ACTIVE LEARNING IN HIGHER
EDUCATION IN INDONESIA
SUKARNO
ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
POST GRADUATE PROGRAM
STATE UNIVERSITY OF SEMARANG
A. Background
There is a general trend that teacher candidates are
provided the theories of effective teaching, but they
do not experience these methods.
Formal education systems tend to emphasize the
acquisition of knowledge to the detriment of other
types of learning; but it is vital now to conceive
education in a more encompassing fashion. Such a
vision should inform and guide future educational
reforms and policy, in relation both to contents and
to methods.
One concern for introducing active learning
methods in all levels of education is best defined by
Delors (1996): there are four pillars for lifelong
learning: 1) learning to know, 2) learning to do, 3)
learning to live together, and 4) learning to be.
Through the application of active learning, students
of all ages will develop these four fundamental
competencies.
In Indonesia active leaning methods were first
introduced into teacher education (IKIPs) in the early
1980’s. The methods were introduced from a theoretical
perspective with no practical applications provided.
Only in the last seven years has the Ministry of National
Education (MONE) attempted to influence classroom
instruction through government and ministry
regulations that call for the use of active learning
(student-centered learning).
DIKTI has had a program for lecturer development in
place since 1987, Program Peningkatkan Keterampilan
Dasar Teknik Instruksional (PEKERTI). In 2005 DIKTI
introduced PEKERTI-AA (Applied Approach).
Further emphasis on lecturer use of active learning in
the classroom is demonstrated by the recent publishing
of the national law on higher education UU No 12, 2012.
Chapter 2, Article 6, Paragraph f. notes one principle for
higher education, i.e., “Student-centered learning with
respect to the environment in harmony and balance.”
B. Defining Active Learning
“Active Learning” is a general expression that
encompasses a variety of methodologies in the
classroom. In simplest terms it is when students
are actively engaged in their own learning.
There have been a variety of approaches
promoted by learning research that fall under
the umbrella of active learning. Terms such as,
student-centered learning, self-regulated
learning, collaborative learning, learning-to-
learn, problem-based learning, inquiry-based
learning - all require the learner to be actively
involved with his/her own learning.
So as Prince (2004) summarized it, the core
elements are student activities and student
engagement in the learning process.
C. Theories Behind Active Learning
Active learning is based on the belief that
learners must employ higher level thinking skills
to more effectively learn new knowledge and
skills.
One theory that is the underlying foundation for
active learning is Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning.
By requiring learners to be engaged in activities
that challenge them to use these higher-level,
intellectual skills not only will their learning be
more effective, but also they are developing the
professional skills they will need in their field of
study.
Traditional instruction focuses on the lower levels
of Knowing and Understanding. This requires the
instructor to impart information and assist the
learner in understanding. To address these higher
levels of learning new strategies are needed to
engage the learner.
Bloom’s New Taxonomy of Learning
Lecturers need to implement strategies that require
learners to:
- apply new knowledge, new procedures or new skills;
- analyze new knowledge, analyze procedures to
understand the relationship between the sequence of
steps, analyze the different aspects of a new skill;
- evaluate new information, procedures or skills (compare,
assess); and
- create something new based on the new knowledges,
procedures or skills.
Lecturers will need to determine not just the knowledge,
procedures or skills that need to be shared with the
students, but also they themselves need to analyze the
learning experience of their students, evaluate whether
that experience is effective in achieving the learning
outcomes and if not create/select new strategy.
D. Active Learning: A Diversity of Methods
The selection of methodology will be based on a
number of criteria related to the context of
instruction, but the following examples provide
options for classes that still require a lecture
format as well as opportunities to be more
creative in the classroom.
Examples of types of Active Learning Methods
• The “One Minute Paper”
• The Muddiest (or Clearest) Point
• Affective Response
• Daily Journal
• Reading Quiz
• Clarification Pauses
• Response to demonstration or other teacher
centered activity
• Question and Answer (Socratic Method)
• Student Summary of Another Student’s Answer
• The Fish Bowl
• Quiz/Test Questions
• Share/Pair
• Discussion
• Note Comparison/Sharing
• Evaluation of Another Student’s Work
• Cooperative Learning Exercises
• Cooperative Groups in Class
• Active Review Sessions
• Gallery Walk
• Jigsaw Group Projects
• Role Playing Debates
• Panel Discussions Games
D. Active Learning: The Limitations
Some deliberate consideration on the use of active
learning involves an assessment of class time,
increased preparation time, application of methods in
a large class, as well as limited materials, equipment
or resources.
Most lecturers are overloaded with teaching
assignments, research, and community service leaving
little, extra time to be creative in their lesson planning.
Often classrooms are overcrowded due the increased
enrollments of students. Classrooms themselves are
set-up in such a way that alternative approaches to
teaching are limited.
Lecturers and students may have access to limited
instructional materials, equipment, and resources
(library, Internet, etc.).
Just one of these limitations can discourage the
lecturer. With two or more of these limitations
lecturers may just give-up and rely on traditional
E. A New Direction for Indonesia Higher
Education
At the World Conference on Higher Education
At the World Conference on Higher Education
(UNESCO, 1998), international education leaders,
business leaders, researchers, government officials and
intergovernmental representatives gathered to chart a
path for higher education in the twenty-first century.
Four themes are addressed in Article 9 that impact
university instruction. First the massification of higher
education brings greater diversity among the student
population thus requiring new approaches to teaching.
Secondly, the universities have an obligation to
prepare students who are informed, motivated, critical
thinkers, analytical, problem solvers, applying solutions
and accepting social responsibility.
Third, new curricula and teaching approaches are
needed to support these new perceived competencies
for students. These new approaches should promote
independent thinking, teamwork, linking the traditional
with contemporary knowledge, gender equity, national
context, human rights and global perspectives.
Finally, new teaching resources and assessment
tools will be needed to support the new methods
of teaching.
MONE policies concerning lecturers and
universities are paving the way towards these
international goals for higher education.
Current policies for universities promote the
adoption of active learning methods in university
classrooms.
PEKERTI-AA combined with ALFHE provides a
solid program of theory and practice.
Staff development programs beyond PEKERTI-AA
are needed to fill the gaps between this world-
view for university education and what is
provided currently.
