Digital Transformation in Indonesian Education An Analysis of AR/VR, Gamification, and Artificial Intelligence Narratives
Abstract
Abstract
The development of educational technology in Indonesia has accelerated alongside the Merdeka Belajar policy and the growing demand for digital learning innovation. Emerging technologies, particularly Augmented Reality (AR/VR), gamification, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become increasingly prominent in educational research. However, beyond evaluating technological effectiveness or mapping publication trends, less attention has been given to how Indonesian educational literature frames these technologies in relation to pedagogical practices, policy priorities, and contextual implementation challenges. This study aims to examine the dominant narratives and themes associated with AR/VR gamification, an all Indonesian educational publication. Artickle abstracts published between 2019 and early 2025 were retrived from Crossref, Semantic Scholar, and Google Scholar and analysed using content analysis and thematic coding. The findings indicate differences in emphasis across databases: Crossref foregrounds effectiveness and outcome evaluation, Semantic Scholar connects technological innovation with digital transformation and policy discourse, while Google Scholar emphasizes practical classroom implementation. Three overarching narratives emerged: AR/VR as immersive media for contextual representation and simulation, gamification as a pedagogical strategy for supporting motivation and participation, and AI as an adaptive learning ecosystem associated with personalization and learning governance. The study contributes an interpretive perspective that complements publication-level bibliometric mapping by examining how emerging educational technologies are framed in Indonesian educational discourse. These findings also highlight the importance of aligning technology with instructional design, educator readiness, equitable access, and responsible data governance, particularly in vocational education and other resource-constrained learning contexts..
Abstrak
Perkembangan teknologi pendidikan di Indonesia dipercepat oleh kebijakan Merdeka Belajar dan tuntutan Revolusi Industri 4.0, yang mendorong adopsi teknologi digital dalam ekosistem pembelajaran. Fenomena ini dapat dilihat dari peningkatan publikasi akademik yang membahas teknologi emergensi seperti Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), gamifikasi, dan Kecerdasan Buatan (AI). Namun, sebagian besar penelitian masih berfokus pada evaluasi kuantitatif efektivitas, sementara analisis naratif tentang bagaimana teknologi-teknologi ini diposisikan dan diinterpretasikan dalam literatur pendidikan Indonesia masih terbatas. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi narasi dan tema utama yang muncul dalam publikasi akademik terkait AR/VR, gamifikasi, dan AI di Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan dalam bentuk abstrak artikel dari tiga basis data utama (Crossref, Semantic Scholar, dan Google Scholar) pada periode 2019 hingga awal 2025. Analisis dilakukan dengan kombinasi analisis konten untuk mengidentifikasi pola istilah dominan dan pengkodean tematik untuk menafsirkan makna laten dan konstruksi naratif dalam abstrak. Hasil menunjukkan perbedaan penekanan antar basis data, dengan Crossref menonjolkan efektivitas dan pengujian hasil, Semantic Scholar mengaitkan inovasi dengan kebijakan dan transformasi digital, serta Google Scholar menekankan implementasi praktis di kelas. Mengenai narasi, AR/VR diposisikan sebagai media imersif untuk representasi kontekstual dan simulasi, gamifikasi sebagai strategi pedagogis untuk meningkatkan motivasi dan partisipasi, dan AI sebagai ekosistem adaptif yang mendukung personalisasi dan tata kelola pembelajaran. Kesimpulannya, transformasi digital pendidikan Indonesia berlangsung dalam tiga lapisan utama: media, strategi, dan ekosistem, yang membutuhkan pendekatan berbasis desain, literasi digital guru, dan kebijakan etika data. Studi ini memberikan kontribusi interpretatif yang memperkaya analisis bibliometrik sebelumnya dan menawarkan implikasi praktis bagi peneliti, praktisi, dan pembuat kebijakan
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.38038/vocatech.v8i2.300
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