Journal of Southeast Asian Education
The Official Journal of SEAMEO
2021 Issue | Volume 1

Global Citizenship Education
Challenges amid the COVID-19
Pandemic

2021 Issue | Volume 1

Global Citizenship Education
Challenges amid the COVID-19
PandemicJournal of Southeast Asian Education
2021 Issue | Volume 1
164 pages
ISSN 1513-4601

The Journal of Southeast Asian Education is an official Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization(SEAMEO) publication produced twice a year.
The main purpose of this international journal is to provide information and analyses to assist in policymaking
and planning in the countries in the region. It promotes the interchange of ideas on educational issues andcomparative studies, both within the countries of the region and other parts of the world. Each article in thejournal was written to enable readers from outside each country to obtain an overview of how education iscarried out outside its borders.
The theme of this special issue is “Global Citizenship Education (GCED) Challenges amid the COVID-19
Pandemic.” It is a product of SEAMEO’s collaboration with the University of Tsukuba. It features official
contributions from SEAMEO regional centers, namely, the Regional Open Learning Center (SEAMOLEC), theRegional Center for Tropical Biology (BIOTROP), the Regional Center for Education in Science and Mathematics(RECSAM), the Regional Center for Quality Improvement of Teachers and Education Personnel (QITEP) in
Science, the Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics, the Regional Center for Tropical Medicine (TROPMED
Network), the Regional Center for Special Educational (SPED) Needs (SEN), the Regional Center for QITEP in
Language, the Regional Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA), the Regional Center for Community
Education Development (CED), and the Regional Center for Technical Education Development (TED). Other
contributors came from various universities and learning centers, such as the University of Tsukuba (Japan)
and Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Surakarta (Indonesia). The various articles in this journal present frameworks,
projects, and programs focusing on effective GCED initiatives in Southeast Asia and beyond.
The inaugural issue of the Journal of Southeast Asian Education was launched by the SEAMEO Secretariat
in July 2000.
Chair:			
Executive Editors:			Consulting Editor:
Editorial Office:		
			
			
			
Phone:			
Fax:			Email:			
Website:			

Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela (SEAMEO Secretariat)
Dr. Wahyudi (SEAMEO Secretariat)
Dr. Masami Isoda (University of Tsukuba)
Dr. Allan L. White (SEAMEO Fellow)
Journal of Southeast Asian Education
SEAMEO Secretariat
920 Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok 10110 Thailand(+662) 3910144(+662) 3812587
secretariat@seameo.org
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Printed in Thailand© SEAMEO 2021

The designations employed and the presentation of the materials throughout the publication do not imply theexpression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of SEAMEO concerning the legal status of any country,
territory, city, or area, or of its authorities or frontiers or boundaries.

Contents
Foreword..................................................................................................................................... i
Introduction................................................................................................................................iii
Disaster Prevention and GCED
Dr. Yoshiyasu Ida
University of Tsukuba.................................................................................................................1
Agency Development to Promote Global Citizenship via Tokkatsu:
How Student Councils Can Alter School Rules
Dr. Tetsuo Kyomen
University of Tsukuba.................................................................................................................9
Career Education Programs in Japanese Schools:
Challenges and Potentials in the Context of Culturally Embedded
Latent Content to Gender Disparity
Dr. Teruyuki Fujita
University of Tsukuba...............................................................................................................23
Online Program for Mathematics Teacher Education:
A Product of International Collaboration in Response to
Challenges in the New Normal
Dr. Masami Isoda, University of Tsukuba;
Mr. Diego Solis, Worsfold University of Tsukuba; and
Ms. Laura Vanessa Lopez, Zarate University of Tsukuba..........................................................37
Fostering Global Citizenship through a Sales Competition
Dr. R. Alpha Amirrachman and
Ms. Aline Almandha
SEAMEO SEAMOLEC.............................................................................................................47
Online Hybrid System Learning Model:
A Case Study on Geodata Base Diagnostic Training and Plant
Pest and Disease Monitoring and Management
Dr. Zulhamsyah Imran,Mr. Slamet Widodo,
Mr. Armaiki Yusmur,
Mr. Harry Imantho, and
Ms. Dewi Suryani
SEAMEO BIOTROP and
Dr. Suprianto
IPB University..........................................................................................................................59

Learning from Everything
Dr. Shah Jahan Assanarkutty and
Ms. Deva Nanthini Sinniah
SEAMEO RECSAM..................................................................................................................71
Teacher Resilience in Science Learning during the Pandemic
Dr. Indrawati,
Dr. Elly Herliani,
Mr. Haidar Muhammad Helmi, andMr. Septian Karyana
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Science.......................................................................83
Math for All:A Strategic Program for Teachers in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Sumardyono
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics...............................................................95
Global Citizenship in Response to COVID-19:
A Global Health Perspective
Dr. Pratap Singhasivanon and
Dr. Ma. Sandra B. Tempongko
SEAMEO TROPMED Network...............................................................................................105
Emotional and Psychosocial Support for Teachers and Parents ofLearners with Disabilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Mr. Mohd Zulkarnain Abdul Wahab,
Mr. Ahmad Heikhal Amir Hamzah, and
Ms. Fezny Othman
SEAMEO SEN.......................................................................................................................111
Adapting Programs to Assist Teachers and Students with the
New Way of Learning
Dr. Luh Anik Mayani
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language..................................................................123
The Human Capital Development Resilience Approach of
SEAMEO SPAFA:
A Response to COVID-19
Ms. Somlak Charoenpot
SEAMEO SPAFA....................................................................................................................131
COVID-19 in Lao PDR:
Impacts on and Responses from the Education Sector
Dr. Kiengkay Ounmany
SEAMEO CED.......................................................................................................................141

Application of Blended Learning-Governed Schoology during the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Ms. Suci Nugrah Amalia
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Surakarta and
Mr. Lastika Ary Prihandoko
Universitas Musamus Merauke..............................................................................................149
Assessing the Quality of Distance Learning Delivery for Technical
Education Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in
General and Technical High Schools in Cambodia
Dr. Songheang Ai and
Mr. Vorn Tim
SEAMEO TED........................................................................................................................161
Acknowledgments.....................................................................................................................vii

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Foreword
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented changes that affected all areas of life,
including the suspension of face-to-face classes and the migration to online learning. Despite thechallenges, however, the pandemic served as a force of equity that brought people, regardless ofstatus, experience, origin, language, and culture, down to wanting the same thing—the desire to
survive. COVID-19 has undeniably made GCED more important and relevant than ever.
The articles featured in this issue highlight some of the highly effective collaborative initiatives theresearchers from universities, such as the University of Tsukuba in Japan and Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu
Ekonomi Surakarta in Indonesia, and exemplary intervention programs from 11 SEAMEO units as a
response to the educational challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
SEAMEO’s motto, “leading through learning,” reflects the organization’s leadership and commitment
to promoting quality education, science, and culture in Southeast Asia and beyond. Through theactivities and strategies of its 26 units, it can reach out to diverse communities in the region tocontribute to the development of human resources (HR) and address issues, such as the pandemic,
thus creating a better quality of life, providing educational equity and quality, enhancing agriculture
and natural resources as well as health and nutrition, and promoting the dissemination and exchange
of knowledge and learning of indigenous cultures and traditions.
We hope this journal serves as a source of learning and reference for educational institutions acrossSoutheast Asia. We are also confident that it will help the general public better understand the natureof work that SEAMEO does, which will continually expand and grow as we stride toward a new stageof growth in our fast-changing world, as described in the SEAMEO Strategic Plan for 2021–2030.
We at the SEAMEO Secretariat would like to thank the ministers of education and senior officials of
SEAMEO member countries, along with the SEAMEO center directors, for their commitment andunfailing support over the years. We also wish to recognize the excellent cooperation we continue toreceive from the University of Tsukuba, SEAMEO units, and other partner organizations. All of these
efforts have, in one way or another, contributed to the completion of this journal.

Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela
SEAMEO Secretariat Director–i–

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction

Global citizenship education has
an important role to play inensuring that the world thatemerges from the COVID-19 crisis
is safe, fair, and inclusive.
—Christiana Nikolitsa-Winter(2020)The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented changes. The whole world shed many tears
as the virus took the lives of their loved ones. People of all races and ethnicities shared the fear ofcontracting the disease. Leaders of different nations worldwide, from the wealthiest to the poorest,
expressed the same concern while doing their best to reassure citizens that we will overcome
challenges. The united front to combat the pandemic is in itself a form of global citizenship.
In response to educational challenges, SEAMEO convened the first SEAMEO Ministerial Policy
e-Forum (SMPeF) on COVID-19 Response as early as 18 June 2020. During SMPeF, the ministersof education shared their policies on managing and responses to the pandemic to ensure thatno learner gets left behind despite forced school closures. They expressed their commitment toachieving the goals they set through a joint statement. One such commitment was to stand united
in the fight against the pandemic and appreciate the efforts that various education stakeholders
exerted to innovate and evolve, which showed their countries had responsible global citizens.
This issue features papers from around the region that highlight the role of GCED in ensuring that
initiatives and programs meant to meet the challenges that COVID-19 poses are implemented
effectively. The following summaries describe the featured articles:•

Disaster Prevention and GCED: This paper proposes new disaster prevention measures
for Japan that would do well with collaboration from global citizens. It espouses that global
citizens must strive to keep up their morale even in the face of disasters, such as the COVID-19
pandemic. And they can demonstrate that by adopting effective disaster prevention measuresthat worked in other countries. The researchers believe that GCED should help citizens develop
global perspectives, know how to prevent disasters, and promote content that discusses Society
5.0, including using digital technologies, such as augmented reality (AR).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

Agency Development to Promote Global Citizenship via Tokkatsu: How Student
Councils Can Alter School Rules: Inspired by the Learning Compass presented by theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Education 2030, this paperemphasizes the importance of student agency and transformative competencies in tokkatsu so it
can contribute to the development of global citizenship among students. The study focuses on
student council activities during and after the pandemic.

•

Career Education Programs in Japanese Schools: Challenges and Potentials in
the Context of Culturally Embedded Latent Content to Gender Disparity: Japan’sconstantly low ranking in the Global Gender Gap Report motivated researchers from the
University of Tsukuba to conduct an extensive literature review of gender disparity in career
education programs in Japanese schools. Their findings revealed that the school’s current career
education programs have an apparent potential to contribute to raising the country’s ranking.

•

Online Program for Mathematics Teacher Education: A Product of International
Collaboration in Response to Challenges in the New Normal: The Center for Researchon International Cooperation in Educational Development (CRICED) of the University of Tsukuba
shares its innovative program in collaboration with the SEAMEO School Network in this paper.
“Teaching Mathematics to Develop Mathematical Thinking as a Higher-Order Thinking Skill (HOTS):
How Do You Teach? Why?” offers teachers an opportunity to attain professional development
online despite the ensuing pandemic.

•

Fostering Global Citizenship through a Sales Competition: This paper features SEAMEOSEAMOLEC’s response to the challenge of cultivating resilient global citizens through its flagshipprogram, Southeast Asia Sales Competition (SEASAC). The center believes that students candevelop global citizenship knowledge and skills, including ethics, listening, trust building, andcollaboration, through SEASAC.

•

Online Hybrid System Learning Model: A Case Study on Geodata Base Diagnostic
Training and Plant Pest and Disease Monitoring and Management: One of SEAMEO
BIOTROP’s responses to COVID-19 was the implementation of the Online Hybrid System
Learning Model Program. This paper presents the results of the center’s case study on geodata
base diagnostic training and plant pest and disease monitoring and management.

•

Learning from Everything: Since the pandemic led to school closures worldwide, SEAMEORECSAM proposes the concept of learning from everything as a way forward. The center
believes knowledge can be accessed from anywhere and everywhere in the 21st century. As
such, learning must become place based, allowing students to effectively engage in learningfrom everything they can access.

•

Teacher Resilience in Science Learning during the Pandemic: Amid the challenges andpossible negative impact of COVID-19 on science teachers, the SEAMEO Regional Center for
QITEP in Science sought to find out how resilient science teachers were in terms of learning
even during the pandemic. The researchers used the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in
Science resilience survey (SS-Resilience) approach to determine how well teachers were doingin terms of seven aspects—emotion regulation, impulse organization, causal analysis, optimism,
empathy, self-efficacy, and reaching out.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

Math for All: A Strategic Program for Teachers in Response to the COVID-19
Pandemic: The SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics introduces the conceptof math for all, an alternative approach to responding to issues in mathematics education. The
center believes it can be applied to various programs for teachers even amid the pandemic.
Mathematics needs to be taught in a manner that is fair, fun, and meaningful so students,
regardless of grade, can appreciate and benefit from it.

•

Global Citizenship in Response to COVID-19: A Global Health Perspective: In
this paper, the SEAMEO TROPMED Network presents a global health perspective of global
citizenship. The researchers intuit that the pandemic is reason enough to mainstream GCED.
The move, however, will face several preparation and implementation challenges.

•

Emotional and Psychosocial Support for Teachers and Parents of Learners with
Disabilities (LWDs) during the COVID-19 Pandemic: In response to the challenges posed
by COVID-19 on students with SPED needs, SEAMEO SEN explored key elements to support
teachers and parents who are the core pillars and foundation of education. This paper intends toclarify and discuss pressing factors that cause emotional distress among teachers and parentsof LWDs.

•

Adapting Programs to Assist Teachers and Students with the New Way of Learning:
To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic that changed almost the entire teaching and learning
processes, the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language shared its innovations to adapt
to the new normal. All in all, the pandemic not only reshaped teachers’ and students’ habits
but also created an opportunity for them to accelerate their ability and competence to utilize
technology. The center supports teachers and students in Southeast Asia by providing more
initiatives, resources, programs, and products that can assist them in keeping up with the newnormal.

•The Human Capital Development Resilience Approach of SEAMEO SPAFA: A
Response to COVID-19: As the SEAMEO regional center that focuses on the cultural sector,
SEAMEO SPAFA is familiar with different adaptive actions that cultures undertake to ensure their
way of life survives. The center shared the concept of “bending with the wind,” which translates
to flexibility in planning and producing innovative responses to COVID-19.

•

COVID-19 in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR): Impacts on and Responses
from the Education Sector: SEAMEO CED reports the impacts of COVID-19 on the Lao
PDR education sector and how the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and SEAMEOCED responded. Students and their parents were gravely impacted by school closures and thefact that the education sector has limited resources. Working collaboratively with international
partners, the sector managed to implement aggressively to ensure learning continuity and thesafe return to school.

•

Application of Blended Learning-Governed Schoology during the COVID-19
Pandemic: This collaborative study of Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Surakarta and Universitas
Musamus Merauke features the effectiveness of the blended learning-governed schoology
implementation in Universitas Musamus Merauke, a remote area in Indonesia.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

Assessing the Quality of Distance Learning Delivery for Technical Education
Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in General and Technical HighSchools in Cambodia: SEAMEO TED investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on
Cambodia’s technical education sector. The center looked at the online course delivery mode
for technical education students of general and technical high schools amid the pandemic. The
study aimed to measure the schools’ satisfaction with delivery services. It is clear that the qualityof distance learning was limited in terms of technological materials, knowledge, application, andaffordability. More resources and effort is required to support the new learning norm.

We hope this collection of papers will encourage highly creative innovations that will foster global
citizenship and inspire responses to educational challenges during and after the pandemic.
Dr. Wahyudi
SEAMEO Secretariat

Dr. Masami Isoda
University of Tsukuba– vi –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Disaster Prevention and GCED
Dr. Yoshiyasu Ida
Faculty of Human Sciences
University of TsukubaJapan
ida@human.tsukuba.ac.jp

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to propose disaster prevention measures that global citizens muststrengthen collaboratively. It proposes a disaster prevention education system that cultivates global
citizens who analyze disaster prevention within the conventional Japanese education system,
especially in social studies. It focuses on COVID-19, which affected not only Japan but the wholeworld. The researchers define global citizens as people who can contribute to society from a global
perspective. One of the roles of global citizens is to continue maintaining their morale in the faceof disasters like COVID-19, while continuing to devise disaster prevention measures from a global
perspective.
A global citizen refers to a person who has the qualities to promote the recovery of the society fromdisasters, including COVID-19, and can continue to maintain his/her morale against disasters from a
global perspective. This study proposes that global education foster such citizens by including global
perspectives, disaster prevention, and Society 5.0 promotion, which is characterized by the use ofdigital technologies, such as AR.
Keywords: disaster prevention, education, global citizenship, COVID-19

Introduction
COVID-19 spread not only in Japan but all over the world. Natural disasters, such as tsunamis andfloods caused by earthquakes, typhoons, heavy rains, and volcanic eruptions, occur frequently
in Japan. As such, these disasters have been the main focus of disaster prevention education.
COVID-19 can be considered an addition to these disasters. The country must incorporate infectious
diseases into education. This study proposes new disaster prevention measures that global citizens
must strengthen collaboratively.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Disaster Prevention Education in Japan
Japan has suffered from various natural disasters caused by volcanic eruptions, typhoons, andheavy snowfall and rains. That is why for a long time, students are taught that natural disasters are
considered “causes of awe and blessings from nature,” especially in social studies and geography.
While volcanoes can bring about disasters, they are also the reason why we can enjoy hot springs.
This belief about natural disasters and blessings from nature has changed dramatically since 2011.
Table 1 shows the major disasters that occurred in Japan from 2007 to 2016. The Great HanshinAwaji Earthquake in 1995 killed more than 6,400 people. The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011
killed more than 18,000. The number of disasters has constantly increased in the past two or three
decades. By looking at the data since 2007, you can see that disasters caused by earthquakes,
volcanoes, typhoons, and floods are on the rise, which could be attributed to several factors, suchas global warming and the expansion of residential settlements due to population growth. All ofthese have made it necessary to protect people from disasters, specifically by raising awarenessof disaster prevention. As a result, the courses and textbooks have begun emphasizing disasterprevention since the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in 2011.
The revised geography curriculum was released in 2018. It will be revised again after 10 years.
Note, too, that geography, which was originally just an elective is now a required course. Disasterprevention education is offered from elementary to high school. Its curriculum emphasizes learning
not only from textbooks but by taking action and implementing g protocols.
Year

Earthquake

Volcanic

2007

7

5

2008

6

4

2009

3

3

2010

5

5

2011

16*

2012

13

7

2013

11

13

2014

8

2

15

2015

13

5

10

1

Storm and Flood Damage

3

Table 1: Major disasters in Japan from 2007 to 2015
Source: Naikkakuful Cabinet Office

Figure 1 shows how the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake changed education. By emphasizing
disaster prevention education, schools are shifting away from curricula that only teach knowledge ofnatural disasters (i.e., what happened in the past) to one that focuses not only on past events but
also ways to protect ourselves from disasters by cultivating our knowledge on disaster prevention,ability to utilize our knowledge for disaster protection, critical thinking skills, and the ability to takeaction. In other words, disaster prevention education has shifted to curricula that cultivate powerfulknowledge and features (Lambert, 2017).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
Before 2011

After 2011

2011
Focus on what happened in
the past

Great EastJapan
Earthquake

Knowledge of natural
disasters that alreadyhappened

Focus on what happened andhow can we protect ourselves

Knowledge of natural
disasters, practicalapplication, critical thinking,and taking action

Figure 1: Changes made to natural disaster education from 2011

The number of literature on disaster prevention also shifted to reflect the revisions made to thecourse. In the social studies and geography textbooks published by Nihon Bunkyo Shuppan in
2001, the number of pages on disaster prevention was only two (Yamamoto, et al., 2001), which
increased to six in the 2013 edition (Kinda, et al., 2013) and 12 in the 2020 edition (Mizuuchi, etal., 2020). A high school geography textbook published by Ninomiya Shoten only had two pages
on disaster prevention in 1997 (Yamamoto, et al., 1997), which increased to six in the 2013 edition(Yamamoto, et al., 2013). We estimate that more pages will be devoted to this topic in geography
textbooks by 2022. Only one company was given as an example but the same trend can be seenamong other textbook publishers.
Along with the increased number of disasters in recent years led by the Great East Japan Earthquake
in 2011, disaster prevention education expanded, which led to a rise in the pages devoted to the
topic in social studies and geography textbooks.

Differences in Disasters Due to Differencesin the Natural Environment
Earthquakes, tsunamis, and heavy snowfalls are the main disasters discussed in Japan. And thesedisasters vary from region to region. Australian textbooks, for example, feature wildfires prominently.
Wildfires have also become a hot topic in Portugal. Wildfires are typically caused by the spontaneous
ignition of leaves rubbing against one another during the dry season. In some cases, though, humancaused fires, such as those that start in fields and spread to nearby forests or forest fires that arecaused by people who do not put out campfires, occur frequently. In 2021, Japan suffered from alarge-scale wildfire in Kanto. While wildfires are not common in the country, climate change and otherfactors are causing them to become a problem.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Disasters, such as floods, can also differ, depending on the region. In Japan, heavy rains often cause
a sudden rise in river water, resulting in torrents that destroy structures, including embankments. But
in Thailand, water levels rise slowly, causing rivers to overflow and flooding to occur. As such, theJapanese have to act more quickly than the Thais do.
Although Singapore does not suffer from floods, volcanic eruptions, heavy snowfalls, or earthquakes,
its geography textbooks still features approaches to address such disasters. The country needs
national disaster prevention education to manage health-related emergencies, such as a dengue
fever outbreak.
Since different places suffer from varying disasters, it is necessary to tailor disaster prevention
education to each locality. We also need to consider that new kinds of disasters can emerge withthe passage of time. As such, disaster prevention education needs to consider the future. Truly
global citizens can benefit from learning about all kinds of disasters that occur worldwide and theircorresponding prevention measures.

Global Disaster Prevention Education
As mentioned earlier, students must learn not only about disaster prevention in their own communityand country but also in other countries if they are to become better global citizens. There are threereasons for that.
First, they must acquire a wide range of knowledge on disaster prevention. Only then can develop
the capability to come up with disaster prevention measures. Second, visiting other regions andcountries can help, especially since people say “experience is the best teacher.” If physical travel
is not possible, watching the news or reading about the various disasters and their corresponding
prevention measures may suffice. Third, students must know how they can help others when adisaster strikes no matter where they are. Helping is not limited to those in affected areas, of course.
They can also send emotional or financial support to those who have been affected.
All global citizens should have the characteristics above.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Disaster Prevention and Society 5.0
We also need to actively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) as global citizens. From an SDG standpoint, disaster education is closely related to Goal 11,
which focuses on developing sustainable cities and communities. Sustainable urban development
and a sustainable society are also connected to education for sustainable development (ESD). The“Decade of ESD” that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
proposed has, in fact, prompted considerable progress in ESD initiatives worldwide. Note, however,that the SDGs do not only cover education but also other areas. It is necessary to educate people
so they can achieve the SDGs, and that is what ESD is all about. We can thus say that ESD and theSDGs have a synergistic relationship.
Disaster prevention education is also significantly correlated with Society 5.0. Today, geographic
information systems (GISs) are improving geographic learning worldwide aided by various informationand communication technology (ICT) solutions (Milson, Demiric, and Kerski, 2012). Different thematic
maps can, for example, be superimposed on a computer screen to visually elucidate relationships
between events, and investigation results can be converted into digital data and integrated into thesemaps. Classes that use GIS technology are also starting to emerge. GIS has made it possible tocollate data from hazard maps digitally for disaster prevention education.
AR, meanwhile, allows users to put other types of information on top of real landscapes so they
appear as part of the environment on mobile screens. This technology can also be used in disasterprevention education (Ida and Itoh, 2018). When surveying an area flooded by heavy rains, users can
simply take a picture with a mobile camera. Already-existing apps and software can then add waterlevel estimations on devices’ screens to warn users to be careful should the rains continue. The
resulting videos can also be used to pique more users’ interest in disaster prevention and make themmore aware of the effects of floods. They can also serve as teaching materials to teach students
about Society 5.0.

Treating the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Disaster
The dengue fever outbreak in Singapore and the COVID-19 pandemic can be considered majordisasters. While pandemics differ from conventional natural disasters or those that depend on anation’s climate, they are still disasters in that they affect human interactions.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Like other diseases, however, some countries are more severely affected by COVID-19 comparedwith others. But whatever is causing the uncontrolled spread of the disease, it would definitely help
if each of us learns to protect ourselves and prevent its further transmission. We can also observe
how other countries are preventing the disease’s spread so we can contribute to the greater society.
All people and nations must work together to protect humanity from the pandemic. We must always
ask how we can contribute through education and what we can share with other people so they cantake action. COVID-19 seems to be testing how education can aid in disaster prevention and help
us overcome crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion
Based on the discussion, we can say that disaster prevention education is essential for attaining
global citizenship. In addition to learning about local disasters and how to stay safe from them,disaster prevention education also entails cultivating characteristics, such as empathy and working
with others to not only prevent disasters but also promote collaboration and environmental restoration.
Using digital technology like AR is also an effective means to ensure that Society 5.0 comes tofruition.
If we define a global citizen as someone who contributes to the entire society, we can say that global
citizens should maintain their morale even in the face of disasters, including the ensuing COVID-19
pandemic, while continuing to think of other prevention measures.
Figure 2 shows how we can cultivate global citizens through disaster prevention education.

