Institut Teknologi Bandung

Instead of conducting the usual written or online exams, this time the exam introduced a more exciting concept, involving cosplay and social experiments.

Dra. Ifa Safira Mustikadara, M.Si., the lecturer for the Communication Psychology course from the Visual Communication and Multimedia Research Group (KK) at FAD ITB, stated that the cosplay exam concept had been implemented in previous years. The concept was chosen to help students better understand the material on self-concept, expression, empathy, and to study various human characters.

"I want to provide a fun and different learning experience for students," she expressed during an interview on Monday (4/1/2024).
As information, the cosplay-themed midterm exam was attended by 83 students from the 2022 cohort of the Visual Communication Design study program. The students participating in this exam wore costumes of various characters they had chosen. There were students dressed as characters like Shaun the Sheep, Mario Bros, SpongeBob SquarePants, or even some portraying scary characters like Jigsaw from the SAW movie.

However, some students also chose costumes representing everyday life, such as dressing up as a Hajj pilgrimage, a neighborhood security officer, or an elementary school student.

Namun ada pula mahasiswa yang memilih kostum layaknya di kehidupan sehari-sehari, seperti cosplay menjadi Pak Haji, hansip, serta anak SD.

Afterward, they walked around ITB Ganesha Campus and conducted social experiments by interacting with the campus residents they encountered.

Then, the students will document the process and results of their cosplay and social experiments on their respective social media platforms.

“The concept of cosplay and social experiments helps them express themselves creatively and learn about social interactions in a more tangible way,” stated Ifa.

Previously, she also emphasized to the students the importance of understanding the clear concept and references of the characters they would choose. This aims to help them understand their own self-concept, as well as how to express themselves to others.

For the social experiments themselves, she stated that this is important to learn about human behavior in specific social situations. With these social experiments, she said, can help students understand how social and psychological factors can influence their behavior.

Student Enthusiasm and Teacher Appreciation

The concept of cosplay and social experiments was welcomed with enthusiasm by the students. Many of them appeared enthusiastic and creative in preparing their assignments.
One student, Rebeca, admitted to thoroughly enjoying the exam with the cosplay concept. She also expressed excitement in preparing everything for the exam.
"The concept is really fun and refreshing. It helps me to be more confident in expressing myself and presenting in front of others," she proclaimed.
Meanwhile, Ifa also feels delighted with the enthusiasm and creativity of her students. "I can see that they truly enjoy the process and learn a lot from this experience," she expressed.

She hopes that the concept of cosplay and social experiments, it will not only be an enjoyable exam but also provide valuable learning experiences for her students.

"I want them to learn about the importance of communication, empathy, and how they can use their creativity to make a positive impact in the world," she concluded.

Reporter: Anggun Nindita

Translator: Firzana Aisya

Editor: Anggi Nurdiani (Management, 2024)