SEMARANG – Vice Rector I for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Budi Setiyono, Ph.D, emphasized that the lecturing process in the even semester of 2020/2021 academic year which will start in January 2021 is carried out online. The policy is decided after considering input from various parties.
“Considering various inputs for security, UNDIP continues to carry out lectures online. Central Java is still in alerting category of Covid-19 Pandemic, where Central Java is included in the part of red zone,” he said when asked for confirmation regarding Undip’s academic activities, on Saturday (19/12/2020).
According to him, the implementation of online lectures is still like the previous semester. There are exceptions to attend to campus face-to-face for students who have to do practical work and those who are preparing graduation. However, these activities are also carried out under strict implementation of health protocols, in addition to the requirements for permission from parents and lecturers. Another requirement is that students who carry out activities offline are in good health.
He emphasized that online lectures choice mainly considers the safety of students and lecturers. The spread of Covid-19, which is still unpredictable, made this choice must be taken again even though this policy had been implemented since last semester.
Actually, the government through the Minister of Education and Culture has given the green light for the implementation of face-to-face lectures. However, the granting of face-to-face learning permits must be adjusted to the conditions of each region, so that education providers, including universities, must be wise in making decisions.
The government has also issued a Joint Decree (Surat Keputusan Bersama) of Minister of Education and Culture, Minister of Religion, Minister of Health, and Minister of Home Affairs regarding Guidelines for the Implementation of Learning in the Even Semester of 2020/2021 Academic Year during Covid-19 Pandemic. The Joint Decree gives authority to the regional apparatuses since they are considered to be the parties who know and understand the best conditions, needs, and capacities of the region.
Previously, Dean of Faculty of Psychology Undip reminded that the long distance learning process (Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh) and the application of work from home as an implementation of social distancing have the potential to cause psychological disorders. The occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic, which demands changes of behavior in society, can cause serious psychological disorders and threaten the productivity of society. Therefore, special attention is needed so that the potential for psychological disorders can be minimized.
Responding to this, Undip Vice Rector I stated that the institution pays attention to this. The university has even anticipated that the resulting quality will be maintained even though lectures are conducted online. Undip has prepared a studio at the Institute for Development and Quality Assurance of Education (LP2MP) to develop an online lecture model and document lecture material so that it can be accessed again by students for future learning.
Various means ranging from websites, e-mails, community forums and other information technology tools are used to support learning which is called asynchronous online. It is a method that allows program participants to learn in different time than predetermined time. This method aims to maintain the quality of the education provided.