Figure 2: How disaster prevention education can lead to good global citizenship–6–

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

A global citizen refers to someone who has the qualities necessary to promote the recovery of
the society from disasters, including COVID-19. He or she can keep his or her morale up despite
disasters and think of prevention measures from a global perspective.
This study proposes that global education be used to foster global citizenship, promote disasterprevention education, and develop content that promotes the use of Society 5.0 technologies, suchas AR.

References•

A. J. Milson, Ali Demirici, and J. Kerski (Editors). (2012). International Perspectives on Teachingand Learning with GIS in Secondary School. London, New York: Springer.

•

A. Konda, et al. (2013). Cyugaku Shakai Tiri Teki Bunnya. Tokyo, Osaka: Nihon Bunkyo Syupan.

•

Chew-Hung Chang. (2014). “Is Singapore’s School Geography Becoming Too Responsive to
the Changing Needs of Society?” International Research in Geographical and Environmental
Education, 23(1):25–39.

•

D. Lambert. (2017). “Who Thinks What in Geography Classroom? Powerful Disciplinary
Knowledge and Curriculum Futures. The New Geography, 65(3):1–15.

•

Naikakuful Cabinet Office. Disaster Management in Japan. http://www.bousai.go.jp/updates/index.html.

•

S. Yamamoto, et al. (1997). Koukousei No Tiri A. Tokyo: Ninomiya Shoten.

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S. Yamamoto, et al. (2001). Chugakko No Shakaika Tiri. Tokyo: Nihon Bunkyo Syupan.

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S. Yamamoto, et al. (2013). Shinpen Tiri A. Tokyo: Ninomiya Shoten.

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T. Mizuuchi, et al. (2020). Cyugaku Shakai Tiri Teki Bunnya. Tokyo, Osaka: Nihon Bunkyo
Syupan.

•Y. Ida and S. Itoh. (2018). “Usefulness of AR Technology in Geography Education: A Discussion
Focusing on Location-Based AR (Japanese).” Theory and Applications of GIS, 26(2):23–28.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Agency Development to Promote
Global Citizenship via Tokkatsu:
How Student Councils Can Alter
School Rules
Dr. Tetsuo Kyomen
Faculty of Human Sciences
University of TsukubaJapankyomen@human.tsukuba.ac.jp

Abstract
This paper aims to examine how tokkatsu or tokubetsu katsudō in Japan can contribute to thedevelopment of global citizenship by focusing on student council activities during or after the
COVID-19 pandemic. Tokkatsu refers to the collection of non-subject-related activities in curriculathat includes class, student council, and club activities.
The Learning Compass presented by OECD in Education 2030 emphasizes the development of“student agency” and “transformative competencies.” These are similar to the skills that GCED
focuses on. In Japan, student agency shares the goals of tokkatsu, which encourages students
to work together to take a hands-on approach to school activities. Tokkatsu gives students anopportunity to take voluntary and collaborative action while developing self-governance. To develop
student agency, however, children need to feel they can change the society themselves. One way
to do that is for the student council to alter school rules. That rarely happens, though, especially inlower-secondary schools. As such, school rules that do not reflect the students’ opinions act as
obstacles to developing agency.
The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to change the situation. How? First, school rules wereforcefully revised to fit the new normal. Second, since our daily lives changed, we may be questioning
the value of tokkatsu.

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In November 2020, we visited a lower-secondary school where students were reviewing the school
rules to collect materials, interview the principal, and observe the student council’s general assembly.
We analyzed the results of the fieldwork using the Learning Compass and discovered that four
factors can enable more students to exercise their democratic rights. These factors were fosteringco-agency among all teachers, using a participation system that interconnects various groups toengage in dialogs, developing an anticipation-action-reflection (AAR) cycle using school records,
and motivating students through cross-age activities. Principals and teachers particularly saw their
mission as “creating situations where students take the leading role.” The students were ultimately
in charge of making decisions, albeit with the support of adults. And the executive committee ofthe student council served as the “hub,” which integrated the decisions of various groups, includingclass councils, grades committees, and student representatives. By overcoming conflicts andavoiding confrontations, the students built a consensus. That way, collaboration, diversity, creativity,and continuity are ensured, and agency can be effectively developed with tokkatsu as the foundationof GCED.
Keywords: agency, COVID-19, global citizenship, student councils, tokkatsu

Introduction
This paper aims to examine how tokkatsu or tokubetsu katsudō can contribute to the development of
global citizenship during and after the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on student council activities.
Tokkatsu refers to the collection of non-subject-related activities in curricula, comprising class,student council, and club activities and school events.
Developing global citizenship, which is espoused in SDG target 4.7, should be addressed by overall
school education. According to UNESCO (2014), GCED aims to “cultivate individuals who canproactively contribute to the realization of a more just, peaceful, tolerant, secure, and sustainable
world.” Based on this definition, the qualities of a global citizen include taking ownership of an issue(cognitive aspect), staying motivated to solve problems (socio-emotional aspect), and making
contributions (behavioral aspect). After analyzing the topics and learning objectives that UNESCO(2015) identified, Kobayashi (2018) pointed out that conﬂict resolution skills are critical for global
citizens to have, which are founded on perspective-taking and communication skills.
The skills developed by GCED are also in line with those mentioned in The Future of Education and
Skills 2030 (OECD, 2019). The central concept of the Learning Compass for achieving well-being
is to develop student agency or the capacity to set a goal, reflect on it, and act responsibly to affectchange. It also aims to develop transformative competencies or the ability to create new values,reconcile tensions and dilemmas, and take responsibility.

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Agency is characterized by nurturing relationships with others and the society (Shirai, 2020). In
schools, students equipped with agency are expected to further enhance their level of agency
by acting independently and responsibly when participating in school life following the AAR cycle.
Teachers are positioned as co-agencies or collaborative agencies who interact with students toachieve a common goal and support their growth. As such, agency in the Japanese context shares
the same goals as tokkatsu, which requires students to live school lives in a hands-on manner (seeBox 1).
The underlined parts point to similarities between the objectives of tokkatsu and agency.
1. Help students understand the significance of various group activities in collaborating with diverse
people and what behaviors and habits they should develop.
2. Help students identify issues in their own lives, communities, and interpersonal relationships by holding
discussions to find solutions and acquire the ability to reach a consensus and engage in decisionmaking.
3. Cultivate self-actualization among students by deepening their ability to think about different ways of lifeand helping them forge better interpersonal relationships and live better lives in their communities andthe society by taking advantage of skills they acquired through voluntary and hands-on group activities.
Box 1: Similarities between the objectives of tokkatsu and agency
Source: Adapted from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), 2017

Tokkatsu deals with issues that affect small student communities. As such, it does not involve
discussions of global issues. However, since civic identity is multidimensional and each dimension
is interconnected, the identities that students form in groups they are more familiar with can serve as
the basis for forming their identities in larger groups (Kobayashi, 2018). Even children (i.e., elementaryand lower-secondary school students) in the development stage that find it difficult to understandtheir role and take action on an international level can experience what it is like to become cocreators of their communities. They can start by discussing issues with one another and executing
decisions as a group to improve their school and class lives.
Our awareness of this problem led us to describe the significance of and challenges related to
tokkatsu in connection with fostering agency. This paper also suggests that students alter school
rules via the student council. It discusses ways to overcome the identified challenges, how necessary
tokkatsu and agency are, and the possibility of increasing agency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, it features a case study that used the Learning Compass (OECD, 2019) to explore how alower-secondary school can potentially contribute to GCED.

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Significance of and Challenges Related
to Tokkatsu and Agency
Significance of Tokkatsu from an International Perspective
Tokkatsu is currently garnering international attention for its effectiveness in developing socio-emotionalor non-cognitive skills. As such, it is being adapted in countries like Egypt and Indonesia. According
to OECD (2015), students can effectively enhance socio-emotional skills, such as responsibility,
perseverance, teamwork, and self-confidence through extracurricular activities (e.g., clubs, student
council activities, volunteer work, classroom duties, etc.). Although extracurricular activities are
already being practiced in most developed countries, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are the only
ones with national guidelines that specify the number of hours spent on and types of non-subjectrelated activities to conduct. That is probably why tokkatsu has been gaining the world’s attention.
Tsuneyoshi (2019) named the eight components of tokkatsu from an international perspective as:•

Learning by doing•Child-initiated activities•

Self-motivated•

Inner-motivated action•

Cooperative learning•

Integration with academic subjects•

Collaborative problem solving in class•

Egalitarianism•

Education regarding daily life

Lewis (1995), who observed the Japanese school system, also made a similar point but paid particularattention to class activities where children discuss creating “rules” to solve daily life problems in theirschool and classroom. Lewis posits that the act of behaving responsibly through mutual discussion
satisfies the psychological needs of children, including autonomy, belonging, and competence.

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Moreover, Duke (1986) focused on the mechanism of decision making through discussion as “theessence of participatory democracy.” In other words, a consensus can be reached by finding somekind of compromise between conflicting opinions. A person’s sense of belonging to a community
is heightened when he or she feels he or she is being treated fairly and participates in the decisionmaking process. People in the U.S., on the other hand, believe that it is pointless to debate repeatedly
after conflicting viewpoints have been clarified and emphasize efficiency by taking a vote. In fact,
consensus building in tokkatsu is defined as “formulating ideas and decisions as a community,
including acknowledging and coming to terms with differences and diversity of opinion” (MEXT,
2018), which overlaps with the process of conflict resolution and reconciling tensions and dilemmas.
Hayashi, et al. (2021), who analyzed class activities and school events in elementary schools,
suggested that these contribute to the development of agency and transformative competencies.

Challenges Related to Tokkatsu from an International Perspective
However, from the perspective of fostering citizenship, tokkatsu suffers from a major problem—a
gap from the realities in society. In other words, students are free to create rules within the limits of
those set by adults. It is also uncommon for children to alter school rules through student council
activities. An examination of the changes made to the Course of Study for Lower-Secondary
School also exposed the fact that the words “democracy” and “civics” were included when tokkatsu
was established in 1951. However, the words “democracy” and “civics” were removed in 1958 and1968, respectively, under the influence of the Red Purge and the policy to curb student conflict. To
start, discussions are not as active in lower- and upper-secondary schools as in elementary schools(Lewis, 1995). The narrower range of autonomy also led to a lack of sense to influence or create
the society. Nevertheless, we have seen reports of students modifying rules in upper-secondary
schools (Miyashita, 2004) although that rarely happens in lower-secondary schools. In instruction
manuals for teachers of tokkatsu in lower-secondary schools, matters related to rules are treated as“not within the scope of students’ self-governing activities” (National Institute for Educational Policy
Research [NIER], 2016).
According to an international awareness survey targeting 18-year-olds conducted by the Nippon
Foundation (2019), the percentage of Japanese who think “they can change their country and societyby themselves” was only 18.3%, the lowest among the nine country participants. Furthermore, thepercentage of Japanese who think “they are responsible members of society” was 44.8%, also thelowest. Even though we cannot attribute the aforementioned findings to tokkatsu alone, it is possiblethat not experiencing true democracy in school leads to a low level of agency.
On the other hand, many countries in Europe and the U.S. have systems in place for students toparticipate in school administration through elected representatives. For example, in France, sucha system has been in place in secondary education since 1968, which grants three representative
students the right to participate in their schools’ governing council (Onoda, 1996). However, it wasalso stipulated that such a representative system tends to be biased to the thoughts of the students
involved in self-governing activities.

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In Japan, all students are members of the student council. More students have an opportunity to playa role and demonstrate leadership through school events. By applying the concepts of “every child aleader” (Lewis, 1995) and “egalitarianism” (Tsuneyoshi, 2019), they can overcome conflicts and build
a consensus on practical topics that have a significant impact on their own lives, which can improvetheir perspective-taking and communication skills. Shirai (2020) also posited that one way to revamp
the Japanese educational system in terms of agency is to give the students the opportunity to create
the rules, which was especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Importance of Allowing Students to Revise School
Rules during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Tokkatsu, which consists of group activities, emphasizes face-to-face communication andcollaboration. As such, it suffered from various restrictions due to the pandemic. According to data
gathered from elementary schools, 34.2% and 28.6% of the teachers responded that trips and otherovernight group activities and cultural events were canceled, respectively (Kawamoto, 2020). Hence,large-scale events and activities held outside school have been restricted. International student
exchange programs, which used to be an important aspect of fostering global citizenship,were also
stopped. These circumstances led to more ICT-enabled exchanges where students communicatedwith peers from other schools, local residents, and schoolmates. That led to possibly taking tokkatsu
online (Japanese Association for the Study of Educational Administration [JASEA], 2020).
Only 4.4% of the teachers said they did not hold meetings while 27.5% and 54.3% said they heldclass meetings as usual while following infection prevention measures, respectively (Kawamoto,2020). As such, we have high hopes of enhancing daily discussions to develop global citizenshipmore than ever before. Lower- and upper-secondary schools can thus turn the pandemic into an
opportunity to develop agency through virtual discussions on school rules.
First, school rules in Japan have been criticized for being unreasonable and overly restrictive. For
example, 26.6% of teens have to adhere to prescribed hair length to attend lower-secondary schools(Ogiue and Uchida, 2018). Many of today’s school rules were created way back in the 1970s and1980s when juvenile delinquency was a social problem. School rules that do not reflect students’opinions unilaterally restrict their freedom and prevent them from having an opportunity to makedecisions and act autonomously. Therefore, school rules counteract the development of student
agency. However, due to the pandemic, traditional school rules no longer apply to the new normal.
For example, while many schools still require students to wear uniforms, a number have begun
allowing them to wear gym clothes to reduce the need to change clothes in classrooms. The
pandemic forced traditional school rules to change.

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Second, due to rapid changes in our daily lives and restrictions brought on by the pandemic, plansto reexamine the significance and components of tokkatsu are emerging (JASEA, 2020). One reason
why school rules have not changed could be the reluctance of administrators and teachers who areconcerned that loosening controls might increase problematic behavior. Some teachers, meanwhile,
doubt certain school rules (Ogiue and Uchida, 2018) and are likely to take an additional step toward
transforming school rules to fit new paradigms. And even if the anti-student culture of the 1970s and1980s has been losing its grip, students also blindly accept the notion that school rules cannot bechanged without deep introspection. The pandemic pushed students to break away from stereotypes
and come up with new ideas. Revising school rules can follow this trend.
The following section will clarify the mechanisms to allow students to participate in school democracy.
It analyzed the case of Hasakidaisan Lower Secondary School whose student council took the leadin reviewing school rules based on the concepts of student agency, co-agency, and the AAR cycle.

Analysis of the Student Council Activities
in a Lower-Secondary School
We analyzed how tokkatsu was applied in Hasakidaisan School in the Ibaraki Prefecture, which had
around 300 students. The school allows its student council to revise school rules as part of its goal
to foster students who autonomously think, determine, decide, and take action. This initiative strays
from the conventional system and was implemented starting 2019. That makes it suitable system
to consider for tokkatsu post-pandemic. We visited the school on 17 November 2020 to collectreference materials, interview the principal, and observe a student council general assembly.

Outline of Activities Related to School Rule Alteration
The review of the school’s rules began as a result of a school life survey among all students
conducted by the student council in June 2019. A total of 61 requests to give students the freedom
to choose what color their shoes for commuting and physical education (PE) will be instead of therequired white. The reasons given included “white shoes tend to get dirty quicker” and “white shoes
are expensive.” From July to November, the executive committee of the student council discussed
and drafted a proposal to change the color to white, black, and gray and submitted it to the teacher
steering committee. After the steering committee approval, a committee of student representatives
discussed the proposed school rule and submitted it to the general assembly in December, where
it was approved.

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In 2020, the new batch of ninth graders were inspired by their predecessors to exercise more rights.
Although project implementations were delayed due to school closures, the executive committee
submitted the draft proposal “Creating School Rules by Students” to the steering committee on
1 August (see Figure 3). Their proposal differed in that school rule modifications will not only bebased on the decision of the executive committee but will also be discussed with all students. First,
the executive committee will explain the draft proposal to the student representative committee.
Each student committee comprising class representatives from the same grade level should holdmeetings to determine their understanding. Next, the opinions obtained from classes were organizedthrough class activities (two sessions). Their thoughts were brought up to the student representative
committee. The final proposal was then submitted to the executive committee. After a deliberation
between the executive committee and teachers, the proposal was revised and finalized by thestudent representative committee. Finally, the proposal was deliberated by the general assembly
and approved with slight modifications.

Figure 3: Deliberation process for establishing new school rules(created based on fieldwork findings)– 16 –

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Table 2 shows some of the revised school rules (13 in total) discussed during the general assembly.
Note that not all of the suggestions obtained from classes were accepted. Some were rejected by thestudent representative committee. During the general assembly, someone asked if key chains could
be of any size as long as they do not get entangled with bicycle parts. The executive committee saideach student was free to determine that on their own so long as they can distinguish their key chain
from those of others. This statement implies that school rules are not set to limit student agency but
to give students a chance to make their own decisions.
Class Proposal

ReasonResponse of the Student
Representative Committee

1. Allow black and navy blue
socks apart from white.

White socks can get dirty quickly
during activities in PE, which may
draw unwanted attention.

Black and navy blue socks will beallowed.

2. Allow students to trim theireyebrows.

This promotes good personal
hygiene. Some students get theireyebrows trimmed by a barber.

Eyebrow trimming will be allowed
but excessive or asymmetrictrimming will remain prohibited.

3. Set rules regarding using
sunscreens and handcreams.

Since there are no specific rules,
creating ambiguity.

Sunscreens and hand creams
can be brought to school so longas they are unscented. The items
must only be used in restrooms
and cannot be lent to others.

4. Allow students to put key
chains on their school bags.

Since everyone uses the samebag, it is difficult to identify one
from another.

Students will be allowed to use
one key chain. However, big key
chains that may get entangledwith bicycle parts and stuffedanimals are prohibited.

5. Allow students to bring theirmobile phones.

This will allow students to contact
people during disasters andemergencies.

Mobile devices are prohibited ingeneral, as students may use
them while riding their bicycles.

Table 2: Proposed school rules submitted during the general assembly(based on materials obtained during the fieldwork)

Factors That Led to Student Democracy
The analysis of the deliberation process revealed four factors that enabled students to practicedemocracy in school. These are:Demonstration of Co-Agency by All Teachers or Collaboration
The most important factor that led to the review of the school rules was co-agency among teachers.
Specifically, the following facts were confirmed:•

Principal A who began serving in 2019 questioned the fact that none of the teachers knew how
the school rules were created and the students’ opinions were not reflected in them. Principal
A thus instructed the executive committee of the student council to carefully read the school
rules and consider if they are really appropriate, which led to the implementation of the school
life survey. Although the students insisted on changing the school rules, Principal A provided theimpetus.

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If the teachers rejected the student proposal during the review, the initiative would have ended
there but Principal A said, “There are some things that students cannot decide on, including
matters regarding crisis management and finances. Other than that, feel free to proactively dowhatever you think will make students’ school life better.”•

A survey of all teachers revealed that the major problem was that the students were passive anddid not act on their own. It also became clear that a reason for that was because the teachers
had been instructing students about virtually everything. As such, all the teachers vowed toencourage students and create situations where they can act as the protagonists.

•

Two young teachers who oversaw the student council and served as the students’ partners
provided details after consulting the students to the executive committee.

OECD (2019) identified nine levels of co-agency based on the youth’s level of participation in various
activities, including decision making. These levels are:•0: Silence•

1: Manipulation•

2: Decoration•

3: Tokenism•

4: Assigned but informed•

5: Adult-led with student inputs•

6: Shared decision making but adult-led•

7: Youth-initiated and -directed•

8: Youth-initiated but decisions are shared with adults

Our interpretation was limited to the revision of school rules. Hasakidaisan School fell under Level
7. One reason could be the existing teacher-student relationship in the decision-making process.
Rather than asking teachers to approve a draft prepared by the student representative committee,
the draft that resulted from consultations with teachers is finalized during the general assembly (seeFigure 3). The school has yet to reach Level 8 where the youth and adults are equal partners inleading and running projects.

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Participation System That Integrates Dialogs between Various Groups or Diversity
Hasakidaisan School does enable all students to participate by holding discussions at the class,grade, and whole-school levels. It ensures that students’ wishes and thoughts are reflected in school
rules. However, to prevent meetings from falling apart due to arbitrary opinions, student committees
are formed per grade level to facilitate an orientation. Table 3 shows the data obtained from twoclasses. Although various opinions were expressed, similarities were seen between the two classes,
indicating that the discussions converged toward the same direction. The multi-directional arrows
in Figure 3 show that the executive committee of the student council serves as a hub. It adjusts
the decisions made by various groups to resolve conflicts and formulate a balanced proposal. This
interconnected structure ensured equality, which is the hallmark of tokkatsu, and allowed all students
to acquire and exercise agency through participation.
9th Grade (Class 1)
Rule to Change
1. Color of socks

9th Grade (Class 2)
ReasonRule to Change

Can attract unwanted
attention when soiled

1. Color of socks

ReasonCan attract unwanted
attention when soiled

2. Antiperspirant sheets Can be used year-roundCan be scented

2. Antiperspirant sheets Install dedicated trashbins
Can be used as long as
unscented

3. Eyebrow trimming

3. Eyebrow trimming

For good personal
hygiene4. Hairstyle: Tying one’s To keep it out of the way
hair above ear level

4. Bringing playing
cards and lap
blankets

As an extracurricular
activity on rainy days andto keep warm on colddays

5. Hairstyle: Undercut

Suitable for school

5. Allowing knapsacks

Backpacks do not fit inlockers

6. Key chain

Difficulty in distinguishing
one bag from another

6. Additional sweatercolorsAdd other colors apartfrom navy blue

For good personal
hygieneTable 3: Summary of class discussion sheets from two sections(based on materials obtained from the fieldwork)

Implementing the AAR Cycle by Utilizing Records or Creativity
Soeda (2019) pointed out that learning through writing is common among the Japanese. In
Hasakidaisan School, worksheets are used in all discussion activities. In class meetings, each
student’s opinions are recorded on individual sheets whose contents are then discussed by theentire class and summarized in a class sheet. Student representative committees also have theirown discussion sheets. The series of records helps students forecast and reflect on discussions,which contributes to the completion of the AAR cycle. This cycle allows group dialogs to be linked
together, promoting participation and creative discussion.

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Motivating Students through Cross-Age Activities or Continuity
No matter how well a participation system is configured, it will not work without proper student
motivation. For initiatives to continue, Hasakidaisan School creates situations where students can get
inspiration from their leaders, making them want to take on the challenge themselves. For example,
the student representative committees are made up of students from different grades. That allows
students of different ages to interact with one another twice a month, which encourages younger
students to inherit and continue from where their seniors left off when creating new rules.

Conclusion
This paper examined the significance of and challenges related to tokkatsu in Japan when it comesto promoting student agency based on the Learning Compass to develop global citizenship. While
tokkatsu can grant many children an opportunity to act voluntarily and collaboratively, it can only givethem limited autonomy.
To overcome this challenge, student councils can be granted an opportunity to alter school rules,
especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Reviewing school rules was not democratic and resulted
in predetermined identities. Democratic education should lead to subjectification, which will create
opportunities for students to take action (Biesta, 2011).
From the case study, we identified four factors that would make that possible. These are demonstrationof co-agency by all teachers, a participation system that integrates dialogs between various groups,
implementing the AAR cycle by utilizing records, and motivating students through cross-age activities.
Ensuring collaboration, diversity, creativity, and continuity will effectively foster student agency andenhance tokkatsu to lead to the development of GCED.
However, since we were not able to interview the students due to the pandemic, we were not able
to verify if they did develop agency. Investigating the matter further will be part of our future projects.

Acknowledgment
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 20K02756.

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References•

B. C. Duke. (1986). The Japanese School: Lesson for Industrial America. New York: Praeger.

•

C. Lewis. (1995). Educating Hearts and Minds: Reflections on Japanese Preschool andElementary Education. New York: Cambridge University Press.

•

C. Ogiue and R. Uchida. (2018). Outrageous School Rules (Japanese). Tokyo: Toyokan
Publishing Co. Ltd.

•G. J. J. Biesta. (2011). Learning Democracy in School and Society: Education, Lifelong
Learning, and the Politics of Citizenship. Netherlands: Sense.

•

H. Soeda. (2019). A Comparative-Historical Study of Educational Culture on Writing andSpeaking in Classrooms (Japanese). Tokyo: Toshindo.

•

JASEA. (2020). A Survey on the Issues and Future of Tokkatsu in Light of the Response to
the Novel Coronavirus Prevention Measures (Japanese). https://jaseatokkatsu.jimdo.com/.

