Mochtar Buchori , Jakarta | Fri, 05/02/2008 2:26 PM | Focus
A friend asked me recently what I thought about the future of education. "Do you see any encouraging signs? I only see depressing signs," he added. "I am very worried about our education in the future."
I told him the situation was not that bad. True, there are many depressing signs, but there are also some encouraging ones. Look, for instance, at the growth of "elite schools" in the country. The number of such academically respectable schools has been continuously increasing. And what is also encouraging, is that these schools are spread throughout the country.
They do not only exist in big cities, like Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, but in small towns as well, like Kediri, Kudus and Padang Sidempuan, for instance.
And look at our high-school students who have won awards and championships in various international scholastic competitions. They do not only come from elite schools in big cities and well-to-do families; many of them come from good ordinary schools in small towns and ordinary families. These are encouraging facts. They are national achievers and prove the progress in our system. We should open our eyes to these achievements.
Overall, there are good things and bad things about our education system. The question to ask is not how our education system will be in the future. Instead, we should ask the following question: What must we do now to ensure we will have an education system to serve the interests of the people and the country in the future?
In this context, I agree the future of our education is indeed bleak. And this bleak picture will become reality if we do nothing to correct the present shortcomings in our system.
What is most frightening to me about our future is the millions of ill-educated Indonesians who will have to live next to and compete against a much smaller group of well-educated Indonesians, who, for practical reasons, will prefer to work with equally well-educated ex-pats.
In this kind of situation, coupled with the probability of a modernizing Indonesian economy, there will be a very uneven playing field in the job market. The group of well-educated Indonesians will wrest all high-paying jobs, while the large group of ill-educated people will be considered unemployable in the modern sector. They will be employed in menial jobs or in family businesses.
This will be a very dangerous situation that can easily spark social explosion. You don't have to be a communist to understand inequality in economic life has always been the source of social jealousy, which in turn constitutes the source of social explosion. And it is not difficult to imagine educational disparity will in time create economic disparity.
Can this specter be averted? It can, provided we introduce corrective measures into our present education system now. We should take measures designed to reduce the gap between elite schools and disadvantaged ones.
Essentially, these corrective measures should create an educational system providing affordable, high-quality education to all children from all socio-economic backgrounds. I must add this is a very difficult national task to carry out for all of us. It requires very close cooperation among all parties concerned and it will take a long time to accomplish. By my estimate, if we start to introduce these corrective measures now, it will take another ten to fifteen years before we can see the emergence of a more democratic climate in our system.
Another important question to ask is: What do we mean by "good education" or "quality education"?
Most define "good education" in terms of excellence in academic learning alone. This definition fails to cover the important non-academic aspects of education, like character building for instance. True education is everywhere in the world. It is a systematic attempt to teach the young about life. This means three things: first, to guide the young to learn how to make a living; second, to guide them towards a meaningful life, personally and collectively; and third, to encourage them to contribute to the ennoblement of life.
It follows from the educational paradigm that academic learning alone will not suffice to make a "good education". The ability to live meaningfully and to ennoble life needs many other things beside academic matters. In good schools that strive to expose children to comprehensive education, Professor Phenix's recommends guiding students to explore the six realms of meaning in life, which are the symbolic, empiric, aesthetic, synnoetic, ethical and synoptic. Viewed within our conventional academic education, we cover only two areas -- the symbolic (language and mathematics) and the empiric (natural and social sciences).
With such limited education, it is very difficult for most students to develop a meaningful life and to contribute to the ennoblement of life. They have to learn many other things on their own to be able to live meaningfully. They have to learn on their own how to acquire wisdom in addition to knowledge and skills.
This is the rough sketch of the job we have to correct the shortcomings in our education system today. We have to make sure we are not heading towards an Indonesia where human life is reduced to repetition just to stay alive and nothing more.
The writer holds a PhD in education from Harvard University.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Hobby' leads to int'l award for designer
Apriadi Gunawan , The Jakarta Post , Medan | Sun, 05/11/2008 12:37 PM | Discover
Junius Alberto Lumban Tobing. grand prize winner of the Topcoder Collegiate Challenge graphic design competition, poses for a photograph with his laptop at his home in Medan, North Sumatra. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)Junius Alberto Lumban Tobing. grand prize winner of the Topcoder Collegiate Challenge graphic design competition, poses for a photograph with his laptop at his home in Medan, North Sumatra. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
Junius Alberto Lumban Tobing spends at least eight hours a day in front of his computer. The programs he likes to use the most are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Junius "tinkers" with these two programs all the time to increase his abilities in the field of graphic design.
