PRESERVING SUSTAINABILITY OF MOTHERS’ EDUCATION

THROUGH DIGITAL CLASSES

A Case Study toward Sekolah Perempuan Community
Maman Suryaman, Anna Farida K.
FKIP Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang, Jl. HS. Ronggowaluyo. Puseurjaya,
Telukjambe Timur, Karawang, suryaman_mamandr@yahoo.com
Sekolah Perempuan, Jl. PLN Dalam I no. 1/203 D Moh. Toha, Bandung,
annafaridaku@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
As for development of a nation, education is considered to be a powerful means. In
Indonesia, education responsibility has been the domain of mothers. Inevitably, assuring
their parenting role to be successful and that they are able to lead this next best generation,
mothers should educate themselves. Their knowledge and skills in parenting must be
updated due to the fast running era.
However, these mother have to deal with never-ending domestic affairs, dominating their
time and energy. Online learning offer win win solutions for them with flexible, low cost,
and high quality system of education, guaranteed by authoritative boards.
This paper describes efforts pursued by those learning mothers, struggling to keep their
education sustained through several digital platform. They have done it independently, full
of responsibility, willingness, and awareness.

Keywords: education for women, education for mothers, online classes, learning mothers,
digital generation.

ABSTRAK
Pendidikan memiliki daya ungkit luar biasa bagi keberhasilan pembangunan suatu bangsa.
Di Indonesia, peran pendidikan masih menjadi domain para ibu. Konsekuensi logisnya, agar
berhasil mendampingi anak-anak menjadi generasi terbaik, para ibu wajib mendidik dirinya.
Pengetahuan, wawasan, dan keterampilan pengasuhan harus selalu dimutakhirkan sesuai
dengan lajunya zaman.
Keterbatasan gerak para ibu untuk memperoleh pendidikan karena urusan domestik yang
menyita waktu bisa dijembatani dengan pola e-learning atau pembelajaran digital. Polanya
fleksibel, biayanya murah, kualitasnya terjamin oleh lembaga yang kompeten.
Paper ini membahas upaya yang dilakukan oleh para ibu pembelajar dalam menjaga
kesinambungan pendidikan mereka, secara mandiri, penuh kesadaran, melalui berbagai
platform kelas digital.

Kata kunci: pendidikan perempuan, pendidikan ibu, kelas online, ibu pembelajar, generasi
digital

Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016

WHY EDUCATION
Education is the first and main
factor to develop, reinforce, and
maintain the quality of individuals as
well as a nation. Not only considered as
the fundamental human right,
education plays a very essential role for
mankind, giving wide opportunity to
explore many possibilities.
The origin of education is family
as the closest environment of a child.
First educational touch enjoyed by a
baby should come from a loving and
affectionate family, supportive for its
development
Despite of gender mainstreaming
flourishing in recent years, generally
speaking in Indonesia, parenting tasks
is mainly the responsibility of mothers
(Tobit in Tim Pengembang Ilmu
Pendidikan FIP-UPI, 2007: 309). The
quality of education is on the shoulders
of mothers.
Without proposing any discourse
about who should be responsible for
taking care of the family or becoming
role model in the children
development—mother or father—the
consequence of this ongoing situation
is a well performing mothers.
In short, a well performing
mother means that a mother must
understand the parental tasks and
capable of giving adequate guidance
for children. This capability calls for an
ample education and stable mental
condition. They have to keep learning
so that their knowledge will enhance,
their happiness and enthusiasm are well
preserved.
However, facts usually occurring
to some mothers are not that ideal.
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
They are always busy with house
chores and technical domestic affairs
concerning kids, running 24 hours 7
days. Time runs while their daily
activities stay similar. As a result, they
do not have time to learn, and in the
long run, some mothers become
intellectually and mentally unhealthy.
This condition is dangerous for
mothers and their children, so that
education for women after marriage
and motherhood must be sustained.
