APEC School Leadership Program (ASLP) 2024 Activity Report

By Cecep Gaos, Principal of Puri Artha Junior High School, Karawang Regency, West Java, Indonesia

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

I. Introduction

From October to November 2024, I had the opportunity participate in the APEC School Leadership Program (ASLP) 2024 held at the invitation of the Institute of APEC Collaborative Education (IACE) by the recommendation of BSKAP (Education Standards, Curriculum and Assessment Agency) Ministry of Education and Culture, Republic of Indonesia. The objective of ASLP 2024 is "To Better Equip School Leaders with the Skills and Knowledge for the Future by Fostering High-Quality Digital Literacy and Inclusive Education Cooperation," which is to provide relevant skills and knowledge for school leaders through fostering high quality digital literacy and collaboration in inclusive education. The main theme of ASLP 2024 is "School Leadership Development for Materializing, Education Innovation in the APEC Region, Focusing on Interconnected and Inclusive Education Leadership," which develops school leadership to realize education innovation in the APEC region, with a focus on connected and inclusive education leadership.

This was an APEC-funded project, hosted by the Korean Ministry of Education, and organized by IACE and the National Education Training Institute (NETI). A total of 45 school leaders (Principals and Vice Principals) from 14 APEC member economies participated in the program, including representatives from Indonesia, namely myself, Principal of Puri Artha Junior High School Karawang, West Java, and Mrs. Intan Purnama Pahlawan, Vice Principal of Maitreyawira Elementary School, Batam. Other participating countries included Australia, Chile, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam.

I. Series of Activities of ASLP 2024

1. Pre-Training (October 7-18, 2024)

Pre-Training activities are carried out online through the ASLP digital platform which can be accessed at https://apecslp.org/.

Photo Source: https://apecslp.org/

At this stage, the participants are asked to:

Develop a slide presentation describing their selves and their schools.
Prepare a report explaining education issues and trends in their respective countries

Photo Source: Cecep Gaos’ Documentation

On October 16, 2024, a Kick-off Meeting was held via Zoom Meeting. This meeting aimed to provide an introduction to ASLP 2024 activities, including an explanation of the On-site Training. The Kick-off Meeting also served as an opportunity to get to know each other between group members. I joined Group 4, along with six other participants from various countries, namely Mr. Vaughan Couillault (New Zealand), Mr. Kim Gabsoo (South Korea), Mrs. Cho Nanla (South Korea), Mrs. Lee Gyeongsuk (South Korea), Mrs. Monica Mera Garrigo (Chile), and Mrs. Julaila Yahya (Malaysia).

Photo Source: Cecep Gaos’ Documentation

2. On-site Training (October 22-24, 2024)

This activity was held at the President Hotel Seoul, South Korea, with the following agenda:

Day One (October 22, 2024):

Opening Ceremony which was officially opened by the event organizer.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Keynote Lecture by Mr. Seol Dong Ho (Superintendent of the Dajeon Metropolitan Office of Education), on Global Education Innovations and School Leadership, highlighted the importance of innovations in global education to support the role of school leaders.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Welcome Luncheon A formal lunch event aimed welcoming participants and providing an opportunity for them to make initial connections with other participants. The warm and friendly atmosphere fosters deeper interactions among participants from different countries

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Special Lecture by Mr. An Gyeong Jin (Naver Whale Planning Project Leader) on Competencies of School Leaders for Developing Talent in the Digital Age, which emphasized the role of technology in preparing students for the future.
Field Visit to the headquarters of Naver Corporation (Global IT and Ed- Tech Company), a leading South Korean technology company, to understand the role of technology in education.

Photo Source: Cecep Gaos’ Documentation

Group Activity 1: Interactive discussion on Current Education Issues, Challenges of Respective Economies, and the Vision for Future Education that explores current education issues, challenges in respective countries, and the vision for future education.

Day Two (October 23, 2024):

Panel Discussion: Discussing Educational Innovation led by moderator Mrs. Lee Hwa Seong (Principal of Seoul National University of Education Affiliated High School), with the following panelists:

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Mr. Vaughan Couillault (Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand/Papatoetoe High School)
Mrs. Vu Thu Hang Ngo (Principal of Nguyen Tat Thanh Primary School, Hanoi National University of Education), and
Mr. Jose Armando Villarruel Calderon (Colegio de Rendimiento COAR Madrede Dios). The discussion provided insights into innovative educational practices from various international perspectives.

