IsoJowo

IsoJowo is an interactive learning platform that revolutionizes the way you learn Javanese. We don't just present vocabulary; we invite users to dive into the philosophy and culture behind it.

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💡 Inspiration

"Me speaks no Java." "My friends speak Java." "Me no understand them." "Me sad." Said Vinson, our team leader.

In today's fast-paced digital era, many younger generations are losing touch with their cultural roots, especially their local language. Take the Javanese language, for example. While some may understand basic words, few can confidently use the correct speech levels like Ngoko, Kromo Madya, and Kromo Inggil in real-life situations. This lack of practical fluency often leads to misunderstandings during social interactions, particularly with elders, and contributes to the slow decline of linguistic heritage.

We noticed that most existing language learning apps focus on vocabulary and grammar, but rarely touch on the social and cultural details that are a big part of Javanese culture. This realization inspired us to build IsoJowo, a web platform that not only teaches Javanese, but also helps users understand when and how to use the right speech level based on context and relationships, connecting generations through language awareness.

❓ What it does

Iso Jowo is an interactive web platform that helps users learn and apply the Javanese language in a meaningful and practical way. It goes beyond vocabulary lists and grammar rules; it focuses on mastering the rich sociolinguistic layers of Javanese, including the proper use of Ngoko, Kromo Madya, and Kromo Inggil. By combining culture and context, Iso Jowo encourages learners to not just understand the language but to live it, one respectful conversation at a time.

Iso Jowo also features an AI-powered assistant that provides feedback when users answer questions from the learning phases dan quizzes incorrectly. This helps users understand why their answers are wrong and gives deeper insight into the knowledge, enhancing their overall learning experience.

🛠️ How we built it

At first, we started by delegating our tasks - one on the frontend, one on the backend, one design the interfaces (UI/UX), and one will be managing the project workflow (PMs). Our PM trailed the UI/UX designer on the front-end as he finished one page design at a time, while on the back-end we worked throughout the whole project integrating with the frontend, the database, and the API used. In addition, we also worked throughout the pitch resources together (presentation & video recording).

Not only that, we also spend extra care into how we structure our lessons. We're quite obsessed with making it right and effective, resulting in rounds and rounds of iteration in the curriculum,

⚔️ Challenges we ran into

We ran into a few concerns for the program design:

  • Consolidating the concepts or the core idea of the lessons. Yes, we have an idea of where we want to go, but we still had to figure out how to get there on the best road possible. After round and round of research, we finally concluded on a usp, and our idea can be said to be quite original.

🎯 Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • We're proud that our web project is working as needed, and managed to have it done under 30+ hours of determination.
  • We're relieved that we can work together in teams, ideate, and collaborate throughout the process, although we haven't met each other much.
  • Worked on a language learning concept that's culture integrated is something we will be proud too.

✅ What we learned

  • More knowledge about our own Javanese's language and culture, yet also finding out that Javanese's society is unique of its own.
  • We learned different kinds of programming language - and see how it works from a different perspective, yet also how to debug it's problem.
  • Learning about how to format a learning course effectively. Just laying out the material won't work, we have to be smart about it.

💖 What's next for IsoJowo

  • Social Feature
  • Leaderboard Feature
  • We realize we haven't emphasized enough regarding the Javanese language complexity.
  • Lessons fine tuning(this include length, feasibility, and dynamism).
  • Quality of life UI/UX.
  • Voiceover to capture the medokness of javaness pronounciation.
  • The behavior of the lessons when we revisit them.
  • Modular lessons format.
  • More thorough verification.

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