THE CARE FOR THE QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the temporary physical closure of 4,586 campuses throughout Indonesia, around 8,848,816 students, and 295,219 lecturers have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, policy makers and universities are faced with unprecedented challenges. Such as how to reduce learning loss, how to implement online learning, how to safely reopen education and how to ensure underrepresented, vulnerable and disadvantaged students are not left behind.
Higher education and campuses are actually places where students live and study close to each other. The campus is also a cultural center where students gather from various parts of Indonesia. However, now the foundation of this unique ecosystem has been significantly affected by the rapid spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, and has created uncertainty about its implications for higher education.
For almost the last 1.5 years, higher education has been forced to cancel face-to-face classes and close campus doors which are difficult to predict when they will end. Face-to-face learning on campus is being shifted to online learning, and students are encouraged to return home or at home to complete their studies. The real Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a long-term disruption to the higher education system.
Listening to the speech of Ugandan President, Kaguta Museveni that: “The world is currently at war. War without guns and bullets. ….. War without limits. …… The soldiers in this war are merciless. It doesn’t have a shred of humanity. Indiscriminately – it doesn’t matter whether children, women, or places of worship are attacked. ……. This is an invisible, fast, and highly effective army. The only agenda is the harvest of death. Only full after turning the world into one great death land. Its capacity to achieve its goals is unquestionable. ….. It has bases in almost every country in the world. Its movements are not governed by any conventions or war protocols. In short, it is a law unto itself. It is the Coronavirus. Also known as Covid-19.
Thankfully, these troops have weaknesses and can be defeated. It only requires our collective action, discipline and patience. Covid-19 cannot survive social and physical distancing. It only develops when you challenge it. …… But gave up in the face of collective social and physical distancing. …. Helpless when you take your destiny in your own hands by keeping it clean as often as possible. This is not the time to cry about bread and butter…. The Bible tells us that man will not live by bread alone (but by every Word of God). ….. Let’s flatten the Covid-19 curve. Let’s practice patience. Let’s be our brother’s keeper. ……”
Indonesia has made various efforts and policies, including: the formation of task forces and task forces, implementation of health protocols, Covid-19 vaccination, PSBB, Emergency PPKM, PPKM levels 1 to 4 which are still being extended until this writing is compiled. All activities are restricted, including education which is an essential sector in educating the human resources of Indonesia’s young generation as an investment for the future. That’s the situation we’re in. Conditions that certainly encourage education to have new toughness and balance, because the demands of education must continue even with restrictions on health protocols.
Higher education institutions, such as universities and organizing commitee (Foundations) are indeed facing difficult times, due to the pandemic that cannot be controlled. This situation has been going on for almost 2 years, and there is no indication that it will end. Therefore, after all, the adaptation and resilience of universities must be developed by each higher education institution in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The views and research of Dr. Gleb Tsipursky can be important as a reinforcement for universities to carry out “self-transformation” in implementing quality higher education services during this Pandemic. As an illustration of the reality, we met several leaders of higher education organizers and managers – foundations and universities. Their perspective and attitude are seen as the front line of higher education in educating quality human resources during this pandemic.
Very encouraging, there is optimism, adaptability, creativity and innovation without stopping in their thoughts and steps to maintain the quality of learning and higher education. Indeed, at the beginning of the Pandemic, most of the higher education institutions experienced shocks in the midst of such a sudden event, but they are trying to get up.
Mangadar Situmorang, Ph.D. – – The Rector of Unpar (Community, ed.27) said the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic “forced” PT to accelerate digital technology (social meetings, learning videos, digital presentations). However, it should be noted that explaining a concept virtually, in terms of lectures, there are still many shortcomings in terms of the effectiveness of receiving material. There are some limitations of lecturers, in delivering incomplete material, psychological burden and uncomfortable social relations between lecturers and students. Several other factors regarding character education cannot be done. How to make an assessment in character development? When we make an evaluation or assessment through the Mid-Semester Examination (UTS), because it is done virtually, the lecturer does not supervise and does not check again.
All were left independently to students so that there were the same test results for several students (cheating). The student was given an E grade (did not pass one course) and failed one semester. It has to do with character development. But then, is it appropriate to give such punishment to students? When in the process itself there is no supervision from the lecturer, there is no instrument of supervision. Although they must be honest and have integrity in social relations. But when social relations don’t take place, isn’t that foolishness? On the one hand, we want them to be honest and have integrity, but on the other hand, we sometimes invite them to collaborate with their friends if there are things that they don’t understand.
The instruments are not yet ready, which can ensure the desired character education can run well. It is not only a matter of infrastructure that must be prepared, what is more important is an assessment both in terms of knowledge and character, as well as social relations.
