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A remarkable partnership between universities and Cluster Resource Centers (CRCs) in promoting the delivery of distance-based degree courses has emerged. It is marked by the first video conference held by Makassar State University (UNM) and CRCs in 3 districts to support distance education in South Sulawesi.
Conducted as the core component of UNM 48th anniversary celebration of the founding of the university or Dies Natalis, the video conference was held in Amanagappa Auditorium, UNM on August 1, 2009 with UNM satellite campuses in Bone and Parepare as well as with three DBE 2 CRCs: Harapan Baru CRC in Jeneponto, Pelita Ilmu CRC in Pangkep, and Karya Mandiri Guru in Makassar.
This event was attended by the senate and faculty of the university, a wide range of senior government officials and other VIP attendees which included the governor, the head of the provincial education office, three regents, the head of PT Telkom Indonesia's Makassar office, and heads of military and police for the province as well as a range of other participants. Attendees also included a range of persons who participated via video conference from each CRC; these included district level Education Office officials, including numerous Heads of Offices from each district, supervisors, head teachers, CRC management, Master Teacher Trainers and numerous teachers.
Video conference at Auditorium Amanagappa UNM, 1 August 2009
The technical capacity for the video conference was sufficient enough to provide good video and sound quality to allow dialogs between the governor, the rector and each CRC. The governor of South Sulawesi, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, encouraged the program and during the video conference with the 3 CRCs, the governor stated, “Learning with the use of ICT as it is being used by UNM has become a leap ahead for education in Sulawesi Selatan.”
In one year, UNM will be responsible to increase 1.000 teachers to have S1 degree through distance education program. And according to UNM, there are 40.000 more teachers in South Sulawesi to have S1 degree. This is a big challenge for UNM to bring the plan into reality. UNM Rector Prof Arismunandar, M.Pd said that in addition to tutorial and face to face programs, UNM develops distance education with online course. To support that, UNM has 2 campuses outside Makassar, i.e. Parepare and Bone.
Currently, UNM is looking for other places like CRC to support the online program. Video conference is one of the tryouts to see each campus’ preparation to support the program. For the initial step, 3 CRCs were selected conduct the tryout to see how CRC can play key role in supporting DBE 2 partner universities to produce S1-degree teachers. CRC can be functioned as UNM online campus for distance learning.
Among 18 CRCs in South Sulawesi that have connection to the Internet, the 3 CRCs were selected because they were considered ready to conduct video conference as they were equipped with more sufficient technology; for example, the Pelita Ilmu School CRC in Pangkep and Karya Mandiri Guru CRC in Makasar that have launched high-speed Internet connectivity. In addition, Harapan Baru CRC in Jeneponto was selected not only because of its connectivity to the Internet, but also because UNM and Jeneponto District Administration will have a joint cooperation to make teachers in the district have S1 degree. However, there will be 15 more CRCs to be empowered as the online campus to support the UNM distance learning program.
South Sulawesi Governoor, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, speak with CRCs in video conference
As the first trial of video conferencing between DBE 2 CRCs and a university in Indonesia, the event gave inspiration to the university and to those who attended in each CRC. It also highlights a more intensive cooperation between CRCs and university to improve the quality of education in South Sulawesi.
However, there are many steps that need to be taken and a great deal of effort required to move from this successful pilot to an established program linking CRC to Universities for the delivery of Distance Education via Internet, but the early indications are that the initiative will gain support enough to make the initiative a sustainable reality. It is also important to note that the trial in these three locations represents a small fraction of the capacity that the CRCs can provide a Distance Education initiative under the direction of UNM in particular and DBE 2 university partners in general.
To achieve a long term strategic success in this initiative, it will require continued efforts and cooperation between DBE 2, CRCs, universities, and the local administration. Each party plays key role in making the initiative a successful program and in bringing good quality of education to South Sulawesi. Appreciating the support from USAID DBE 2 program in introducing the use of ICT in Sout Sulawesi, the governor stated, “The benefits from foreign assistance in education have made a very big contribution to the success of free education in South Sulawesi.”