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K. Kawamoto. (2020). A Survey on the Current Awareness and Status of Tokkatsu in
Elementary Schools in Response to the Novel Coronavirus Infection (Japanese). https://kibounokai.web.wox.cc/bookmark.

•

MEXT. (2017). Course of Study for Lower-Secondary School (Japanese).

•

MEXT. (2018). Course of Study for Lower-Secondary School: Tokkatsu Edition (Japanese).
Kyoto: Higashiyama Shobo.

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M. Hayashi, Y. Xiaoyu, and Y. Shimojima. (2021). “Agency and Competency That Are Developed
through Tokkatsu and the Period for Integrated Studies: Educational Practices in Elementary
Schools from the Perspective of the OECD and the MEXT (Japanese).” Bulletin of Tokyo
Gakugei University: Educational Sciences, 72:75–84.

•

M. Kobayashi. (2018). “Skill Analysis for GCED of UNESCO: Prospect of Values Education in theAge of Globalization (Japanese).” Bulletin of Tamagawa University: Educational Department,
18:19–32.

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M. Onoda. (1996). Educational Participation and Democracy (Japanese). Tokyo:
Kazamashobo.

•

NIER. (2016). Tokkatsu for Creating Class and School Culture: Lower-Secondary School
Edition (Japanese). Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki.

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Nippon Foundation. (2019). Awareness Survey of 18-Year-Olds: The 20th Survey on
Awareness Regarding Society and Country (Japanese). https://www.nippon-foundation.
or.jp/app/uploads/2019/11/wha_pro_eig_97.pdf.

•

OECD. (2015). Skills for Social Progress: The Power of Social and Emotional Skills. OECD
Skills Studies, Paris: OECD Publishing.

•OECD. (2019). OECD Learning Compass Concept Notes. https://www.oecd.org/
education/2030.

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R. Tsuneyoshi. (2019). “The Tokkatsu Framework: The Japanese Model of Holistic Education” in
R. Tsuneyoshi, H. Sugita, K. Kusanagi, and F. Takahashi (Editors). The Japanese Educational
Model of Holistic Education: Tokkatsu. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing, pp. 3–35.

•

S. Shirai. (2020). Future of Education Envisioned by OECD Education 2030 Project(Japanese). Kyoto: Mineruva Shobō.

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UNESCO. (2014). GCED―Preparing Learners for the Challenges of the 21st Century. Paris:
UNESCO Education Sector.

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Y. Miyashita. (2004). Students Who Transform Their Schools (Japanese). Kyoto: Kamogawa
Co. Ltd.

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UNESCO. (2015). GCED―Topics and Learning Objectives. Paris: UNESCO Education Sector.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Career Education Programs inJapanese Schools:
Challenges and Potentials in theContext of Culturally Embedded
Latent Content to Gender Disparity
Dr. Teruyuki Fujita
Faculty of Human Sciences
University of TsukubaJapantfujita@human.tsukuba.ac.jp

Abstract
In Japan, legal regulations to secure and promote gender equity have been developed since theend of World War II. However, the student gender balance in four-year universities by department
or faculty shows that stereotyping with scant scientific basis is deeply rooted in Japanese society.
Men are believed to be better at natural and social sciences while humanities was deemed better
suited to women. This old-fashioned view is the very cause of the country’s consistent low ranking
in the Global Gender Gap Report over the years, not to mention the fact that women are being
discriminated against.
This paper will identify the laws, regulations, and major administrative measures to ensure genderequality in Japan. It will then analyze the ensuing gender gap in the country. It will also explain why
education will inherently widen the gender gap instead of improving the situation. Finally, it will identify
recent career education programs that have the apparent potential to contribute to improving thecurrent situation.
Keywords: career, disparity, education, gender, Japan– 23 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
On 30 March 2021, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released a report that proved extremely
disappointing and disgraceful for Japan, albeit to an anticipated degree. The Global Gender Gap
Report 2021 ranked Japan 120th out of 156 countries, making it the lowest-ranking G7 country and18th among the 20 nations in East Asia and the Pacific, in terms of gender disparity.
Another 2020 report ranked Japan 121st among 153 countries using the Gender Gap Index, evenlower than the gap recorded for the previous year. Today, the country’s ranking has improved, albeit
marginally. While this is not bad news, rapid and substantial improvement in Japan’s state of genderdisparity is imperative, considering that it has long been considered a developed country.
For decades now, Japan has known that achieving gender equality is essential to respecting humanrights and building a sustainable and comfortable society. So why does the gender gap in Japanremain so large?
This paper will first identify the laws, regulations, and major administrative measures to ensure genderequality in Japan. It will then analyze the gender gap in the country. It will also discuss how thereality in Japanese schools has been widening the gap instead of addressing the issue. Finally, it will
highlight recent career education programs that have the apparent potential to improve the current
situation.

Adequate Legal Regulations and Policies Are in PlaceThe Constitution of Japan, which was promulgated shortly after World War II, explicitly states that
all citizens shall not be discriminated against based on gender. Various supporting laws have beenenacted since then. In fact, no law tolerates any disparity between men and women. The key clausesof major laws proving this are listed below.
•

The Constitution of Japan promulgated in 1946: Article 14 states that:“All of the people are equal under the law and there shall be no discrimination inpolitical, economic, or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status, orfamily origin.”•

Basic Act on Education promulgated in 1947 and last amended in 2006: Article 2
states that:– 24 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1“To realize the aforementioned aims, education is to be provided in such a way as
to achieve the following objectives while respecting academic freedom: (iii) fostering
the values of respect for justice, responsibility, equality between men and women,
and mutual respect and cooperation, as well as the value of actively participating inbuilding our society and contributing to its development, in the public spirit.”•

Basic Act for a Gender-Equal Society promulgated in 1999: Article 1 states that:“The purpose of this act is to comprehensively and systematically promote theformation of a gender-equal society by laying out the basic principles and clarifying
the responsibilities of the state, local governments, and citizens with regard to theformation of such a society and providing fundamental matters for the policies on the
promotion of the formation of a gender-equal society in consideration of the urgencyof realizing an affluent and dynamic society in which the human rights of both men andwomen are respected and that can respond to changes in socioeconomic situations.”•

Act to Promote Gender Equality in the Political Field promulgated in 2018: Article 2
states that:“The promotion of gender equality in the political field is to be undertaken with theaim of making the number of male and female candidates as even as possible in theelections of the members of the House of Representatives, the House of Councilors,
and the councils of local governments, while securing the freedom of political activity,
such as the freedom of selecting the candidates of political organizations, such aspolitical parties, or the freedom of candidacy.”

While these clauses are only a few examples, equality between men and women has long beenlegally guaranteed in Japan. Some are even more strictly enforced than in other countries.
In 2020, the Cabinet approved the Fifth Basic Plan for Gender Equality, which explicitly aims to
expand women’s participation in all fields. The following reasons were cited for the lack of progressin Japan’s efforts toward achieving gender equity:•

In the political field, the reasons include difficulties with balancing candidacy and parliamentary
duties with family life, lack of proper career development programs for women, and harassment
against female candidates and politicians.

•

In the economic sector, the path from recruitment to holding management and executive positions
for women is still in the process of being created.

•

In the society as a whole, there are stereotyped perceptions of gender roles and unconscious
biases.

In more concrete terms, the plan identifies core areas in the road map that need to be highlighted
to establish a gender-equal society. These areas include expanding women’s participation in thepolicymaking process, promoting gender equality in employment, ensuring work-life balance, andpromoting gender equality in science, technology, and academia.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Gender Disparity in Japan
Despite the seemingly idealistic systems seen to date, Japan continues to lag behind in terms of
ensuring gender equity. It is, however, important to note that the country did not show signs ofdisparity in terms of educational attainment and healthcare. Little disparity was, in fact, seen in termsof advancement and enrollment in upper-secondary and higher education institutions (HEIs). Morewomen went to four-year universities and junior colleges than men.

Figure 4: Advancement and enrollment rate by gender from 1950 to 2019
Source: MEXT, 2019 Report on School Basic Survey

If we look closely at the gender balance by department or faculty in four-year universities, we cansee disparities. Specifically, most of the students taking up literature, home economics (HE), andchild studies are women while an overwhelming majority of those taking up law, political science,
mathematics, physics, and mechanical engineering are men.

Figure 5: Gender balance in four-year courses by faculty in 2019
Source: MEXT, 2019 Report on School Basic Survey

The gender disparity shows that stereotyping with scant scientific basis is deeply rooted in theJapanese society. Men are believed to be better at natural and social sciences while humanities isbetter suited for women. This old-fashioned view is the very reason for the country’s consistently low
ranking country in the Global Gender Gap Report.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

For example, political representation needs significant improvement. Japan is currently one of the 10
worst performers in the Political Empowerment Subindex, with only 9.9% of women parliamentarians
and 10% ministers. The Economic Participation and Opportunity Subindex also revealed the country’s
low share of women in senior roles (14.7%). Although 72% of women make up the entire labor
force, the share of women working part-time was almost twice that of men (50.8% versus 22.2%).
Furthermore, the average Japanese woman’s income is 43.7% lower than that for a man (Zahidi andEda, 2021; Eda, 2021).

What the COVID-19 Pandemic Brought About
No one doubts that future history textbooks will describe 2020 as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This pandemic brought to light the fact that women have been relegated to a vulnerable segment of
the Japanese society.
Japan is a typical example of an economy where women in the labor force suffer from incommensurate
job losses during the pandemic. Many women lack job security, as more than half only have parttime contracts or temporary jobs. The number of such workers posted its biggest drop in April 2020,
declining by 970,000 to 2.02 million. Women accounted for 710,000 of the decline.
Professor Mari Miura of the Sophia University describes women workers as “the shock absorber”
of the world’s third-largest economy (Yamamitsu and Siege, 2020). The monthly trend for the labor
force participation rate in 2020 shows a rapid and drastic loss of women’s jobs from March to April.
Only women were also excluded from the labor force from July to October. Japanese women’s social
participation and economic independence were substantially curtailed by the pandemic. Moreover,the situation resulted in a significantly higher rate of suicide among women than men (Nomura, et al.,2021; Pesek, 2020).

Figure 6: Monthly changes in the labor force participation rate by gender
Source: Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 2021 Labor Force Survey– 27 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Color Palette of Japanese School Textbooks:
Latent and Tacit Consent to Traditional
Gender Roles and Disparity
Kahlenberg and Hein (2010) examined toy commercials shown on an American television (TV) channel
for children and found that action figures, sports-related toys, and toy vehicles were predominantly
meant for boys while dolls, stuffed animal toys, and domestic-themed toys (e.g., related to grooming
and childcare) were meant for girls. Auster and Mansbach (2012) analyzed several studies andfound that gender stereotypes were based on characteristics, such as color. Bold or dark colors
were more likely associated with boys while pastels were associated with girls. According to Auster
and Mansbach (2012), children who are limited to certain types of toys may also narrow down theircareer choices in the future, further contributing to the gender segregation. Women will continue tostatistically dominate fields, such as nursing, while men may flock to engineering.
The trends identified by studies conducted in Western countries, especially in the U.S., surprisingly
conform with the situation in Japan. The package designs of toys produced and sold in Japan are
remarkably similar, as if all companies had a prior agreement. Toys for girls are packaged in pastel
boxes while those for boys come in brightly colored boxes.

Figure 7: Advertisement and package designs for girls’ toys– 28 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 8: Advertisement and package designs for boys’ toys

In Japan and Western countries, stereotyped views of gender are acquired and internalized throughinformal learning starting in infancy. School education, which places the achievement of equality
between men and women as a basic principle, should thus encourage and promote the transformationof traditional and fixed conceptions. In fact, the textbook certification system of MEXT requires that notextbook should contain statements that tolerate discrimination or gender disparity. The importanceof equality between men and women is frequently addressed in educational materials in many school
subjects, including Japanese, foreign languages, social studies, HE, and moral education.
However, if we pay attention to the color palette used in school textbooks, some schools may haveunconsciously established latent and tacit consent to promote traditional gender roles and disparity.
We focused on textbooks for upper-secondary school students in HE, politics and economics, andchemistry. To illustrate the trends, samples from the two largest textbook publishers for school year
(SY) 2021–2022.
To echo the remarks of Auster and Mansbach (2012), limiting students through textbook colors may
narrow down their career interests and contribute to the gender segregation within the occupational
structure. Women will continue to statistically dominate nutrition, childcare, and homemaking while
men will go into legal professions and engineering.
As Figures 7–9 show, the textbooks’ colors are aligned with those used in advertisements and toy
packages.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 7: HE textbooks for upper-secondary school students

Figure 8: Politics and economics textbooks for upper-secondary school students

Figure 9: Chemistry textbooks for upper-secondary school students

School education may have contributed to the gender disparity and gone against its fundamental
philosophy through nonverbal communication in the form of coloring textbooks as Figures 10–12
show.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 10: Latent and tacit consent to traditional gender roles and disparity seen in statistics textbook covers

Figure 11: Latent and tacit consent to traditional gender roles and disparity seen in chemistry textbook covers

Figure 12: Latent and tacit consent to traditional gender roles and disparity seen in toy packages and textbook covers– 31 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Dilemmas Often Overlooked in School:
Gender Disparity and Culturally Embedded Contexts
As mentioned earlier, Japan has several laws to achieve gender equality. The Basic Act on Educationis the most important of these laws. It was enacted in 1947 and has been in place for around 60
years now. It sets the fundamental principles for education in Japan.
In 2006, the law was revised for the first time and several new provisions were added to it, including
respect for Japanese history and culture, emphasis on family education, expansion of international
cooperation, and clarification of administrative responsibility in education. A reappraisal of Japanesetradition and culture lay at the heart of the revision. MEXT mentioned in a public statement that the newlaw inherited the universal principles of the prior act on top of setting new goals that are consideredparticularly important today, such as respecting the tradition of “normative consciousness.”
As a result of the revision, Article 2 of the Basic Act on Education, which sets forth the objectivesof education, now has a new provision that reads:“(v) fostering the value of respect for tradition and culture and love of the countries
and regions that have nurtured us, as well as the value of respect for other countries
and the desire to contribute to world peace and the development of the international
community.”This clause is aligned with the previously cited provision on equality between men and women. It
is not surprising, therefore, that since this revision, courses and national curriculum guidelines alsobegan to emphasize content that focuses on Japanese tradition and culture. However, balancing
the achievement of gender equality or equity and respect for traditional Japanese culture sometimes
creates a mutually conflicting relationship, which can cause dilemmas for education.
The Japanese language and traditional customs tend to regard women as inferior and weak. Note that
our language defines our thoughts and ideas and our vocabulary reflects our unconscious feelings
and understandings deeply rooted in our culture. Listing specific examples would be impossible but
we provided a few that can be seen daily in Japan.
It is difficult to translate the word “spouse” in a gender-free way in polite colloquial expressions. Most
Japanese do not use “haigusha” or “spouse” because it is a legal term. It also is difficult to use theforeign word “partner” even if it is gender-free. In many cases, especially among middle-aged andolder people, women often refer to their husbands as “shujin” while men use “kanai” to refer to theirwives. Originally, shujin means “master” and kanai, a person living in the same house. Although these
original meanings are no longer relevant today and it is common to use both shujin and kanai assynonyms for spouse, language continues to frame people’s thoughts.
The phrase “shiyu wo kessuru,” when literally translated, distinguishes between male and female
when declaring winners and losers. But who loses?

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Stores that sell pottery always have meoto-chawan in stock to refer to a pair of teacups or rice bowls
designed for married couples often sold as gift items. One of these two cups or bowls is always
slightly smaller than the other. The smaller one is for women’s use.
The gender disparity that the Japanese culture embraced and took for granted persists to this day.
As such, what should schools do to respect both gender equality and traditional culture?

Career Education Programs for
Gender Equity in Leadership
Based on a series of Global Gender Gap Reports, Japan is obviously inferior to many othercountries in terms of female representation in politics and corporate management. The overwhelming
lack of women in leadership positions was a weakness. As such, we should reaffirm the true valueof conventional and commonplace school practices. All schools, ranging from primary to upper
secondary, have so-called “classroom activities” once a week that last 45–50 minutes under special
activities or tokkatsu.
The key features of classroom activities in primary schools have been outlined by MEXT (2018). Eachclassroom is considered one unit where children participate in activities that improve and enhancetheir lives in class and school and help address their various challenges. Hands-on activities are
conducted so they can change their school lives. Examples of these activities include:•

Make decisions on classroom organization and division of duties. Discuss ways to solve issues
that arise when students perform their respective duties.

•

Deepen the students’ understanding of current issues, such as lifestyle habits and adolescentconcerns, and discuss how they can be solved and solutions can be put into practice.

•

Discuss ways for students to develop self-realization. An example would be knowing theimportance of learning and working and what future courses students should take to help themmake the right decision.

It is not unusual for female students to chair discussions. Many teachers in most schools encourage
girls to take on leadership roles in class. It is also very common for girls to get elected as student
council president, which is another educational program that falls under tokkatsu. But educational
efforts remain insufficient to help girls gain important experiences from primary school and incorporate
them into their future career choices.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

In March 2017, MEXT introduced a 12-year consecutive career portfolio called “Career Passport”
from grade 1 in primary school. The portfolio was designed so all primary, lower-secondary, andupper-secondary school students can use it continuously for 12 years beginning April 2020. Many
countries and regions require secondary school students to use career portfolios that include theiracademic records, vocational qualifications, and career narratives. What makes Japan different isthat students begin using career portfolios from Grade 1.
Obviously, MEXT is not trying to persuade primary school students to specify their career paths andencourage them to obtain certain vocational qualifications. According to an administrative notice it
sent to all local boards of education on 29 March 2019, the Career Passport is a portfolio gives
students a chance to look back on their learning in their daily lives in and out of school, focusing on
tokkatsu. They can use it for self-evaluation to their determine their own career development andgrowth.
The administrative notice has a series of sample sheets for the students’ use and a teachers’ manualin its appendix. According to the manual, the students should begin documenting their developmentby the end of the first semester of Grade 1 when they complete their basic learning of Japanesecharacter. After that, they are expected to record their thoughts at the beginning and end of eachsemester. They should also document their experiences in participating in large school events, suchas sports days and school trips. At the end of each SY, they are encouraged to reflect on the wholeyear and plan for the succeeding one.

Figure 13: Sample year-end reflection sheet for Grade 1 in the teachers’ manual– 34 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

For students, it is meaningful to look back periodically at their activities and learning processes toassess their career development, nurturing their ability to learn independently and develop selfrealization. Positive comments and remarks from teachers on the leadership experiences of female
students’ reflections will enhance their self-efficacy and self-esteem even years later. These benefits
cannot be achieved by a career portfolio where students only write about their internship experienceor emphasize their professional skills while picturing the evaluator during a job interview.
Such an educational tool did not exist in Japan until now. While most students wrote self-reflections at
the end of each semester and recorded their experiences during school events, these are discarded
after they teachers commented on them.

Remaining Tasks
The Career Passport still requires development. Although schools were mandated to implement
it starting April 2020, note that we were already in the midst of nationwide school closures due
to COVID-19 by then. As such, education remained dysfunctional so many schools have yet tolaunch the Career Passport. Besides, teacher training programs have yet to be organized since
their comments are expected to play a crucial role in student development. Methods for transferring
Career Passports from one school to another is also still in the process of exploration.
In the field of research, no empirical study on Career Passport use exists, part from that done by
Fujita (2019). That was, however, only a pilot analysis in a few pilot schools. Further data collection
and analyses are required.
For now, we still face a mountain of challenges surrounding the use of Career Passports but webelieve this educational tool is well worth facing them.

NoteThis paper is based on the oral presentation entitled “Career Education Programs for Girls inJapanese Schools: Challenges and Potentials in the Context of Culturally Embedded Latent Consent
to Traditional Gender Roles and Disparity” given during the virtual 17th Japan Education Forum for
SDGs held on 2 February 2021.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

References•

C. J. Auster and C. S. Mansbach. (2012). “The Gender Marketing of Toys: An Analysis of Colorand Type of Toy on the Disney Store Website.” Sex Roles, 67:375–388. DOI: 10.1007/s11199012-0177-8.

•

E. Yamamitsu and L. Sieg. (15 June 2020). “Women Bear Brunt of Japan’s Recession as
Pandemic Unravels Abe’s ‘Womenomics.’” The Japan Times.

•

M. Eda. (2021). Why Closing Japan’s Gender Gap Will Be Achieved with Equality from theTop. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/03/japan-gender-gap-political-leadership/.

•

MEXT. (2018). Basic Education in Japan. Chi, Toku, Tai, Tokyo: Office for International Strategy
Planning and Office for International Planning and Coordination, p. 8.

•

S. G. Kahlenberg and M. M. Hein. (2010). “Progression on Nickelodeon?: Gender-Role
Stereotypes in Toy Commercials.” Sex Roles, 62:830–847. DOI:10.1007/s11199-009-9653-1.

•

S. Nomura, T. Kawashima, D. Yoneoka, Y. Tanoue, A. Eguchi, S. Gilmour, Y. Kawamura,
N. Harada, and M. Hashizume. (2021). “Trends in Suicide in Japan by Gender during the
COVID-19 Pandemic Up to September 2020.” Psychiatry Research, 295. DOI: 10.1016/j.
psychres.2020.113622.

•

S. Zahidi and M. Eda. (2020). How to Narrow Japan’s Widening Gender Gap. https://www.
weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/international-womens-day-japan-gender-gap/.

•

T. Fujita. (2019). “A Pilot Study on the Newly Introduced Career Portfolio, ‘Career Passport’in Japanese Elementary Schools” in Združenie Pre Kariérové Poradenstvo a Rozvoj Kariéry(Editors). Book of Abstracts from the 2019 Conference of the International Association for
Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) “Career Guidance for Inclusive Society.”
Bratislava: Združenie Pre Kariérové Poradenstvo a Rozvoj Kariéry, pp. 7–8.

•

W. Pesek. (2020). COVID-19 Takes Particularly Heavy Toll on Japan’s Women. https://www.
forbes.com/sites/williampesek/2020/12/11/covid-19-takes-particularly-heavy-toll-on-japanswomen/.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Online Program for Mathematics
Teacher Education:
A Product of International
Collaboration in Response to
Challenges in the New Normal
Dr. Masami Isoda
University of Tsukuba
Japanisoda@criced.tsukuba.jp
Mr. Diego Solis
Worsfold University of TsukubaJapandiego.solis2019@gmail.com
Ms. Laura Vanessa Lopez
Zarate University of TsukubaJapanlauralz1806@gmail.com

Abstract
This paper aims to illustrate how online programs for the SEAMEO School Network were developed
through international cooperation. It is a pilot study, however, and, therefore, needs further
development. We saw two major issues—difficulties with implementing the SEA-Teacher Programamid the pandemic and the necessity of sharing terminologies for designing curricula, textbooks,
and lessons in mathematics education. To meet these demands, we developed an online program
in collaboration with the SEAMEO School Network entitled, “Teaching Mathematics to Develop
Mathematical Thinking as a HOTS: How Do You Teach? Why?” The program is hosted on the
CRICED website. This paper discusses the establishment of the project up to participant evaluation
to determine the next steps. We recommend that a social scientific analysis of the data be done in
the future.
Keywords: teacher education, online program, new normal, mathematics education– 37 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
This paper aims to provide a bird’s eye view of how we developed an online program with the SEAMEO
School Network. First, we will provide a background. Second, we will discuss the principles behinddesigning the program. Third, we will go into establishing international collaborations to support the
program. Finally, we will enumerate evaluation responses obtained from participants who completed
the program to come up with next steps. This section explains why we thought the program wasnecessary.

The COVID-19 Pandemic
On December 2019, Japan began dealing with COVID-19 as infections spread from people who
traveled from Wuhan, China. The first case, in fact, involved someone who traveled to and from
Wuhan, China from 20 December 2019 to 3 January 2020. MEXT closed schools from 28 February2020 onward. Note that Japan has a decentralized education system. As such, the government and
MEXT do not have the right to issue a lockdown without establishing a law first, which takes 2–3
months at least.
On 2 March 2020, MEXT established websites created by teachers and other educators so children
could continue studying from home. Various efforts were exerted by all schools due to curriculardifferences but all content can be accessed through the MEXT website. An example of such content
were the 15-minute-long video clips discussing 900 mathematics concepts created by Dr. Yasufumi
Kuroda, a professor at the Kyoto University of Education. These clips had subtitles available in 15
languages so even children with disabilities (CWDs) and those from foreign countries could use
them.
Japan was not the only country to create online programs, though. Chile’s Ministry of Education(MoE), care of Raimundo Olfos and Soledad Estrella, developed 57 video clips for Grade 1 students.
These were all based on textbooks published by the ministry and edited by Masami Isoda andSoledad Estrella (Olfos, Estrella, and Isoda, 2020).

