Innovative Adaptation in Digital Education: Teacher Creativity Strategies for Sustaining ICT Utilization in Vulnerable Indonesian Rural Schools

Kurniawati Kurniawati

Authors

Kurniawati Kurniawati Universitas PGRI Palembang, Indonesia Author

Keywords:

Adaptive creative competencies, ICT utilization, Offline Pedagogy, Resource Hacking, Teacher creativity.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the specific role and empirical manifestations of teacher creativity in sustaining the utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for learning in Indonesian rural schools characterized by severe resource scarcity and unstable internet connectivity (low-bandwidth). The study employed a qualitative case study design at SMPN 2 Air Kumbang, South Sumatra , involving preliminary context analysis, primary data collection, and data analysis. The findings revealed three core manifestations of teacher creativity: Resource Hacking, utilizing local materials as substitutes for high-end digital tools; Offline Pedagogy, designing project-based learning to minimize reliance on real-time internet access; and Peer-to- Peer Tech Support, establishing informal networks for troubleshooting and content sharing. These strategies represent the study's novelty by demonstrating an inherent, highly effective buffer against infrastructural limitations. The practical implication is that policy and professional development must shift focus from hardware supply to fostering and rewarding these adaptive creative competencies. The study's contribution is concluding that teacher creativity is the critical factor for successful, adapted ICT use in vulnerable settings.

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