Without a doubt, it is Junius' diligent "tinkering" with Photoshop and Illustrator that bore him fruit: This fifth semester student of Computer Sciences in the Mathematics and Environmental Science Faculty of North Sumatra University placed first in an international graphic design competition last November based in Orlando, Florida, the United States.
Junius defeated seven other finalists from the U.S., Argentina, Canada, India and Poland in this competition, after beating out about 300 other foreign contestants.
In addition to emerging the champion of the TopCoder Collegiate Challenge, Junius was also awarded a cash prize of US$15,000.
The 24-year-old said he was very proud of having been chosen the winner of this world-class graphic design contest.
"It means that the creativity of designers in Indonesia are not inferior to those overseas. This gives me pride and, at the same time, the motivation for greater achievements," said Junius, the second of five chidren.
He explained that he did not meet with any great difficulties in the contest, because creating graphic designs on his computer was already a habit. Junius is a self-taught designer, and said that his dedication to his "hobby" grew out of his fondness for drawing as a child.
By the time he entered university, Junius had become a skilled graphic designer, and by the time he reached his fifth semester of studies, he had started working as a freelancer for an advertising company in Medan.
"My work experience of three years with the advertising company made me increasingly ready for a competition," said Junius, who wants to continue his studies after graduating to broaden his knowledge of graphic design.
He said that the task the contest's three jury members - from the U.S., Canada and the Philippines - assigned to the finalists was complex. However, his "habit" and experience enabled him to complete it easily.
"The finalists were given eight hours to produce a brochure and postcard using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator," said Junius, whose final brochure and postcard used an abstract image of a computer with fresh and futuristic design elements.
The jury evaluated each finalist's design according to its neatness or seamlessness, typography, color and level of difficulty. In the final evaluation, the jury awarded the highest score of 86 points to Junius, followed by 84 points to an Indonesian contestant studying in Singapore and he third highest score of 82 points to an Argentinean contestant.
"It goes without saying that I was very honored when the jurors gave my design the highest score. This is my first achievement at the international level," said Junius. He added that earlier in 2007, he had won a gold award for the digital processing he implemented at a Medan-based tabloid.
Junius is highly grateful that he was able to win two first-place titles within the same year. However, it appears there is more in store for the young designer.
"The plan is, I'll leave for Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 11 to enter the TopCoder Open 2008. This contest is open to the public, and involves professionals, university students and high school students," he said.
According to Junius, this competition is vastly more difficult than the TopCoder Collegiate Challenge, from which the jury has selected 12 of the 300 contestants to participate in the TopCoder Open.
When asked what he planned to do in preparing for the Open, Junius replied that he would give his very best effort to make it to the finals.
Regarding the current recognition for graphic design, Junius said that he would be happy if people, particularly residents of Medan, had a high appreciation for this field.
"Graphic designers in Medan already show good-quality work. However, some of them are restricted by the systems at their current workplaces. As a result, they cannot produce designs that are able to reveal solid messages through imagery," he said.
Junius also mentioned that graphic designers were gen
Junius Alberto Lumban Tobing. grand prize winner of the Topcoder Collegiate Challenge graphic design competition, poses for a photograph with his laptop at his home in Medan, North Sumatra. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)Junius Alberto Lumban Tobing. grand prize winner of the Topcoder Collegiate Challenge graphic design competition, poses for a photograph with his laptop at his home in Medan, North Sumatra. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan)
Junius Alberto Lumban Tobing spends at least eight hours a day in front of his computer. The programs he likes to use the most are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. Junius "tinkers" with these two programs all the time to increase his abilities in the field of graphic design.
Without a doubt, it is Junius' diligent "tinkering" with Photoshop and Illustrator that bore him fruit: This fifth semester student of Computer Sciences in the Mathematics and Environmental Science Faculty of North Sumatra University placed first in an international graphic design competition last November based in Orlando, Florida, the United States.
Junius defeated seven other finalists from the U.S., Argentina, Canada, India and Poland in this competition, after beating out about 300 other foreign contestants.
In addition to emerging the champion of the TopCoder Collegiate Challenge, Junius was also awarded a cash prize of US$15,000.
The 24-year-old said he was very proud of having been chosen the winner of this world-class graphic design contest.
"It means that the creativity of designers in Indonesia are not inferior to those overseas. This gives me pride and, at the same time, the motivation for greater achievements," said Junius, the second of five chidren.
He explained that he did not meet with any great difficulties in the contest, because creating graphic designs on his computer was already a habit. Junius is a self-taught designer, and said that his dedication to his "hobby" grew out of his fondness for drawing as a child.
