Distance learning, as a unique alternative in the educational system, has significantly contributed to the provision of further education — notably English language teacher training programs — to those who cannot attend the conventional institute for various reasons including lack of funding, living in isolated and; rural areas, and fulltime employment. Nevertheless, it has definitely a lot of constraints, barriers, and weaknesses in its implementation, particularly in developing countries like Indonesia.
Universitas Terbuka (UT) as the only institute in the country which fully uses an open and distance learning program still undergoes a variety of barriers and weaknesses, notably in the learning system practice. Therefore, in this regard, the writer conducted a case study at UT to find out the extent of the implementation of the learning system for the English S1-program at UT including the attempts to scrutinize the core barriers as well as weaknesses leading to poor implementation.
The learning system as the scope of this study includes types of distance learning, modes of delivery, media or technologies, materials provided, distant learners, and distant faculty members of the English S1-program at UT. Concerning the investigation of the learning system cited above, there are two methods used i.e. survey and observation. Based on these methods, the writer conducted observation, administered questionnaires, and conducted interviews to collect data and information required. Using descriptive statistics, the data obtained are analyzed by comparing the real implementation of the learning system of the English S1-program at UT with the ideal concept constructed in this study — including types of distance learning used, particular modes of delivery which are considered appropriate, required and appropriate media or technologies, particular materials required, and three interactions required.
The Study reveals that the practice of the distance learning system for the English S1-program at UT is not well administered. In this case, the real implementation of the learning system does not follow the ideal administration as expected by UT. The findings from this research indicate the following:
1. UT still undergoes complex barriers in executing the existing modes of delivery. In this regard, UT is only successful in the sense of its provision and not its socialization to the students. Thus, the implementation of the existing modes of delivery is far from ideal.
2. It is difficult for UT to implement sophisticated technologies like Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI), on-line, TV, and Radio. The use of these devices is reasonably poor due to the students' technological access and cultural barriers. Thus, the availability of various media does not help much in serving the students' learning process, mainly in facilitating their learning difficulties.
3. The availability of two kinds of materials — printed and non-printed — is not well utilized. The majority of students, approximately 70%, only use the printed materials as their single learning source. This is, of course, inadequate for them as distant learners. Thus, UT is only successful in providing a variety of materials but it still does not completely succeed in socializing them, notably the non-printed materials.
4. The quality of autonomy as distant learners is considerably low. In this regard, most of them failed to build the required interactions — student-content, student-tutor, and student-student interactions. Also, they do not take advantage of the existing modes of delivery, media, and materials. Accordingly, they failed to achieve the expected learning goal.
5. The quantity and the quality of distant faculty members who are able to cope with multiple roles — on account of the fact they have to carry out three core works as writers, executors, and managers — are quite limited.
Considering those barriers and the current condition regarding learners, institution, and faculty members, the writer recommends minimal pre-requisites to administer a distance learning system for the English S1-program at UT. In this regard, UT should require the learners to:
1. join or attend the face-to-face tutorials as one of the existing modes of delivery;
2. use printed materials as one of the media provided;
3. buy or have printed materials for all the subjects, notably Writing, Reading, TEFL, and Curriculum and Material Development that are considered difficult;
4. increase the quality of their autonomy as distant learners by taking advantage of the existing modes of delivery, media, and materials (or at least the three points mentioned above)
UT also should increase the quantity and the quality of distant faculty members as well as to provide them with in-service teacher training programs.
These recommendations are expected to significantly enhance the current practice of the distance learning system for the English-S1 program at UT. The fewer the weaknesses the more effective the learning system at a distance will be. Eventually, these minimal pre-requisites would place a distance learning system as equivalent to the conventional education system. In this regard, Moore et al. (1990) confirm that studying at a distance can be as effective as conventional instruction when the methods and technologies used are appropriate to the instructional tasks, when there is student-student interaction, and when there is a timely teacher-student feedback. |