Related to the so called never
ending family business hindering
mothers to attend classes, e-learning
will be an alternative solution. They do
not have to leave their houses while still
be able to access education according
to their own choices, even they can also
teach others based on their respective
backgrounds, through electronic class
platforms.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUNDS
Learning Access
Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) as a geographical
borders conqueror enables people
communicating all the time, wherever
they go. These borders are now without
limit (borderless), stimulating thoughts
in the field of global economy that
mortar and distance are not hindrances
to reach the cheapest price on this
globe. Business will be moving
relentlessly to find that cheapest price.
(Micklethwait and Wooldridge, 2000:
42).
Generation of 21st century
learners are very familiar with ICT.
They are accustomed to use t in every
aspect of their daily life. That is why,
learning must deal with their goals.
Involving ICT in the learning process is
a right choice to accommodate the taste
of 21st century learners.
This technology delivers the high
quality of learning with premium
structure and concept including
content.
In many cases, quality is always
related to a guarantee, improvement,
and development. The quality
guarantee focuses on the monitoring
and evaluation to decide the fulfilment
of the expected standard. Modern
terminology uses the notion of quality
enhancement or quality development
for a measurable achievement and one
showing better results compared with
the previous combination. Using ICT
wisely will increase the learning
experience quality. On the contrary,
using it without concern will bring
unexpected bad results (Fallows and
Bhanot, 2005: 3).
ICT gives learners choices as
well as opportunities. Distance
learnings using ICT show significant
progress. Changing process from face-
to-face learning do virtual learning
gives everybody wide opportunities
(Fallows and Bhanot, 2005: 5).
Good learning should offer three
aspects: design, facilitating, and
guidance. Therefore, there are
principles that must be adhered to: (1)
a clear purpose, structure, or plan of
activities, (2) (the establishment,
sustainability, and progression of social
and cognitive presence), (3)
(assessment). These will ensure the
accountability and credibility of the
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
education process (Garison and
Vaughan, 2008: 47).
Taking care of every education
problem should be accompanied with
mind changing, not only paying
attention to equity but also excellence
(Sergiovani et.al., 1987: 230-231).
Casteen, 1984 (Sergiovani et.al., 1987:
24), argues that government regulates
schooling because they consider
education as a very essential public
service.
Using ICT in Learning Process
ICT will enrich leaning process
in terms of (1) the electronic library, (2)
improves presentation, (3) email
increases ease of feedback), (4) opens
up educational opportunities), and (5)
as good as the training offered (Stephen
Fallows, Rakesh Bhanot, 2005 : 4-6).
Facilitating is one of key factors
in improving participation, enhancing
the cognitive results, and quality
development through online learning,
that meets learners’ satisfaction—as
proposed by Wenge Guo, Wen Yan,
and Jianjun Hou (2010: 256)”
... that the ‘facilitating’ have
significant effects for promoting
the participation of online learners
and enhancing the cognitive level
of online learning, and proved that
the active “facilitating” is an
important factor for increasing the
satisfaction of online learning and
improving the quality of online
learning”.
Lessons delivered through ICT is
well known as hybrid learning and
blended learning. Hybrid learning is a
combination between face to face
learning activities using technology as
media. In recent years it becomes a new
trend. Apart from this combination,
this mode is different in terms of
strategy, emphasizing on different
purpose and learning environment. In
this globalization era, hybrid learning is
the most efficient mode. It fulfils the
needs of learners with a free learning
diversification, borderless and
dynamic. Learners are given much
more opportunities to improve their
activities and practicing skills (Lee,
2010: IV).
Blended learning is very
important in education, its strength
supports and completes the experience
of face to face and online learning.
Blended learning represents
fundamental redesign and becomes a
consideration for a new approach in
learning (Garison and Vaughan, 2008:
26).
The basic assumption of blended
learning design are (1) as a thought of
integration between face to face and
online learning, (2) to rethink
fundamentally concerning learners
participation (3) restructuring resettling
the lesson hour or contact in classes
(Garison and Vaughan, 2008: 5).
