Five students from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) have made a breakthrough in education. They introduced a creative and innovative work called the Aromatic Book, which has a special feature to recall memories.
The Aromatic Book, created by Chiara Aura Fajrin, Ulfa Zain Latifa, Afiandina Sukma, Riyani Ayu Lestari, and Elgita Kisti, is supported by the Student Creativity Program (PKM) in the entrepreneurship category from the Directorate General of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education.
These UGM students developed the Aromatic Book, a concept that combines aromatherapy with cognitive science to create books that stimulate memory through specific aromas and customized sketches on each page.
Ulfa Zain Latifa, representing the team, explained that the current education system requires students to understand the material by memorization, which often becomes an obstacle due to the large amount of material that needs to be memorized at one time.
Meanwhile, the material stored in memory is only short-term, making it ineffective.
“Due to the lack of repetition and adequate attention intensity to store it in long-term memory, we felt the need to create a new learning method that can retain material better,” she said at the UGM campus on Monday (Jul. 8).
According to Latifa, this innovation emerged from their desire to find a new, more interesting, and effective way to influence students’ learning processes. Through initial research, the team found that aroma can affect mood and enhance a person’s memory.
“We chose books as the medium due to their practicality in everyday learning processes,” Latifa said.
Chiara Aura Fajrin added that through this approach, the UGM student team successfully integrated the concept of aromatherapy into the educational context. The book has two aroma variants: lavender and lemon.
“Lavender aroma was chosen because it has a calming effect and enhances focus. Meanwhile, lemon aroma triggers the memory process and reduces stress during learning,” said Fajrin.
Meanwhile, Riyani Ayu Lestari noted that much of the paper used today comes from wood, and its extensive use raises concerns about the depletion of wood availability. Therefore, the UGM team took a proactive step by utilizing recycled paper and corn husk waste as raw materials for this project.
“The book will also be equipped with special sketches designed to stimulate the memorization process and help students summarize the material,” Lestari continued.
Elgita Kisti added that their product is planned to be marketed to schools, with the primary target being elementary to high school students. She mentioned that developing this product requires a lengthy formulation, production, and feasibility testing process to produce a quality product.
The team also plans to continue developing this concept by expanding the available aroma variations and applying advanced technology in their book design. Ultimately, the Aromatic Book innovation initiated by UGM students is a concrete example of how creativity, dedication, and scientific knowledge can produce innovative and beneficial educational solutions.
“By continuously developing ideas like this, we not only boost students’ learning outcomes but also pave the way for a more holistic, engaging, and effective learning approach,” explained Kisti.
Author: Agung Nugroho