum for Sessions 2 and 3, equipping selected educators across Indonesia with foundational digital literacy and computational thinking.
The immense scale of WIT Gen 8 necessitated dozens of instructors facilitating simultaneously across multiple parallel breakout rooms (such as Room 13 and other cohort rooms). To ensure delivery quality and curriculum consistency across all cohorts, I had the opportunity to lead the Training of Trainers (TOT) program, preparing and aligning around 50 facilitators ahead of their teaching sessions.
Screenshot from the Wardah Inspiring Teacher Gen 8 virtual classroom on Microsoft Teams, showcasing lively educator participation discussing computational thinking and problem decomposition.
The atmosphere in these virtual rooms was truly moving. The chat panel reflected the authentic commitment of teachers across the country—from educators politely sharing signal constraints in rural villages to collective enthusiasm as they grasped systematic problem-solving concepts like decomposition. This TOT reinforced that empowering thousands of teachers begins with thoroughly equipping and aligning the educators who guide them.
Sustained Hybrid and Routine Cohorts
The initiative was designed with recurring, adaptive cohorts. Given the immense geography of the Indonesian archipelago spanning three distinct time zones (WIB, WITA, and WIT), the curriculum blended intensive online sessions with hands-on offline workshops and hybrid setups at partner educational institutions.
A hybrid Microsoft Elevate training session at SMKN 1 Kaligondang, Purbalingga (March 16, 2026), connecting an offline classroom with interactive online teachers across multiple regions.
Throughout the cohorts, participants explored 21st-century skills, computational logic, and beginner-friendly coding paradigms. Teachers experienced hands-on game-based learning through Hour of Code (powered by Minecraft Education) and learned foundational AI ethics and classification mechanisms through Hour of AI: AI for Oceans.
Endjiansyah facilitating the Hour of AI: AI for Oceans curriculum during an in-person workshop for educators at SMA Alfa Centauri, Bandung.
An interactive session as Endjiansyah guides educators at SMA Alfa Centauri Bandung to connect with the online learning ecosystem on the Elevate Alkademi portal.
Bridging Visual Blocks to Text-Based Logic
A common concern expressed by teachers from non-computer science disciplines was the belief that coding is inherently intimidating and full of convoluted syntax. Using an applied andragogical method, programming concepts were broken down through everyday analogies—contrasting Block Coding (visual drag-and-drop logic) with Text Coding.
Endjiansyah detailing the conceptual transition from visual block programming to text coding in the computer lab of Universitas Muhammadiyah Bandung (UMB).
By visualizing core logic structures such as loops, conditional statements (if-else), and directional sensors, teachers realized that the core of programming lies in clear systematic reasoning rather than rote syntax memorization.
Unforgettable Moments: A Mosaic of Regional Perspectives
For me personally, the greatest reward from these months was discovering the rich diversity of perspectives regarding technology from educators across different corners of Indonesia.
Each community brought its own stories, local wisdom, and dedication:
- Bu Liliana Tangu from Biak (Papua) demonstrated inspiring perseverance in bringing Minecraft Education to students on an outer island, proving that geographic distance is no barrier to world-class digital aspiration.
- Pak Nasir from Ambon (Maluku) brought a heartwarming perspective on weaving computational logic into environmental awareness for local marine ecosystems.
- Pak Raabiul Akbar from Makassar (South Sulawesi) invigorated cohorts with creative ideas on harnessing AI to generate contextual, engaging learning aids for his students.
- Bu Dewi from Purbalingga (Central Java) alongside vocational teachers showcased tremendous enthusiasm in aligning secondary school curricula with modern technology standards.
Endjiansyah guiding educators through game-based AI & coding modules at Universitas Muhammadiyah Bandung (UMB).
Spanning November 2025 through September 2026, this shared journey reaffirmed a simple truth: when transformative technology is placed in the hands of passionate teachers, its empowering ripple effect reaches millions of students across the nation.
