Widyawan Ph.D
Lecturer of Engineering Faculty
Gadjah Mada University – UGM
Director of System and Information Resources of UGM
Learning process in school was closed because of Covid-19 pandemic. From Early Childhood Education untill University all asked to run Distance Learning (Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh/PJJ) from home. Learning process gave by teacher through internet. Student asked to access learning material by using smartphone or notebook. Unfortunately, not all student have internet access. Some of student did not have smartphone, or did not have sufficient money to buy data of internet, or there are not sufficient internet access to his home.
According to APJII survei (Association of Indonesia Internet Service Entrepreneur), there are 32.2% (93 Millions people) Indonesia citizien who do not have internet access and more than half, 55%, of internet user are in Java island.
It is not easy both for teacher and school because of preparing learning material need extra time and extra effort. Some of teacher did not have necessary expertise in making digital learning material. Moreever, according Ministry of Education and Culture there are 8.522 schools without electricity and 42.159 without internet access.
There are lost generation threat because many students and schools did not have ability to follow distance learning based on internet. This is a real threat. There are many stories about drop out student because have many obstacles during distance learning.
One of government effort is by giving pulse subsidies for teacher, lecturer and student for 4 month from September to December with nearly Rp 9 billion cost. Unfortunately, that huge cost only cover some of problems in distance learning. Electricity, difficulty in creating digital learning material, internet infrastructure equity, and number of smartphone ownership could not tackled in short period of time.
We have to ask again in order looking for alternative solution. Does internet is only one available medium for distance learning?The answer is not. If we simplified learning value chain from teacher, learning material, delivery medium, and student.
In luring learning (learning out of networking), point of 1-4 are in the same locus and tempus and make learning process more simple. Communication will be a rich process because full of duplex (two-way direction in the same time) and real time. Various learning style, namely visual, auditory and kinesthetic, could facilitate because of availability of delivery medium with unlimited bandwith (class room)
Teacher and student are in a different time and location at distance learning process. Telecommunication infrastructure is needed. Internet is full duplex telecommunication infrastructure with pre-requisite : student location covered by electricity and internet infrastructure, ready to use smartphone for learning and have quota.
We need to develope another scenario if pre-requisite infrastructure could not fulfilled. If student home and school is close enough to cover, the simplest way is by delivery learning material physically. Learning material could be delivered to home or take to the school. Especially for Early Childhood Program, Elementary School or Junior High School. Because most of student on those school are in the same area of village or sub-district
Sending by post is feasible if the distance is far enough and for practical reason. It is call as Pitsman system that began in England in 1840. Pitsman system enable two-way communication (full duplex) even though in a different time (asynchronous). Learning material could be delivered in print or digital. Considering student facilitation.
Another alternatif solution is by using radio or television. It is assumed that every house has them and student could access radio and television as learning medium. Radio characteristics enable to communicate for the long distance. Radio wave could pass topografi obstacle and suitable for Indonesia geographic. All of region have local radio and Education Office could cooperate to broadcast learning material. Teacher adjustment is easy because verbal or auditory learning process is often occur in the class.
Looking at various infrastructure condition and value chain from learning process in Indonesia, it is better not using internet as a single mode of distance learning. Choosing a mode have to consider infrastructure condition, geographic, and readiness of student and teacher. School in city with sufficient electricity and internet infrastructure, student ability to have smartphone, affordable quota fees is feasible for distance learning by using internet. If those pre-requisite are not meet, another distance learning mode have to be a choice.