Necessity of the Program under the New Normal
Even before the school closure, the University of Tsukuba, spearheaded by Prof. Nakao Nomura andMr. Yoshihisa Tatemoto, was already taking part in the SEA-Teacher Program (since February 2020),
along with several partner universities, Khon Kaen University (Thailand), the Indonesian University of
Education (Indonesia) and the Central Luzon Universities (Philippines). The pandemic caused theprogram to stop in February 2021 even if many students still wanted to study abroad.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

In the University of Tsukuba’s case, the preparation program for the SEA-Teacher Program isprovided by the College of Education through the Lesson Study in Southeast Asia (Preparation)
course. It comprises 10 classes equivalent to one credit. Two-thirds of its content is related tomathematics education for Grade 1 students while the remaining one-third teaches teacher trainees
to design lesson plans and implement micro-teaching. After finishing the preparation course, teacher
trainees have to undergo a one-month-long internship known as “Lesson Study in Southeast Asia
(Implementation),” which is also equivalent to one credit. Student demand led the ministry to consider
devising an alternative program, making the first reason for the online program’s creation, necessity.
The second reason is related to SEAMEO Education Priority Area #5, revitalizing teacher education,and #7, adopting a 21st-century curriculum. CRICED has been part of the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC) Lesson Study Project since 2006, along with Khon Kaen University. APEC isa collaboration between 20 economic institutions. It has resulted in the adaptation of Japanese
textbooks to serve as lesson study tools in other countries, such as Thailand (2010), Mexico (2013),
Papua New Guinea (2018), Chile (2019), and Indonesia (2019). It has also been involved in curriculum
standard development projects for Papua New Guinea (2014) in cooperation with SEAMEO RECSAM
and the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics for SEA-Basic Education Standards(BES): Common Core Regional Learning Standards (CCRLS) (Mangao, Ahmad, and Isoda, 2017). It
was difficult to adapt Japanese textbooks and curricular standards for other countries due to lack ofknowledge of the terminologies used (Montecillo, Teh, and Isoda, 2018). For example, teachers had
to distinguish between the base 10 and base 10 place value systems, which did not mean the samething in Japan. These terms, however, have been in use since 1873 and modernized in the 1960s.
Japan’s curricular standards did not explain terminologies to save on space. That made it hard forteachers from other countries to adapt the Japanese curricula.

Rationale Behind the Online Program Development
The two reasons cited above led to the development of the online program for mathematics education
known as “Mathematics to Develop Mathematical Thinking as a HOTS: How Do You Teach? Why?”
While the title implies that 21st-century issues will be tackled, note that HOTS have been aroundsince the 1960s (2005). The program will also tackle student agency to develop independent
students by 2030 (OECD, 2019). To develop student agency, learners must learn mathematics ontheir own, hence the creation of SEA-BES: CCRLS Mathematics (Montecillo, Teh, and Isoda, 2018;
Gan, Isoda, and Teh, 2021). The program follows the framework shown in Figure 14.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 14: Revised SEA-BES: CCRLS Mathematics framework

Gan, Isoda, and Teh (2021) explains that the framework ultimately aims to develop in students
mathematical values, attitudes, and characteristics, which make up the essence of a harmonious
society. The framework’s components are closely related to the affective domain of human character
traits, which correspond to soft skills that can be developed through appreciation. Understanding
mathematics content, meanwhile, correspond to acquiring hard skills that allow us to reflect on ourappreciation. Reflection is necessary for learners to recognize the cognitive skills they derived throughthe content. Based on this explanation, students can acquire skills through training. Processingthese skills, however, will not be possible if students do not reflect on processes. Without reflection,
students cannot apply what they learned.
SEA-BES: CCRLS Mathematics added reflection to the process as shown in Figure 15. In manycases, teachers use real-life situations as problem-solving exercises. That provides context tostudents. Unfortunately, curriculum and textbook designers do not focus on the same thing because
they believe it is the teacher’s role to provide context. It is thus necessary for curriculum and textbook
creators to consider mathematical contexts (Gan, Isoda, and Teh, 2021) and task sequencing toenable students to apply what they learned and prepare them for further learning.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 15: Interconnection between the components of the SEA-BES: CCRLS Mathematics framework

The program was developed based on the following principles:•

Aims of mathematics education: This refers to developing students who can learn
mathematics on their own. Learning how to learn includes understanding mathematics ideas
expressed by content, mathematical ways of thinking, and related values and attitudes.

•

Nature of the mathematics curriculum: This refers to “mathematization,” which reorganizes
mathematical experiences (Freudenthal, 1973). The mathematics curriculum should serve as akind of net with theories acting as knots. Gaining knowledge translates to untying the knots or
untangling contradictions and inconsistencies between theories (Isoda, 2018). This concept is
explained by lessons on extension and integration in the Japanese curriculum, which have beentaught since 1968 and also conceptualization and proceduralization (Isoda, 1992; Isoda andOlfos, 2021).

•

Role of teachers and other educators as learning designers: Teachers and othereducators should serve as learning designers through curricula and textbooks that develop
students’ task-sequencing ability. Proper task sequencing translates to untying knots while
improper task sequencing means getting tangled with the knots. Lesson studies are good
opportunities for teachers to learn from their students’ and other people’s perspectives.

•

Role of students as learners: Students typically find it challenging to deal with unknown taskseven if they already learned how to deal with these. Learning occurs by going through past tasks
over and over before students can learn new ones with the support of their teachers. Teachers
must constantly pose questions to learners until they can answer on their own. For learning tooccur, students must always reflect on how the teachers pose questions, which is related toappreciation and the formation of the right values and attitudes.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The terminology used explains the task sequence and the differences between tasks expressed bytheories. If teachers do not use the right terminology, curricula, and textbooks, students will not beable to learn mathematics on their own.

Process Followed to Establish the Program
Isoda (2021) was responsible for the creation of the online program as an alternative to the face-toface nature of the training that the SEA-Teacher Program provided due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A
draft was presented to the SEAMEO Secretariat, partner universities, and APEC colleagues. This draft
was then enhanced by various contributors, including SEAMEO RECSAM, the SEAMEO Regional
Center for QITEP in Mathematics, Khon Kaen University, Vietnam National University, the Universityof the Philippines (UP), Pontificia Universidad Catòlica de Valparaiso, and Universidad Pedagògica
Nacional.
As shown in Figure 16, the program comprised 20 lessons that students need to take up in sequence.
Each lesson was developed by Isoda with the help of two or more representatives from various
institutions. The participants could access the lessons on YouTube. They were only given the link to
the next lesson after submitting a filled-up Google Forms questionnaire about the previous lesson.
They also need to participate in a question-and-answer (Q&A) session. Each lesson lasts 30–50
minutes. The participants were given an additional 10 minutes to accomplish the questionnaire
and another 10 minutes to participate in the Q&A. In total, the participants spent approximately one
hour per lesson. The participants were given certificates of participation after completing Lesson 7,
Lesson 13, Lesson 17, and Lesson 20.

Figure 16: Online course road map(Isoda, 2021)– 42 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

In early March 2020, members and collaborators of the SEAMEO School Network were informed
about the online program (Isoda, 2021). A total of 1,559 participants from Southeast Asia andbeyond took part in the first course (see Table 4). Most of the participants were from the Philippines
and Malaysia. Of them, 276 completed the program until Lesson 20 (see Table 5).
Total number of participants = 1,559
Philippines

Malaysia

Indonesia

Vietnam

Brunei

Ghana

MexicoChile

Thailand

635

588

172

76

35

9

9

9

6

Kenya

Papua New
GuineaLao PDR

MyanmarCambodia

UgandaCanadaEswatini

Zambia

5

3

3

3

2

2

1

2

1

Table 4: Number of course participants by country(Isoda, 2021)

Total number of participants = 276
Malaysia

Philippines

Indonesia

VietnamMexicoBrunei

Chile

Kenya

Canada

124

107

10

9

9

7

4

2

1

Cambodia

Ghana

Thailand

UgandaPapua New
GuineaLao PDR

MyanmarEswatini

Zambia

1

1

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

Table 5: Number of participants who completed the course (up to Lesson 20)(Isoda, 2021)

By Lesson 7, only two-thirds of the total number of participants were left, which was expected
since not many can spend two hours on two lessons a week for training. We could not reduce thenumber of lessons per week for continuity. Lessons needed to take place more frequently because
the learners were not given homework. In homework’s place, one-third of each session was spent
on reviewing the previous lesson.
We originally planned to educate teachers beyond Southeast Asia, which was made possible by
the support of various contributors. As such, the project successfully produced sharable content,
allowing us to make SEAMEO Education Priority Area #5 amid the new normal a reality.
The online program was also adapted as a Master Program for Mathematics Education by Khon
Kaen University in Thailand. A total of 21 masters students spent three hours on two lessons per
week (every Saturday) in the first implementation. It took them 10 weeks to complete the program
due to the need to translate lessons into Thai. The students were also given homework after eachlesson.
At present, the program is being implemented as part of the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) Papua New Guinea Pre-Service Teacher Education Project. A Bahasa subtitled version is also
being developed by the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics for use in Indonesia.
The book of terminology is also being developed with Chea Ui-Hock.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Next Steps Based on the Feedback from Participants
Figures 17 and 18 show the feedback obtained from participants and analyzed using MonkeyLearn
and AntConc. These programs were used for keyword extraction and sentiment interpretation.

Figure 17: Suggestions and recommendation from the course participants

Figure 17 shows some topics (e.g., fractions and decimals) that could be included in the next
implementation. The participants also gave suggestions on how the program was conducted. They
cited that more time for deep explanation was required, the presentations needed simplification,
subtitles would be nice, and spend more time on live discussions.

Figure 18: Interpretation of the participants’ comments

Figure 18 shows that the participants were generally satisfied. Some, however, suggested that
English subtitles be added so they could more easily understand the lessons.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

At present, we are developing a subtitled version of the program for use in SEAMEO COVID-19
Accessible and Responsive Education Support (CARES).

Acknowledgment
This program was made possible by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) throughGrant #19H01662. We would like to acknowledge the various stakeholders and speakers for theircontributions to this program, including Wahyudi and Weerawan Theeraroungchaisri (SEAMEO
Secretariat); Shah Jahan bin Assanarkutty and Teh Kim Hong (SEAMEO RECSAM); Sumardyono and
Wahid Yunianto (SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics); Maitree Inprasitha, Narumon
Changsri, Nisakorn Boonsena, and Auijit Pattanajak (Khon Kaen University, Thailand); Nguyen Chi
Thanh (Vietnam National University, Vietnam); Aida Yap and Erlina Ronda (UP, Philippines); Raimundo
Olfos and Soledad Estrella (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso, Chile); and Marcela Santillan(Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, Mexico).

References•

D. D. Mangao, J. Ahmad, and M. Isoda. (2017). SEA-BES: CCRLS in Mathematics andScience. Penang, Malaysia: SEAMEO RECSAM.

•

H. Freudenthal. (1973). Mathematics as an Educational Task. Dordrecht: D. Reidel.

•

MEXT. Portal Site for Learning at Home. https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/ikusei/gakusyushien/index_00001.htm.

•

M. Isoda. (1992). Designing Problem-Solving Approach for Mathematics Lesson beyond
Cognitive Obstacle (Japanese). Hokkaido University of Education.

•

M. Isoda. (2018). “Mathematization: A Theory for Mathematics Curriculum Design” in M.
Kawasoe (Editor). International Workshop on Mathematics Education for Non-Mathematics
Students Developing Advanced Mathematical Literacy. https://www.researchgate.net/
publication/347879094_Mathematization_A_Theory_for_Mathematics_Curriculum_Design.

•

M. Isoda. (2021). Announcement of the Online Program for SEAMEO School Network.
https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/en/pdf/Announcement_for_SEAMEO_School_Network_from_CRICED-University_of_Tsukuba_1.pdf.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

M. Isoda and R. Olfos. (2021). Teaching Multiplication with Lesson Study: Japanese and
Ibero-American Theories for International Mathematics Education. Chirm: Springer. DOI.
10.1007/978-3-030-28561-6.

•

OECD. (2005). The Definition and Selection of Key Competencies: Executive Summary.
https://www.oecd.org/pisa/35070367.pdf.

•

OECD. (2019). OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030. https://www.oecd.org/
education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/student-agency.

•

P. Montecillo, K. Teh, and M. Isoda. (2018). “Challenges in the Development of Regional
Mathematics Curriculum Standards: The Case of SEAMEO” in Y. Shimizu and R. Vithal (Editors).
International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) Study 24 Conference Proceedings:
School Mathematics Curriculum Reforms: Challenges, Changes, and Opportunities, pp.
539–546. https://www.mathunion.org/fileadmin/ICMI/ICMI%20studies/ICMI%20Study%2024/
ICMI%20Study%2024%20Proceedings.pdf.

•

R. Olfos, S. Estrella, and M. Isoda. (2020). “A Chilean Educational Initiative to Mitigate the Impact
on Mathematics Learning in Grade 1 Students during the COVID-19 Lockdown.” Inter-Faculty:
Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Human and Social Sciences, 10:175–186. https://doi.org/10.15068/00162401.

•

Study with Prof. Kuroda. https://sansu-douga-kuroda.amebaownd.com/.

•

T. Gan, M. Isoda, and K. Teh. (2021). Mathematics Challenges for Classroom Practices
at the Lower-Secondary Level: Based on SEA-BES: CCRLS Mathematics. http://www.
recsam.edu.my/tag/2021_recsamtsukuba_mathbook.pdf.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Fostering Global Citizenship througha Sales Competition
Dr. R. Alpha Amirrachman
Director
SEAMEO SEAMOLEC
Indonesia
secretariat@seamolec.org
Ms. Aline Almandha
Marketing and Publication Manager
SEAMEO SEAMOLEC
Indonesia
aline@seamolec.org

Abstract
Global citizenship is a broad concept and so is perceived differently by various users. Some see it
as the practice of cultural empathy or inter-cultural competence, which are commonly articulated asa goal of global education. For students, becoming global citizens can be good for them in otherways. Skills like problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and cross-cultural awareness willserve them immeasurably. SEAMEO SEAMOLEC realizes that a competition program for students
from different nations could foster in participants relevant global citizenship skills. Another crucial
aspect of globalization is sales and business, which can lead to growth in the global demand forhighly skilled sales professionals. Business-to-business (B2B) marketing is very important in thedigital world. A company depends on sales to survive and grow. But there is a current shortage ofsales graduates who can think critically and have other relevant skills. In Southeast Asia, very few
universities teach sales, making sales competitions important. They introduce sales processes andethical and professional sales skills to university students. They allow individuals to learn valuable life
skills, such as ethics, listening, building trust, and fulfilling client needs. Joining them is, therefore, awin-win for students as they raise their level of professionalism, and businesses, as they can foster
good client or customer relationships.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

SEAMEO SEAMOLEC is part of the cross-country project SEASAC since 2019. It is funded by
Erasmus+ Capacity Building for HEIs and aims to strengthen Southeast Asian universities’ capability
to provide highly skilled B2B sales professionals for emerging international markets. Existing European
knowledge and experiences in developing sales education pedagogies will be utilized and adapted
to fit Southeast Asian cultures. The SEASAC Consortium has four university members from Finland,
Austria, and Scotland; two from Thailand; five from Indonesia; and SEAMEO SEAMOLEC. From
November 2018 to March 2020, the consortium members engaged in several activities, such as
developing a website and launching social media accounts for project branding, managing mentoring
meetings for university partners, conducting sales courses and competitions, and organizing the first
SEASAC event in Mahasarakham, Thailand in February 2020. After the event, the Indonesian and
Thailand governments put their nations under an emergency status due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All of the activities the consortium planned had to shift online. Several meetings were held throughvideoconferencing platforms to discuss alternatives.
This paper explains the sales competition held for students to improve their sales skills and promote
global citizenship. It will also shed light on how the consortium’s regular meetings and events will bemade virtual.
Keywords: global citizenship, sales competition, student competition, Southeast Asia, higher
education

Introduction
Our world is becoming more globalized, there is no doubt about that. People say the world is
becoming smaller due to technology. A student from Indonesia could easily interact and shareinterests with a peer in the Middle East. A housewife from Vietnam could just as quickly search for
Mexican recipes on the Web. Or a Burmese artist can sell art to the European market.
Individuals and groups worldwide can connect easily, and not even a crisis could slow down theiractivities. As Nairn (2009) said in “Globalization,” the concept is such a diverse, broad-based,
and potent force that not even today’s massive economic crash will dramatically slow it down orpermanently reverse it.
We were getting ready for globalization when the pandemic struck. Mitigating the crisis was difficult
but we need to accept the consequences and the so-called “new normal,” which affected all socialand economic aspects of our lives. Instead of fearing it, the new normal should be treated as anagent of transformation toward a digital society.
The new normal changed our way of life, including how business is done. The digital economy madeproducts and services more affordable and accessible. But organizations had to innovate to increase
productivity, efficiency, value addition, and sustainability so they can grow and improve their sales.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Southeast Asia has a high potential but it needs highly qualified human resources who can easily
adapt to changes and are global citizens. SEAMEO SEAMOLEC realized that a sales competition forstudents from different nations can help foster relevant skills and global citizenship.

Global Citizenship for Students
Global citizenship is a broad concept and, as such, is viewed in different perspectives, dependingon who uses the term. Some see it as cultural empathy or inter-cultural competence. For students,
becoming global citizens means gaining problem- solving, communication, and collaboration skills
and cross-cultural awareness.
According to the United Nations (UN), GCED provides students with the understanding, skills, andvalues they need to cooperate with others to resolve the interconnected challenges brought on by
the 21st century. These challenges include climate change, conflict, poverty, hunger, and equity andsustainability issues. GCED will also help students become successful 21st-century workers.

Globalization in Sales
Another crucial field of globalization is sales and business. Globalization increases the demand forhighly skilled sales professionals worldwide. B2B marketing has become very important, especiallyfor companies that depend on sales. But there is a current shortage of sales graduates with criticalthinking and other relevant skills.
Based on the 2019 Global Competitiveness Index, which measures national productivity levels,
Indonesia ranks 50th out of 141 countries worldwide and fourth in Southeast Asia, behind
Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. To improve its competitiveness, it needs to enhance the qualityof higher education (i.e., university and polytechnic) graduates by giving them the right mindset andcompetence required by modern businesses.
Very few universities in Southeast Asia teach sales, making it challenging for companies to get higher
education graduates who can do sales, especially B2B sales. Sales competitions can address
this need. They introduce participants to sales processes and the ethics required to sell goods
professionally. They allow individuals to learn valuable life skills, such as ethics, listening, building trust,and fulfilling client needs. Joining them is a win-win for students as they raise their professionalismand equip them with critical-thinking and other relevant skills. Industries and businesses will also
benefit from in that managers and sales professionals can see firsthand how competent the studentsare.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

University-level sales competitions have been held in the U.S. for more than a decade now, and theysuccessfully improved the country’s economy. Turku University of Applied Sciences in Finland has
also been hosting the Turku Sales Competition for 10 years now. The European Sales Competition
was also held for the first time in 2014. The Erasmus+ Capacity-Building Program intended to do thesame through the first SEASAC, which was successfully held in 2020 in Mahasarakham, Thailand.

SEASACSEAMEO SEAMOLEC believes it is a great idea to foster global citizenship among the youth through
SEASAC, a three-year-long project that will last from 2019 to 2021 launched on 21 March 2019
in Jakarta, Indonesia. Its participants comprise universities and government agencies in Southeast
Asia and Europe. It is funded by the Erasmus+ Project, which was designed to adapt competitions
in Europe in other regions to build the capacity of higher education students. It utilizes European
knowledge and experiences to develop cooperation among universities and companies to enhancesales education. It aims to apply best practices seen in Europe to match Southeast Asian sales
cultures. The SEASAC Consortium members include:
1. Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland
2. University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Austria
3. Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland
4. Haaga Helia University of Applied Sciences, Finland
5. Mahasarakham University, Thailand
6. Rangsit University, Thailand
7. Binus University, Indonesia
8. Universitas Putra Indonesia (UPI) YPTK Padang, Indonesia
9. Sebelas Maret University, Indonesia
10. Parhayangan Catholic University, Indonesia
11. State Polytechnic Batam, Indonesia
12. SEAMEO SEAMOLEC– 50 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

SEASAC is also supported by associate partners, namely, the European Sales Competition
Association and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (MoECRT) of Indonesia.

How Does SEASAC Work?
The sales competition, as applied to SEASAC, serves as an exciting interactive learning method thatgives students an opportunity to learn from businesses and potentially get recruited after graduation.
It uses buyer-seller simulations to teach participants practical skills derived from research to help
them become employable.
Each student engages in a 15-minute role-play with a potential buyer to mimic a sales discussion.
The discussions are based on real cases experienced by the organizers and sponsors. The students
meet with the sponsors and practice going through scenarios, which will be judged by other sponsors,academics, or businesspeople.

Image 1: Role-play between contestants and “potential buyers” observed by judges

Each contestant participates in two rounds, although that may change depending on the numberof entrants and amount of time available. Those who succeed in the first round are given time toprepare for a more in-depth interview in the second round.
The method proved very beneficial and powerful, as it boosted the students’ confidence to learn.
The students were well-prepared since they were given case studies, details, and time to practice inadvance. Employers, students, and sales leaders also benefited from the coaching and education
mix. As such, SEASAC was not just an exceptional learning opportunity but also a source of greatfun.
While SEASAC is currently open to partner university students only, we hope to welcome learners
from other Southeast Asian institutions in the future.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

What Will Happen during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Due to the pandemic, some of the planned SEASAC activities now need to be conducted virtually.
The last face-to-face event was the first SEASAC held in Mahasarakham, Thailand in February 2020.
By March, all countries imposed travel restrictions. As such, SEASAC consotium members agreed
to meet virtually to find alternative ways to conduct events, such as coordination meetings, tryouts,
promotional activities, local and international sales competitions, international webinars, and reportmeetings, among others.

Image 2: Official SEASAC launch and press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2019

Table 6 shows the SEASAC activities since its launch back in 2019.
Event

Date

Description

Pre-COVID-19
Opening ceremony

March 2019••

Held face-to-faceSupported by the Directorate
General of Learning andStudents Affairs of the
Ministry of ResearchTechnology and Higher
Education (MoRTHE) of
Indonesia

Trainer training

March 2019•

Held face-to-face backto-back with the opening
ceremony
Hosted by Binus University•
Pilot mentoring session

April 2019–January 2020

– 52 –••

Held face-to-faceAfter participating in trainer
training, the lecturers set up
their own B2B sales courses
and ran their own sales
competitions

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
Event

Date

Description

Turku University of Applied
Sciences grand study tour

November 2019••

Held face-to-face
Lecturers from SEASAC
partner universities wereinvited to Turku Universityof Applied Sciences to see
the Turku Sales Competition
judges in action

First SEASAC

February 2020•

Held face-to-face in
Mahasarakham, Thailand
Hosted by Mahasarakham
University•
During COVID-19
Second mentoring session

March 2020–February 2021

15th Turku Sales Competition

November 2020

Second round of B2B sales
courses and competitions washeld virtually••Students from SEASAC
partner universities
participated virtually in the
15th Turku Sales Competition
Contestants competedagainst Turku University ofApplied Sciences students
from Finland and its exchange
students from six othercountries in Europe and theU.S.

First Indonesia Sales Competition(ISAC)

November 2020••

Conducted virtually
Hosted by UPI YPTKInternational Webinar on Preparing
Students for the New Era of B2B
Sales

November 2020••

Conducted virtually
Hosted by SEAMEOSEAMOLEC

Sixth European Sales Competition

December 2020••

Conducted virtually
SEASAC university partners
were invited to participate ascompetitors and judges

Second SEASAC

3–5 March 2021••

Conducted virtually
Hosted by Parahiyangan
Catholic University

Table 6: SEASAC activities before and after the pandemic struck– 53 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Image 3: Trainer training held in Jakarta, Indonesia in March 2021

Image 4: Turku University of Applied Sciences grand study tour in Finland in November 2019

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Image 5: First SEASAC held in Mahasarakham, Thailand in February 2020

Image 6: Virtual coordination meetings between SEASAC Southeast Asian and European university partner
representatives– 55 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Image 7: International webinar held to prepare students for the new era of B2B sales held in November 2020

SEASAC actively uses its website and social media channels to promote its various activities. Hereis a list of the project’s social media accounts:•

YouTube: SEASAC Project South-East Asian Sales Competition•

Facebook: Seasac Project•

Instagram: @seasac_project•

Twitter: @SeasacP

All information related to SEASAC can be found on its official website, https://seasalescompetition.
com/.

References•

Cahya K. Ratih. (2020). Progress Report: SEASAC.

•

Colin Mackenzie. (2020). What Is a Sales Competition Look Like? https://seasalescompetition.
com/about/what-is-a-sales- competition-look-like/.

•

Colin Mackenzie. (2020). Why a Sales Competition? https://seasalescompetition.com/about/why-a-sales-competition/.