By the time he entered university, Junius had become a skilled graphic designer, and by the time he reached his fifth semester of studies, he had started working as a freelancer for an advertising company in Medan.
"My work experience of three years with the advertising company made me increasingly ready for a competition," said Junius, who wants to continue his studies after graduating to broaden his knowledge of graphic design.
He said that the task the contest's three jury members - from the U.S., Canada and the Philippines - assigned to the finalists was complex. However, his "habit" and experience enabled him to complete it easily.
"The finalists were given eight hours to produce a brochure and postcard using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator," said Junius, whose final brochure and postcard used an abstract image of a computer with fresh and futuristic design elements.
The jury evaluated each finalist's design according to its neatness or seamlessness, typography, color and level of difficulty. In the final evaluation, the jury awarded the highest score of 86 points to Junius, followed by 84 points to an Indonesian contestant studying in Singapore and he third highest score of 82 points to an Argentinean contestant.
"It goes without saying that I was very honored when the jurors gave my design the highest score. This is my first achievement at the international level," said Junius. He added that earlier in 2007, he had won a gold award for the digital processing he implemented at a Medan-based tabloid.
Junius is highly grateful that he was able to win two first-place titles within the same year. However, it appears there is more in store for the young designer.
"The plan is, I'll leave for Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 11 to enter the TopCoder Open 2008. This contest is open to the public, and involves professionals, university students and high school students," he said.
According to Junius, this competition is vastly more difficult than the TopCoder Collegiate Challenge, from which the jury has selected 12 of the 300 contestants to participate in the TopCoder Open.
When asked what he planned to do in preparing for the Open, Junius replied that he would give his very best effort to make it to the finals.
Regarding the current recognition for graphic design, Junius said that he would be happy if people, particularly residents of Medan, had a high appreciation for this field.
"Graphic designers in Medan already show good-quality work. However, some of them are restricted by the systems at their current workplaces. As a result, they cannot produce designs that are able to reveal solid messages through imagery," he said.
Junius also mentioned that graphic designers were gen
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
TEACHER IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS CLASSROOM TOGETHER
Intel Corp., the world's largest computer microprocessor company, has been involved in education globally through its World Ahead Program focusing on greater accessibility, increased connectivity, quality education and localized content and services. Intel also has cooperated with the Indonesian Education Ministry to boost e-learning programs for schoolchildren. The Jakarta Post's Andy Haswidi and Primastuti Handayani spoke to chairman of the board of Intel Corp., Craig R. Barrett, on the company's vision and goals in education. Below are excerpts from the interview.
Question: What's your main objective in visiting Indonesia?
Answer: I have two roles and they are very similar, one is for Intel and its World Ahead Program, acting as an ambassador for Information Technology (IT), how it can be used for education, health care and business development.
The other role is with the United Nations and its global alliance for ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and its development, which really has the same objective as the Intel World Ahead Program, which is how to use ICT for education, health care, business development and better communication between citizens and the government.
So, I try to get around the world to talk to business leaders, government leaders, educators and show what is possible. Sometimes we just talk about it, usually we try to demonstrate techniques, train teachers, show what can be done and push people toward implementation.
You are focusing technology on raising educational standards; what have you done and what are you going to do to achieve this objective?
Well ... we invested about US$100 million a year on education, we have trained nearly five million teachers around the world. We committed a year or two years ago to donate 100,000 PCs worldwide and 4,000 of them are here in Indonesia.
We work with universities in training and research programs ...
We have a program that really spans the entire education process. Research at the universities is very important, (so is) training young children in math and science. We won't focus on one at the expense the another ...
For example, I just came from Atlanta, Georgia, working with an international science and engineering program, which is targeting the high school science age group. We have sponsored it for 10 years.
We try to do many different things to get lots of young people interested in mathematics and science and to improve the quality of education.
How are you measuring your achievements in this endeavor, and how is it going to make a contribution to society?
When we train teachers we always go back a year later and ask the teachers what they thought of the training, if they are using the training in the classroom, and if this is helping to get better results.
So we try to measure outputs effectively. For example, it's a little more difficult to draw a direct line from what we do in elementary education to the impact on the economy of a country ...
However, the higher the level of education of your citizens, the higher the level at which the economy operates and the greater the per capita income.
Why Indonesia and why now?
Indonesia is a very important country, the fourth most populous country in the world. The economy is growing rapidly. We started our education program here a few years ago.
I try to visit about 30 countries a year (but) you can't visit every country every year ...
How is the Classmate PC progressing so far in terms of penetration and sales?
