BANJARBARU – The Banjarbaru Social Science Subject Teacher Forum (MGMP IPS) collaborated with lecturers from the Social Science Education Department at Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) to host a community service program. The event, an Educational Animation Media Training using the Powtoon application, took place on Wednesday, October 3, 2025, from 09.30 AM to 12.00 PM WITA, at SMP Negeri 1 Banjarbaru.
The event was attended by the Supervisor of the Banjarbaru City Education Office, Mrs. RR. Ani Anjarwati, S.Pd, M.Pd.; the Acting Principal of SMP Negeri 1 Banjarbaru, Mrs. Titi Wahyu Winarti, M.Pd.; and IPS teachers who are members of the MGMP IPS Banjarbaru. ULM’s Social Science Education lecturers, Prof. Dr. Ersis Warmansyah Abbas, M.Pd. and Fatwa Nuraini, S.Pd., M.Pd., served as both facilitators and speakers, providing direct mentorship to the participating teachers.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. RR. Ani Anjarwati, S.Pd, M.Pd, highlighted the importance for teachers to adapt to technological developments, particularly in using digital learning media. She stated that applications like Powtoon can help teachers present social science materials in a more engaging, interactive, and relevant way for today’s digital generation.
The training focused on introducing and practicing the creation of educational animation media with Powtoon. ULM lecturers provided hands-on guidance to the teachers, helping them develop skills in designing creative and innovative animation-based learning content. The teachers were highly enthusiastic, actively trying each step and engaging with questions.
One of the questions from the participants was about the relevance of animated media for middle school students. The speakers explained that the Powtoon application is particularly well-suited for middle school students because animation has been proven to grab attention, boost motivation, and make it easier for students to understand social science topics that are sometimes perceived as abstract. With an interactive visual approach, students are more likely to be actively involved in the learning process.
The Acting Principal of SMP Negeri 1 Banjarbaru expressed her appreciation for the event and hoped the teachers would utilize their new creations in their classrooms. The two-and-a-half-hour event ran smoothly in a spirited and collaborative atmosphere.
Through this program, the ULM Social Science Education lecturers hope to improve the quality of social science education and strengthen the synergy between the university and school practitioners. As a follow-up, MGMP IPS Banjarbaru plans to hold similar events regularly, ensuring that the use of educational animation media becomes a lasting part of the digital transformation of social science learning, rather than a fleeting innovation.
