The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Universitas Negeri Semarang (FMIPA UNNES) successfully hosted a Guest Lecture featuring international speaker Mr. Nguyen Duc Dat, M.Ed., from Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE), Vietnam. The online session, conducted via Zoom, carried the theme “Data Representation and Visualization in Educational Contexts.”
The event was attended by students from the Physics Education Study Program and the Master’s Program in Primary Education, who are currently enrolled in the English for Academic Purposes course taught by Dr. Ellianawati. This academic activity served as a platform to enhance students’ competencies in data literacy and scientific communication, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education, which promotes inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
The event began with a prayer and welcoming remarks from Dr. Ellianawati, who then introduced the guest lecturer. Mr. Nguyen Duc Dat, M.Ed., is a lecturer at the Department of Physics Education, HNUE, and is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at the University at Albany, United States. During the lecture, Mr. Dat shared his experience and insights in the field of educational research and innovative learning practices.
Mr. Dat earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Physics Education from HNUE. His research interests include STEM education, ICT integration in teaching, active learning, physics experiments, and the development of Arduino-based lessons on Thermophysics. His work demonstrates the spirit of SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, particularly in encouraging innovation and technology-based approaches to education. He is also a recipient of the Vingroup Innovation Foundation Scholarship (VINIF.2022.ThS.022) and has published several papers in reputable international journals, including Science & Education and the EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education.
During the lecture, Mr. Dat and Dr. Ellianawati guided students through an interactive discussion on various data visualization techniques, including bar charts, line graphs, scatter plots, histograms, and box plots. Through practical examples, students were encouraged to understand how to select appropriate forms of data representation and to critically interpret relationships between variables.
To assess students’ understanding, a short quiz was given during the session, followed by a post-test at the end of the lecture. The results indicated that students were able to comprehend and absorb the materials effectively. Dr. Ellianawati expressed her appreciation to Mr. Dat, stating that “the presentation was obvious and easy for students to follow, while also providing them with broader insights into various forms and techniques of data representation.”
The activity concluded with a group photo and the sharing of a video link about data misrepresentation, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and ethics in presenting scientific data—a crucial component of both educational integrity and responsible innovation.
This Guest Lecture was part of a collaborative research initiative under the 2025 International Matching Grant Scheme, led by Dr. Ellianawati. The research collaboration involves six universities from six different countries, including HNUE, and is funded by DPA LPPM UNNES 2025. Through this partnership, UNNES and HNUE Vietnam continue to strengthen their international academic collaboration, reflecting the spirit of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, which encourages global cooperation in advancing education and research.
By fostering innovation (SDG 9), promoting quality science education (SDG 4), and enhancing global partnerships (SDG 17), this Guest Lecture demonstrates UNNES’s ongoing commitment to building sustainable and globally connected academic excellence across Southeast Asia.