I think it's doing OK. There are still a lot of trials going on. There have been some volume orders in some countries. I think it has been accepted pretty well.
What's important about the Classmate PC is that it's not just the PC but it's the teacher, the training, the content and the connectivity. Those are what makes programs successful.
Costs are being reduced dramatically. You can buy a Classmate PC now for a couple of hundred dollars. Someday it will be less than $200. When they were $1,000 a piece, it was an excuse not to buy them. When they're getting to $100 or $200 apiece, the excuses for not buying them are diminishing!
How do you see the role of teachers in e-learning?
E-learning is really just a catchword for delivering a lot of content online. Teachers play the important role of interfacing with the students, seeing what the students' needs are, tailoring the lessons to the students. ...
If it were just computers, you should say what country has the most computers in the classroom? That's probably the United States. Does the United States have the best education system? No. And why not? Because we have a lot of teachers in the U.S. that are not certified and accredited in math and science. We have a lot of English teachers teaching mathematics, we have a lot of physical education teachers teaching chemistry.
We don't propose that we are training teachers to be content experts. We are not making teachers to teach math, English or history or chemistry. We train teachers how to integrate technology into the flow. We can help them bring the technology tool into the classroom and integrate that into the learning process, but the teachers are the glue, the teachers are the magic.
Question: What's your main objective in visiting Indonesia?
Answer: I have two roles and they are very similar, one is for Intel and its World Ahead Program, acting as an ambassador for Information Technology (IT), how it can be used for education, health care and business development.
The other role is with the United Nations and its global alliance for ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and its development, which really has the same objective as the Intel World Ahead Program, which is how to use ICT for education, health care, business development and better communication between citizens and the government.
So, I try to get around the world to talk to business leaders, government leaders, educators and show what is possible. Sometimes we just talk about it, usually we try to demonstrate techniques, train teachers, show what can be done and push people toward implementation.
You are focusing technology on raising educational standards; what have you done and what are you going to do to achieve this objective?
Well ... we invested about US$100 million a year on education, we have trained nearly five million teachers around the world. We committed a year or two years ago to donate 100,000 PCs worldwide and 4,000 of them are here in Indonesia.
We work with universities in training and research programs ...
We have a program that really spans the entire education process. Research at the universities is very important, (so is) training young children in math and science. We won't focus on one at the expense the another ...
For example, I just came from Atlanta, Georgia, working with an international science and engineering program, which is targeting the high school science age group. We have sponsored it for 10 years.
We try to do many different things to get lots of young people interested in mathematics and science and to improve the quality of education.
How are you measuring your achievements in this endeavor, and how is it going to make a contribution to society?
When we train teachers we always go back a year later and ask the teachers what they thought of the training, if they are using the training in the classroom, and if this is helping to get better results.
So we try to measure outputs effectively. For example, it's a little more difficult to draw a direct line from what we do in elementary education to the impact on the economy of a country ...
However, the higher the level of education of your citizens, the higher the level at which the economy operates and the greater the per capita income.
Why Indonesia and why now?
Indonesia is a very important country, the fourth most populous country in the world. The economy is growing rapidly. We started our education program here a few years ago.
I try to visit about 30 countries a year (but) you can't visit every country every year ...
How is the Classmate PC progressing so far in terms of penetration and sales?
I think it's doing OK. There are still a lot of trials going on. There have been some volume orders in some countries. I think it has been accepted pretty well.
What's important about the Classmate PC is that it's not just the PC but it's the teacher, the training, the content and the connectivity. Those are what makes programs successful.
Costs are being reduced dramatically. You can buy a Classmate PC now for a couple of hundred dollars. Someday it will be less than $200. When they were $1,000 a piece, it was an excuse not to buy them. When they're getting to $100 or $200 apiece, the excuses for not buying them are diminishing!
How do you see the role of teachers in e-learning?
E-learning is really just a catchword for delivering a lot of content online. Teachers play the important role of interfacing with the students, seeing what the students' needs are, tailoring the lessons to the students. ...
If it were just computers, you should say what country has the most computers in the classroom? That's probably the United States. Does the United States have the best education system? No. And why not? Because we have a lot of teachers in the U.S. that are not certified and accredited in math and science. We have a lot of English teachers teaching mathematics, we have a lot of physical education teachers teaching chemistry.
We don't propose that we are training teachers to be content experts. We are not making teachers to teach math, English or history or chemistry. We train teachers how to integrate technology into the flow. We can help them bring the technology tool into the classroom and integrate that into the learning process, but the teachers are the glue, the teachers are the magic.
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