Therefore, the success of blended
learning is designed through the
combination of intention, education
demand, and opportunity. Blended
learning is designed to eliminate the
hindrance of creation and the
continuing search of high education by
society (Garison and Vaughan, 2008:
26).
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
b) Effectiveness of Learning Using
ICT
Effectiveness is a capability to
produce an outcome according to the
expected target. Gibson, Donnely, and
Ivancevich suggest criteria of
organization effectiveness through
system theory approach (1997:31-32)
as follows:
1. Production is a capability of an
organization to produce quantity
and quality of output according to
environment demand.
2. Efficiency is defined as ratio
between output and input. It must be
stated in a comparison between
benefit and cost or with time span or
with output.
a
3. Satisfaction showing how far the
organization has fulfill the needs of
staffs and users.
4. Adaptation ability defined as how
far the organization deals with
internal and external changes.
5. Development defined as a notion
that organization should make an
internal investment to broaden its
ability in order to live long.
6. Keeping alive means that
organization must be able to live in
the long run.
The success tips according to
Peter Senge (2000: 272-275) are; (1)
changes will only happen if
accompanied with learning, (2)
changes start from little things and
grow organically, (3) trial groups is a
change incubator, (4) initiative grows
from two questions about strengthening
strategy and the purpose of the
organization: where are we going to?
And why are we here? (5) success
occurs to any level of leadership, and
(6) challenge is a part of organization
changing.
About education analysis based
on Balanced Scorecard (BSC) concept,
Achmad Sanusi (2014: 37-38) adopting
Kaplan and Norton states four
perspectives;
1. Curriculum perspective, looking at
the content and learning process,
including evaluation and the
purpose of the learning process,
2. Student perspective, seeing the
learning needs, how to teach, paying
attention to the individuals
characteristics served by education
organization,
3. Educator and education staffs
perspective, paying attention to their
tasks, expertise, learning readiness,
cooperation and teamwork in the
context of its organization system,
4. Cost perspective, looking at budget,
income/outcome, and expenses
(operational capital) and the book
keepings, not to forget structure and
infrastructure to conduct learning
process.
Next, there are many factors
affecting the quality of learning process
as stated by Achmad Sanusi (2014: 52)
that one of them are “.... there is not any
ICT application and the equipment
including the man behind the gun to
succeed the priority of lessons and the
accelerating process of teaching and
learning...”.
Related to the usage of ICT in
education, Achmad Sanusi (2014: 152-
154) explains four benefits as follows:
(1) information, the source of
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
information is easily accessed, (2)
inclusive, ICT is helpful to democratize
the education information access,
nothing to do with space and time
borders. It is applicable as learning
media for formal, distance, virtual, and
long life education (3)
individualization, as a humanization
phase in the education environment,
bring us to get accustomed to learn,
enable learners to follow a bit divergent
learning path according to their
performance (4) interaction, intensive
interaction among educators and
learners using ICT media, that it bears
involvement process and behavior
changes of learners (Tanembaum, 1998
in Achmad Sanusi, 2014). Besides,
there is a communal interaction
(Romiszowsky in Achmad Sanusi,
2014).
c) Women and Education
Hindrances
In the developed countries,
education for both man and woman is
equally important; in the developing
and under developing ones, education
for women is much more important
according to social economy reason.
Related to generation refinement,
education for women particularly
mothers is an urgent matter. When a
woman is well educated, her children
will benefit from her enlightenment
and life experience. Under her
mothering task, all of the family
member will be educated. It is
explained by N. L. Gupta, an education
expert from India.
 It means, the more a mother is
educated, the easier for the children to
get a high education. On the contrary,
an ignorance mother inclines to ignore
aspects that must be fulfilled for the
growth and the development of a child
such as health, nutrition, affection,
emotional support, and spiritual
guidance
Data from Indonesian Statistical
Biro 2009 shows that 75,69% of
women more than 15 years old
graduated from junior high school at
most. Majority of the women graduated
from elementary school. It is then
understood why around 4, 2 million of
women, it means 70% from Indonesian
Expat Worker is women—and most of
them work in domestic fields such as
maids or servants.