From the social side, friends make research that leads to discovery even though it is not a new discovery. This further emphasizes that the community has the potential for what we call a capital culture to care for each other during a pandemic, because there are many layoffs, the economy stops. Our society spontaneously, culturally raises funds, aids and so on.
These researches were carried out as socio-cultural capital to maintain economic tolerance, helping from the marketing side. The Faculty of Economics provides assistance in creating an application to support their business. Regarding legal compliance or legal compliance or legal injury due to layoffs or because of normal contracts, suddenly a pandemic (including force majeure).
Ir. A. Harits Nu’man, M.T., Ph.D., IPM. – Vice Rector I Unisba (Community, ed.27) views the Covid-19 pandemic and in the future requires an adequate digital transformation model (online learning) in terms of methods and quality of learning. In terms of online learning, universities and lecturers are actually required to innovate learning, changing learning methods that are more student-centered. Lecturers as motivators and prepare innovative teaching materials to be easily understood by students. While higher education prepares resources to support the learning process. Through this transformation, lecturers carry out synchronous learning (face-to-face in cyberspace/virtual) and also a-syncronous where students can study anytime and anywhere within a predetermined time period by fulfilling the elements of modules, forums, quizzes and assignments according to the requirements. Learning Plans that have been determined to meet the standards of Graduate Learning Outcomes.
Indeed, in 2020 before Covid-19 we had prepared an online system. The Information Systems and Management/SIM Unit at that time utilized the DIKTI Grant to develop. Online teaching began in 2017, online socialization in 2018, then strengthened by the Decree of the Foundation and the Rectorate as the regulation. Meanwhile, the Foundation fully supports strengthening infrastructure and human resources. However, this requires a process, and there is high retention, because many lecturers still prefer face-to-face rather than virtual. Because the Covid-19 pandemic is a force majore, we provide compensation to students and teaching lecturers. We compensate with the cost of pulses, electricity costs and others.
From the aspect of content and lecturer readiness. We mapped lecturers into 3 clusters, namely: Millennial Cluster, Semi Cluster, and Elderly Cluster. The problem is the burden on elderly educators. That’s why we made the transplant accompanied by young lecturers in preparing the material so that it can be implemented into the system. We continue to prepare this Human Capability with modules, forums, quizzes, and assignments. The four components refer to the RPS and the tasks that must be fulfilled are the obligation to perfect the Semester Learning Plan (RPS). Now, what is in the middle becomes leverage, and team teaching is formed by sharing materials and togetherness well.
Indeed, with the application of online learning, there are many dynamics that occur. From the lecturer’s side, there is unpreparedness, and the lecturer’s worries are replaced by technology. Changing this mindset is very difficult and requires a persuasive approach, it must also be continuous and gradual.
There are also some teaching conditions that are really difficult with online teaching. For example, the medical study program is the most difficult and requires feeling and touch that cannot be replaced by a cadaver with a statue. When face-to-face lectures require the application of health protocols, swabs, etc. which have implications for costs. We combine online and offline, and we also recommend swabs to lecturers and employees for free.
The wisdom of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are forced to always be literate, besides that our information system is tested with blended online teaching with face to face. In conclusion, technological developments from cultural products, accelerated by this pandemic, we as educators should always respond maturely, and deal with it with positive steps and teach it to students.
Prof.Ir. Meilinda Nurbanasari, M.T., Ph. D – The Rector of ITENAS (Komunita, ed.27) stated that apart from the pandemic, Digital Transformation is a necessity. It’s not just a trend that’s happening because of the pandemic. Higher education must accommodate to be 100% implement like this. We are only running 60% due to fixes and changes. In terms of infrastructure, we bought a new server at a fairly expensive price, because during premium hours, lecturers (the highest hour of student activity) must simultaneously be able to log in to 2,000 students at the same time without server problems. We are continuously improving our large capacity server system. While in its implementation, lecturers and teaching staff are very empathetic to students, and vice versa because of limited quotas or other constraints on the Online Learning model. Indeed, the campus must improve the quality of online and interactive between lecturers and students.
In addition to the learning process, it is not easy to educate students. We see online learning is 247, 24 hours a day 7 hours a week. This means that lecturers can access or assign assignments at any time, and students can access and ask questions at any time. But in fact not used to it like that. Virtual are more for asking questions (asynchronous), but what happens is synchronous, the schedule is offline but now online. Meanwhile, we implement such a system, the method is online but in the way of thinking it is still like offline, teaching only in front of a notebook with “virtual” faces.
Indeed, educating lecturers and students needs to be gradual, while at the same time fixing the obstacles. Since the Covid-19 pandemic we have been providing online services, such as ordering books via online, and sending them to the student’s residential address. All lecturers must upload material in the Moodle application. If there is a link via youtube, another application must be included. This effort is expected that students read the material from the lecturer first. So when learning online (face to face) students have an initial picture of the course material.
