Chancellor of the Indonesian Technocrat University Dr. HM. Nasrullah Yusuf, SE, MBA, also Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Chancellors Forum (FRI), was very honored and pleased with the presence of a number of resource persons and participants in an International Webinar on Online Teaching in Higher Education.
This compliment was conveyed by Nasrullah Yusuf, at an online International Webinar using the ZOOM Meeting organized by the Indonesian Technocrat University, one of the best private universities in Lampung in collaboration with the Indiana University Indonesia Alumni Foundation, on Thursday night, October 22, 2020.
In his speech delivered in English, Nasrullah Yusuf said that online teaching and learning has always been a dynamic, progressive issue and deserves to be discussed today.
With today’s technological developments, teachers and lecturers must adapt to rapid changes, from face-to-face in classrooms to more modern spaces that integrate online learning platforms.
Nasrullah said, online learning has now become more prominent and important since we are facing the global COVID-19 pandemic which forces us to practice social distancing.
Therefore, continued Nasrullah Yusuf, universities must be ready to carry out teaching and learning processes that facilitate distance learning or also called virtual learning. “We really appreciate online learning programs such as the Online Learning System (SPADA) which has become one of the highest priorities of the Minister of Education and Culture to expand access to education for people in Indonesia. By following the standards and guidelines set by the Ministry of Education and Culture, Universitas Teknokrat Indonesia has developed an Online Learning Platform called SPADA TEKNOKRAT which has existed since it was first conceived. in 2014. With the platform established by the government, universities can create courses that are accessible to all students in Indonesia,” explained Nasrullah.
Nasrullah Yusuf gave an example at the Indonesian Technocrat University that has participated in the credit transfer and student exchange program (Permata Sakti) held by the Ministry of Education and Culture. “We accepted 90 students from 20 different universities in Java, Sulawesi and Papua with the support of the SPADA online platform,” Nasrullah added.
Furthermore, Nasrullah Yusuf said that the Indonesian Technocrat University is currently also focusing on Community Service (PkM) in schools, from elementary to high school. In addition, it also provides service and cooperation to a number of state institutions such as the Indonesian National Police and the Indonesian Marine Corps to provide training and seminars for the implementation of online learning.
However, Nasrullah realizes that there are still many things that need to be improved in providing online learning training in schools. Maybe there are some teachers or lecturers in Indonesia who are still struggling or even refuse to organize online learning, let alone make their own teaching media such as videos and animated slides. Or maybe still trying to find the best among many tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts, for online meetings and interactions. In addition, it is undeniable that online learning cannot effectively build the character and personality of students, especially in primary and secondary education.
Nasrullah Yusuf really hopes that through this webinar Indiana University can share experiences in providing online education to discuss and find ways to solve these problems. So that it can improve online learning practices, especially in Indonesia. “We would like to thank the Director General of Higher Education Ministry of Education and Culture, Indiana University Office of Online Education and the Indiana University Alumni Association for presenting this webinar to us. Let me on behalf of the Big Family of the Indonesian Technocrat University and the Indonesian Chancellor’s Forum wish you a useful and enjoyable webinar,” he said.
International Webinar with the theme
“Online Teaching in Higher Education Smart Practices from Indiana University was attended by 269 participants, there were also participants from the UK, Vietnam and Thailand.
Webinar participants from Indiana University alumni from various countries and Indonesia as well as lecturers from the Indonesian Technocrat University, one of the best private universities in Lampung.
Delivering remarks, namely; Director Office of Online Education Indiana University Chris J. Foley, MA, MFA, EdD and Chancellor of the Indonesian Technocrat University Dr. HM. Nasrullah Yusuf, SE, MBA. Keynote Speaker, Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia Prof. Ir. Nizam, MSc, DIC, Ph.D. (W9-hour)