Later, data in 2010 notes 12, 26%
of Indonesian women get married for
the first time at the age of 10-15 years
old, 32.46% at the age of 16-18 years
old. It means that 45% of Indonesian
women get married for the first time
before 19 years of ages.
At this 19, ideally, they are still
learning in colleges. Studies conducted
by the World Bank in 25 developing
countries Gender Equality and The
Millennium Development Goals (2003)
shows that the low level of education of
a mother brings bad and direct
influences to malnutrition and the low
quality of parenting to the children.
This study also brings evidences that if
a woman stays at school three years
longer, the infant death ratio reduces to
15%. With the same duration for a man,
the death ratio reduces to 6%.
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
Coherently with the mentioned
above explanation, the data proves that
the role of a woman in education even
to child safety is crucial. Of course,
education in this era means not only
word literacy. The scope of education
that must be owned by a woman is
broad as well as complex. They must
keep themselves updated with
information and the readiness to adapt
with this past moving era. That is why
woman—who decides to work outside
or work at home, participating directly
in society or taking care of family—
must educate themselves.
Hindrances for women primarily
mothers in educating themselves, for
example that they can not go to schools
or other learning centers, is now
obsolete. Digital education—or online
learning—open a very wide possibility
for every one who wants to learn
everywhere and every time.
METHOD OF THE RESEARCH
This research use the qualitative
approach. It offers a qualified
observation of a social activity,
attitude, and perception, events and
individual or group conditions—
explained descriptively, not
mathematically. Method used in this
research is case study—an extensive
study, detailed, in depth, and
comprehensive to a specific objects—
relatively small scope—in a certain
period of time, including the
environment (Umar, 2002: 43).
Place and Time of the Research
It is held in Bandung, October 2016
Target/Subjects of the Research
Subjects or respondents of this
research is thirty mothers who have
joined e-learning trainings given by the
researcher and other trainers. The
respondents are chosen to find out the
efforts they have done related to digital
education, the e-learning platform they
have chosen, and the benefits after they
are involved with those e-learning
classes.
Procedure of the Research
The research is conducted
entirely online. The researchers
decided to use informal procedure
when obtaining information because
the respondents are mothers occupied
with domestic affairs, and some of
them have not joined the e-learning for
a long time. Formal research tends to
make them ackward that is why the
researchers tried to gather data without
creating burden to them.
First, we started with choosing
respondents. They are staying at home
mothers after marriage. 23 of them
have used e-learning for a year or more,
7 of them is still trying to get used to
the learning style and make it
comfortably matched with their daily
routines.
The next step is observing the
learning process pursued by each
respondent through their interactions in
a group. The researchers interviewed
them personally as soon as we find out
unique information.
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
When the data is gathered, we
did the analysis and describe the result
of the research, followed by proposing
conclusions and suggestions.
Data, Instrument, and Data
Gathering Technique
Data of this research is an observation
result, interview notes, and respondents
learning development documents. The
instrument is question list. Researchers
did not use questionnaire to avoid
formal sense. We used every
communication canals such as email,
social media, and other applications.
Data is achieved from chats, free
discussions, and observations to online
study groups.
Data Analysis Technique
The data was categorized
according to the designed groups,
related to intention and efforts of
respondents to educate themselves
through e-learning. Next researchers
classified the digital class choices made
by the respondents and the benefit that
they have got from these classes.
RESULT AND EXPLANATION
This research shows that most of
the respondents graduated from college
and decided to stay at home and take
care of the family. They dedicate
themselves for the sake of the children,
even sacrifice personal desire for
family. All of the respondents admitted
that they were happy at the beginnings,
and later experiencing physical and
mental problems.
First, they have to deal with
boredom. The circular house chores
were not fun anymore and lost their
meaning. What happen to these
mothers is mechanical and tiring
works. Cute babies has grown up to an
active toddler, moving almost every
single time, creating other works.