Finally, all student service systems were made Management Information Systems, and to make it easier for final year students who were doing their thesis by facilitating access to learning, the session was also online, right. With the sudden change, we initially used the existing system. With this process, students must self-attend manually. When the online system is integrated with the higher education everything is smoother and more ready.
1.5 years of Pandemic Time
The Covid-19 pandemic has been running for almost 1.5 years and has drained energy, eroded and degraded what universities have achieved, and changed social habits due to social distancing and lockdowns. So that digital becomes a public space that connects us with society. In this span of time, the perspective and behavior of higher education managers has grown in response to this pandemic. The pandemic that has not yet clearly ended has become the trigger and booster for “resileince” and “equilibrium” for higher education. The quality of response and adaptability to the Covid-19 pandemic should be able to improve, especially as a qualified professional. Higher education institutions should be able to adapt and plan better. As encouraged by Dr. Gleb Tsipursky in his book as mentioned.
In response to this Dr. Cahyat Rohyana, S.E., M.M – Chairman of the Bhakti Pos Indonesia/YPBPI Education Foundation emphasized that the key word is “shifting behavior”. The pandemic is not a barrier, but the “opportunity” and momentum to foster initiatives that are able to solve various problems in this time of crisis. So, of course, encouraging higher education institutions to be innovative in the creative, flexible and tenacious learning process, by utilizing knowledge and technology as “enablers” and “transformers”, without reducing the quality of learning and the quality of graduates that we carry together. Because the end of education still has to produce human resources / graduate students who are able to continue to develop in line with the dynamics of the business and industrial world facing Industry 4.0.
Although there are weaknesses here and there will be a new learning model in the future. During a pandemic, maybe a new digitalization process like this. However, it turns out that there are positive things that can be developed in order to create a learning model which of course usually answers the next century which is strengthened by digital technology and other technology technologies. This means that we in public and private universities must be able to demonstrate good management and quality.
In the same view, Dr. H. Asep Effendi, SE., M.Sc., PIA., CFrA., CRBC – The Rector of Sangga Buana University (USB) mentioned two main things in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic.
First, educational normative should have started to redesign how the system of assessment and assessment of success. In terms of the learning system, I think we are already in 2 (two) years or the second year. Initially, it was the same as other universities, experiencing a severe shock, when the lecturer changed learning from conventional to having to switch to an IT system or become an online lecture. It is not easy to teach new things, especially because of the relatively old age factor (our lecturers need their knowledge and experience). It’s a homework in itself. However, we are sure that during the Covid-19 pandemic and conventional learning, there are different methods, but the spirit is the same, such as educating students according to their competence and educating them. If the spirit is the same, want to run wherever the initial goal will be achieved.
Second, about governance. Higher education governance in the pandemic era includes 6 points of extraordinary change. Therefore, management and leadership are very important. We must have the tools to control. In this pandemic condition, students are also having a hard time, if they want to complain to whom? That’s what we do every week, by spiritually motivating lecturers and students. The seriousness of the leadership is to maintain the target of the quality of human resources in the future, therefore the government also has a stake in policy, more policies that provide freedom. Well, that’s where the freedom that universities can use to be competitive and adventurous, including the vision of entrepreneurs. That’s the mindset that must be developed in a situation like today.
Meanwhile, Dr. H. Sugiyanto, M.Sc.- Vice Rector for Academics, Student Affairs and Alumni IKOPIN (Indonesian Cooperative Management Institute) – Jatinangor stated that at the beginning of the Pandemic, higher education and universities were essential in maintaining the teaching and learning process that forced online learning. Even though most of the learning is still face-to-face. However, with the spirit of being perpendicular to the main goal of higher education, such as educating students, and future generations, he remains optimistic that the pandemic wave must be overcome with a positive attitude, and make adjustments and changes through creativity, innovation and cooperation.
We take the attitude that the challenges of the Pandemic are the triggers, and the drivers that awaken us to change. The key word is creative and proactive in dealing with the changes brought about by the Covid-19 Pandemic. One of them is utilizing technology, and establishing a new balance in the teaching and learning process in order to maintain the quality of the process, output and outcome, in this case the teaching and learning process and higher education graduates.
In this regard, the cooperation of all stakeholders is needed, not only educational institutions and (organizers and managers), lecturers, students, even parents. What inter-institutional higher education has been initiated by LLDikti IV West Java Banten should be developed. Moreover, the government must give equal space to all higher education institutions, both public and private.
Those are the perspectives, attitudes, and policies of some of them as the front line of higher education in an effort to educate quality human resources during this pandemic. As a form of optimism for educators and educational institutions as an effort to build “resilience” and “new equilibrium” universities in carrying out their strategic roles. Hopefully.
Writer: lili irahali – August 6, 2021
