MAKASSAR, Wednesday, July 30th, 2025 – The English Education Department at FKIP Unismuh Makassar successfully hosted an International Sharing Session featuring Prof. Darmawansah, Ph.D., a guest lecturer from the Global Foreign Language Education department at Providence University, Taiwan. The event, attended by 9 lecturers and 5 students, focused on introducing computational thinking through direct, hands-on coding practice.
The interactive session uniquely and engagingly introduced the participants to the world of computation. Prof. Darmawansah brought an educational robot named T-Robot, an innovation developed by lecturers in Taiwan. Participants did not just listen to a theoretical presentation; they also had the opportunity to practice basic coding to operate and program the T-Robot.
“This event was very insightful, especially on how technologies like robotics and coding can be integrated into the world of education, including language education,” said one of the participating lecturers.
More than just a knowledge-sharing session, the visit also served as a bridge for future strategic collaborations. On this occasion, Prof. Darmawansah, representing Providence University, officially opened opportunities for partnership in several key areas:
Lab-Based Research Collaboration: Offering an opportunity for lecturers to conduct joint research, the results of which can be integrated directly into the educational curriculum.
International Internship Opportunities: Opening doors for both students and lecturers from the English Education Department who are interested in undertaking internships at the various advanced laboratories at Providence University.
The Head of the English Education Department, Dr. Ummi Khaerati Syam, M.Pd., warmly welcomed the initiative. “We are very enthusiastic about the collaboration offers. This is a golden opportunity for our faculty staff and students to gain international experience, improve their technological competencies, and strengthen their research portfolios. We hope this is the first step toward a productive synergy between our two institutions,” she stated.
This event is expected to be a catalyst for new innovations in English language teaching methods that are more modern and adaptive to global technological developments.