IO – According to a survey, 87% of students in Indonesia feel they chose the wrong major in their university, which is certainly a reason for the high rate of dropouts and movement between departments. In view of this problem, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) Management and Technology Master student Lutvianto Pebri Handoko created the online application “Aku Pintar” (I Am Smart), software which can identify an individual’s potentials, enabling him or her to accurately map their interests, potential and talents.
According to Pebri, the problem of pursuing the wrong major is a unique problem. He admitted to often having encountered university students who complained about not fitting into their departments or ending up working outside the field of their study. “As a result, through the platform, I wanted to save the millennial generation helping them plan and prepare better when making decisions about their future,” said Pebri.
Pebri, who experienced the same dilemma, wants the application to be integrated well between education and social media. He wants to change the perception people have concerning the negative effects of social media. “I hope that the ‘Aku Pinter’ application can address questions that come up by providing creative learning features,” said Pebri.
Pebri stated that the application is the only one in Indonesia that combines an interest and talent test with studying, helping direct students on what to learn.
According to his observations, there are many similar interests and talent tests; however, they are more focused on quality. “Here we have a quantity side: the point is this application is more complete and is truly dedicated to high school and even middle school students,” explained Pebri.
The application has three main features: smart interests, smart learning, and smart campus. Each of these is integrated and can be accessed for free by Indonesian students. In the “smart interests” feature, there is a personality test and test to help students chose a major. The results of the tests will show the suitability of a major and working environment for the student.
Subsequently, the application will automatically show universities which are in line with the student’s interests. “Currently we have a database comprising 1,300 campuses across Indonesia and next month we will have a total of 2,000,” Pebri stated.
The next feature, smart learning, supports the first. The smart learning feature provides a myriad of materials, questions, quizzes, and tests starting from Grades 10 to 12, in both natural and social sciences. The feature also has a column where students can interact with each other. “If they cannot find an answer, they can ask through the column and receive answers from other students, making it more interactive and not just one-way,” said Pebri.
The last feature, smart campus, contains information regarding universities. Pebri and his team added the feature as they believe high school students lack information surrounding universities across Indonesia. “They can more easily receive information about universities as the feature is roughly the same as a university’s website’s miniseries,” said Pebri.
When asked about the accuracy of the tests, the Chemical Engineering alumnus said the accuracy could be said to be around 90-95%. “We are continuing to study and improve the tests alongside our psychologists,” he explained. (Aldo)
