Udayana University Conducted Trial of Learning Innovation Product “NYASTRA” at SMPN 1 Kuta

Udayana University conducted a trial of the innovative product research NYASTRA (Nyurat Aksara Transliterasi) at SMPN 1 Kuta on July 31 - August 2, 2024. This activity involved lecturers and students from the Faculty of Humanities and the faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science. This trial is part of the development of a digital application that aims to facilitate transliteration from Latin or English to Balinese script.

 


NYASTRA is a web-based application developed in collaboration with the BASAbaliWiki Foundation, combining two areas of specialization: socio-cultural and computer application development. The application is designed to support the preservation of Bali's local culture, particularly in using and learning Balinese script. With user-friendly features, NYASTRA is expected to be an effective digital media in the learning process of Balinese, both for the general public and teachers and students in schools.

 


In a trial conducted at SMPN 1 Kuta, students from grades 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 were allowed to access the NYASTRA application via the link https://nyastra.co.id/. After successfully accessing it, the students were asked to enter an Indonesian or English word into the app and copy the resulting Balinese script transliteration. The transliteration results were then checked with a Balinese language teacher to ensure compliance with Balinese script writing rules.



 

The students showed high enthusiasm in participating in this trial. They found it helpful in learning the Balinese language, especially in understanding and using Balinese characters. The positive feedback the students gave shows that NYASTRA is easy to use and effectively supports learning Balinese script at school.

 

This activity is an implementation of learning technology at SMPN 1 Kuta and a concrete step in involving students and teachers as research partners. With the full support of the school principal and Balinese language teachers, the NYASTRA pilot is expected to be an important milestone in the effort to preserve Balinese culture through a digital approach.