24th International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) di Bali

Tanggal 2 – 5 Oktober 2011 saya mengikuti 24th International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) World Conference (Konferensi Internasional Pendidikan Terbuka dan Jarak Jauh (PTJJ) yang ke-24. Konferensi ini merupakan salah satu agenda dua tahunan dari ICDE. Acara ini diselenggarakan di The Westin International Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali. Tema konferensinya adalah “Expanding Horizons – New Approaches to Open and Distance Learning” (Memperluas Cakrawala – Pendekatan Baru dalam PTJJ) merupakan forum berbagi pengalaman, gagasan, dan strategi esensial dan praktis di kalangan komunitas sesama institusi maupun praktisi pendidikan jarak jauh (Open and Distance Learning Institutions). Sebelum konferensi dimulai, ada preconference yang saya ikuti, tentang "The Three Generations of e-learning Development” yang dipresentasikan oleh Dr. Zhang Weiyuan. Berikut rangkumannya:

10 tahun lalu e-learning masing belum popular. Masih mengutamakan face-to face atau online course yang sifatnya satu arah.  Pembelajaran tatap muka lebih dihargai ketimbang lulusan e-learninng. Namun setelah 5 tahun, ada perubahan. E-learning mulai berkembanng, di China, Jepang, Taiwan, termasuk di Indonesia. Mulai banyak orang belajar lewat internet. Di tahun 2010 makin banyak orang belajar dan mencari bahan pembalajaran lewat e-learning.

E-learning kemudian menjadi sebuah institusi pendidikan lanjutan (continuing studies) dan makin banyak pasar e-learning, makin popular baik di primary & secondary school.

Tiga generasi dari perkembanngan e-learning:

Generasi pertama: One way, driven by technology (hardware & software),  dimulai tahun 1990. Teacher provided course content. One way transmission dominated by technology. Yang mendesin dan mengembangan biasanya adalah technical staff.
Banyak yang universitas yang menyelenggarakan e-learning mengalami kegagalan dan kerugian (jutaan dolar).

Generasi kedua: An interactive mode with pedagogy driven learning. Student berinteraksi dengan students lain, teacher dan content/learning materials. (Moore 1989)
Pentingnya student centered. time management, multimedia learning, interface, kearning content. (Zhang, 2009)

Generasi kedua: e-learning = interactions.

Komponen E-learning: Management, course design and development, student support services, assessment, Evaluation & quality assurance.
“Need to develop a comprehensive mode of e-learning."

Generasi ketiga: e-learning: A Comprehensive mode of e-learning.

• Principles and methods
• Management
• System and platform
• Instructional design
• Course development
• Use of OER (Open education resources)
• Facilitators and tutoring
• Student support services
• Evaluation & QA

Strategies of establishing 3rd generation of e-learning
PLATFORM – COURSES – TRAINING

Design & development of platform, courses and training.
Course layout template, search tool for course website, student homepage. Module management, quiz management, grade management, student tracking. Secure login, technical support.

Yang harus dihindari dari sebuah platform:

• Not flexible
• Limited interaction functions
• Teacher-centered approach
• Lack of learning functions
• Lack of evaluation functions
• Expensive

Karakteristik 3rd generations of e-learning platforms:

• Flexibilitty (object-oriented and dynamic)
• Enhanced interactive functions (seperti blog, facebook, RSS, virtual classroom)
• Learning functions
• Evaluation functions
• Cost effectiveness

Characteristic e-course development:

• Teachers/trainers working with instructional designers, play a dominating role in couse design and development
• Technicians and graphical designer play a supporting role.
• Using new e-learning tools, lectures could be automatically recorded, created and produced.
• Teachers and trainers could eadily manage the process of video programme shooting and editing by themselves, as well as uloading to websites for students to review anytime, anywhere.

Banyak software yang makin efektif, misalnya Articulate, Captivate, myUdutu, VoiceThread. -à no need for professional IT knowledge and skills.

Training: Providing staff for 3rd generation of e-learning

• Learning motivation, styles, processes.
• Methods of e-tutoring, skills of e-tutoring, stident support services
• E-learning system, function of e-learning platform, uses of e-learning functions, use of virtual classroom
• Design of e-learning courses, instructional design, environment design, preparing blueprints for e-courses/
• Training: design of e-learning course interfaces, color meaning, matching in the interface, design layout
• Training development of multimedia e-courseware
• Training about use of open educational resources
• Training about evaluation and QA

E-learning 3rd “Being the same but better”, yang berarti: kualitas sama dengan hasil pendidikan face-to-face tapi bahkan lebih baik.

Bersama Ir. Tian Belawati, M.Ed., Ph.D., Rektor Universitas Terbuka (UT)