SEMARANG –In accordance with the lowering of the level of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in several provinces and regencies/cities, several universities will also carry out a lecture or face-to-face learning trial. Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) is no exception, a state university in the city of Semarang.

Undip Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Budi Setiyono, Ph.D, said that Undip would conduct a face-to-face lectures trial after the Mid-Semester Examination. ”We will choose certain courses in each study program. Maybe in each study program, there will be three courses that will be tested,” said Prof Budi Setiyono, Saturday (18/9/2021).

According to him, Undip would pay attention to carry out the lecture according to the health protocols that allow for security for lecturers and students who take the course. “So for example, it is required that participants, namely students, have been vaccinated, lecturers have also been vaccinated, and then, as much as possible, they come from regions, namely regencies and cities in PPKM level 2 and below,” he explained.

Furthermore, according to him, students were also asked to report their medical history. ”Then we will ask the student to report various medical histories. So, there is a form that is distributed to them so that we can anticipate certain things, related to the condition of the student. We will also ensure the implementation of the trial, a maximum capacity of 25 percent of each class,” he said.

In the draft drawn up, for face-to-face implementation, a rotating system would be applied, while others would do it online. ”So later on, it will take turns who will take part in the lectures in each class that will be followed by students.”

Undip realized that there would be consequences of carrying out the face-to-face lecture or learning. Therefore, the University conducted research, data collection and solicited relevant inputs in its implementation. “We are also predicting the consequences of the face-to-face lectures,” he explained.

Technical matters that were also considered were problems related to internet capacity since it was confirmed that a hybrid model would be carried out. Hybrid learning was a mixed learning method, between face-to-face learning and online learning. This mixed learning method allowed some students to learn face-to-face in class and some would join the class online.

”To support it, it takes sufficient wifi capacity as well as other needs related to learning media and also smart classes. So that, lecturers can teach from class yet some students can also access it online. There is a combination of online and offline while taking the course.”

That statement was under the recommendation of the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, to allow universities to conduct face-to-face meeting trials. Ganjar allowed universities to conduct the trials. However, it required coordination with his party. “According to us, I allow it, please try it out. We just need to coordinate if there is a trial at the University. I think it’s okay, just start it,” he said

The governor also asked the implementation of face-to-face learning, both trial and limited, to carry out daily reports. The report was an accumulation in the implementation of the weekly evaluation.

“Earlier, there was an expert suggestion from Undip for a weekly evaluation. So, I think a daily report should be made. The daily accumulation will be used for weekly evaluation,” said Ganjar. (public relations team)

Source: undip.ac.id