•

Elhami Shakiri. (July 2013). “Globalization: The Tendency of Increasing Sales and Production
through Outsourcing.” International Journal of Academic Research in Economics andManagement Sciences, 2:4.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

Kris Olds. (2012). Global Citizenship—What Are We Talking about and Why Does It Matter?
https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/globalhighered/global-citizenship-%E2%80%93-whatare-we-talking-about-and-why-does-it-matter.

•

UN Academic Impact. GCED. https://academicimpact.un.org/content/global-citizenshipeducation.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Online Hybrid System Learning
Model:A Case Study on Geodata BaseDiagnostic Training and Plant
Pest and Disease Monitoring andManagement
Dr. Zulhamsyah Imran
Director
SEAMEO BIOTROP
Indonesia
Dr. Suprianto
Lecturer
IPB University
Indonesia
Mr. Slamet Widodo
Senior Researcher
SEAMEO BIOTROP
Indonesia
Mr. Armaiki Yusmur
Researcher
SEAMEO BIOTROP
Indonesia
Mr. Harry Imantho
Researcher
SEAMEO BIOTROP
Indonesia
Ms. Dewi Suryani
Capacity-Building Department (CBD) Manager
SEAMEO BIOTROP
Indonesia– 59 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic influenced and changed education management, including how training is
implemented in Indonesia. This paper aims to measure the level of satisfaction of training participants
and formulate training methods applicable during the COVID-19 pandemic and the new normal. It
used a desk study approach and a case study of a SMARTS BE training session held between Marchand November 2021. The training was carried out online even before the Indonesian government
restricted travel on 11 March 2020. COVID-19 significantly impacted the way SEAMEO BIOTROP
conducts training, switching primarily from the offline to online mode.
Around 60% of SEAMEO BIOTROP online training participants said the center needs to modify
its approach from fully digital to blended because tropical biology and the SMARTS BE Program
specifically required hands-on learning. While conducting 17 webinars was a breakthrough for thecenter, the fluctuating number of participants showed the participants may have gotten bored withthe full online approach. The same results were seen from 10 online training sessions held in 2020.
More than 30% of the respondents said they were very satisfied with the training. Compared withthe satisfaction of offline participants in 2019, this number was quite low. More than 70% of the
respondents said they were very satisfied with the offline training.
In response, the GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory shifted to the Online Hybrid Learning System(OHLS) approach. This mode was tested on training on analyzing and monitoring plant pests anddiseases in fruit orchards. The training used ArcGIS and drone and geospatial data processing
applications. The approach was also combined with a direct performance ability activity that took
the place of practical sessions in offline training sessions. The OHLS implementation changed theattitudes and perceptions of the participants.
More than 90% of the 30 participants were very satisfied with the OHLS approach. In fact, 95%
completed the assignments. Apart from OHLS, SMARTS BE also delivered theoretical discussions in
the form of slide and video tutorials. Hands-on activities were replaced by problem-based performanceability tests. The participants were also asked to conduct a case study using the project-basedlearning approach in small groups. They presented interesting results through a summary of the steps
and processes they took. We can, therefore, conclude that the OHLS approach is indispensable fortraining in the new normal. We can, however, benefit from improvements to teaching materials. Moreinformative, simple, and effective videos can be created. More diverse learning media can also be
used. Finally, we can refine online evaluation methods to measure participants’ level of absorption
and understanding of materials.
Keywords: OHLS, geospatial data, SMARTS BE, SEAMEO BIOTROP– 60 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic changed education management, including how training is implemented
in Indonesia. Offline training became impossible after the government issued Regulation Number
21/2020, which restricted social gatherings. This move significantly impacted face-to-face learning.
The pandemic gave rise to the need for strength and resilience, components of global citizenship,
which can be fostered by GCED. Lockdowns and self-isolation require positive actions from
communities and citizens, regardless of intent—to protect, support, comfort, or overcome exclusion.
Even though these gestures will not immunize anyone against the virus, they will make individuals
and communities stronger and more resilient.
More than 60 million Indonesian students are temporarily out of school due to COVID-19. Schoolterms ended suddenly, leaving hundreds of millions of poor children without access to education.
School closure should not mean learning has to stop. But a survey of parents and students revealed
that learners could not study from home due to lack of access to the Internet and digital devices(Sikirit, 2020). The pandemic laid bare stark inequalities in the society and may have even halted or,worse, reversed the progress we have made toward accomplishing the SDGs.
The pandemic prompted formal and non-formal educational activity organizers to shift from face-toface to remote learning. Remote learning is done via online and blended learning.
Online learning includes activities and resources delivered fully through an online learning environmentor platform (Blankson, et al., 2016). Due to the rapid growth of technology and availability of various
learning management systems (LMSs), online learning has become the most rational choice.
Flexibility, convenience, interactivity, and the ability to foster high-order thinking are some of theadvantages online learning offers (montgomerycollege.com, 2020). Online learning, however, is also
beset by disadvantages , such as not being optimal, time-consuming, prone to distraction, difficult
to evaluate, and cannot be used to teach practical skills.
Another widely implemented learning mode is blended learning, which gained traction whenlockdown rules were relaxed. Blended learning combines online with face-to-face learning (Graham,
2006; Syarif, 2012; Volchenkova, 2016; and Rahman and Irby, 2017). Like online learning, it also
has disadvantages. Blended learning, for instance, requires shifting focus periodically and allocating
more time compared to face-to-face and online learning to get optimal results (Syarif, 2012). It also
requires more resources due to the integration of two modes. Because it requires physical interaction
between teachers and students, schools need to strictly implement health protocols.
As shown, remote or distance learning requires more than simply using online media. It is not only
about asking students to submit pre- and post-test papers but also requires teleconferencing or
using multimedia resources. We cannot simply do the same things we did during face-to-facelearning online. We need to rapidly transform learning methods and ensure ease of access to carefully
selected resources via robust platforms. We need to optimize methods to ensure more personalized
synchronous interactions. We need to work remotely, which requires enhancing collaboration(Chauvet, 2020).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

SEAMEO BIOTROP, as a regional institution responsible for disseminating information through training,must conduct studies and exercises to ensure educational sustainability in Indonesia. To easelearning, the center introduced OHLS, which combined online training with activities that promote
higher-order thinking and used project- and problem-based learning (PBL) as evaluation indicators.
It also applies micro-learning and intensive synchronous interactions as main delivery methods. To
evaluate its effectiveness, we used a comparative study that used both qualitative and quantitativeevaluation methods (Creswell and Jhon, 2009; Lor, 2011; INTRAC, 2017; and Apuke, 2017).
The study aimed to analyze how adaptable the participants were to various learning methods,
including OHLS. We found that the participants adapted very well to face-to-face learning. But we
can only implement it when things go back to normal. OHLS, meanwhile, is also easy to adopt since
it does not differ much from face-to-face learning but it can be easily adapted during emergency
situations. OHLS can be applied to online, blended, and face-to-face learning.

Methodology
The case study was conducted from March to November 2020 at the GIS and Remote Sensing
Ecology Laboratory in cooperation with CBD of SEAMEO BIOTROP. The baseline data includes
39 training activities conducted in 2020. These activities comprise four offline training sessions
held before face-to-face events were prohibited, 30 online training sessions, three blended training
sessions, and two OHLS training sessions. Details about the training activities are shown in Table 7.
Training Mode

Description

Number ofParticipants

Implementation
PeriodNumber of Sessions

OfflineFace-to-faceactivities

Female: 35
Male: 72

Before face-to-facesessions wereprohibited4

OnlineDigital activities

Female: 256
Male: 318

Face-to-facesessions wereprohibited30

Blended50% face-to-faceand 50% digital
activities

Female: 27
Male: 40

Face-to-facesessions wereallowed but strict
health protocols
should be followed

3

OHLS

Interactive digital
activities

Female: 26
Male: 32

Face-to-facesessions wereprohibited2

Table 7: SEAMEO BIOTROP training sessions conducted in 2020

The OHLS approach was used for the geodata base diagnostic and monitoring of plant pest anddisease management training. The initial phase and design of the study focused on developing
learners’ direct and indirect evaluation skills. Direct evaluation is applied to training activities carriedout using the PBL approach. Indirect evaluation, meanwhile, is carried out after PBL activities todetermine learner achievements and assess their satisfaction with the training.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The PBL approach is a learning model where participants are asked to solve problems given technicalguidance using the scientific method. The learners are expected to gain knowledge about the
problem by studying training materials. Project-based learning, meanwhile, focuses on enhancing
the participants’ ability to complete projects. Their performance is measured based on the products
they created. Detailed parameters for direct and indirect evaluation are presented in Table 8.
Excellent

Good

Fair

Deficient

Direct Evaluation (PBL)
1. Precise
method
2. Precise stages
3. Timely
submission
4. Accurate
results
Indirect Evaluation (Project-Based Learning)
A. Process
1. Planning
2. Implementation(data,
method, anddiscussion)
3. Reporting
B. Product1. Project quality
2. Innovation
3. Productpresentation
quality
C. Attitude
1. Responsibility
2. Discipline
3. Teamwork
Table 8: Detailed parameters of direct and indirect evaluation

In the second phase of the study, the evaluation results were processed and analyzed. To ensure
fairness, various aspects of the training activities were considered. Several parameters were used toperform comparative analyses shown in Table 9.
Technical Aspect

Very Satisfactory

Satisfactory

1. Training design
2. Topic relevance– 63 –Fair

Poor

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
Technical Aspect

Very Satisfactory

Satisfactory

Fair

Poor

3. Amount of new
information
presented
4. Presentation clarity
5. Quality ofaudiovisualmaterials used
6. Amount of time
allotted for thepresentation
7. Discussion quality
8. Amount of time
allotted for the
discussion
9. Appropriatenessof the activities
conducted to the
topics discussed
10. Training duration
11. Training output
Table 9: Detailed parameters of the technical evaluation

Other parameters were also used to assess the logistical aspects of the training activities shown in
Table 10.
Logistical Aspect

Very Satisfactory

Satisfactory

Fair

1. Training
announcement
2. Pre-training
arrangements andinstructions fromthe organizers
3. Reception andregistration
4. Training room setup
5. Sound system
6. Audiovisualequipment
7. Accommodations
8. Food and beveragearrangements
9. Training materials
10. Staff service quality
Table 10: Detailed parameters for logistical evaluation– 64 –

Poor

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The third stage is a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) using a combination of qualitative andquantitative evaluation methods. We chose to do a QCA so we can analyze multiple activities
and complex situations and quantify, measure, and analyze various parameters to get results. We
combined all of the analysis components shown in Figure 19.

LOREM IPSUM
Develop the comparative aspect

STEP

Identify the training activities,
specify their characteristics, andgive examples

STEP

02

01

STEP

03
Develop a set of parameters

STEP

06

Interpret and summarize theresults and formulate
conclusions

STEP

STEP

04

05
Process and analyze the data

Give scores to and quantify theparameters

Figure19: Steps in QCA

Results and Discussion
The OHLS method was applied to the geodata base diagnostic and monitoring for plant pests anddisease management training as a focus exercise.

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The direct evaluation, which was carried out using predetermined parameters showed that theparticipants adapted well to OHLS but they were most comfortable with offline learning (see Figure20). They spent the longest time to adapt to online learning. Adaptation, in this case, referred tothe participants’ understanding of the materials, development of practical skills, and ability to solve
problems and complete assignments.

Figure 20: Comparison of time needed to adapt to each learning mode

In terms of developing motor skills, OHLS took the same time as offline learning, that is, two days.
Blended learning took three days while online learning required more days. Micro-learning modules
were used to discuss theoretical concepts. Practical application was implemented using the PBL
method. The case study required using the project-based learning approach. This innovative
approach made online learning more interactive and targeted and easier to follow.
A comparison of the technical aspects showed that OHLS was most favored by the participants(see Figure 21). More than 80% of the participants were very satisfied with OHLS. The micro-learning
modules were easy to understand. The intensive direct assistance provided during the PBL process
helped the participants solve problems more quickly and in a structured manner.

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Figure 21: Comparison of technical aspects

The results for nontechnical aspects showed that OHLS also garnered good responses, although
they still favored offline learning more. Based on the feedback, Internet access speed proved
challenging for some participants. Another was distractions as shown in Figure 22.

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Figure 22: Comparison of nontechnical aspects

Conclusion
OHLS is a prospective learning method that can be implemented in the new normal and emergency
situations. It integrates higher-order thinking with online learning and employs project-based learning
and PBL approaches to evaluate results. Micro-learning modules and intensive synchronousinteractions also makes OHLS a promising and resilient learning model.
To validate the effectiveness of OHLS, it can be applied to more training activities on a variety of
topics. An LMS for OHLS should also be developed.

References•

A. Chauvet. (2020). “Training and Support during and After COVID-19: What Are the Challenges
and Answers in Terms of Innovation.” Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe (EPALE)
Blog. https://epale.ec.europa.eu.

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Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design (AETID) Book Series.

•

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Courses. (2020). http://www.montgomerycollege.
edu.

•

A. N. Rahman and B. J. Irby. (2017). Hybrid Learning: Perspective of Higher Education Faculty.
Information Resources Management Association, U.S.A.

•

A. Szadziewska and J. Kujawski. (16–18 November 2017). “Advantages and Disadvantages of
the Blended Learning Method Used in the Educational Process at the Faculty of Management at
the University of Gdansk.” Proceedings of ICERI2017 Conference. Seville, Spain.

•

C. Graham. (2006). “Blended Learning System Definition and Current and Future Directions.”
Handbook of Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs. San Francisco, California:
Pfeiffer Publishing.

•

D. Sikirit. (2020). Learning from Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://www.unicef.
org/.

•

INTRAC Monitoring and Evaluation Team. (2017). QCA. M7E Universe Series Paper.

•

I. Syarif. (June 2012). “The Effect of the Blended Learning Model on the Motivation and Learning
Achievement of Vocational School Students.” Vocational Education Journal, 2(2):234–244.

•

John W. Creswell. (2009). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed-Method
Approaches. Los Angeles, California: Sage Publications.

•K. N. Volchenkova. (2016). “Blended Learning Definition, Models, and Implications for Higher
Education.” Bulletin of the South Ural State University Series: Education Sciences, 8(2):24–30.

•

L. Blankson, D. Blankson, E. Entuly, and C. Agyeman. (2016). Handbook of Research on
Strategic Management of Interaction, Presence, and Participation in Online Course. IGI Global.

•

O. D. Apuke. (2017). “Quantitative Research Methods: A Synopsis Approach.” Open Access
Journal, 6:10. DOI: 10.12816/0040336.

•

P. Lor. (2011). “Methodology in Comparative Studies.” International and Comparative
Librarianship. Chapter 4.

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Learning from Everything
Dr. Shah Jahan Assanarkutty
SEAMEO RECSAM
Malaysia
shahjahan@recsam.edu.my
Ms. Deva Nanthini Sinniah
SEAMEO RECSAM
Malaysia
nanthini@recsam.edu.my

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused school closures all over the world, interrupted ongoing SYs,
and impacted students of all ages. It deeply worsened education structures, pushing the sector
to explore new ways to face the unprecedented challenge. Resilience to the issue had to be built
among students, teachers, and the entire education community. Learning from everything has beensuggested as a way forward, especially since knowledge can be accessed from anywhere in the 21st
century. Education in most classrooms, however, even today follows common core standards andsyllabi and gives standard tests and national exams, which only changed due to the pandemic. If wethink about it, traditional classroom environments were not built to fit young learners psychologically,
according to John Dewey’s social learning theory.
To fit the digital environment, the education structure had to be revitalized. Technology has been
providing us instant access to vast amounts of information. But our teachers need to be retrained
to use new tools and technologies, syllabi have to be modified, and evaluation and assessment
methodologies and new approaches have to be explored. Students need guidance to choose theright information sources, especially since memorization is no longer useful online. They have to stay
motivated to continuously engage in learning. New pedagogies have to keep up with the new norms.
Many old methodologies no longer apply.
However learning environments change, students need support, which can come from the Internet,
experts, their parents, and other sources. Like old methodologies, textbooks, which used to be
the sole source of knowledge, have lost usefulness in the digital era. Teachers should no longer beknowledge providers or facilitators, they should become activators and make sure their students
remain engaged. PBL and inquiry-based learning (IBL) are good tools in enhancing teaching andlearning processes. But learning has to be place-based, too. Students should learn from everything
they can access.
Keywords: resilience, traditional classroom, learning environment– 71 –

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Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic shook the ethos of current educational systems. It has been putting theresilience of educational institutions around the world to the test. Due to inadequacies in traditional
campus-based learning and teaching, learners and teachers need re- and upskilling to meet thedemands of today’s nontraditional learning and teaching environments.
According to Dewey, an interdisciplinary curriculum or one that connects multiple disciplines andallows students to freely enter and exit classrooms, is recommended. They can pursue theirown interests while simultaneously building their own strategies for learning and applying specificknowledge. Teachers should pay attention to students’ interests to make them follow directions anddevelop problem-solving skills.
Schools, meanwhile, should become social environments, as children learn best when they are
comfortable socially. Dewey believes all students are unique learners. They can learn from theirenvironment, seniors, family members, the elderly, the community, and technologies, such as theInternet. Textbooks are no longer the sole source of knowledge in the digital era. And teachers should
no longer be knowledge providers or facilitators but activators who make sure students remain
engaged. Students can monitor and manage their own learning through an e-portfolio. Improved
learning processes can benefit from IBL and PBL. Learning should now take place in the real world,which means students must constantly learn from everything around them. Learning must take place
anywhere and in any environment.

Traditional Teaching
Traditional education, often referred to as “back-to-basics or conventional education,” refers to longstanding customs applied in school. Several school reform models encourage the use of inclusive
educational strategies, which take a more comprehensive approach by focusing on the interests andself-control of each student as an individual. Traditional teacher-centered memorization techniques,according to reformers, should be phased out in favor of student-centered and task-based learning
methods (Wikipedia, 2021).
Lecture-style training is frequently considered antiquated and riddled with a variety of problems,
according to Schwerdt and Wuppermann (2011). Lectures do not give teachers feedback on student
learning . They assume that everyone learns at the same rate. Furthermore, when students are
passive, their interest fades away quickly during lectures, and knowledge gained is quickly forgotten.
Finally, lectures focus primarily on listening, which may be a drawback for students who prefer otherways to learn. Alternative teaching methods focused on constructive and PBL can address thesedrawbacks.

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Furthermore, unlike other forms of active learning techniques, the traditional approach assumes
that learners are homogeneous. Regardless of differences, teachers instruct everyone in the samemanner. Those who set the standards determine the program structure and dictate knowledge tostudents. Illustrative approaches to teaching remain limited, which stresses poorer students andmakes it difficult for them to absorb information despite their efforts (Nottingham and Verscheure,2010).
One of the most common traditional teaching approaches, according to Heaysman and Tubin (2019),
is initiation-response-evaluation (IRE). The teacher asks a question, the students react, and theteacher evaluates their answers. In contrast to a legitimate question that requires a response, boththe teacher and students recognize that the teacher already knows the answer and the question iswhether the student does as well. Apart from that, the most prominent teaching method is a lectureor an explanation where knowledge is passed on to the students. Another common technique isrote learning, which entails the teacher to express phrases to memorize and the students to repeatthem in chorus.
According to Odom, Marszalek, Stoddard, and Wrobel (2011), many parents believe their children
spend too much time on repeating homework that has little to no effect on their capacity to understand.
Students frequently voice frustration with the amount of time they are required to spend memorizing
irrelevant scientific terminology for tests and completing pointless exercises that are rarely scored.

John Dewey’s Theory
Education currently lacks personalization, making it difficult to provide students relevant learning
experiences. We urgently need reform based on philosopher Dewey’s suggestion of a child-centeredapproach to teaching and learning. This strategy must consider each child’s individual needs andstrive to provide meaningful, long-lasting learning opportunities. Dewey’s ideas reflect the turn of the20th century and have become increasingly difficult to implement in the face of current educational
legislations. This change requires schools to restructure the traditional model and teachers to rethinktheir pedagogical implications. While some schools tried to make these changes, many challenges
accompany adjustments. It is, therefore, worth studying schools that have not only successfully
implemented Dewey’s ideas but also advanced them (Pieratt, 2010).
According to Schiro (2012), many of the beliefs that learner-centered educators have about how
children learn are supported by Dewey’s work. His social learning theory and educational ideals canbe seen in many student-centered classrooms. He envisioned a classroom as a place where kids
could learn socially and solve problems in a community setting. In classrooms where children are seen
as unique individuals, students may be preoccupied with developing their own knowledge throughpersonal meaning rather than teaching-related information and teaching-directed activities. Children
can learn by doing in such classrooms and they will use hands-on approaches to solve problems.
Teachers should thus consider students’ interests when planning lessons and incorporate curricularareas focusing on project-based learning. A child’s educational experience encompasses not only
academic achievements but also intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth.

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Educational Resilience
The term “resilient student” refers to a learner who can perform well compared with others from thesame background in any circumstance. Resilient students are important since they can influenceeffective teaching and learning. As a result, schools, parents, communities, and peers should
encourage protective qualities by providing supportive environments and opportunities to develop
students’ life skills and encourage them to participate in social activities (Findik, 2016).
Educational frameworks must be revitalized to fit the online setting. We now have instant access tolarge amounts of data, thanks to technological advancements. Students must be taught to choose
information sources because memorization no works online.
Three critical factors must be considered to move forward. Student motivation comes first, followedby the pedagogy teachers use and the learning environment where the students are placed.

Student Motivation
Student motivation is the most crucial factor in ensuring that the next generation has access tohigh-quality education, regardless of their condition or environment. When studying or being taught,
student engagement relates to students’ level of attention, interest, excitement, optimism, andpassion, as well as their motivation to study and grow. Motivation is a learning mechanism that
arouses, guides, and sustains people’s actions toward specified learning objectives. It encompasses
all of the elements that impact a person’s decision to act in a certain manner in a certain situation.
Self-image and drive to study are inextricably tied to instructional methods. Students who have astrong self-image and trust their abilities despite challenges are more likely to progress in arithmetic.
Students are encouraged to cooperate with others to reach a common goal and act responsibly andpractically when they are motivated to learn (Bishara, 2018). Dewey disliked textbooks because hebelieved that these do not translate into terms that are relevant to a child’s current life, resulting in lackof organic connection between the child and the curriculum, as well as lack of motivation for the childto participate in the learning process.
Bishara (2018) evaluated two teaching styles, active learning and traditional teaching, in a traditional
school setting, intending to increase students’ self-esteem and drive to study. Active teaching proved
more effective than standard teaching in improving students’ self- esteem and motivation to learn.
This strategy should be implemented more frequently. Reduced dropout rates, increased student
success, and enhanced social engagement are all benefits of active teaching.

Pedagogy
Pedagogies must adhere to existing requirements since many old methodologies are no longer valid
in the new normal. They should be infused with technology, which will serve as the foundation oflesson delivery. That requires improving students’ and teachers’ technological skills.

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Educators hope to achieve pedagogical reforms and solve the underlying problems that affectstudents’ needs by incorporating technology use into classrooms. As a consequence, technology
can be perceived as both a method and force of transformation. Today, learning aids and innovations
can be found almost everywhere. Therefore, pedagogies should be embedded with technologies toincrease the efficiency and effectiveness of teaching and learning.
Today’s students realized how new technologies and COVID-19 impacted education. The learning
paradigm that Kearney, et al. (2012) discussed became evident. Teachers that use positive
pedagogies to motivate students to learn were found effective. While some students embraced
greater autonomy and flexibility in time management, others lacked the necessary abilities. Amid
this situation, students must preserve their social and emotional well-being while continuing to
make academic progress. Supportive pedagogies can enhance students’ learning experiences by
maximizing the use of technology-enabled motivation, teamwork, and real learning processes (Anne,Louise, Ben, and Florian, 2020).
According to Dewey (2011), technological advancements have the potential to alter educational
processes. We need to take a look at the impact of technology on education, including the rise of
e-learning and networks that expand educational opportunities outside the classroom. Students’and teachers’ pedagogies are being disrupted by a combination of innovations and technologies interms of engagement, accessibility, applicability, visual qualities, and authenticity. Most participants,
however, have moved on from the days when these tools were not used in classrooms. As a result,they aided in the development of more effective strategies and approaches that we can use to
reinvent learning and teaching.

