Moving Classes (that) Don’t Really Move

SMA **, the school where I did teaching assistance has applied moving class system. To me, moving class is a big movement in Indonesian learning system. Unfortunately, this school hasn’t (really) moved, which means move from traditional learning method into ICT-based method, especially in language learning. Actually, the school has provided the facilities, such as LCD and projector in every classroom, but some teachers feel reluctant to use them, including my master teacher. She still uses a textbook only in almost meeting.

When I asked her, she said that she knows that her students tend to be more interested when she uses digital media but she has no enough time to make the presentation slides or another media. Besides, she doesn’t want wasting her time in teaching to operate the tools. To anticipate the technical problem, she prefers bring her own tools to use the school’s tools. For example, if she wants to give listening exercise to students, she will bring her own tape recorder from home. However it doesn’t mean that she rejects any implementation of new technology. She allows her students to use the built-in dictionary on their cell phone to translate some difficult words or to google any information. I think she is just a typical digital immigrant who sometimes afraid to try something new.

Although there are still many controversies about the effectiveness of using technology (especially computer-based technology) in language learning, we can conclude that students are more enthusiastic, engaged, and motivated when they study using computer or any digital media (Davies and Hewer, 2010). I noticed the difference when my master teacher taught her students using textbook only and when I taught them with some digital media. Some of them still had a chat when the teacher explained about something orally, but they paid all attention when I explained about procedure text using PowerPoint. They became more excited when I played a video from YouTube to give more example of it, though, in the middle the video had to be stopped due to a technical problem. This fact forced me to admit that she is true, sometimes there are unexpected things happened on those tools that disturb the learning process.

Technology is just a tool, and it cannot substitute the presence of teacher. It’s the teacher’s role to create a lesson that integrating ICT-based experience into the curriculum (McFarlane, as cited in Davies, 2010). I have tried to do that as I told above. I was glad to see the students presented their own procedure text using PowerPoint and another digital media enthusiastically.

Even though it was short, I know from their e-reflection that they enjoyed the session when technology was used. Well, to really move their way in learning language into ICT-based classroom is not easy, but at least they have started doing something new through moving class system.

Do We Run as Fast as Technology?

I bet, You, the Digital Natives will laugh at that Ad. If we convert the price into recent Rupiah (6/10), it will cost >31 million rupiah. Nowadays, we can't do much with those bytes of memory--it's same with the size of 2 digital files, such as songs or pictures--but have you ever imagined that in July 1980 it was a BIG invention? It's just 30 years ago, and may be 30 years from now is our turn to be laughed by the next generation. Maybe, 50 years later the price of a Core2Duo notebook will be as cheap as a liter of rice. Even it's still be laughed because the gadget that's very sophisticated today will be the primitive one in their era.


Yes, we can see that digital technology runs so fast. However, do we run as fast as those gadgets?


Have we moved from "primitive" thinking way into the modern one? Do you know, somewhere there are some people who are so conservative that they reject the penetration of technology into their life. I got this point from the debate activity in the last session of TLL lecture. As the "con" side (we acted as if we're the school board), we had to argue the opposite group that tried to convince us using technology in our school. When we're on that position and tried to think conservatively, we found many reasons to reject that idea. From a paranoid thought that digital technology can decrease students moral value, make students lazy and depend on it, until the cliche reason, lack of infrastructure.


Actually, all of the reasons stem from their paradigm. As we know, to change someone paradigm is not easy. There are so many reasons influence it, e.g. the background of their life, education and also culture. Maybe they think that people in the past can also grab knowledge even though modern technologies haven't exist yet. Even the students they've taught for years without technology can achieve some great achievements, maybe.


However, will they stick on their argument if they see the movement progress from another school that optimize the usage of technology for learning? While their 'isolated' students can only hear the teacher to get knowledge, the other students can gain as many information as they want just by click-ing! While another students can create and share their own 'chemistry experimental video' , for example, they can only wait to get opportunity having their own experimentation.


Well, let's say they can accept the idea to apply technology, they may still have some problems that avoid them to do that, such as the lack of fund and infrastructure. I think, it's job of government and us to balance the condition. We (as teacher or teacher candidates) can contribute by introducing the application of technology in the classroom. I have a good news, in 2010, PT Telkom and Indonesian government is developing "Internet Masuk Desa" program so 5700 villages all over Indonesia can access Internet. Hopefully, by this innovation, Indonesian students can run as fast as technology, even one step ahead by creating new technology. Why not?

We are Digital Natives!

Look at the baby! He's so cute, rite?
However, if you are a "digital immigrant",
you have to beware with him because
he is a "digital native"!

Yes, he is one of the Digital Natives that live on a new world with certain culture and rules. They have their own way and language to communicate each other. They can play with their friends even though they don't have any green field--virtual game! Yup, most of them live in virtual city but they are NOT a virtual creature. They are real, they were born by their mother, not be downloaded from internet.

Actually, their world is not far from us but there's a wall separate us: technology!
This wall is flexible and never reject people who want to pass it. Anyhow, most people who immigrate to this world--they called Digital Immigrants--feel strange with the new situation and have some reluctance to accept everything offered to them. So, which one are you suppose to be; the Native or the Immigrant?

According to John Palfrey and Urs Gasser, in their book "Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives", Digital Natives are the generation who was born after 1980 (or after technology was implemented in human life). While people born before that are Digital Immigrants who move to a new world to adapt and adopt the technology. For the Natives, digital technology is just like the air; they can't live without it. They use the technology almost in every activity.

Yeah, I was really impressed when Pak Iwan showed the video of this generation profile. It's very different with the past condition, even when I was in primary school. Digital natives can create some real project (not only to finish their school assignments, but also social work) productively with gadgets they have. They can also build good social relationship with their environment. So, it ruins some opinions that digital natives can only have fun with technologies. Great!

Therefore, since we are in 2010--means that we have entered their world--we (as a teacher candidates) have to prepare well to teach the next generation of Digital Natives. That's why I'm really eager to follow this course. I want to know further how technology can help me as a future English teacher at Senior High School. Hmm, I can't imagine how "futuristic" my students will be in 5 years later.

Fortunately, I found this video that gives us a little clue how to teach this amazing generation. Unfortunately, I can't show you the videos because of some technical problems. Anyway, I hope it helps!