APPLICATIONS CLOSED: 2021 USINDO Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy Course
Economists who have studied the relationship between education and economic growth confirm what common sense suggests: the number of college degrees is not nearly as important as how well students develop cognitive skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving ability.
Derek Bok, Former Dean of Harvard Law School
[APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE CLOSED]
Critical thinking and digital literacy are essential for successful graduate school applications.
USINDO designed a free of charge course, with six 90-minute online sessions, to improve the critical thinking and digital literacy skills of Indonesians who intend to apply to U.S. universities but have not gained acceptance.
Our Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy Course will cover how to improve critical thinking to create strong arguments, assess evidence, and demonstrate clarity of thought and maturity in graduate applications. It will also strengthen such digital literacy skills as determining source credibility, recognizing fallacies, and finding what is needed instead of only what is available – all essential for academic success.
The USINDO Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy Course is held in coordination with LPDP and supported by the U.S. Embassy Jakarta.
Deadline to apply has been extended to Monday, November 15, 2021 at 17.00 WIB.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have demonstrated strong interest in applying to U.S. Universities.
- Applicants must commit to attending all 6 (six) 90-minute sessions of the course.
- “Calon Penerima Beasiswa” who have passed the LPDP scholarship’s final interview in 2021, 2020, or 2019 are highly preferred, but non-LPDP Awardees will also be considered.
You can download the program information packet here.
Application Information
or click:
Please note that the link is case-sensitive
Applicants will need to submit their applications via Google Forms (https://bit.ly/2021CTDL-App).
DISCLAIMER: Since the form asks applicants to upload certain files, applicants will need to log in to their own Google accounts to successfully finish and submit their applications.
Please note, applicants cannot save the progress of their applications.
Application Checklist
Before starting the application, applicants should prepare to submit the following information:
- Personal Information, including:
- CV/Resume (not to exceed 2 pages);
- Valid English proficiency test results (TOEFL ITP/TOEFL iBT/IELTS/PTE Academic);
- Information on LPDP status, including a screenshot of your LPDP Portal as proof.
- Information on Undergraduate Education
- Personal Statement based on the following prompt (up to 500 words and in English): Tell us about two situations from your recent past: your greatest accomplishment and your greatest challenge you’ve had to overcome (they don’t have to be related). How did you deal with each situation and what have you learned from each?
- Video (up to 3 minutes) based on the prompt and video guidelines below:
Prompt: Introduce yourself and explain in English how you envision your active participation and teamwork in the Critical Thinking and Digital Literacy Course. What are your expectations? How will you benefit from the contributions of others?
Video Guidelines:
- Must not exceed 3 minutes.
- Must be in English.
- Video depicts the speaker answering the prompt (i.e.:not a video showing text or graphic design elements) and must only be spliced minimally.
- No graphic needed–please only show yourself in this video.
- Audio needs to be clear and comprehensible for the application review team.
- Background can be anything, but preferably something without distractions/a lot of movement (i.e.: wall).
Schedule and Session Details
Course Admissions Schedule
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Application Deadline | Monday, November 15, 23:00 WIB |
| Announcement of Acceptances | Wednesday, November 17 – Thursday, November 18 |
| Course Dates* | Saturday, November 20 – Saturday, December 11 |
Course Session Schedule
| Session | Date |
|---|---|
| Session 1 | Saturday, Nov 20 |
| Session 2 | Sunday, Nov 21 |
| Session 3 | Saturday, Nov 27 |
| Session 4 | Sunday, Nov 28 |
| Session 5 | Saturday, Dec 4 |
| Session 6 | Saturday, Dec 11 |
Course Session Details
Each class is 90-minutes and held virtually for 6 weeks
To view the details of each course session, click here.
Meet the Teaching Team
Course Instructor
Beata Mirecka-Jakubowska, M.A.
Founder & CEO of Intercultural Education Consulting Group
To facilitate development of critical thinking, communication skills, collaboration and creativity, Beata Mirecka-Jakubowska, a passionate educator with 30+ years of experience in international schools, employs active learning approaches to seamlessly integrate technology, personalize learning, and foster intercultural understanding, so students can hone their interpersonal skills. A true 21st century educator, Beata equips students with lifelong learning skills to navigate the rapidly-changing world of the digital era. Beata actively promotes international cooperation between schools by participating in EU and European Economic Area projects, testing her Connect2Learn.education platform in South-East Asia, and engaging in a variety of educational endeavours in Indonesia. She can be reached at beatamj@iecgroup.education and on LinkedIn.
Teaching Assistants
Putri Agustinos
Putri is an educator who believes in the learning process as a means of empowerment and teaching by critical approach means facilitating children to be long life learners. Currently is pursuing a master’s degree at Penn Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.
As she found passion in serving the community and grassroots education, Putri is also actively involved in many community development educational projects in Indonesia and volunteered in the United States NGOs.
Indah Shafira Zata Dini
Indah is an educational consultant working at the World Bank Jakarta office. She earned her Master’s degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education fully funded by the LPDP Scholarship.
Indah looks forward to having fun and insightful classes with our CTDL 2021 participants.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
I am not an LDPD Awardee, but I would like to someday become one. Can I still apply to this course?
Due to the limited number of seats in this course and our goal to give a personalized experience to students, we will prioritize seats for LPDP Awardees (“Calon Penerima Beasiswa”) who intend to obtain their degree from the U.S. However, other qualified applicants are welcome to apply and will be considered if there are available slots.
For more information on higher education in the U.S., please visit EducationUSA’s social media platforms (Instagram: @educationusaindonesia; Twitter: @EdUSAIndonesia).
If I get accepted, what is the tuition for the CTDL Course?
The course is 100% free! Participants of the course will need to invest their time and prepare their digital devices to have the most optimal online class experience. Recognizing the amount of value that we hope applicants will take away from the course, we believe that this is an invaluable opportunity for Indonesians who wish to pursue further studies in the United States.
Can I still apply if I can only attend some of the CTDL sessions?
We accept applications with all availabilities as we understand that applicants come from different backgrounds. However, we will prioritize those who will be able to make it to all the sessions and fulfill all the requirements to get a certificate by the end of the program.
What time will the courses be held?
Currently, the sessions are scheduled to run from 8.00-9.30 AM Jakarta time (WIB).
I have more questions…
Our in-country office would be happy to help you. Please direct any questions to isiddik@usindo.org or +6281310995488 (Nana, Program Associate).
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