Best Practice Sharing 1: Digital Competency (Innovative Education and Digital Transformation: How to Design and Implement Innovative Digital Learning Programs for Students that are Inclusive and Transformative), discussed digital transformation in education by the following:

1. Mrs. Kim Jin Sook (President of the Gyeonggi Institute of Education, Korea)

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

2. Mr. Kevin Armstrong (National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), USA)

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

3. Ms. Pearly Ng (Queenstown Primary School, Singapore).

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Lunch: A shared lunch that provides time for relaxation as well as informal discussions between participants, strengthening professional networks.
Best Practice Sharing 2: Global Competencies (Collaborative Education in the Interconnected World: How to Design and Implement Sustainable and Interconnected Collaborative Education Programs such as International School Exchange), presented a sustainable collaborative education program by the following:

1. Mrs. Deborah Hansen (Woodcrest State College, Australia)

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

2. Mr. Shawal Hussin (Fuchun Secondary School, Singapore)

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

3. Mr. Lee ChangKeun (Jeonju Jeolla Elementary School, Korea).

Sumber Foto: Panitia ASLP 2024

Group Activity 2: Collaborative Study for Action Plan: Innovative, Inclusive, and Interconnected School Project Design is a collaboration between participants to design a school project that is innovative, inclusive, and oriented towards global connectivity.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Day Three (October 24, 2024):

Field Visit: A visit to Seoul Yong-Am Elementary School, a multicultural school that excels in the application of VR technology and digital competence.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Photo Source: Cecep Gaos' Documentation

Group Activity 3 (Preparing Presentations on the Action Plan): Preparation and drafting of presentations on the group action plan.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Farewell Lunch: A farewell lunch that provides an opportunity for participants to share stories, experiences, and appreciation of the program and their fellow participants before moving on to the next agenda.
Sharing Group Action Plan Presentation: Presentation of the results of the group discussion.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

Closing Ceremony: Including the official closing of the activity (Closing Remarks), sharing impressions between participants (Sharing Impressions), and announcements (Announcement) related to post-training activities, and a group photo session. In the Sharing Impression activity, I was given the honor to represent Indonesia in sharing my impressions about ASLP 2024 activities.

Photo Source: ASLP 2024 Committee

3. Day Four: Cultural Experience (October 25, 2024)

International participants were introduced to traditional Korean culture through a visit to the Korean Folk Village. In this activity, participants wear traditional Hanbok clothing and explore places that depict the life of the Korean people in the past. A professional guide provided in-depth explanations about the places visited. In addition, the participants also enjoyed a wonderful traditional Korean performance.

Photo Source: Cecep Gaos’ Documentation

4. Post-Training (28 Oktober–8 November 2024)

The Post-Training is conducted online through the ASLP digital platform. In this post-training activity, participants complete a final report that includes the implementation of the action plan that has been designed during the On-site Training and dissemination activities in the participants' place of origin. This activity is also an evaluation of what participants have learned during the program.

Photo Source: Cecep Gaos’ Documentation

III. Impressions and Learning

Participating in ASLP 2024 was a very valuable experience. I gained new insights into the importance of innovation in education, particularly in digital literacy and inclusive education. Collaboration with participants from different countries provided a broader view of the challenges and opportunities of education at the global level. The discussions during the activity provided inspiration to adopt and develop more innovative and inclusive education methods in Indonesia.

In addition, field trips to the technology company and multicultural school that excels in the application of VR technology and digital competence provided a practical understanding of how technology can be effectively applied in education. The cultural experience in Korea enriched my perspective on the importance of understanding and respecting cultural diversity in supporting international cooperation.

IV. Closing

I would like to thank the Institute of APEC Collaborative Education (IACE), the Korean Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Education and Culture's Standards, Curriculum and Assessment Agency (BSKAP), the Karawang District Office of Education, Youth and Sports (Disdikpora), and Puri Artha Foundation for their support and opportunities during ASLP 2024.

I hope this experience can be implemented, especially at Puri Artha Junior High School, and can be an inspiration for the development of education in schools in Karawang Regency and Indonesia. My hope is that innovative, inclusive, and digital- based education programs can continue to be developed to improve the quality of education in Indonesia.