PERDIKAN (Journal of Community Engagement)

Strengthening local aquaculture management in a group of Vannamei shrimp farmers through an MQTT-based early warning system for water quality monitoring

2026-06-13T19:08:12+07:00

Vannamei shrimp farming is an important source of livelihood and local food production for coastal communities, yet its productivity is highly sensitive to rapid fluctuations in pond water quality. In many small-scale and group-based ponds, monitoring is still conducted manually and intermittently, leading to delayed corrective actions and avoidable production losses. This community engagement program aimed to strengthen local aquaculture management in the Jaring Emas Vannamei shrimp farmer group in Sumenep Regency, Indonesia, through the implementation of an Internet of Things (IoT)-based Early Warning System (EWS) for real-time water quality monitoring. The program was carried out using a participatory and practice-based approach that actively involved the partner group throughout the process, from problem identification and solution design to system installation, practical training, and ongoing assistance. The intervention introduced three ESP32-based IoT nodes equipped with pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen (DO) sensors, supported by an MQTT communication server and integrated web and mobile applications that provided real-time dashboards, early warning alerts, and more systematic records for feeding and harvesting activities. The evaluation examined system operability, continuity of monitoring, and changes in partners’ operational practices. The findings showed that the system operated continuously and enabled real-time monitoring through both web and mobile access. The partners were increasingly able to interpret data trends, understand alerts, and use this information to take corrective actions, such as adjusting aeration when DO levels declined. Operational record-keeping also became more systematic, while harvest data indicated improved outcomes after system adoption: yields increased from approximately 830–880 kg per pond with grade B quality to approximately 1,190–1,220 kg per pond with grade A quality. Overall, the program strengthened not only technical monitoring capacity but also more preventive, responsive, and data-informed pond management practices at the community level. Future programs should strengthen post-deployment mentoring and develop simple recommendations based on historical data to support sustained adoption and broader impact.

Strengthening household financial resilience through financial management training for women tobacco warehouse workers in Blumbungan Village, Pamekasan Regency

2026-06-13T19:13:06+07:00

The level of financial literacy among rural communities, particularly women working in the informal sector, remains relatively low, affecting household economic resilience. This condition is also observed in Blumbungan Village, Larangan District, Pamekasan Regency, where most women work in tobacco warehouses and play dual roles as additional breadwinners and household financial managers. This community service program aims to improve financial literacy and household financial management skills through participatory-based training. The activity employed the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method over one month, involving 23 female tobacco warehouse workers. The stages included a needs assessment, delivery of financial literacy materials, budgeting simulations, and practice in expense evaluation using the 50–30–20 allocation concept. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, and analyzed descriptively. The results revealed that before the training, most participants lacked a financial recording system and tended to spend their income spontaneously on daily needs. After the training, participants showed significant improvement in understanding proportional income allocation, recording expenditures, and saving regularly. They also became aware of the importance of budgeting evaluation and the need for financial independence in old age without relying on their children. This program not only enhanced participants' technical and financial management skills but also strengthened women's economic empowerment and household financial resilience in rural areas. The program recommends follow-up activities such as periodic mentoring and the establishment of village-based financial literacy learning groups to ensure the sustainability of proper financial management practices.

Empowering older adults at Sekolah Lansia Purbaya through community-based exercise and audio-visual health education for hypertension management

2026-06-25T16:07:04+07:00

Early detection and disease prevention are part of the health activities conducted at Sekolah Lansia Purbaya in Salatiga City, Central Java. A health survey on May 20, 2025, revealed that of 29 older women, most participants had hypertension (89.66%). In addition, 65.52% had a body mass index outside the normal range and 58.62% had abdominal obesity. These conditions showing the need of a community service program focusing on blood pressure management. This activity aimed to improve older adults’ understanding of hypertension through audiovisual education and exercise. A service-learning approach was used for 33 participants from Purbaya Senior Citizens’ School in Karangalit, Salatiga City. The activity included health needs assessment, program preparation, implementation, reflection, and evaluation. Participants received health examinations, take part in the Ngadi Salira hypertension exercise, watched the Healthy Heart and Controlled Blood Pressure (SEHATI) educational video, and had a group discussion. Health examinations in July 2025 showed that 60.61% of participants had stage 1 hypertension and 60.61% had abdominal obesity, while most had normal blood glucose, uric acid, and cholesterol levels. After the service-learning, all the participants reported enjoying the exercise session. During the discussion, many expressed interest in continuing the exercise at home and applying the information provided in the educational video. The Ngadi Salira exercise and SEHATI audiovisual serve as educational tools for managing high blood pressure at the Sekolah Lansia Purbaya.

Strengthening the literacy and numeracy culture among Madurese language teachers through the Pakem Maddhu community empowerment program

2026-07-11T16:56:30+07:00

Madurese language education faces two major challenges: declining intergenerational language transmission and limited integration of literacy and numeracy into classroom practice. A preliminary needs assessment in three partner schools in Pamekasan Regency identified low teacher competency, limited contextual teaching resources, weak student engagement, and minimal utilization of local cultural assets in learning. To address these challenges, this community engagement program adopted a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach involving 20 Madurese language teachers, school leaders, researchers, and the Pakem Maddhu community. The program was conducted through four interactive cycles: (1) participatory problem identification and asset mapping; (2) collaborative planning and capacity building; (3) classroom implementation with mentoring and observation; and (4) reflective evaluation to improve teaching practices and learning resources. Local cultural assets, including paribasan, pantun, tembang macapat, and Madurese batik motifs, were integrated into literacy- and numeracy-based learning activities. Program evaluation, using competency tests, questionnaires, classroom observations, and reflective discussions, demonstrated substantial improvements in teacher competency (52.0 to 78.3; p < .001), increased teacher confidence in using digital learning media (85%), and higher student interest in Madurese language learning (38.6% to 72.4%; p = .004). Beyond improving instructional competence, the program strengthened collaboration among teachers, schools, and the local community, resulting in contextual teaching modules, lesson plans, digital learning resources, and a sustainable professional learning network. The program contributes a replicable, community-based empowerment model that integrates Participatory Action Research, local cultural assets, literacy and numeracy integration, and teacher professional development for regional language education.