Traditional-Online-Traditional-Online -> Paradigm Shifts in Indonesia

I read the two articles and felt that the Harasim article made more sense to me in my current setting. In Indonesia technology gallops along at an alarming rate. Technology advances in chunks here rather than in stages. Broadband is still quite illusive but suddenly this year people are able to buy modems to plug into their laptops giving them access wherever there is mobile phone coverage. Yet schools are still functioning in the 19th Century paradigm. I will try to explain further:

Schools in Indonesia
Define “traditional models” of teaching and learning in your context. The traditional models of teaching and learning in Indonesian schools are:
Methods: rote learning
Space: rectangle shaped classroom with desks in rows and the blackboard and teacher’s table at the front of the room
Resources: Government textbooks. The students copy the lesson into their own notebooks. Libraries are few and far between. Book rentals are available for reading. These are sometimes mobile (on a bicycle)
Assessment: quarterly government issued exams for Gr 1 – 12
National exams at the end of Gr 6, Gr 9 and Gr 12 and Tertiary Entrance exams
Time: School is divided into 2 sessions to allow more students to use the building. Morning 7am – 12.00 and 1.00 – 6.00pm, Monday to Saturday.
Groups: Kindergarten (not compulsory) Gr 1 – 6 Primary (compulsory but not enforced), Gr 7 – 9 Middle School (compulsory but not enforced) and Gr 10 – 12 High School. There are also technical High schools and then College or University

Did the introduction of distance education challenge these models? If so, how? If not, why not?
Not aware of any distance education happening in Indonesia. Universities are starting to have an online presence but only in a hybrid approach. This is at the National level. Broadband is still hard to access.

International education it is quite different:
I am currently teaching in a National Plus school. That means that we offer the National Curriculum plus overseas curriculum. My school is a candidate for the IBO. It is a new school (we have been running 3 weeks now) and the first ever to be Technology based because all students from Gr 5 up are given a Macbook with their tuition fees. All teachers are given a Macbook and lower grades share sets of Macbooks of 20 across 4 classes. There are Smartboards in every building and LCD projectors with speakers in every classroom.

What do you value in teaching and learning?
I value the way the IB program encourages students to take charge of their learning. The Inquiry approach.
What key principles do you employ when you teach?
We have the Learners Profiles which are:
Inquirers, Communicators, Risk-Takers, Balanced, Caring, Principled, Open-Minded, Knowledgeable, Thinkers and Reflective. I must focus on developing this profiles in all of my students by modeling them myself. I also value that classes at my new school are highly encouraged to be technology based. It’s awesome!

Could all students be taught successfully using distance education/open learning approaches?
I love integrating the use of Web 2.0 tools in my classroom. All students require motivation and the younger the students, the more direct and immediate that motivation needs to be. My son uses http://www.mathletics.com.au to help him with his Maths. That is entirely online, open ended and flexible. However, he does need my pushing him to do it from time to time as he can lose focus and get bored. I am also in the middle of creating an online learning portal for Indonesian children. It is here at http://www.anak-online.com
This will be to teach Indonesian children (Gr 4 – Gr 10) how to use the Internet by teaching them to keep a blog. The mentors will be able to award tokens for good posts will check the blogs weekly. It will be supported by a Children’s newspaper called “Koran Berani” in which I will have a weekly IT column. I think that it will be possible to have online learning for children however I will demand that all members sign an AUP along with a guardian.
I don’t agree that distance learning or online learning is only for those in isolation. I think that given the right set up with motivation and some support from print media it can be for a younger audience. I am excited to be trying this soon.

What are the main issues involved for you in adopting online approaches in your context? I am about to launch into all kinds of online activities here at my new school. We will use StudyWiz and PowerSchool. StudyWiz is to support academic and PowerSchool is to support other services such as parents being able to go online to check what their child has eaten at the school café. This is done by everyone having a Smartcard that records all money transactions and library books. I will be holding weekly IT classes for parents to support the use of these tools and to further their knowledge of online environments.

I am very grateful to USQ for enabling me to take on this new job. This Masters in Education Technology has given me a whole new direction. Thanks USQ!