KENDAL – Politeknik Negeri Semarang Competitive Community Service Team (POLINES) has successfully carried out Community Service activities at SMK Negeri 3 Kendal on Thursday afternoon (15/06/2023) with the theme "Creative and Innovative Computer Network Learning Using Augmented Reality Technology in Kendal 3 Public Vocational School."
The PKM-Competitive Team is chaired by Kuwat Santoso, S.Kom., M.Kom. and consisted of several other lecturers including Aisyatul Karima, S.Kom., M.Cs., Afandi Nur Aziz Thohari, ST, M.Cs., and Mirasanti Wahyuni, SE, M.Sc.. Several students from the D3-Engineering study program Informatics is also involved in service activities, including Aurinda Lutfifia Yessa Chatia, Afifah Naura Kamilia, Nandya Nurmala, and Rafi Adi Pramana in the hope of providing an overview of the university's steps in serving society. Service activities are carried out for approximately 5 months as a form of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, namely Community Service.
The community service carried out is in the form of developing the jARkom mobile application to help students at SMK Negeri 3 Kendal recognize various types of computer network hardware through the Augmented Reality feature. Software development itself is a field that is relevant to most POLINES Informatics Engineering courses so it is hoped that the students involved will also be able to innovate to create useful ideas for the surrounding community in the future. Apart from students, the jARkom mobile application can also encourage students at SMK Negeri 3 Kendal to be motivated to be more creative and innovative through the implementation of Augmented Reality technology.
The background to the problem raised from this community service is the limited equipment for computer network practicum at SMK Negeri 3 Kendal. The available computer network practicum equipment is not equivalent to the ratio of the number of students available, causing teachers and students to experience difficulties in learning computer network practicum. Seeing these problems, teachers need new learning methods that are more innovative, effective and efficient.
As a solution, the PKM-Kompetifif POLINES Team presents the jARkom mobile application with a virtual laboratory concept approach to support the teaching and learning process regarding computer network hardware. The jARkom application works by detecting previously prepared markers as targets for displaying virtual 3D objects that can be seen on the smartphone screen.
Community Service activities at SMK Negeri 3 Kendal are not limited to application development, the PKM-Competitive team has also provided assistance regarding Augmented Reality technology and the use of the jARkom mobile application to teachers and students there. During the mentoring, students at SMK Negeri 3 Kendal were invited to try the features in the jARkom application while listening to explanations of material regarding Augmented Reality. The hope is that the community service that has been carried out can increase students' understanding and motivation to learn afterwards.