Learning Environment
Learners are exposed to a variety of physical and cultural environments where they can learn. A variety
of settings, including nature and the outside world, are available to children. As such, the phrase issometimes used as a reasonable or desirable substitute for the typical classroom environment. The
learning environment, which may include the Internet, parental aid, advice from elders, families, andthe community, must be encouraging. In a world where textbooks are no longer the main source of
information, anybody and everything can take their place.
The most revolutionary aspect of teaching is most likely creating a complete environment forlearning a particular program. While it is easy to focus on either physical learning environments
like classrooms, labs, or the technologies used to construct Internet-based learning environments,
learning environments are much more than simply these physical components (Bates, 2016). In
most circumstances, a student’s ability to learn is influenced by social, physical, psychological,
and cultural factors in the learning environment. It will be difficult for learners to stay absorbed orinterested in a learning environment that is not conducive for obtaining new knowledge or talents.
Regardless, the learning environment impacts a learner’s achievement. It promotes a motivatingand engaging work environment. Interaction with other students and teachers is encouraged in a
successful learning environment, which contributes to giving students a sense of belonging.

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A secure platform for students also comes with a decent learning environment. Before students canperform intellectually, they must feel both mentally and physically comfortable. While most schoolstake physical safety precautions, few educational platforms consider the students’ mental safety. The
term “safety” in the classroom refers to more than just physical safety. To keep a learning environment
safe, learners must feel supported, welcomed, and valued. As a result, maintaining a healthy culture
where expectations are clearly stated and learners are fully aware of their needs is more important
than establishing a positive learning environment (What Makes a Good Learning Environment,
2018).

Way Forward
The education sector around the world witnessed a paradigm shift in the teaching and learning
process, as well as shaping the culture to fit the new normal. Its reliance on technology increased
significantly. Students, teachers, and anyone in educational institutions need to keep up. It is hightime for policymakers to examine the educational system, teacher preparation, learning approaches,and evaluation methods to fit the new normal.

Educational Structure
Academics should reflect on lessons learned from the ongoing school disturbances. They should
consider the absence of conventional classrooms and the alienation learners face while studying intheir own spaces. In the current educational structure, students’ ingenuity in the pursuit of knowledge
is largely limited to what the teacher has to give. At all stages of schooling, from primary school touniversity, today’s classrooms represent the curriculum’s oppressive rigidity (Kabeera, 2019).
Curriculum reform should prioritize flexibility. The adaptation and applicability of the curriculum tostudents’ interests and capacities are referred to as “curriculum flexibility” (Jonker, et al., 2020). Whenlearners are permitted to learn at their own pace and adapt the curriculum to their local situation, thesystem is considered flexible. For a functional curriculum, Cowley and Williamson (1998) believe thata flexibility model is preferable to an overly prescriptive one. Offering national curricular standards withlocalized interpretation and execution determined, at least in part, by schools and teachers, is part of
the flexibility model. While adhering to a national curricular structure, the flexibility model can provide
staff collaboration and school outcomes that are suitable to the local setting.
Allowing students to modify, alter, and amend the curriculum as they see fit provides maximum
curricular interest for students and the construction of a more successful curriculum. Teachers
would be able to contextualize content in the flexible curriculum to make it relevant to their teachingsituations, resulting in the successful implementation of a curricular breakthrough.

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Teacher Training
A fresh approach to teacher training curricula is necessary to reflect the emerging educational
standards. COVID-19 pandemic-induced school closures in most countries and governmentordered virtual instruction highlighted the need to train teachers in using various devices so various
curricular elements can be adapted to fit the new context. That highlighted the need for instructors to
be taught in using various technological tools to adapt to the new normal (Espino-Daz, et al., 2020).
To get ready for the new normal, instructors will need to gain new knowledge and skills, especiallysince teaching and learning practices have radically changed.
Teachers need to be appropriately taught contemporary teaching pedagogies, according to
Perimbanayagam (2020). Teachers, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the digital world orneed to find ways to teach kids who do not have access to computers at home, must continue toeducate themselves. The training’s purpose is to change pedagogies and approaches to reformteaching and learning.
Even if we can obtain free, high-quality learning materials from the Internet, teachers must learn tochoose those that suit their students’ requirements (Delgado, 2020). Teachers are trained to bringnew teaching and learning approaches to the classroom through in-service teacher preparation or
professional development. Teacher training innovation must be viewed as a vehicle for essential andconstructive change. Continuous innovation is required for education to be viable (Serdyukov, 2017).

Learning Approach
Learners differ in terms of abilities, skills, learning styles, and interests. These differences should
be considered when developing a learning strategy to ensure that objectives and expectations are
met and the students’ potential is maximized. Since the post-pandemic learning strategy must be
sound, practical, and hopeful to help students improve their learning experiences, educators must
investigate and adopt new ways. Students must be at the heart of the learning process. Along withthis goal, the learning approach should emphasize active and interactive learner-centered learning
to enhance HOTS and learning skills. Through student-centered learning activities, teachers mustencourage students to think creatively and critically, as well as to innovate.
Innovative technologies are required to support the new learning method. Flipped classrooms andonline games can serve as “virtual worlds.” The most significant educational benefit of virtual worlds isgiving students the ability to engage in an environment that replicates genuine experiences, allowing
them to participate in material and concept discovery in ways that are not feasible in traditionalsettings. Students can investigate activities that may be too dangerous or expensive and revisit
earlier experiences (Jacka, 2020). These advancements have the potential to lead to new teaching
methods. Student-centered learning methods, such as PBL, IBL, and game-based learning can beused in the learning process.

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Another problem that must be discussed is that children live in an environment that is full of informationfrom different outlets, including the Internet. The challenge is to teach students how to filter information
appropriately. Children cannot be stopped or prevented from information. Rather than protecting
them from the digital world, many experts believe that teaching them how to use their own filters isthe most powerful way to keep them safe and only use the Internet as a learning tool. That is not onlya useful life skill but also useful while exploring learning materials.
Students, on the other hand, can be easily exploited if their online activities are not supervised or
guided. They must know how to verify information. Apart from that, they should know how to assess
which sources of knowledge are accurate and timely. Students should compare several sources toassess their reliability and relevance. Eventually, they must be able to store, synthesize, analyze, andpresent information.

Assessment
Assessment is vital in assessing what students understand and what teachers teach, and it is widely
acknowledged as a critical component of teaching and learning since it influences what students
learn (Khan and Jawaid, 2020). It is an important part of teaching and learning since it indicates if
students have met the learning objectives for the course.
Teachers and students are rapidly migrating away from traditional learning and assessment methods
toward innovative learning environments and assessment. The typical or conventional evaluation
method simply encourages students to memorize rules or algorithms rather than gain conceptual
knowledge. It focuses on narrow and discrete domain components (Dochy, 2001). Traditional
approaches to learning, teaching, and assessment have undergone a drastic transformation as aresult of information age requirements (Birgin and Baki, 2007).
Because learning can occur everywhere and in any environment today, educators must develop
a new strategy for assessment, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic, as structured exams
cannot be administered in the old manner. Learners should be motivated and inspired to investigate
and exploit different aspects of themselves and the world around them as a result of the new
evaluation (Nasab, 2015). Evaluation instruments must place greater emphasis on various sourcesof assessment, such as reading and writing tasks based on real-life scenarios and from all sources
available to students, rather than traditional textbook-based inquiries (Agrawal, 2004). According tolearning scientists, whereas subject matter information recall is easy to determine, critical thinking
and imagination are more difficult to ascertain. The focus should be on long-term knowledge andinformation preservation and transition. In a variety of situations, alternative evaluation helps teachers
see their students’ strengths and weaknesses (David, 1993).
Online testing is less frequent than computer-based testing, which has been around for a longtime. Because of worries about authenticity, dependability, and integrity, that is the case. Amid the
pandemic, several educational institutions experienced this situation (Khan and Jawid, 2020). Thissituation necessitates an evaluation technique that is safe, valid, dependable, acceptable, practical,
and equitable.

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Assignments and portfolios are non-real-time asynchronous ways of evaluation that can be used
to assess competence and skills. Assignments can measure HOTS, such as logical reasoning
and problem-solving ability. A portfolio is a compilation of evidence and reflections on a student’s
work. It can be used to assess their ability through videos of them performing activities. An open
book test is another technique to assess students’ ability to comprehend topic-related information.
Students’ capacity to understand and solve issues, as well as their analytical thinking and originality,
are assessed using this method (Khan, 2020).

Conclusion
To conclude, learning from everything is an excellent approach to prepare for the worst-case scenario,
such as a pandemic, as it allows students to acquire knowledge everywhere, at any time, and fromanybody. Assessment will also be possible when problem-based learning lies at the heart of apedagogical approach that does not rely on uniform core curriculum assessment or national exams.
This method of instruction will aid in developing enthusiasm and dedication in young students.
Learners may go at their own pace and adapt their learning to their surroundings, which is criticalwhen changing the curriculum. Technological breakthroughs in teaching and evaluation approaches
must be integrated into education to rejuvenate it. All of this work can help students improve theiracademic performance.

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F. G. Nasab. (2015). “Alternative versus Traditional Assessment.” Journal of Applied Linguisticand Language Research, 2(6):165–178.

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P. Delgado. (2 November 2020). “Teacher Training, the Great Challenge of Online Education.”
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P. Serdyukov. (2017). “Innovation in Education: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Do
about It?” Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching and Learning, 10(1):4–33. https://doi.
org/10.1108/jrit-10-2016-0007.

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R. Khan and M. Jawaid. (2020). “Technology-Enhanced Assessment (TEA) in COVID 19
Pandemic.” Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 36(COVID19-S4). https://doi.org/10.12669/
pjms.36.covid19-s4.2795.

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S. Bishara. (2018). “Active and Traditional Teaching, Self-Image, and Motivation in Learning Mathamong Pupils with Learning Disabilities.” Cogent Education, 5(1):143–612. https://doi.org/10.
1080/2331186x.2018.1436123.

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S. Nottingham and S. Verscheure. (2010). “The Effectiveness of Active and Traditional Teaching
Techniques in the Orthopedic Assessment Laboratory.” Journal of College Science Teaching,39(5):34–42.

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T. Cowley and J. Williamson. (1998). “A Recipe for Success? Localized Implementationof a (Flexible) National Curriculum.” The Curriculum Journal, 9(1):79–94. https://doi.
org/10.1080/0958517970080107.

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what-makes-good-learning-environment/.

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Wikipedia. (30 July 2021). “Traditional Education.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_
education.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Teacher Resilience in Science
Learning during the Pandemic
Dr. Indrawati
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in ScienceIndonesia
Dr. Elly Herliani
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in ScienceIndonesia
Mr. Haidar Muhammad Helmi
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in ScienceIndonesia
Mr. Septian Karyana
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in ScienceIndonesia
septian@seameo.id

Abstract
This paper aims to find out how resilient science teachers are during the pandemic. Our sample
comprises 1,349 primary and secondary science teachers from various provinces in Indonesia.
We used an instrument that employed the five-point Likert scale called “SS-Resilience.” The study
covers seven aspects, namely, emotion regulation, impulse organization, causal analysis, optimism,
empathy, self-efficacy, and reaching out. The instrument was validated using the Rasch model via
WINSTEPS v. 3.7. Data analysis was conducted using the IRT Rasch approach. The study foundthat science teachers were very resilient during the pandemic and highly capable in terms of theseven aspects.
Keywords: pandemic, resilience, science learning– 83 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
COVID-19 spread exponentially around the world, causing steadily rising morbidity and mortality
rates (Wang, Ng, and Brook, 2020). The crisis affected nearly all facets of our lives that a significant
portion of the international community has been addressing (Anderson, Heesterbeek, Klinkenberg,and Hollingsworth, 2020). How long the pandemic will last and what long-term effects it will cause
remain unknown. However, it is already clear that, among other aspects, the outbreak caused thedevelopment of anxiety among individuals across geographies, cultures, and social structures (Wanget al., 2020).
In response to the pandemic, the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Science organized
several programs to adapt to the situation. The center has been implementing online programs andactivities to improve science teachers’ skills in fields, such as science, technology, engineering, andmathematics (STEM) and computational thinking. It conducted research and granted sponsorships,
conducted the International Joint Conference on STEM in collaboration with the Institute for the
Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) in Thailand and the SEAMEO Regional Centerfor QITEP in Mathematics, and launched webinars. It also invited the broader community to participate
in competitions held on its 11th anniversary focusing on the theme “science learning at home.”
This paper is one of the center’s efforts to address the mental and psychological needs of scienceteachers in Southeast Asia, initially in Indonesia, so they can carry on their responsibilities. By
determining how resilient they are during the pandemic, the center can develop innovative programs
to enhance science teaching quality.
Threats to the welfare and well-being of people, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, are likely to raisea constant sense of threat that profoundly and adversely affects responses to adversity (Scott,Poulin, and Silver, 2012). A strong perception of danger is positively associated with symptoms
of depression (Braun-Lewensohn and Al-Sayed, 2018) and negatively with a sense of coherence(Antonovsky, 1993), as well as with individual resilience (Kimhi and Eshel, 2016). In the face ofhardship, loss, disaster, risks, or major causes of stress, the American Psychological Association(APA) identifies resilience as a method of bouncing back from difficult experiences and coping well(apa.org, 2014). The meaning of resilience is derived from its clear relation to the capacity to react
effectively to sudden events (Turenne, et al., 2019).
Resilience in teachers, described as the ability to keep bouncing back and rapidly and effectively
recover strengths or their spirit in the face of adversity, is strongly related to a deep sense of vocation,
self-efficacy, and motivation to teach (Gu and Day, 2007). Another valuable guide for teachers looking
to consider and improve the well-being of learners is to work on positive psychology (Seligman, 2011)amid difficult circumstances. Being resilient implies applying coping mechanisms or transitioning
emphasis from teacher stress and burnout to resilience. It offers a promising insight into how teachers
address and retain their motivation and dedication to students in times of uncertainty (Gu and Day,
2007). Teachers likely expand their knowledge base due to resilience. Various reasons contribute tothis condition. Emotion-related effects include variables, such as career enjoyment, motivation, andpassion (Le Cornu, 2013).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

This study aims to profile Indonesian science teachers’ resilience and its seven aspects—emotion
regulation, impulse control, causal analysis, optimism, empathy, self-efficacy, and reaching out forlearning.
The APA (2014) defines resilience as a method of bouncing back from difficult experiences and coping
well. Reivich and Shatte (2002), meanwhile, define resilience as the ability of individuals to respondto difficult conditions healthily and productively when it is important to manage the stresses of daily
life. From these descriptions, we can conclude that resilience refers to an individual’s ability to cope
with, get up and recover from, and successfully adapt to difficulties while developing competence
despite being exposed to stress.
Gu and Day (2007) describe resilience in education as the ability to survive and adapt to serious
events or problems. Resilient teachers can keep bouncing back and rapidly and effectively recover
their strengths aided by a deep sense of vocation, self-efficacy, and motivation to teach. They employ
coping mechanisms to stay motivated and dedicated to students even in times of uncertainty. Dan
Hoopman, Henderson, and Milstein (2010) describe resilience as students’ and educators’ ability
to rebuild schools, including getting back up, recovering, successfully adapting to difficulties, anddeveloping social, academic, and vocational competencies despite exposure to heavy stress. Fromthese descriptions, we can conclude that teacher resilience is the ability of teachers to cope with,
get up and recover from, successfully adapt positively to difficulties, and develop their competence
and maintain their professional commitment despite exposure to stress.
Reivich and Shatte (2002) said resilience had seven main components or aspects—emotional
regulation, impulse control, empathy, optimism, causal analysis, self-efficacy, and reaching out.
These factors can be measured, taught, and improved. Science teachers possess them. They arecalled “personal characteristics” that protect science teachers from risk-causing factors, reduce theimpact of stress from learning during the pandemic, and facilitate and increase very high resilience(Reivich and Shatte, 2002 and Henderson and Milstein, 2010).

Methods
This study used a survey to collect data. It utilized a five-point Likert scale to measure scienceteacher resilience during the pandemic. The instrument covers the seven aspects of resilience andwas developed using the standard procedure for survey development. All 56 instrument items meetthe criteria set by the Rasch model (Boone, et al., 2014):
0.5 < MNSQ < 1.5 and - 2 < ZSTD < +2

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

R had a value of 0.91, which translated to highly reliable. The respondents comprised 1,349 primaryand secondary teachers from 26 provinces in Indonesia. Data analysis was conducted using the IRT
Rasch model approach via WINSTEPS version 3.7. Data analysis was carried out to quantify teacher
resilience based on the seven aspects using the formula for the mean ± standard deviation (SD)(Syaifuddin, 2012). The results were classified by gender, school level (primary, junior secondary,senior secondary), teaching duration (<5 years, 5–15 years, and >15 years), and geographic area.
Three areas were identified—West Java, Central and East Java, and Sumatra. Each area waspopulated by Sundanese, Javanese, and Melayu ethnics, respectively.

Results and Discussion
To determine the teachers’ level of resilience per aspect, we used the formula in Table 11, which was
explained by Syaifuddin (2012).
FormulaCategory

1. +1.5 α < μVery high

2. +0.5 α < μ ≤ +1.5 αHigh

3. -0.5 α < μ ≤ +0.5 αModerate

4. -1.5 α < μ ≤ -0.5 α

Low

5. μ < -1.5 α

Very low
Table 11: Categorizing science teacher resilience during the pandemic(Note that μ stands for “mean” and α for “SD.”)

Overall Resilience during the Pandemic
Figure 23 shows how resilient the science teachers were in terms of learning during the pandemic
overall. We got a mean of 0.74, which translated to high resilience. The same results were obtained
per demographic. The teachers showed the same level of resilience, regardless of their gender,
school level taught, teaching duration, and geographic area.

Figure 23: Teachers’ overall resilience levels by demography– 86 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The high resilience shows that science teachers can face, cope with, and successfully adapt todifficulties in learning during the pandemic. They continued to can carry out their tasks, which is inline with the findings of Listiyandini and Fitriana (2013) who stated that young teachers in remoteareas are naturally resilient. According to several studies, teacher resilience is a result of successful
positive adaptation to learning difficulties during hard times (Hendeson and Milstein, 2010; Wosnitza,
et al. 2014; and Reivich and Shatte, 2002). Due to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, theteachers learned how to deal with and overcome difficulties, making them resilient (Grotberg, 2003).
Baum (2009) said positive adaptation reflects positive thoughts, feelings, and ways of life even after
the difficulties fade (Hendriani, 2017).
The seven resilience factors (Reivich and Shatte, 2002) are internal protective characteristics thatteachers possess. They protect teachers from risks, reduce the impact of stress from learning during
the pandemic, and facilitate and increase resilience (Reivich and Shatte, 2002 and Hendeson and
Milstein, 2010). According to Kalil (2003) and Luthar (2003), given the internal protective factors,
teachers can effectively resolve, prevent, and overcome various problems and difficulties in learning
during a pandemic (Hendriani, 2017).
The protective internal factors can offset the impact of learning during stressful times, such as the
pandemic, to achieve balance. According to Werner (1990), when balance is achieved, it is possible
to attain successful adaptation (Henderson and Milstein, 2010). Thomas (2011) states that achieving
positive adaptation shows that the teachers have the capacity to achieve and increase their resilience(Hendriani, 2018). The factors exist within individuals (hence, are internal) and protect them fromenvironmental or external forces. Apart from internal protective factors, teacher resilience in learning
during the pandemic is also influenced by external factors, including their families, schools, andcommunities. Andik and Matulessy’s research (2015), along with that of Akbar and Tahoma (2018),
found a positive correlation between social support and teacher resilience.
While science teachers proved resilient in terms of learning during the pandemic, that only refers
to specific stressors. According to Zimmerman and Arunkumar (1994), resilience is not universal.
Individuals may be resilient to a specific stressor but not necessarily to all stressors (Hendriani, 2018).
Although the data reflected high resilience (Reivich and Satte, 2003), the mean scores per
demographic showed slight differences. The mean scores for impulse control and optimism were,in fact, very high.

Emotion Regulation
Figure 24 shows how resilient the teachers were in terms of regulating emotions. They obtained amean score of 0.86 (high). The results were the same across demographies.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 24: Teacher capacity to regulate emotions

Based on the research results, the science teachers could regulate emotions well. They could
manage their feelings. The ability to regulate emotions can change negative thoughts into positive
ones. When teachers with good emotional control face problems, they do not think negatively.
Science teachers use their well-developed skills to control their emotions, attitudes, and behaviors.
They remain calm when under pressure. They can combat distracting or counterproductive thoughts
to focus on the task at hand. Science teachers think clearly, allowing them to analyze and overcome
problems during the pandemic effectively and precisely.
When faced with difficulties, science teachers do feel annoyed, angry, and anxious, like mostindividuals. But because they can regulate their emotions, they can express both negative andpositive emotions, direct their behaviors toward a positive direction, and communicate properly toestablish good social relationships with peers, students, and parents. These characteristics allow
science teachers to solve problems effectively and adapt to teaching and learning even during apandemic, resulting in success at work. Science teachers can manage their emotions well, making
them resistant to problems.

Impulse Control
The science teachers had good impulse control, as evidenced by a mean score of 1.04 (high).
Figure 25 shows the same results for impulse control, regardless of demographic aspect.

Figure 25: Teacher capacity for impulse control

The science teachers can control their impulses, desires, likes, and points of pressure. Good impulse
control allows them to prevent making errors in judgment or acting impulsively. Science teachers
who have good impulse control think first about possible consequences before acting on them.
They can control their emotions and impulses. As such, they tend to be patient, do not easily get
angry, and do not react impulsively. Impulse control is closely related to emotion regulation, which isprobably why the teachers gave the same ranking (i.e., high) for both aspects.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Causal Analysis
Figure 26 shows that the teachers were capable of performing causal analysis. They obtained amean of 0.74. The same result was seen across demographic aspects.

Figure 26: Teacher capacity to perform causal analysis

The science teachers exhibited cognitive flexibility. They could identify the causes of significant
problems accurately, allowing them to find the right solutions. They use all available resources tofocus on problem solving.

Optimism
Figure 27 shows that the teachers remained optimistic even during the pandemic, as evidenced bya mean of 1.09 (high). Similar results were found across the demographic aspects.

Figure 27: Teacher capacity in terms of optimism

The results showed that science teachers remained optimistic. They saw a bright future andcontinued to have hope. They believe they can overcome any difficulty that may occur in the future.
That translates to a sense of self-efficacy. They believe they can control their lives. Optimistic scienceteachers perform better and are more productive at work.
Optimism is closely related to self-efficacy, which is probably why the teachers scored high in bothaspects. Optimism motivates them to find solutions and be hardworking. But their optimism is realistic
in that they believe they can have a better future if they work hard.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Empathy
The science teachers were capable of empathy with a mean score of 0.96 (see Figure 28). The
mean scores per demographic aspect showed slight differences.

Figure 28: Teacher capacity to demonstrate empathy

The science teachers scored high in terms of empathy, which means they can read other people’s
thoughts and emotions. They can interpret nonverbal cues and put themselves in other people’s
positions to understand what they think and how they feel. The ability to empathize allows scienceteachers to have good relationships with others.

Self-Efficacy
Figure 29 shows the teachers’ capacity for self-efficacy. The results indicate a high mean score of
0.57. Similar results were found for the different demographic aspects.

Figure 29: Teacher capacity in terms of self-efficacy

The data revealed high self-efficacy among teachers. They are confident that they can become
successful. They respond appropriately to problems. They remain motivated and do not easily giveup when they face difficulties. Science teachers who are confident in their abilities tend to become
more successful in carrying out learning tasks compared to individuals who doubt themselves.

Reaching Out
Figure 30 shows that the science teachers were capable of reaching out with a mean score of 0.55.
Similar results were found across the different demographic aspects.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 30: Teacher capacity to reach out

Based on the results, the teachers still reached out to others despite the ensuing pandemic. They
were thus able to continuously improve their skills amid difficulties. Besides successfully rising fromadversity, the teachers also adapted positively to the pressures and problems they faced. They
continued to develop and improve their competence to succeed in e-learning or distance learningwith hard work. Resilient science teachers dare to face challenges and are not afraid to makemistakes. They dare to take risks to succeed. They use every opportunity to succeed and see
adversity as a challenge.
The capability to reach out will encourage science teachers to seek out new experiences, form
new insights about teaching and learning, and continue to be resilient and hardworking. They are
not danger seekers but do not give up when faced with adversity. They can take failure and are notembarrassed when they do not succeed.
The science teachers can assess risks properly. They can distinguish between normal and unfair
risks. And since they are realistic but optimistic, they can accurately assess their abilities to solve
problems, allowing them to succeed.

Conclusion
We can conclude that the science teachers were resilient when it came to learning despite thepandemic. They obtained the same results, regardless of demographic aspect (i.e., gender,
teaching duration, school level, and area). Despite the similarities, however, slight differences wereseen among the mean scores across aspects. It is good to know that their mean scores for impulse
control and optimism were closer to very high.
We sought to determine how resilient the science teachers were to the ravages the pandemic
brought on so others can develop suitable policies and programs to enhance their productivity. This
study can serve as a basis for a broader science research that covers the entire Southeast Asia.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Acknowledgments
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Euis Heryati and Dr. Rina Mutaqinah for their
inputs, along with the teachers who participated in this study. Sincere thanks also goes to Dr. Agus
Mulyadi, Ms. Dwi Iriani, and Ms. Rima Mubarok for their support in validating the survey instrument.