Problems got harder and complex when
the children went to school. More work
to handle less time, less energy.
Second, they lost—or at least the
felt they lost their identity. This
mothers started doubting their
capability—whether they will be able
to participate actively in the society, or
they had been destined as baby sitters
only.
Indeed, we can say easily that
being a mother is a noble choice and
that they are the respected members of
society even religion. However, not
every woman will agree to that notion.
Even if they agree, there is anxiousness
buried inside them.
Third, they felt unsecured and
incapable. They called themselves
tech-dummy, while holding smart
phones everywhere. Their gadgets are
only for entertainments. Some of them
mentioned about friends lured up by
deviating online behavior. At least,
they wasted their time without doing
anything productive, unaware that they
had been loosing the real meaning of
education.
The three facts are admitted by
respondents and they fight to make the
condition better. They share
encouragement to create different paths
as a woman, especially as a mother.
To sustain the learning process,
respondents joined various online
courses offered by many kinds of
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
platforms with low cost or even free.
Leading universites around the world
have been designing online courses
with a lot of subject choices. Recently,
Indonesian universities and
foundations have been doing the same
thing, giving chances for Indonesian to
learn online. These courses are
delivered using a user friendly system
and can be accessed easily any time.
There are also courses conducted
using live webinar, social media groups
or chat groups, chosen for practical
reason. The key point is willingness to
open every door, while the media is the
second one and could be any platform.
After engaging with those
courses, respondents explained that
they got a lot of benefit, for instance:
1) They may choose many kinds of
subjects according to their interests
such as cooking, sewing, politics,
arts, literature, engineering, and so
on. They may also relearn subjects
they have ever mastered.
2) Through these courses, mothers
inspire their children to learn
together. Mothers are effective role
model, and family has become a
center of education.
3) Low cost. There a lot of high
qualified courses offered freely.
Learners do not have to spend
commuting cost. Even the books and
other learning materials are offered
online and many of them are also
free.
4) Comfortable learning environment.
Learners do not have to leave their
homes because online class can be
accessed every time everywhere.
Mothers do not have to be in hurry
 and leave the hectic house and loose
a precious time with their family.
They can choose the most effective
learning time, for example at
midnight or very early in the
morning.
5) Interactions among learners are
flexible. For introvert learners,
online classes give them rooms of
expression.
6) Balanced self concept. Some of
mothers deciding to stay at home felt
that they have been snatched from
academic world. They felt that they
are not smart anymore. Learning
online, the academic atmosphere
will be preserved, their knowledge
will be increased, that they balanced
their self esteem.
7) Good deeds networking. Through
online classes, mothers found
friends with similar concern and
interest. This networking will keep
the learning continuous, and these
mothers will be always linked to the
wide world. As a result, they will be
more open and ready for the new
information—their enthusiasm for
learning is well kept because of the
good learning spirit shared by
friends.
8) Fun. Apart from learning purpose,
respondents admit that they got
enjoyment. Learning new things,
using new media, meeting new
friends, and regaining confidence
are fun. Learning for fun, why not?
Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016
CONCLUSION AND
SUGGESTION
For woman, with hindrances and
business, internet and many digital
education platform open various ways
to keep learning. The most important
key is willingness from within and
eagerness to share the enthusiasm of
learning to others.
E-learning does not merely open
the door of knowledge, it actually gives
confidence to mothers that they are
great in educating their children and
accompany them to the best generation.
This belief will bring clear
implications to their high qualified
parenting consciousness that the
children will be well educated and
loved at once. Mothers engaging in e-
learning classes will be a good role
model for children to be independent
learners too.
This digital education rooms are
very vast but have not been explored
well. Ongoing calls to society through
any information lines must be
delivered. Personal approach as well as
institutional one can be optimized that
Indonesian, in this case women,
understand this learning model as an
extraordinary alternative.
These online classes enable us to
reach high qualified education. Access
is open for everybody. It is not
impossible that education in this era
must be easy, low cost, and global.
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Proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Education in Indonesia (ICE-I) 2016