Introducing Coding and Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Teacher Readiness at SDN Cibuntu 01

Abstract

Rapid technological advances associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution have heightened the need to cultivate digital literacy from the earliest stages of formal education. Coding and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly recognised as essential twenty-first-century competencies, making teachers’ capacity to incorporate these technologies into instruction particularly important. At SDN Cibuntu 01 in Bekasi Regency, an initial assessment identified substantial readiness gaps: approximately 80% of participating teachers lacked a sufficient grasp of fundamental coding and AI concepts, while 90% had no prior experience using visual coding platforms or AI-supported educational tools. This community engagement programme sought to strengthen teachers’ conceptual understanding, confidence, and pedagogical readiness to integrate coding and AI into classroom learning. It combined interactive training and workshops featuring unplugged activities with guided demonstrations of accessible AI tools. Post-test scores exceeded pre-test scores across all assessed dimensions. Participants also prepared draft lesson plans incorporating computational thinking, while the programme produced a practical guide entitled “Introduction to Coding and Artificial Intelligence for Elementary School Teachers” to support continued implementation. These findings indicate that combining unplugged learning with accessible AI tools can strengthen teachers’ initial readiness for technology-enhanced instruction and generate practical resources that may be adapted by elementary schools facing similar circumstances.