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Embracing educational disruption under pandemic

As universities around the world, including in Indonesia, cancel in-person classes in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, traditional classrooms are being substituted for virtual classrooms. This could jump-start the long-term adoption of remote learning. The Education and Culture Ministry has confirmed that, as of March 16, 67 Indonesian universities had used virtual learning methods.

I Made Andi Arsana (The Jakarta Post)
Yogyakarta
Sat, June 6, 2020

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Embracing educational disruption under pandemic

As universities around the world, including in Indonesia, cancel in-person classes in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, traditional classrooms are being substituted for virtual classrooms. This could jump-start the long-term adoption of remote learning. The Education and Culture Ministry has confirmed that, as of March 16, 67 Indonesian universities had used virtual learning methods.

These changes have certainly caused massive adjustments here and there. Some have succeeded, some have failed, but they have also showcased examples of educational innovation, which has been postponed for a long time.

With 71 percent of our students from Generation Z (5 to 24 years old) and 53.06 percent of them active internet users, based on Statistics Data of the Indonesian Education Sector 2018/2019, we as educators need to explore new ways to provide virtual learning that are fun and easy to understand.

Members of Gen Z, the majority of students today, are highly visual. The Hootsuite Digital Report Indonesia 2020 shows that 99 percent of internet users of Indonesia, of whom most of are Gen Z, watch online videos, and 83 percent stream video. On the other hand, most teachers and lecturers are a lot older than their students. This potentially generates a larger and larger gap between the two that may affect the learning process. To deal with the issue, educators need to find ways to bridge this gap.

Using video in learning might be effective because it allows educators to “speak” in the language of Gen Z. Enhancing its capabilities through features such as wireless connectivity, remote access and interactivity, video technology has become a fundamental part of modern education, including in active and collaborative learning.

This is especially useful in areas of study that require visual descriptions, such as Geodetic Engineering, particularly to examine a country’s territorial boundaries and the Law of the Sea.

The disruption of COVID-19 could give educators time to rethink how we can embrace video technology in educating future generations. With video technology providing educators the ability to review lessons and giving students independence in research and catching up on missed content, it has been a primary resource during this disruption and the transition to the “new normal” in education. This changing nature of students has already led to greater adoption of active learning spaces alongside more traditional lecture sessions.

With the advancement of technology and innovation, we will see how public and private parties in the education sector can truly embrace the “learn anywhere, anytime” concept of digital education in a range of formats. From online tutoring to video distribution platforms, public and private parties are starting to look at education-based content.

Traditional in-person classroom learning will be complemented with new learning modalities, from live broadcasts to “educational influencers” to virtual reality experiences. Learning could become a habit that is integrated into daily routines — a true lifestyle.

For example, TikTok, currently Gen Z’s favorite app for its entertainment and humorous videos, has started to promote and encourage this type of content. Educational professionals can create short videos to share knowledge and simple tips in a fun way and connect with the daily lives of our students.

The recently launched program #SamaSamaBelajar offers a wide range of educational videos, including Korean language tips, computer reviews and Mathematic hacks. It has gained more than 2 billion views.

Over the past decade, we have seen far greater interest and investment from the private sector in education solutions and innovation. The government has opened its doors to partner with several startups and technology companies and aims to build an educated populace. The pandemic could pave the way for much larger-scale, cross-industry coalitions to be formed around a common educational goal.

In contrast to the old stereotype, students are nowadays increasingly self-reliant and eager to learn by doing. Developments in video technology have meant that students are empowered to take their work into their own hands. The COVID-19 pandemic might have a psychological impact on students and could affect their eagerness to learn.

Educators need to find ways to stay connected with students through the media they use. Using an app that enables collaboration with students and takes advantage of current trends might actually create a sort of trust or bond that educators can speak the language of students, and most importantly, understand them.

Beyond the electronic connection, we need to connect emotionally — especially in times of anxiety and uncertainty.

According to the latest news, large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) will be reduced shortly and students may be able to return to their classrooms. But the innovation and exploration that we have engaged in for the last few months of online learning might be here to stay.

Learning will be a continuum, and technology will enable us to access it in a more flexible, boundless and fun manner.

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