The Dilemmas and Solutions for Online English Learning

This article was written by Nadira Syifa Azzahro, an English Department student at the International Class Program at IAIN Salatiga. This article was published on  www.solopos.com , July 14, 2021.

English is currently used as the number one lingua franca in the world. This international language is the most widely used and taught; besides that,  this language is also commonly used as the language of diplomacy and science. The reason many people study English is to make it easy to communicate when traveling to various countries. Therefore, many universities provide faculties that have English Education majors and English Literature majors.

Dabbagh and Ritland (2005:15) reveal the online learning system is a distributed and open learning system using educational aids or a set of pedagogies. At this time, the Covid-19 pandemic has been going on since March 2020, which inevitably makes students unable to meet in one learning location. As a result, many parties rely on computers with Internet access and other facilities that can gather and discuss by opening web pages or online learning, which is used as learning media. This attracts the attention of students in a communication technology format intended for learning.

Smaldino (2012: 7-9) says technology with various applications can be applied and utilized in all curriculum coverage. On the one hand, technology is very helpful in transferring knowledge and knowledge from teachers and lecturers to students or students. Still, on the other hand, it creates a dilemma amid this pandemic. Among them is the anxiety of educators such as teachers and lecturers, parents, and students between the good and bad effects of online learning in learning English.

This online learning makes it easier for educators to teach English by saving time and minimizing education costs because there are many Internet platforms with various multimedia formats of text, quizzes, audio, visuals, or films that support the syllabus and provide English language materials and exercises that all people can download. There is a time limit that can be set in collecting assignments. 

However, educators are required to master the latest technology. There is actually the most accessible way so that educators and students can meet face to face using Google Meet or Zoom Meeting. Given the circumstances and challenges in this new normal era, educators are required to be self-instructional (self-learning). This creates an ability gap between one another, and the impact will also impact the quality of education in Indonesia in general.

More importantly than just the use of learning technology, parents are also ensured to have a significant role in encouraging and helping students understand the material being taught and accompanying students; parents are required not to stutter in technology even though not all parents have the ability to meet their needs. For example, in the learning process of these students, parents are busy struggling with work, so that children will be less supervised when students undergo online learning education.

There was even a case in one school in Central Java where the teacher gave assignments to students in real-time via cell phones, but parents used only one cell phone in one family to communicate when selling stuffs in the market. So that students can only do assignments when their parents come home from work  from the market.

Elliot Masie, Cisco, and Cornellia also argue that e-learning is learning through electronic media and learning by using TV, radio, the internet, and others (2000). However, not all parents can meet the electronic needs and facilitate students' access to the internet and learning media. In this case, it is regrettable if students end up dropping out of school.

Plus-Minus

In general, it can be concluded that in this new normal era, students can easily access learning materials anytime and anywhere, which makes students better understand and strengthen their knowledge of learning materials. However, on the other hand, online learning also makes it difficult for students to understand learning material, the emergence of the phenomenon of low awareness of motivation which causes low enthusiasm and quality of learning for students and even many students complain of eye pain because they are often exposed to cellphone or laptop screens. Sixteen hours a day and the lack of face-to-face contact with teachers causes moral and ethical degradation in the nation's children.

Many education experts say there will be a lost generation. As reported by Jawapos.com, Chairman of the House of Representatives Commission X Syaiful Huda noted, based on a report from UNICEF, the situation due to Covid-19 in the long term will have a tremendous impact on children in Indonesia. This condition occurs because of the disruption of family income stability and the stability of the education system in the country.

We need to realize early on the importance of realizing a reciprocal relationship between the government, parents, educators, and students, which is an essential point in realizing success in online English learning. The author understands the complaints of educators who feel very lacking in mastering English learning technology. In this urgent situation, educators need to seek and optimize the best online learning facilities for students in various ways.

Parents are encouraged to help students understand the learning material or at least supervise student learning closely. Students must also be aware of their obligations and organize themselves for learning needs because the future of Indonesia is in the hands of the younger generation of Indonesia. 

Sumber: http://www.apatho.my.id/2021/09/dilema-dan-solusi-pembelajaran-bahasa.html