UNU Jogja Lecturer Awarded Spencer Foundation Research Grant to Study Digital Culture and Bullying in Elementary Schools

Yogyakarta, Indonesia — Dr. Hidar Amaruddin, M.Pd., a lecturer in the Elementary School Teacher Education (PGSD) Department at the Faculty of Education, Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja), has been awarded a prestigious Small Research Grant from the Spencer Foundation, United States. His research proposal, titled “Children, Screens, and Everyday Bullying: Digital Popular Culture, Families, and Schools in Yogyakarta’s Elementary Education,” received funding of USD 49,800, with Dr. Hidar serving as the Principal Investigator.

Founded in Chicago in 1962, the Spencer Foundation is a leading philanthropic organization dedicated exclusively to supporting education research. It is internationally recognized for its highly competitive, peer-reviewed grant selection process. The Small Research Grant program is open to researchers worldwide and supports studies that make significant contributions to advancing knowledge in education.

The study explores how digital popular culture—including online games, anime, short-form videos, memes, and classroom messaging groups—intersects with bullying practices among upper-grade elementary school students. It also examines how families and schools respond to these challenges. Rather than viewing bullying solely as individual misconduct, the research frames it as a social phenomenon emerging from the interaction between children's digital environments, parental guidance, and school norms. The study is grounded in Indonesia’s Tri Sentra Pendidikan (Three Centers of Education) framework, which emphasizes the interconnected roles of families, schools, and communities or media in children's development.

Dean of the Faculty of Education, Dr. Mustaghfiroh Rahayu, congratulated Dr. Hidar on receiving the international research grant, describing it as evidence that UNU Jogja scholars are capable of producing research that addresses global educational issues while remaining deeply rooted in Indonesia’s local context.

“This grant is a remarkable achievement for both the Faculty of Education and UNU Jogja. We hope the research will contribute not only to the advancement of educational knowledge but also to practical recommendations for creating school environments that are safe, inclusive, and responsive to the challenges of today’s digital culture,” she said. 

She added that the faculty will continue encouraging lecturers to pursue international research collaborations, publish in reputable academic journals, and develop innovations that have a tangible impact on improving the quality of education in Indonesia.

“This grant demonstrates that the Faculty of Education's lecturers are capable of competing at the international level. We hope that the achievement made by Dr. Hidar will serve as a starting point and inspire more lecturers to pursue international research opportunities in the future,” she concluded. 

The Spencer Foundation-funded project will run for 30 months, beginning in September 2026, across eight public and private elementary schools in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Dr. Hidar and his team will work with approximately 30–32 students, along with their parents, teachers, and school principals, through in-depth interviews, classroom and school observations, as well as analyses of school policies and digital artifacts.

The project also involves three Co-Principal Investigators: Dr. Taufan Jannata, M.Pd., AIFO., a lecturer at the Faculty of Education, UNU Jogja; Dr. Mobinta Kusuma, M.Pd., from the Science Education Study Program at Universitas Pancasakti Tegal; and Dr. Mawaidi, S.S., M.Pd., from the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Program at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta. This inter-university collaboration brings together expertise in elementary education, educational psychology and child well-being, media literacy, and language and literature.

The proposal received strong evaluations from Spencer Foundation reviewers, who highlighted its relevance and timeliness, rigorous research design, and robust conceptual framework. Reviewers also praised its Global South perspective and the use of Indonesia’s Tri Sentra Pendidikan framework as a contextually grounded theoretical foundation.

The research findings are expected to be disseminated through international journal publications, bilingual policy briefs for education stakeholders, and practical guidelines for teachers and parents. These resources will be developed collaboratively with participating schools through a series of workshops in Yogyakarta.

Through this achievement, UNU Jogja reaffirms its commitment as a university in Yogyakarta that consistently promotes impactful research contributing to the advancement of knowledge and the improvement of education in Indonesia. [Latifah]