Who Learns In This Pandemic
The world was caught off guard by the COVID-19 epidemic. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by a new coronavirus identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; previously known as 2019-nCoV), which was discovered in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, during an outbreak of respiratory illness cases. On December 31, 2019, it was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO designated the COVID-19 outbreak a worldwide health emergency on January 30, 2020. COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by WHO on March 11, 2020, the first time since H1N1 influenza was declared a pandemic in 2009.
Everything has ceased on a global scale. Projects have been postponed, businesses have closed, and schools have been closed. The new virus appears to have brought the world to a halt.
In the struggle against COVID-19, schools in Indonesia have closed, and learning is now done online, as it is in many other nations. The number of classes, online examinations, and most of them being done without appropriate directions is just a few of the issues that young people encounter in this new learning environment. Considering keeping schools open poses a safety risk to students, the model is now the best option.
Named as Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh (PJJ) which was held since March 2020, referring to the letter of the Ministry of Education and Culture №40 2020, regarding the implementation of education policies in the emergency period of the spread of coronavirus disease. The impact of the coronavirus disease the learning process is carried out from home online in educational units using various learning resources through communication technology, information, and media that support the good purposes.
Teachers use online media such as Whatsapp, Google Meet, Google Form, MS Teams, and other types to conduct distance learning. However, in order to be implemented, this system requires unique learning designs and approaches. A policy evaluation of the distance learning system that has been established in schools at all levels of education is required.
All of this is a huge undertaking, but do all students have access to online classrooms, and what can we say about the quality of education under these conditions?
Based on the observations that have been made, it is obtained an illustration that distance learning or Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh (PJJ) is considered not effective and maximal when applied to schools with inadequate infrastructure. However, there are still many schools that are not ready to implement distance learning programs. Online classes implemented in Indonesia work differently than those in the US. This is due to the lack of preparation in this country. This technology-based distance learning requires a different approach in terms of planning, implementing, and evaluating it. In the implementation of distance learning, students need special and extra attention, especially the infrastructure and curriculum used, an adequate internet network, and self-motivation to be able to participate in an independent learning process.
The problems of distance learning include unequal access to the internet network, inadequate devices, the high cost of quotas, the uneven knowledge of science and technology among educators or teachers, the unpreparedness of the implementation of the teaching and learning process using distance learning methods, and the difficulty of parents in assisting their children. their children carrying out teaching and learning activities are an obstacle encountered during the distance learning process. The distance-learning program was found by students to be much more stressful than traditional classes. As a student in a distance-learning program, the online school was difficult to adapt to because we had not been trained prior through simulations or rehearsals.
Many students enrolled in distant learning programs also claim that the burden in online classrooms is higher than in traditional classes. Distance learning programs, while very valuable and a good alternative to schools because schools are closed, are still requiring some adaptation on the part of students, as this is a new concept and not many are experienced with it. For many students, online learning is merely a formality rather than a genuine substitute for the traditional education system. Some teachers simply pass on information to their students without actually teaching it to them. The notion of “figure it out yourself” is sometimes used in online testing. Real, long-lasting information is not being acquired by students. Furthermore, some teachers overlook the likelihood that a student’s internet connection may be lost during online testing. If this occurs, the student will be scored on the number of questions answered and logged in the system before the connection was lost. As a result of online learning, students have difficulty controlling and managing their own time.
This puts a lot of students in a shitty condition where they can’t get an education. Despite the fact that internet service providers have been providing free data packages, they are unable to handle video calls on services like Zoom.
Some solutions that have been provided by the government are that there are several regulations that regulate and provide an overview of how the distance learning process is implemented, such as Surat Edaran №15 Tahun 2020 concerning Pedoman Penyelenggaraan Belajar Dari Rumah Masa Darurat Penyebaran Covid-19, subsidies for teacher and student quotas are one of the government’s measures aimed at reducing the high cost of quotas in the context of distant learning implementation.
Dynamic, interesting, and interactive online courses are required. To keep kids aware and focused, teachers should give them time limitations and reminders. To communicate with students, social media and numerous group forums can be used. When it’s tough to reach students via texts, various messaging apps, video chats, and other means, communication is crucial content should be designed to allow students to practice as well as improve their skills. As far as practical, efforts should be made to humanize the learning process. Students should be provided individual attention so that they can readily adapt to this new learning environment.
COVID-19’s presence will have a direct and long-term impact on education in the future, as we will need to be able to adapt to working and learning online for a variety of reasons and scenarios. It is clear that everyone is affected by the situation, and everyone must work together to defeat the pandemic. However, we must not allow the situation to jeopardize the quality of education for those in whose hands our country’s future depends. Only time will tell whether online classes are a good substitute for traditional classrooms, and if they are, the number of online education programs and universities will grow.
