THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF HUMAN TOUCH AND TECHNOLOGY TOUCH IN LEARNING PROCESS

By Ria Kusmawati

(Guru Bahasa Inggris DPK SMK Budi Arti Kota Cirebon/Ketua MGMP Bahasa Inggris SMK Kota Cirebon)

A year left by, when 15 March 2020 All the agents of education were homed and all Learning activities were stopped at school and moved to home. Ten days ago, Monday 15 March 2021 was just a year we were at home because of the Pandemic cases.

In the Journey of Long Distance Learning Process between Teachers and students that was done in the Pandemic Condition, There were so many problems happened especially in Technology.

Manuel Castells said that “Technology is the Tools, Rules, and Procedures to practice of scientific knowledge for the certain activity in the possibility repeating condition”  

According to Merriam Webster “Technology is the implementation of Practice Knowledge in the special area, the way to finish such of activities by using technically process, Method or knowledge and the special aspect of the certain field”

According to Naisbit (2002) quoted from Random House Dictionary of Technology said that “ Technology is a thing and an object, material and formula that created by human”

It means that Technology is different with Human because Human creates Technology itself.

Those are the definitions of Technology according to some Experts

As we know by using of Technology, all activities in such of specific area and specific purposes of human beings seem very fast, sophisticated, demand of ages, easier, and having the good result.

Nowadays, when the pandemic condition happened in the world “Technology” is one of the best method of scientific knowledge use in such of fields, all the aspects of human life now are using it by Online or Internet acces,  especially in educational field. In  The Online Learning itself of course the teachers need the technology touch, Teachers can use some of internet access such as : E-Learning, Google Classroom, Zoom Meeting, Whatsapp Group etc.

BUT... DOES IT WORKS?

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered new ways of learning. All around the world, educational institutions are looking towards online learning platforms to continue with the process of educating students.

The New Normal now is a transformed concept of education with online learning at the core of this transformation. Today, digital learning has emerged as a necessary resource for students and schools all over the world. In recent months, the demand for online learning has risen significantly, and it will continue doing so in the future.

As with most teaching methods, Online Learning also has its own set of positives and negatives. Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help school in creating strategies for more efficient delivery of the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for the students.

Herewith the Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning:

The Advantages of Online Learning are:

1.         Efficiency,  Online Learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students and teachers are able to become more efficient educators.

2.         Accessibility of Time and Place, Online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location of their choice.

3.         Affordability, Online learning is more reduced financial costs than physical learning. It eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals.

4.         Learning Experience, Online learning creates the new atmosphere of learning experience to the students that they never found it before.

The Disadvantages of Online Learning are:

1.         No face to face interaction, While online learning can be quite interactive these days, through the use of video conferences to make the real atmosphere like the class, webinar, zoom meeting, and face to face video chat, but it still isn’t the same as sitting in the classroom because there is no substitute for interactiing with, and learning from, a fellow human. In other hand, It Lack of Communication.

2.         Lack of student attendance, Since online classes can be taken from home or location of choice, there are many chances of students missing out on lessons.

3.         Technology Issues, the needs of sophisticated Gadget such android cellphone, laptop to fufill the demand of online class is one of the biggest problems of students. Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. A consistent connection with decent speed is a problem.

4.         No Self-dicipline, The students feel not to see their teachers directly and no physical contact, so when they are in the online class of learning they are sometimes leave the class after fill the attendance list, and not doing the task that the teachers given.

5.         Limited of student feedback, Online learning seldom brings out the student creativity, and lack of practice as the feedback after the students finish to follow the class.

6.         Cause Social Isolation, a year at home and just followed the online learning from home make the students have been isolated from outside, no social relationship as the normal condition. It made the students lack of communication and interaction with their friends and teachers.

7.         Lack of Competition, the students can’t develope their knowledge and competence because there’s no chances, competitors, and measuring instument to compete

According to Abdurrahman Shalih (t.th;47) said that “Man is the core of the educational process”  It means that Man is the object and include the subject of education.

In Education process before technology grew up so fast, the one and the only source of knowledge is Human. Human can answer many questions of life who has ability  to develope, to think, to do, to survive, to socialized, to learn, to build character, to behave, and many more.

Human beings are the only creatures who have high intellectuals and only human beings can be aware of themselves. They seem to be aware because they have thoughts and feelings.

Intellect indicates that human are noble creatures. The intellectuals of human can be owned from the process of learning. By using intellect  human beings can choose their own religion, can relate cause and effects, the past and the future, build their character, learn all the scientific studies and Technology, can speak with a good language to make communication. Besides that, Intellect makes human has his own morality and it creates social norms in society.

The intellectual potency of human beings can be followed by the physical potency. The capability of the intellect of human beings must be balanced with the physical capabilitywhich will do the activites of human beings. There are many names which have been given to make definitions of human beings. They are as follows :

1.         From the way how human beings live, they are called “Homo Sapiens”. It means that human beings are wise creatures.

2.         From The aspect of work, they are called “Homo Fabers”, It means that they are persons who are smart in create and using Tools and Technology.

3.         From the aspect of communication, they are called “Homo Lequans”. It means that human beings are persons who can speak in a perfect language.

4.         From the aspect of social life, they are called “Homo Socialist” It means that human beings are social creatures.

5.         From the aspect of Faith in God, they are called “Homo Religious”. It means that human beings atre religious creatures.

From those terms of Technology and Human Beings that the intellectual of Humans being can be reached from LEARN. By Learning They can create Technology is as one of scientific studies of Human being’s Intellectual ability.  It needs the Main aspect of learning, they are :

1.         Teachers as the Human Touch and

2.         School as  :

-           Spot of Learning : The place to Learn all the lessons that related with the whole life of Human Beings, such  Religion, organization, Norm, Character building and social life

-           Spot of Long Life Education : From child ages of playgroup or kindergarten to college or university ages,  School is the best place tha’s more suitable, more comfort spot to learn than home. 

-           Spot of socialized : The place that is the students learn how to socialized with other people outside, not only the member of their family at home. As human beings of course students need others because They are the social creatures.

-           Spot of Future : The place where’s the students at the end of learning process have some of knowledges, competencies and life skills to hang their future.

And It needs the supporting aspect too, It is TECHNOLOGY.

In conclusion, anyway Human Touch and Tecnology Touch supported each others as the important role of Learning Process not only in the normal condition, but also in extraordinary condition of pandemic cases.