SEMARANG – Vice Rector (WR) I for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Budi Setiyono PhD, emphasized that the lecturing process in the even semester of the academic year (TA) 2020/2021 which would start in January 2021, would still be carried out online. The policy was decided after considering suggestion from various parties.

“With various considerations for security, UNDIP continues to carry out online courses. Meanwhile, Central Java is still in the category of being wary of the Covid-19 Pandemic, where Central Java is still part of the red zone, ” he said as confirmation regarding the Undip’s academic activities, on Saturday (19/12/2020).

According to him, there would be no change on the implementation of the online course. Yet, there were exceptions for students who had to do practicum, and those who were approaching the graduation. They might directly attend the activities face-to-face. However, those activities were also carried out under the strict supervision of the health protocols, and under the permission of their parents and lecturers. Another requirement was that students who carry out the activities offline should be in healthy condition.

He also emphasized that the decision was made for the safety of the students and lecturers. The spread of the Covid-19, which was still unpredictable, made this choice seemed necessarry to be brought again as it had been done since the last semester.

According to this, the government through the Minister of Education and Culture had given the green light for the implementation of the offline lectures. Yet, the granting of the learning permits must be adjusted to the conditions of each region. So that, the education adminstrator, including universities, should be wise in making decisions.

The government had also issued a Joint Decree Letter (SKB) of the Minister of Education and Culture, the Minister of Religious Affairs, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Learning Process in the Even Semester of the Academic Year 2020/2021 during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The SKB gave the authority to the regional apparatus, since it was considered to be the party who knew and understood the conditions, needs and capacities of their region better.

Previously, the Dean of the Faculty of Psychology Undip had reminded that the distance learning process (PJJ) and the application of the work from home proramme as the implementation of the social distancing project had the potential to cause psychological disorders. The occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic, which demanded a change in behavior in society, might cause serious psychological disorders and threaten the productivity of the society. Therefore, special attention was needed. So that, the potential for psychological disorders could be minimized.

In response to the issue, the Ist Undip Vice Rector stated that the institution truly paid attention to this. The university had even anticipated that the resulting quality should be well maintained, even though lectures were conducted online. Undip had also prepared a studio at the Institute of Development and Quality Assurance of Education (LP2MP) to develop an online lecture model and create a lecture material which could be accessed by students anytime they wanted to.

Various means ranging from websites, e-mails, community forums and other information technology tools were used to support the learning which was called asynchronous online. A method that allowed program participants to learn other than at a predetermined time. This method aimed to maintain the quality of the education provided.

Sumber : undip.ac.id