Reviewing ICT-Based Class in Indonesia

Written by

ENDANG ASRINI ARIFIATI

1507042025

Nowadays computer technology is widely used as a learning tool or  a virtual multimedia which can provide immediate response to the results of study. Computer-based multimedia presentation can be defined as technology that optimizes the computer's role as a means to display and manipulate text, graphics, and sound in an integrated view. With a view that it can combine various elements to deliver information and messages, the computer can be designed and used as a medium for effective technologies to study and teach relevant lecture material like graphic design and animation. No wonder that ICT-Based class becomes featured class offered by some prestigious schools.

ICT stands for Information and Communication Technology.  Information Technology is the term used to describe the items of equipment (hardware) and computer program (software) that allow us to access, store, organize, manipulate, and present information by electronic means. Communication technology is term used to describe telecommunication equipment, through which information can be sought an accessed (Unesco, 2003:7). Labelle in Surjono and Gafur (2010) defined ICT as all equipment, processes, procedures, and systems used to provide and support information system (both computerized and manual) within an organization. Perbawaningsih (2013) confirmed  that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was created in hopes to help people communicate more efficiently and effectively, including the production, dissemination and understanding information. 

These technologies include computers, the Internet, broad-casting technologies (radio and television), and telephony (Tinio, 2002). The most common reason for using ICTs in the class has been to better prepare the current generation of students for a workplace where ICTs are becoming more and more ubiquitous. It can enhance the quality of education in several ways: by increasing learner motivation and engagement, by facilitating the acquisition of basic skills, and by enhancing teacher training. ICT-based class is different from the usual learning or conventional class. In ICT-based class, all the learning activities are the same as conventional class but all done by using information computer technology that is interconnected. ICT-based class uses technology as the main media of teaching-learning activities because most of their activities use electronic devices, such as laptop and LCD.

Definition of ICT

At that first time of ICT implementation, ICT-based class is very popular for its importance in improving students achievement and only selected students belong to this class. Looking at this requirement, it is believed that that the result of this learning would be higher than regular class. It is because all students in this class have ICT devices in their homes to make them ease to access any learning sources they need. The acceleration class, then, was integrated into ICT-based class. This class mainly uses the web model of e-learning, or precisely web-centric course of e-learning model. E-learning is a learning concept implemented in the classroom based on information technology by using a combination of hardware and software which are integrated through a computer. This activity combines distance and conventional learning/face-to-face meeting in the class (Sihabudin, 2009).

Even though e-learning has been applied in schools for years, the learning by using it still faces obstruction in the implementation. In fact, it seems that there is no school applied ICT-based class today. The obstacles in relation to students, many of them usually enjoy playing games on their laptops, while the teacher was explaining the materials. Then, when the teachers ask them to create a blog for each students, only a few students who do that even though they do not use them well. Related to the teachers, the lack of technology knowledge makes the teachers uncomfortable to teach by using electronic devices. The knowledge of e-learning itself would be the most important one in the teaching-learning process, including the use of the software provided by the technology. Some of them prefer making their own printed learning sources to using e-learning in teaching-learning process. The old teaching paradigm is also the main reason why some teachers are difficult in using technology. They are still comfortable to use the conventional teaching-learning process.

Obstacles in ICT-Based Class

Furthermore, some schools also faces technical problems like human resources, connectivity and electricity carelessness. In term of human resources, most schools have not sufficient teachers (in ICT-based class) who are capable in using and troubleshooting technology. Whenever they have no idea to use the technological tools, they stuck in overcoming the problem which results in wasting the learning time. It needs an ICT training for all teachers. The trouble connection of the internet which happens frequently is also another problem the teacher might face. The teaching learning activities will be disturbed when all students access internet in the same time. Besides, there will be a carelessness of the electricity use, especially by the students. Some electric sockets are no longer functioned because they usually unplug their laptops’ cables bunglingly. By the complexities in the demands of the e-learning factors above could become the obstacles if they are not available. Bringing a new paradigm in education will indeed face various obstacles. Considering these conditions, the question is, how many schools are still offering ICT-based class today? 

Bibliography

Herman Dwi Surjono and Abdul Gafur. 2010. Potensi Pemanfaatan Ict Untuk Peningkatan Mutu Pembelajaran Sma Di Kota Yogyakarta. Cakrawala Pendidikan, Juni 2010, Th. XXIX, No. 2

Sihabudin. 2009. Model-model Pengembangan E-Learning dalam Meningkatkan Mutu Pendidikan. Retrieved from http://portalgaruda.ilkom.unsri.ac.id/index.php?ref=browse&mod= viewarticle&article=38657 on January 13th, 2017

Tinio, Victoria L. 2002. ICT in Education. Retrieved from http://wikieducator.org/images/f/ff/Eprimer-edu_ICT_in_Education.pdf on January 13th, 2017

Vera Yulia. 2015. The Obstacles of Learning English Through E-Learning in SMP Muhammadiyah 4 in the Academic Year of 2010/2011. A thesis of State University of Yogyakarta

Yudi Perbawaningsih. 2013. Plus Minus of ICT Usage in Higher Education Students. 13th International Educational Technology Conference. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.392