Covid-19 pandemic has an influential impact on education, including university education. The presence of this coronavirus outbreak hinders teaching and learning activities, which usually carried out in a direct meeting.
Nevertheless, this pandemic can accelerate education 4.0. The learning system is done remotely by utilizing information technology.
Professor of the University of Applied Science and Arts, Hannover, Germany, and Senior Experten Services (SES) Germany, Prof. Dr. Gerhad Fortwengel, said that the corona outbreak became a significant catalyst spurred education. Such as encouraging more use of information technology in distance learning activities.
However, there are significant challenges in implementing the distance learning model. One of them, academicians, are not accustomed to using learning systems that are blended and entirely online.
"Difficulties arise because they have not used to equipment for distance learning models. Therefore, additional support and mentoring are needed to adapt to this new learning model," he said in an online seminar organized by the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy in collaboration with ASEAN PharmaNET and SES on Friday (12 / 6)
While the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy UGM, Prof. Dr. apt. Agung Endro Nugroho conveyed that in the industrial revolution 4.0 era, the world of university, including pharmacy, faced challenges with various adjustments. Furthermore, the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic requires university education to make adjustments in the administration of education. One of them changed the method of face-to-face learning (offline) to be online during a pandemic.
"At UGM since mid-March, it has replaced all academic activities and face-to-face lectures in class with virtual learning," he explained.
This online learning method, said Agung, will continue during the pandemic. Not only lectures conducted online, but the same thing also applied for practicum activities, the implementation of the final project, and graduation.
To support these various online activities, UGM has prepared an academic support system. Some of them are eLisa, eLok, or e-learning. Through this system, lecturers can upload learning materials, assignments, and create learning communities. Besides, with this system, lecturers and students can interact and have discussions together.
A similar experience also took place at the Cyberjaya University campus, Malaysia. Deputy dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Cyberjaya University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zainol said the Covid-19 pandemic provided a challenge in implementing teaching and learning activities on campus. Since the Covid-19 epidemic, it has been improvising on all teaching and learning activities with virtual implementation.
While Assoc. Prof. Dr. Surakit Nathisuwan from the Faculty of Pharmacy Mahidol University conveyed various efforts undertaken by the campus to ensure the safety of its community members from Covid-19. During a pandemic, the campus actively disseminated important information related to Covid-19. Then, ensuring the health of the community members, opening test centers in 4 hospitals, providing quarantine places for the community members, and temporarily closing the campus.
Author: Ika
Photo: shutterstock.com
Translator: Natasa A