References•

A. Akbar and R. Pratasiwi. (2017). “Resiliensi Diri Dan Stres Kerja Pada Guru Sekolah Dasar.”
Jurnal Penelitian Dan Pengukuran Psikologi Universitas Negeri Jakarta, 6(2). DOI: https://
dot.org./10.21009/JPPP.06208.

•

C. F. Mansfield. (2021). “Cultivating Teacher Resilience.” International Approaches,
Applications, and Impact. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore Pte. Ltd.

•D. Andriani, R. Novianti, and D. Risma. (2019). Hubungan Kesejahteraan Psikologis Dengan
Resiliensi Guru PAUD Di Kecamatan Tampan Pekanbaru, 6(1). https://jom.unri.ac.id/index.
php/JOMFKIP/article/view/22936.

•

Desmita. (2014). Psikologi Perkembangan Peserta Didik. Bandung: Remaja Rosdakarya.
DOI: https://dot.org./10.21009/JPPP.071.07.

•

E. H. Grotberg (Editor). (2003). Resilience for Today: Gaining Strength from Adversity.
Publishing Group, Inc. http://www.praeger.com.

•

K. Reivich and A. Shatte. (2002). The Resilience Factors: 7 Keys to Finding Your Inner
Strength and Overcoming Life’s Hurdles. New York: Penguin Random House.

•

Maisyarah and A. Matulessy. (2015). “Dukungan Sosial, Kecerdasan Emosi Dan Resiliensi Guru
Sekolah Luar Biasa. Jurnal Psikologi Indonesia, 4(3). http://www.jurnaluntag-sby.ac.id.

•

M. Wosnitza, et al. (Editors). (2018). Resilience in Education: Concepts, Contexts, andConnections. Springer International Publishing A.G.

•

N. Henderson and M. M. Milstein. (2010). Resiliency in Schools: Making It Happen forStudents and Educators. http://www.archive.org/details/resiliencyinscho00hend.

•

R. A. Listiyandini and T. S. Fitriana. (2013). “Resiliensi Pengajar Muda Di Sekolah Daerah Terpencil:
Sebuah Studi Kasus.” Fakultas Psikologi Universitas YARSI. https://www.researchgate.net/
publication/306378971.

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S. Duffield and D. O’Hare. Teacher Resilience during Coronavirus School Closure. The British
Psychological Society.

•

W. Hendriani. (2018). Resiliensi Psikologi: Sebuah Pegantar. Jakarta: Prenadamedia Group.
http://www.archive.org/details/resiliencyinscho00hend.

•

Z. Akbar and O. Tahoma. (2018). “Dukungan Sosial Dan Resiliensi Diri Pada Guru Sekolah
Dasar.” Jurnal Penelitian Dan pengukuran Psikologi Universitas Negeri Jakarta. 7(1).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Math for All:A Strategic Program for Teachers in
Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Sumardyono
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics
Indonesia
sumardyonomatematika@gmail.com

Abstract
This paper introduces the “mathematics for all” concept to address issues with mathematics
education and for application in programs for teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mathematics
education imparts basic knowledge required to improve learners’ critical and creative thinking skills.
But math needs to be introduced and taught in a manner that is fair, fun, and meaningful so it gets
appreciated by and benefits the entire society. To ensure that mathematics learning continues despite
the pandemic, mathematics education must be made more adaptable and easier to understand.
We attempted to ensure that teachers know how to select the appropriate materials suited for theensuing situation. We also present several strategies that were implemented during the pandemic
to improve math teachers’ competence and provide insights and alternatives to solve issues related
to teaching mathematics. We also present the online programs we implemented for teachers tofacilitate the learning process.
Keywords: mathematics, pandemic, education, teachers, program

Introduction
We all need to learn mathematics and apply it to all aspects of our lives. We need math or numeracy
skills, especially for scientific studies and professional work. It is not surprising, therefore, that
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) carries out mathematical literacy assessments
to assess educational progress around the world. But we cannot deny that despite imparting criticalbasic knowledge, many students find math a very difficult and even frightening subject. That makes
it harder for teachers to make mathematics learning meaningful and enjoyable.

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To address problems, the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics, guided by the tagline“leaning mathematics meaningful and joyfully,” created adjustment programs to deepen learnerunderstanding of mathematical concepts through lessons that are easy to understand, useful, andfun. Inspired by “education for all (EFA),” we dubbed our effort “mathematics for all.”

Reasons Why Learning Mathematics Is Important
The primary reason why we learn mathematics is because we all need logical, critical, creative, andargumentative thinking skills. These skills allow us to learn anything and solve problems. Throughout
history, mathematical skills, made people superior, making them “polymaths.” The term, however,does not only refer to having good mathematical abilities but also skills outside the subject’s realm.
Learning mathematics actually translates to thinking logically, critically, creatively, and argumentatively.
As William Paul Thurston said, “Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations, or
algorithms; it is about understanding”(Cook and Gunning, 2009).
Apart from being necessary to thinking, here are other reasons why it is important to learn mathematics:•

Learning math is good for our brain. Research by Tanya Evans (2015) found that there are three
regions of our brain that predict improvement in math learning. Ryuta Kawasima and colleagues(2005) also found that arithmetic calculation can improve human memory.

•

Mathematics is a universal language. Understanding mathematics allows us to communicate
with anyone using symbols.

•

Mathematics is applicable to the real world. Most of the problems we are asked to solve in mathlessons are related to real-life applications.

•Learning math increases our problem-solving skills. Solving math problems can help us see
patterns, make models, and apply symmetry, among others.

•

Math is all around us. It helps us understand the world better. Shakuntala Devi believes that“without mathematics, there is nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics.
Everything around you is numbers” (Mohan, 2015).

•

Mathematics is used in practically every career. Jobs that require arithmetic and valid reasoning
cannot be performed without mathematical knowledge.

•

Mathematics promotes wisdom. It can be applied to a wide variety of disciplines and problems.
It also teaches freedom of thought in terms of applying different scopes and ways to solve
problems.

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What Is Mathematics Education Like Today?
Even though mathematics is critical, not everyone is interested in it. Math is, in fact, not many
students’ favorite subject. Here are some interesting facts:•

Students’ math scores are almost always lower than their scores in other subjects.

•

Mathematical anxiety remains a problem.

•

Plenty of myths about math abound. Examples include “math requires logic not intuition,” “mathis not creative, it is only for geniuses,” “math always requires the exact solution,” and “men are
better in math than women.”•

It is difficult to learn mathematics.

•

Numeracy or mathematical literacy remains low.

•

Mathematical learning practices still require improvement to become more adaptable, fun, andmeaningful.

Figure 31: Student confidence in math and how they value math
(Mullis, 2019)

As shown in Figure 31, the more students move up to the next level in mathematics, their selfconfidence decreases. The fun in learning math also diminishes, indicating that something is wrong
with how they are learning.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The problems mentioned above need to be addressed urgently. The World Bank (WB) identified
three possible reasons for learning loss—a reduction in the average learning level of students, awidening of the distribution of learning achievements due to the highly unequal effects of the crisis
on various populations, or a significant increase in the number of students with very low performancedue in part to dropping out. In fact, 25% more students may fall below the baseline in terms of the
proficiency they need to participate effectively and productively in the society and in the future oflearning (UN, 2020).
Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and Beyond (UN, 2020) had four recommendations:•

Suppress the transmission of the virus and plan thoroughly for school reopening•

Protect educational financing and coordinate for impact•

Build resilient educational systems for equitable and sustainable development (Governments
could consider focusing on equity and inclusion, reinforcing capacities for risk management
across all levels, ensuring strong leadership and coordination, and enhancing consultation andcommunication mechanisms.)•

Re-imagine education and accelerate changes in teaching and learning

Governments need to focus on addressing learning loss and reducing the number of dropouts,
particularly among marginalized groups; offering employability skills training; supporting the teachingprofession and enhancing teacher readiness; expanding the definition of the right to education to
include connectivity; removing barriers to connectivity; strengthening data and monitoring learning;and strengthening articulation and flexibility across levels and types of education and training.

Mathematics for All:A Framework for Math Education
To provide a global direction on responding to the problems raised above and in accordance with therecommendations of UNESCO, we created a framework or movement called “mathematics for all.”
EFA has become a global movement spearheaded by UNESCO. Analogous to the enthusiasm
to solve educational problems with EFA, we use “mathematics for all” to intensify changes thatneed to be considered to widen mathematics acceptance and make mathematics learning easier,more useful, and enjoyable. Using the six EFA objectives as guide, we identified six corresponding
mathematics for all objectives shown in Table 12.
EFA Goal

Mathematics for All Objective

Expand early childhood care and education (ECCE)

Enhance math suitability for early childhood– 98 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
EFA Goal

Mathematics for All Objective

Provide free and compulsory primary EFA

Align the benefits of mathematics with those ofbasic education

Promote learning and life skills among young people
and adults

Promote math and thinking skills among young
people and adults

Increase adult literacy by 50%

Increase adults’ numeracy skills

Achieve gender parity by 2005 and gender equality
by 2015

Dispel myths related to mathematics and encourage
good mathematical disposition

Improve the quality of education

Improve the quality of mathematics education

Table 12: EFA and mathematics for all objectives

We regard mathematics for all as an effort to make math more learner-friendly, essential, accessible,
fun, meaningful, useful, and appreciated by the global community.

Refocusing Mathematics Programs for Teachers
Instead of presenting stiff and scary math problems to students, we offer a different strategy to makelessons more easy to appreciate with the following changes or adjustments:
1. Essential and practicable mathematics content~ Focus on essential concepts and procedures.
~ Use simple contexts that match daily-life situations.
~ Utilize problem posing for children.
~ Consider the children’s local situation.
2. Reduce symbolization and formalism~ Shift from rigid formalism to more intuition.
~ Present a formula or procedure using an example or inductively.
~ Represent proofs as examples.
~ Turn a formula into a “doing formula” so it would make more sense to children.
~ Make algorithms understandable. Do not explain concepts too fast.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

3. Emphasize mathematical thinking skill (see Figure 32)~ Pattern recognition~ Logical reasoning~ Creative problem solving

CREATIVE
PROBLEMSOLVINGLOGICALREASONING

PATTERN
RECOGNITION

Figure 32: Mathematical thinking skills

Refocusing Training Programs for Teachers
The SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics adjusted training programs for teachers bytaking into account the points shown in Figure 33.

Choose regulartraining
programs
suitable for the
pandemic

Developtraining
programs
suitable for the
pandemic

Adjust program
implementation
strategies to fit
the pandemic

Strengthen
literacy andnumeracy
through every
program

Focus onthinking skills
relevant to the
21st century

Figure 33: Mathematics for all program strategies– 100 –

Provideassignments
suitable for theteachers
participating in
the program

Provide course
resources thatare easy tounderstandand access

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The center has already adjusted the content, coverage, and implementation strategy of several of its
mathematics programs in line with mathematics for all brought on by the ensuing pandemic. Details
on these are described below.

Focus on STEM, ICT, and Joyful Learning
The SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics is mandated to stick to eight themes whendeveloping regular courses—joyful learning in mathematics education, integrating ICT into mathematics
education, STEM education for mathematics learning, teacher-made mathematics teaching aids,
differentiated instructions in mathematics education, clinical supervision in mathematics education,
developing lesson study in mathematics education, and Southeast Asian realistic mathematics
education. The pandemic changed that, though, and mathematics for all, which focuses only on thefirst three themes, was born.
Why joyful learning? The main problem with learning mathematics has to do with student perception
and attitude. Joyful learning can be implemented easily and inexpensively, even online. Mathematics
should be taught in a fun way so students remain excited and can easily understand lessons.
Why integrate ICT into math education? Mathematics is easier and more fun if it is learned using
appropriate media and technologies.
Finally, why STEM? Mathematics can become adaptable, easy to understand, and interesting if an
integrative approach like STEM education is applied. The activities are low-cost and teachers candesign their own lessons, after carefully considering the limitations of online learning and implementing
health protocols in face-to-face learning.

Consider All the Relevant Modes
The center’s regular courses typically last 100 hours and use tools like Zoom and its own LMS.
Around 40 participants are selected from Indonesia and other SEAMEO member countries for each.
In-country courses and workshops, however, can only take in 32–40 participants each. They comein three modes—online, offline, and blended. Only participants who can easily go to the center’s
office or near it can participate in offline training.
Offline training sessions are characterized by the following:•

Held in a place around and close to the center’s office•

Begin with an orientation that presents clear mathematics goals•

Are low-cost and use readily available materials for STEM activities•

Use problems and activities that are relevant to learners’ daily lives•

Employ small-group activities that adhere to strict health protocols– 101 –

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Use outdoor activities that adhere to strict health protocols

Online training sessions, meanwhile, are characterized by the following:•

Short and use Zoom for theoretical exposure•

Begin with an orientation that presents clear mathematics goals•

Are low-cost and use readily available materials for STEM activities•

Use ICT tools for the learning process•

Use problems and activities that are relevant to learners’ daily lives•

Employ optimized chat rooms to discuss various topics and perform activities•

Use breakout sessions for more active discussions and collaborations

Redesign and Activate Online Activities
The center also redesigned several of its programs and initiatives to fit the online and blended learningmodes, including:•National, regional, and international webinars•

Biennial International Symposium on Mathematics Education and Innovation (ISMEI) conferences•

Competitions•

Serial publications (SEAMEO Journal and SEAMETRICAL Bulletin)•

Research, especially Mathematics Region-Wide Assessment (MaRWA)•

Pilot school programs

References•

I. V. S. Mullis, M. O. Martin, P. Foy, D. L. Kelly, and B. Fishbein. (2019). Highlights: Trends
in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 International Results in
Mathematics and Science. Boston: IEA.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

L. Mohan. (2015). Without Numbers, There’s Nothing You Can Do. https://akshara.org.
in/2015/06/without-numbers-theres-nothing-you-can-do/.

•

M. Cook and R. C. Gunning. (2009). Mathematicians: An Outer View of the Inner World. New
York: Princeton University Press.

•

R. Kawasima, K. Okita, R. Yamazaki, and N. Tajima. (2005). “Reading Aloud and Arithmetic
Calculation Improve Frontal Function of People with Dementia.” The Journals of Gerontology
Series: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 60(3):380–384.

•

T. M. Evans, J. Kochalka, T. J. Ngoon, S. S. Wu, S. Qin, C. Battista, and V. Menon. (2015).Brain
Structural Integrity and Intrinsic Functional Connectivity Forecast Six-Year Longitudinal
Growth in Children’s Numerical Abilities. https://www.jneurosci.org/content/35/33/11743.
full.

•

UN. (2020). Policy Brief: Education during COVID-19 and Beyond. New York: UN.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Global Citizenship in Response to
COVID-19:
A Global Health Perspective
Dr. Pratap Singhasivanon
SEAMEO TROPMED Network
Thailandpratap.sin@mahidol.edu
Dr. Ma. Sandra B. Tempongko
SEAMEO TROPMED Network
Thailandjolinatwoph@yahoo.com

Abstract
Global citizenship and global health underscore the importance of universal values of a global citizen
like justice, equity, peace, inclusiveness, global responsibility, and individual responsibility. To promote
global citizenship, countries have been advocating and accepted GCED to ensure that learners will
have the necessary attitudes, values, and skills they need to become not only critical thinkers but
also contribute to building a just, peaceful, and inclusive society. The COVID-19 pandemic boosted
the mainstreaming of GCED. The crisis emphasized how interconnected and interdependent ourworld is, underlining the collective responsibility that we should have to address threats that impact
the world’s social, economic, and health. Examples of global health responses include those doneby several global agencies led by the World Health Organization (WHO), which came up with aplan to accelerate vaccine development, diagnostics and therapeutics, information and technology
sharing among countries, and enhance individual responsibilities for the protection of oneself andothers. Including COVID-19 issues in the GCED framework has been very appropriate but is boundto face several challenges in terms of preparation and implementation.
Keywords: education, GCED, global health, COVID-19– 105 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
Global citizenship and global health are two of the 21st century’s biggest buzzwords. Global healthis defined as “the worldwide improvement of health, reduction of disparities, and protection against
global threats that disregard national boundaries” (Macfarlane, Jacobs, and Kaaya, 2008). Global
citizenship, meanwhile, refers to “a sense of belonging to a broader community and common humanity,
promoting a ‘global gaze’ that links the local to the global and the national to the international. It
does not signify legal status” (Marshall, 2005). To promote the concept of global citizenship, GCED
was advocated and accepted by countries, which recognizes the socializing role of education.
Education has a pivotal role in preparing children and young people to deal with the challenges oftoday’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. GCED aims to empower learners toengage and assume active roles, both locally and globally, to face and resolve global challenges
and, ultimately, become proactive contributors to a more just, peaceful, tolerant, inclusive, secure,and sustainable world (UNESCO, 2014). The same universal values are underscored in the definitionof global health.

COVID-19 Pandemic
WHO declared the outbreak of COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern (Public
Health Emergency of International Concern [PHEIC], 2020) on 30 January 2020. By 11 March
2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic (WHO Western Pacific Region, 2020). The speedof its transmission and number of countries affected within a short period of time highlighted theinterconnectedness and vulnerability of our globalized world. The pandemic had and still has a huge
impact on the social, economic, and health of the global population, resulting in inequities, poverty,
and threats to sustainability. Strict lockdown measures forced millions worldwide to stay home,driving the economy to a standstill. Healthcare service providers were overwhelmed with COVID19-infected patients needing treatment and care, marginalizing those suffering from other diseases.
School closures affected millions of students.
All of these made Damian Barr’s (2020) tweet saying, “We are not in the same boat. We are all in thesame storm. Some are in super yachts. Some have just the one oar,” relevant, as it clearly illustrates
the conditions of different countries. As a global health disaster, individual nations cannot solve theproblem on their own, the COVID-19 pandemic is a matter of collective global responsibility that
requires a global response.

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Global Health Response
Recognizing the need for a global response, several initiatives were started by the global health sector
to meet the challenges the pandemic posed. WHO, together with governments, scientists, the civilsociety, and philanthropists and other global health organizations, launched the Access to COVID-19
Tools (ACT) Accelerators—a global collaboration to accelerate the development and production ofand equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. COVAX, the vaccines’ pillar
produced by ACT Accelerators, and the Solidarity Clinical Trial for COVID-19 Treatment were launchedby WHO and its partners. These moves involved 500 hospitals in 30 countries. Technical information
was also shared among countries, including the genome sequence and variants (WHO, 2021). A
global promotion of individual responsibilities for prevention and control, such as wearing masks,
frequent hand washing, and social distancing, have also been continuously undertaken.

Framing the COVID-19 Pandemic with GCED
GCED tackles issues of global concern, making it only proper that the COVID-19 pandemic betackled in schools. Shuttleworth (2020) explained that using GCED to teach students about the
pandemic places global health within the purview of all people. A GCED lens prepares teachersand students to see global issues as challenges and responsibilities as members of the global
community and not curricular targets.
The pandemic, to a certain extent, increases stigma and polarization and fosters hate speech against
a vulnerable population. Framing the discussion within the universal values espoused by GCED
like justice, equity, peace, inclusiveness, global responsibility, and individual responsibility is thus
appropriate.
Using GCED as a framework, different topics related to COVID-19 can be discussed with the students,
including measures to mitigate the disease’s spread; economic, social, mental, and psychologicaleffects of the pandemic; the concept of population vulnerability; the need for a global response;
individual responsibility; and universal values.
Framing the pandemic within the GCED framework is not without challenges. It is better to becognizant of challenges, though, to enable the education sector to address them early on. Some ofthese include:•

GCED is a minority subject and may not be given enough time.

•

We need new teacher training methodologies to prepare them for their new role as enablers andfacilitators.

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We need to prepare learning resources related to COVID-19 that are appropriate for each gradelevel.

•

We need to decipher how to implement or deliver GCED to encourage creativity in classrooms.

GCED is necessary to teach students not just about the pandemic but also other global issues. The
nature of the pandemic and crises like it match the goal of CGED, which focuses on both individual
and societal responsibilities in a globalized world. That will enable students to start putting into daily
practice individual responsibilities that contribute to the fulfillment of societal goals.

SEAMEO TROPMED Network’s Response
SEAMEO TROPMED Network, which focuses on healthcare, aided by three regional centers—
SEAMEO TROPMED Malaysia, SEAMEO TROPMED Philippines, and SEAMEO TROPMED
Thailand—contribute to the regional response to the pandemic through various activities related toits field of expertise. The following are some of the activities the network took so far:•HR development (HRD) focusing on conducting webinars on different regional and global issues•

Research on the development of COVID-19 vaccines, gene sequencing, production of personal
protective equipment (PPE), and COVID-19 diagnostics•

Technical assistance provision to national, regional, and global health organizations•

Provision of direct services•

Information dissemination through the different communication channels, including social media

References•

Damian Barr. (2020). https//www.damianbarr.com.

•

H. Marshall. (2005). “Developing the Global Gaze in Citizenship Education: Exploring the
Perspectives of Global Education Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) Workers in England.”International Journal of Citizenship and Teacher Education, 1(2):76–91.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

J. M. Shuttleworth. (2020). “Framing the Pandemic within GCED.” Journal of International
Social Studies, 10(2):67–75.

•

S. B. Macfarlane, M. Jacobs, and E. E. Kaaya. (2008). “In the Name of Global Health: Trends in
Academic Institutions.” Journal of Public Health Policy, 29:383–401.

•

UNESCO. (2014). GCED: Preparing Learners for the Challenges of the 21st Century.

•

WHO. (2021). ACT Accelerators Prioritized Strategy and Budget for 2021.

•

WHO Western Pacific Region. (10 March 2020). The COVID-19 Risk Communication Package
for Healthcare Facilities.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Emotional and Psychosocial Support
for Teachers and Parents of Learners
with Disabilities during the COVID-19
Pandemic
Mr. Mohd Zulkarnain Abdul Wahab
SEAMEO SEN
Malaysia
zulkarnain@seameosen.org
Mr. Ahmad Heikhal Amir Hamzah
SEAMEO SEN
Malaysia
heikhal.hamzah@seameosen.org
Ms. Fezny Othman
SEAMEO SEN
Malaysia
fezny@seameosen.org

Abstract
Teachers and parents have always been the core pillars and foundation of education for learners.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries in most parts of the world were forced to implement
strict lockdowns, causing schools to close. LWDs have been most impacted, as they were more
vulnerable compared with their peers. Owing to a wide range of disabilities, learning has always
been unique for LWDs. Studying from home and lacking educational support caused great concerns
among teachers and parents, especially with regard to LWDs’ developmental and educational wellbeing. And unaddressed concerns resulted in emotional distress among teachers and parents.
This paper intends to clarify and discuss pressing factors that lead to emotional distress among
the teachers and parents of LWDs amid the challenging situation. It presents suggestions andrecommendations to address issues.
Keywords: emotional and psychosocial support, parents and teachers, special needs, COVID-19– 111 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
An estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide are suffering from some kind of lockdown (Hoof, 2020),
placing 1.6 billion learners in 190 countries or 94% of the global student population affected byschool closures. As of August 2020, at least 1 billion learners remain confined at home, as more than
100 countries continue to enforce school closures (Amelan, 2020).
LWDs refer to students who find it difficult to acquire skills that may cause challenges and hinder
them from participating in the real world after graduation. Even without a crisis, LWDs were alreadyconsidered marginalized and stigmatized in terms of education (UN International Children’s Education
Fund [UNICEF], 2020). The pandemic that currently affects most if not all countries left them severely
affected if not vulnerable compared with their peers. LWDs depend heavily on face-to-face services,
including health, education, and protection, which may have been suspended in various nations aspart of enforcing strict physical distancing and lockdown measures.
In most traditional learning settings, LWDs get support from a group of certified and trained teachers
who use specialized teaching materials and learning aids. Educational modernization led to theimplementation of a new paradigm in delivering education to learners remotely. The incorporation ofaudiovisual software and assistive educational technologies have thus given LWDs an opportunity totake part in distance and online learning sessions.
Research (Gerasimenko Yu, Bratchikova Yu, and Lozgachev, 2020) conducted at a boarding schoolin Sverdlovsk, Russia that aimed to assist children with intellectual disabilities (i.e., diagnosed withmild retardation and cerebral palsy) aged 8–9 years old reported the successful implementation of
distance and online learning. Despite motor issues and speech problems, the children were able
to participate in carefully designed distance and online learning activities. They used audiovisualsoftware, such as Skype, Oo Voo, iChat, and Google Voice, and remote access tools, such as
Remote Desktop and Team Viewer. The study concluded that learners with motor and intellectual
disabilities who cannot learn face-to-face can still progress in learning through distance and online
learning. Other teachers worldwide have shared related distance and online learning strategies that
fit a variety of a learner capabilities. They had mixed outcomes but, in general, distance and online
learning proved more effective and successful among moderate- and high-functioning LWDs.
Despite successes, learning condition factors, such as poor connectivity, remote locations, anddevice availability need to be taken into consideration (Garbe, et al., 2020). Amid these scenarios,
typical students and LWDs may not be able to participate effectively in distance and online learning.
The condition was magnified by behavioral, cognitive, and attention challenges that LWDs faced. It is
fair to say that to provide effective distance and online learning, individualized education plans (IEPs)
must be created.
LWDs require the greatest amount of learning support from teachers, as they face the biggest riskof getting left out in terms of education. The prolonged school closures are not only causing distress
but also affects the emotional state and mental health of teachers and parents.

