Biology students Universitas Gadjah Mada (S1) made another achievement at national level by win 2nd place in the National Essay Competition (E-Comp) “BIOCOMPACT (Biology Competition and Application) Season 14” held at the State University of Surabaya on October 29, 2023. This remarkable achievement was achieved by Muhammad Fityatul Haq and Ulfah Nur Azizah, Biology Student Class of 2020 under the guidance of Laksmindra Fitria, S.Si., M.Si.
The competition took the theme “The Role of the Younger Generation in Realizing the Millennial Generation (Potential, Critical Thinking, and Innovation)”, aimed to enhancing the knowledge and understanding of the younger generation in advancing the quality of SDGS 2040, particularly in the field of biology, which is closely related to issues concerning living organisms and the environment. The competition underwent a series of selection stages, including essay registration and submission, selection of the top 5 finalists, collection of essay posters, and concluded with the finalists’ presentations. This competition took place from July 3, 2023, to October 29, 2023.
Through this competition, the team highlighted the holistic implementation of Interdisciplinary Project-Based Learning (I-PjBL) amidst educational segmentation, emphasizing its urgency in the context of special needs education. For children with special needs, PjBL can serve as an alternative to enhance their real-life learning experiences, as it is constructivist in nature, particularly in developing critical thinking skills that can encourage them to be more independent and less reliant on others. Additionally, the team also spotlighted the implementation of I-PjBL in STEM-based learning.
The team hopes that the breakthroughs and issues raised through this competition will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which pertains to inclusive quality education. Furthermore, they aspire that participation in this competition will provide encouragement and motivation for Indonesian students and the younger generation to make positive contributions towards advancing education in Indonesia. [Author: Ulfah Nur Azizah]