Cirebon, February 17, 2023 – The English Language Teaching Department of IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon, in collaboration with the Asian Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ASIACALL), hosted a webinar on “Reading Professional Literature.” This event featured distinguished speakers, including Prof. Dr. Andrew Lian, Prof. Dr. Ania Lian, and Dr. Lala Bumela Sudimantara, who shared their insights on the critical importance of professional reading skills in academia.
Prof. Dr. Ania Lian highlighted the necessity of integrating professional reading skills into the holistic development of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment. She emphasized that these skills must be systematically embedded as a fundamental component of scientific activities across all campuses. “Professional reading skills development should be an integral activity of holistic curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment development,” she stated, underlining the need for these competencies to be recognized as essential for academic growth and innovation.
Dr. Lala Bumela Sudimantara expanded on this idea by delineating the six main competencies that comprise professional reading skills: accessing and evaluating information sources; synthesizing information; analyzing the latest research findings; applying theory to new practices; updating knowledge and adapting to change; and reflecting on teaching-research-service practices. He stressed that if these competencies are systematically advanced, campuses can avoid stagnation and maintain their relevance in the ever-evolving landscape of scientific inquiry. “The practice of professional reading of the latest research literature will guarantee a complete transformation of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment,” he affirmed.
Prof. Dr. Andrew Lian, serving as the president of ASIACALL, brought a transformative perspective to the discussion. He urged attendees to engage in practices that are surprising and exciting, fostering a rethinking of conventional methods. He cited groundbreaking research from the doctoral theses of Dr. Lala Bumela Sudimantara and Dr. Luqman Baehaqi, which introduced a novel pedagogy based on rhythm, intonation, and emotion for academic literacy learning. This innovative approach has seen successful implementations in Vietnam and several locations in China. “We need to do things that surprise us, the ones that excite us, and that will help us rethink our common practices,” Prof. Lian remarked, inspiring participants to embrace innovative methodologies.