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Challenges That Teachers Face
Teaching is a physically and mentally challenging occupation, as teachers need to balance work withcommitments at home. And being away from the comfort of resourceful classroom settings caused
teachers to face even greater challenges to find ways to deliver educational support to learners,
each with particular disabilities and needs. Studies report that online learning is not feasible for LWDs
(UN, 2020). Many if not LWDs need hands-on materials and in-person interactions to engage in any
learning process. Educating LWDs tends to require sensory and hands-on activities. It also does nothelp that some of them rely on school-provided occupational therapy to accomplish physical tasks
like writing or typing. These kinds of support may just not be available at home.
The fact that LWDs are stranded at home has caused many teachers to express great concern for
their welfare, specifically lack of opportunities to provide critical educational support. Looking after
a diverse group of LWDs cause teachers to struggle to attend to their specific educational needs.
The fact that most special needs teachers have a deep connection with their LWDs does not help aswell. Not having a chance to see or communicate with LWDs, in a way, caused teachers frustration
and regret of not being able to help them. Most teachers and educators are worried that the learners’
condition will stall their learning progress.

Challenges That Parents Face
Before the pandemic struck, the parents of LWDs normally just had to focus on their children’s needs
after school. The lockdowns changed that. Now, they had to care for their children 24 hours a day,seven days a week. If the LWDs had siblings, they may suffer from attention issues, as their parents
have to divide their limited energy and resources to manage all of them (Garbe, et al., 2020).
Parents also worry about their children’s learning progress and the teachers’ lack of knowledge,
leaving them helpless to attend to the situation (Garbe, et al., 2020). Parents worry that their children
will regress academically or socially because of these gaps. In fact, many are unsure of how andwhen their children will get all the educational support and services they used to get in school. These
accumulated factors have led to some kind of emotional distress among the parents.
We have to understand that the lockdowns disrupted the routines of LWDs (Cohen and Kupferschmidt,2020). They are bound to become distressed and restless due to the change in their routine. Children
with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are used to repetitive behavior (Militerni, et al., 2002) andtrained to follow a strict routine in school, for example, may have tantrums and feel frustrated. Those
who are hearing-impaired will also have trouble expressing their emotions or engaging in learning,
especially if their parents are not well-versed in using sign language. The visually impaired may
end up frustrated if their homes lack materials, such as assistive devices (e.g., braille textbooks ormagnifiers). Amid this situation, parents may feel guilty about not being able to help their children.

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The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone physically and emotionally. Nevertheless, teachers andparents are trying their best to deliver instruction in a way we have never seen before (Liu, et al.,2010). That raised all kinds of challenges, including emotional distress.

Understanding Stress amid the Pandemic
Theories related to the functional emotional approach suggest that emotions are useful because they
help people adapt to their environment. In certain situations, functional emotions will help people
act and respond accordingly (Bolger and Mesquita, 2012). COVID-19 forced many governments
worldwide to implement early quarantine measures to either prevent or control the spread of thedisease. Looking at our current situation, we know that COVID-19 can not only affect us physically
but also bring about mixed feelings. We may feel afraid, worried, anxious, and even depressed. These
conditions intensify due to uncertainties that may include COVID-19, school closures, prolonged
separation from the rest of the community, lack of resources, including essential needs (e.g., food),
and fear of becoming unemployed.
Stress is related to how our body responds to particular demands or threats. It is also how our bodies
protect themselves through what we know as the “fight or flight instinct.” If your stress responses
work properly, you can stay energetic, focused, and alert. In case of an emergency, stress may also
save your life by giving you extra strength to defend yourself. Stress may also help sharpen yourconcentration and help you rise up to meet challenges. It can help you focus on work rather watch
television, for instance.
When stress reaches a certain limit, it may, however, stop helping and start causing major harm toyour productivity, health, mood, quality of life, and relationships. Our nervous system sometimes
responds differently to emotional and physical threats. In times of anger, our bodies can react just as
strongly during tense situations. Frequent excessive stress may lead to health problems. Uncertainties
brought on by the pandemic strongly contribute to stress. When our bodies are in a constant stateof stress, our immune systems may not work, causing serious conditions, such as an increased riskof heart attack and stroke. Stress may even affect our brains, leaving us to become more vulnerable
to depression, anxiety, and related mental health problems (Daniel, 2020).

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Recognizing the Symptoms of Stressamong Teachers and Parents
Some of the external factors of stress or external stressors identified by teachers and parents are
related to the pandemic, including work problems, personal and relationship issues, health problems,
financial crises, family commitments, and employment insecurity. Internal stressors may be related
to fear that family members may contract COVID-19, fears related to their children’s educational
progress, and fear for life continuity or survival. There are four symptoms of stress, including cognitive,
emotional, physical, and behavioral stress symptoms.
Teachers and parents may project cognitive stress symptoms, such as memory problems, inability
to concentrate at work, poor judgment, constant worrying, anxious or racing thoughts, mental block,and constantly seeing only the negative. Emotional stress symptoms include depression or generalunhappiness, moodiness, irritability, or anger, loneliness, isolation, being overwhelmed, anxiety, andagitation. More visual stressors, known as “physical stress symptoms,” include aches, dizziness,sexual dysfunction and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, chest pains, rapid heart
rates, and frequent colds and flu. Closely related to actions, behavioral stress symptoms include
eating and sleeping disorders, crying, withdrawing from others, alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking, orusing drugs to relax, nervous habits (e.g., pacing, nail biting, etc.), and procrastination or neglecting
responsibilities.
All of these external and internal conditions put a toll on teachers’ and parents’ emotional well-being
and need to be addressed quickly and carefully. Early identification and support will help and enable
them to lessen emotional distress, which will ultimately allow teachers and parents to function better
when caring for LWDs and CWDs.

Responding to Stressors
While stress is an unavoidable part of our daily lives, we can still better manage it by knowing how tocorrectly respond to stressors. Quick ways to relieve stress include eating and shopping to occupy
one’s mind. These are, however, not as healthy, permanent, or effective as long-term solutions.
Since we cannot avoid stress altogether, we can try to learn to control it. Six strategies to help
teachers and parents better manage and control stress are discussed below.

Breathing
As the pressure gets more intense due to challenges in teaching and learning commitments, breathe
deeply for four seconds and exhale evenly for another four. Place your hand on your stomach to feelthe breathing movement. Continuously repeat the step for 2–4 minutes to feel relief. Parents may use
this strategy to calm down when dealing with their tantrums.

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Be GratefulAs teaching gets tougher, teachers can force themselves to be grateful for what they have. Things
may not be as good as before but at least LWDs are safe from harm and some may still progresswith their learning. Parents can also be grateful that they can still provide healthy food and shelter totheir family compared with those who lost their jobs.

Work Smart
Teachers may need to do a lot to better support LWDs. Instead of going it alone, they can delegate
and empower parents to take part in teaching. Teachers and parents need to establish open
communication via any available platform. Two-way open communication can be done via text
messages or apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and WeChat. Any social platform or calling medium
may suffice.
It is important for teachers and parents to establish a similar understanding of the learners’ needs
before drafting and listing learning activities. Teachers can brief parents on IEPs while parents canshare about their children’s specific situations and available resources. To succeed, teachers andparents need to be creative and be open to suggestions and feedback to determine what ways suiteach LWD. This open communication needs to be coupled with appropriate objectives so parents
can focus on achieving their children’s IEPs.

Ask for Help
No matter how good you are as teachers or parents, you may already have more responsibilities than
you could handle. Put your ego and pride aside. It is okay to reach out to the right people and ask
for help. Asking for help does not make you weaker. Instead, it allows you to be more efficient andbetter at what you do.

Make Connections
Teachers are devoted to their jobs. In certain scenarios, too much devotion to work may lead to
distancing oneself from one’s family and community. Parents, on the other hand, may be preoccupied
with struggling to provide food on the table, disconnecting them from the social world. It is importantto have healthy connections with other people. Connecting and socializing with people can help
distract your mind, allowing you to relieve stress.

Apply Emotional First Aid
Learner progress has always been the top priority of any teacher. The ensuing lockdowns and lackof opportunity for face-to-face learning are pushing teachers to blame the learners about their poor
progress. Parents who feel helpless and may not be able to lend a hand due to lack of teachingability also tend to take the blame. Teachers and parents need to break these negative patterns by
maintaining positivity. In some cases, it may only take two minutes of distraction to calm down.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Psychosocial Support for Teachers and Parents
In brief, psychosocial terminology refers to the dynamic relations between the psychologicalexperiences, cultural elements, and social experiences of an individual. More deeply, a psychologicalexperience relates to one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Cultural elements refer to local
customs and how an individual functions according to the formal and informal rules of a society. A
social experience refers to relationships, family and community networks, social values, and cultural
practices. Complimenting one another across the full spectrum, psychosocial support is based on
the idea that the cross combination of these experiences will lead to an individual’s state of wellbeing. Therefore, instead of focusing only on physical or psychological well-being, psychosocial
support covers the totality of an individual’s experiences and underlining the need to view theseissues as a whole.

Figure 34: Psychosocial well-being components

Effective psychosocial support will enable individuals affected by stressors or undergoing crises
to bounce back and return to normal after experiencing adversity. That includes taking action toaddress both the social and psychological needs of individuals, families, and communities. For
example, instead of responding to stressors alone, psychosocial support will involve implementing
responsive strategies involving peers, family members, and community support. Discussions related
to the people who are vulnerable due to lack of psychosocial support may be understood further
using psychological or psychosocial first aid (PFA).

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Teacher Support Networks
Getting and giving mutual support is what draws teachers together. As limited support is available
either from the government or even their schools, teachers should stand together and forge theirown network. The network may not be able to fix huge problems but in times of uncertainties andwhen teachers at their lowest point, the network will help them regain emotional strength knowingthat they are not alone.

Parental Support Groups
Amid challenging times, engaging with parents with similar backgrounds (i.e., having CWDs)
may be a good means to extend others emotional support. Parents can exchange experiences.
Communication can take place on social media or instant-messaging (IM) apps. The group can
provide quick responses to various parental challenges. Apart from learning support, the support
group can also act as a buddy system to parents so they can provide a landing cushion for parents
suffering from meltdowns and frustration. Support groups are easy to set up. It just requires creating
a concise and clear vision and mission (e.g., to reduce stress among working parents), promoting
the group (e.g., on social media or chat groups), scheduling meetings (e.g., in cafes or at school),and giving feedback and sharing experiences (e.g., during meetings and through apps).

Social Worker Support
Emotional support can also be obtained from social workers. If social services get involved, parents
should not worry about having their children taken away from them. The social service provider will
primarily assess the situation and offer solutions, help, and support. If you are unable to care for yourchild during these challenging times, social services may provide assistance by putting your childunder their care to keep them safe.

Counseling and Medical AssistanceIf other means do not succeed, emotional support can also be gained from counseling and medical
advice. As much as a person could take stress, upon reaching the limit, it is best to seek help
from experts. A counseling session could be arranged and medication can be prescribed for more
serious cases. These methods can help prevent parents from harming their children. Uncontrollable
situations could lead to heated arguments and even injuries.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Role of the School Community
School Community-Provided Support for Teachers
School administrators may take the role of key support agents in providing emotional support toteachers and parents through recognizing their efforts. The types of recognition may include validationof their efforts to fine-tune teaching strategies and determination to face unprecedented challenges.
Congratulatory remarks should also be expressed regularly to motivate and increase or maintain theteachers’ morale. More concretely, schools can organize stress management programs as part ofteachers’ professional development (Hawkins, 2020). School community programs can also serve
as avenues for administrators to listen to and address ambiguities, anxieties, and concerns.
School communities should also take part in providing a healthy platform for all teachers to regularly
communicate by sharing their ideas and exposing challenges. Similarities and connections among
teachers may provide some kind of hope to overcome certain issues. A conducive working
environment may also contribute to positive emotional conditions. School administrators may allow
flexible approaches for teachers to deliver learning so long as they are within the perimeter of thelearning matrix and safe.

School Community-Provided Support for Parents
LWDs need hands-on materials and in-person interactions to stay engaged in learning. These kindsof support are just not available at home.
School heads and teachers are the key agents in the learning process. Parents, on the other hand,
are the bridges and partners in closing the gap for learning to happen at home. Throughout homebased learning, parents are expected to assume the teachers’ role. Taking into consideration themultiple roles that parents have to play, school administrators and teachers should lend a hand by
establishing strong school-parent connections and providing moral support.
Schools may also offer learning materials and resources for use as supporting learning aids for
LWDs. This good gesture will provide parents peace of mind, knowing they are not alone in guiding
their children’s learning at home.

Conclusion
Since we have acknowledged and concluded that stress among teachers and parents is real andneeds to be addressed in the right manner, we know how important avoiding stressors is. We
identified several suggestions for consideration here.

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For starters, ensuring smooth learning transition amid school closures can be achieved. The practical,
enjoyable, affordable, and simple (PEAS) approach can ensure learning continues. It allows teachersand parents to implement suitable activities for LWDs at home. If the current topic is nutrition anda healthy diet, after teachers explain the objectives, the parents can take the role of assistants
by introducing vegetables they bought from the supermarket to the LWDs. The parents can also
introduce math activities using resources available at home (e.g., counting tomatoes and onions).
Learning can be further extended to introduce vocational skills by allowing CWDs participate inmeal preparation and cooking. If the children can comprehend and maintain focus, the parents may
also continue with cleanup activities, which will involve fine and gross motor movement. Material
complexity must be tailored to the CWDs’ capabilities and match the IEPs set by teachers to avoid
boredom and loss of interest (Garbe, et al., 2020). All of these activities must be monitored byteachers to ensure that learning goals are achieved.
Parents should maintain good and close relationships with teachers to ensure their children’s
progress. They should regularly report progress to teachers for better feedback. That will not only
benefit the children’s learning but also allow teachers to respond to and alleviate some of the parents’concerns through learning support provision and knowledge transfer. Through this effort, teachers
also will indirectly stay in touch with LWDs and continue monitoring their well-being and progressdespite the lockdowns.
Understanding uncertainties requires teachers to build their own support networks. On top of sharing
materials, they can share and express their problems and provide solutions. Indefinitely, teachers will
be much more relieved knowing that they are in this together.
Parental support groups also help, allowing participants to share problems, experiences, and quick
how-to guides. These small group sharing sessions could send a signal to parents that they are
together, indirectly motivating them to go all out in providing better childcare.
Should parents experience great difficulties at home and work, they may seek help from social
services. Organizations can help parents ease their children’s problems through the provision offinancial support, for example.
Parents should also keep an open mind about seeking counseling and medical support. Whenthings do not go as they expect and their stress levels peak, they should always be ready to talk tocounselors. In certain conditions, medication may be prescribed to manage stress.
Post-pandemic, we suggest that school administrators consider providing opportunities for parents
to get more involved in their children’s learning. Schools may explore more inclusive school programs
where parents could participate as volunteers and assume a cooperative role with teachers. That willfurther enhance parents’ understanding and skill in managing CWDs (Daniel, 2020).
Finally, with more focused and specialized advocacies, we hope that ministries, agencies, and NGOs
can lend a hand in providing support and assistance. The establishment of a helpline for teachersand parents will greatly benefit them. They can reach out to others to get answers to their concerns.

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References•

A. Garbe, U. Ogurlu, N. Logan, and P. Cook. (2020). “Parents’ Experiences with Remote
Education during COVID-19 School Closures.” American Journal of Qualitative Research,
4(3):45–65. https://doi.org/10.29333/ajqr/8471.

•

A. Gerasimenko Yu, V. Bratchikova Yu, and O. V. Lozgachev. (2020). “Distance Learning as a
Means of Forming the Life Competencies of Children with Special Educational Needs.” Advancesin Social Science, Education, and Humanities Research, 437:836–840.

•

A. Roni. (2020). “UN Secretary-General Warns of Education Catastrophe, Pointing to UNESCO
Estimate of 24 Million Learners at Risk of Dropping Out.” UNESCO. https://en.unesco.org/
news/secretary-general-warns-education-catastrophe-pointing-unesco-estimate-24-millionlearners-0.

•

B. Hawkins. (2020). “New Poll Reveals Parents Want One-on-One Distance Learning Support
from Teachers—But Aren’t Getting Much of It.” the74million.org. https://www.the74million.
org/article/new-poll-reveals-parents-want-value-one-on-onedistance-learning-support-fromteachers-but-arent-getting-much-of-it/.

•

F. Liu, E. Black, J. Algina, C. Cavanaugh, and K. Dawson. (2010). “The Validation of One Parental
Involvement Measurement in Virtual Schooling.” Journal of Interactive Online Learning,9(2):105–132.

•

G. Stankovska, I. Memedi, and D. Dimitrovski. (2020). “Coronavirus COVID-19 Disease, Mental
Health, and Psychosocial Support.” Society Register, 4(2):33–48. https://doi.org/10.14746/
sr.2020.4.2.03.

•

Hanover Research. (2015). “Supporting Teachers during Times of Change and Stress.” District
Administration Practice. https://www.gssaweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/SupportingTeachers-During-Times-of-Change-and-Stress-1.pdf.

•

HealthHub. (2020). “Understanding Stress.” Ministry of Health Singapore. https://www.
healthhub.sg/live-healthy/425/understanding_stress.

•

J. Cohen and K. Kupferschmidt. (2020). “Countries Test Tactics in ‘War’ against COVID-19.”
Science, 367(6,484):1,287–1,288. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.367.6484.1287.

•

K. Ferguson, C. Mang, and L. Frost. (2017). “Teachers Stress and Social Support Usage.”
Brock Educational Journal, 26(2):62–86. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1160705.pdf.

•

M. Chris. (2020). “9 Stress Management Strategies Every Teacher Needs to Know: Hey Teach!”
Western Governors University. https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/9- stress-managementstrategies-every-teacher-needs-know1612.html.

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Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST). (2015). Basic Psychosocial Support(PSS) in Education: A Training Manual for Teachers and Other Stakeholders. https://teachertaskforce.org/sites/default/files/2020-04/Basic%20PSS%20in%20education%20-%20
A%20training%20manual%20for%20teachers%20and%20other%20stakeholders.pdf.

•

R. Militerni, C. Bravaccio, and C. Falco. (2002). “Repetitive Behaviors in Autistic Disorder.”European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 11:210–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787002-0279-x.

•

S. J. Daniel. (2020). “Education and the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Prospects, 1–6. https://doi.
org/10.1007/s11125-020-09464-3.

•

UN. (2020). “Policy Brief: A Disability-Inclusive Response to COVID-19.” UN Sustainable
Development Group. https://unsdg.un.org/resources/policy-brief-disability-inclusive-responsecovid-19.

•

UNICEF. (2020). Leaving No One Behind during the Pandemic: CWDs and COVID-19.
https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-disability/covid-19/.

•

V. H. Elke. (2020). “Lockdown Is the World’s Biggest Psychological Experiment—And We Will
Pay the Price.” WEF. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/this-is-the-psychologicalside-of-the- covid-19-pandemic-that-were-ignoring/.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Adapting Programs to Assist
Teachers and Students with the New
Way of Learning
Dr. Luh Anik Mayani
SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language
Indonesia
annie_mayani@yahoo.com

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to change the entire structure and process of teaching andlearning. All elements of education, including teachers, had to quickly shift away from face-to-facelearning toward online learning. The SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language is no exception
to the new normal. It is aware of online learning obstacles, such as lack of technological support,
insufficient information technology (IT), inappropriate teaching materials, unsuitable curricula, andlack of drive on the students’ part to learn independently. We can overcome these challenges if all
stakeholders work together to formulate solutions and share their experiences and knowledge tominimize the negative impact of the pandemic. The center quickly adapted and responded to thesituation by providing programs, activities, and products to address issues. It knows that it needs tocompletely transform existing programs to adapt to the current situation—they cannot be separated
from technology. They should reach all teachers across Southeast Asia. Teaching-learning products
should support online learning. In terms of language teaching, vodcasts (not videos of face-to-faceclassroom activities) and animated videos work best. Mobile-assisted language learning (MALL)
also proved effective. All in all, the pandemic not only reshaped the teaching and learning process,it also created opportunities for both teachers and students to improve their technical abilities andcompetence. The SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language will continue to support teachersand students in Southeast Asia by providing more initiatives, resources, programs, and products that
can help them keep up with the new normal.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, new normal, adaptation, online learning, SEAMEO Regional
Center for QITEP in Learning– 123 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about lifestyle changes worldwide, including Indonesia. Soon after
the first case was confirmed on 3 March 2020 in the country, the government implemented work- andstudy-from-home policies on 16 March. These policies were coupled by the implementation of largescale social restrictions. In Jakarta, for example, large-scale social restrictions were implemented from
10 April to 4 June 2020. No public offices, business centers, hotels, or shopping malls were allowed
to operate. From 5 June, Indonesia entered the so-called “new normal.” Public offices reopened but
had to follow strict health protocols. In July, discussions regarding school reopening following the
COVID-19 zoning rules began. The reopening was, however, suspended when the number of cases
continued to increase.
The study-from-home policy impacted the implementation of teaching and learning processes. Online
learning replaced face-to-face learning. Internet facilities, including online learning media, seemingly
replaced schools. These changes inevitably forced all stakeholders, including the SEAMEO Regional
Center for QITEP in Language to adapt its services, products, activities, or programs to provide
continued support and assistance to teachers and learners.
This paper discusses the changes made to Indonesia’s educational policies, a survey on online
learning in the country, online learning challenges and solutions, and how the SEAMEO Regional
Center for QITEP in Language adapted to changes. It also provides suggestions in moving forward.

Changes Made to the Educational Policies in Indonesia
In response to the study-from-home policy issued by the Indonesian government on 16 March 2020,
the Minister of Education and Culture promptly published Circular Letter Number 4 of 2020 on 24
March. This letter informed schools about arrangements they had to make due to the pandemic—
national examinations were canceled; online learning took the place of face-to-face learning; school
examinations and enrollment procedures had to be rearranged; and schools’ operational assistancefunds had to be reallocated.
Specifically, schools and teachers were required to adjust their curricula to fit students’ interests,
needs, and conditions. Lack of Internet access and digital devices at home had to be addressed.
Study-from-home activities can focus on life skills education, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schools no longer required students to complete all curricular requirements for promotion or
graduation. Learning outputs require qualitative and useful feedback from teachers. This feedback
may not necessarily be quantitative scores.

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Another education regulation published during the pandemic was Ministerial Decree Number
719/P/2020 or the Guidelines of Curriculum Implementation at Educational Units under Special
Circumstances, which was issued on 4 August 2020. Noted that “special circumstances” in thiscontext refer to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the decree’s main points:•

Educational units can provide a curriculum that is suitable for the needs of students under
special circumstances.

•

In implementing the curriculum, educational units can choose one of the three options offeredby the ministry—continuing the implementation of the national curriculum, using the emergency
curriculum, or simplifying the curriculum independently.

•

In the curriculum, basic competencies for each subject can be reduced so that teachers andstudents can focus on core competencies required to continue learning at the next level of
education.

These prompt responses from the MoECRT show its best efforts to continue teaching and learning
despite the pandemic. The new arrangements and adjustments proposed by the ministry in thecircular letter and decree point out that students’ interests, needs, and conditions should become
educational institutions’ main concern.

Online Learning Survey
The data presented in this paper was compiled from online news published between April and May
2020 (Ratnasari, 2020; Komisi Perlindungan Anak Indonesia [KPAI], 2020; and Winahyu, 2020).
On 13–20 April 2020, KPAI conducted a survey on online learning implementation among 1,700
students from primary, lower, and upper secondary schools in 20 provinces and 54 districts inIndonesia. The survey showed that 76.6% of the students were not happy with learning from homeprimarily because they find it difficult to perform school tasks online. However, 23.3% of the students
said they were happy with the setup since they did not have to get up early nor wear their school
uniforms.
In terms of facilities, unfortunately, 53.6% of the students did not have Internet access at home,which was a significant barrier to the implementation of online learning. Regarding devices used,
95.4% of the students used mobile phones, which caused eye strain. Finally, 15.6% of the students
did not have digital devices to support online or distance learning.
The types of interaction between students and teachers during online learning had varied
results—87.2% communicated through chat apps, 20% via Zoom meetings, 7.6% via WhatsApp
video calls, and 5.2% via telephone. However, a majority of the students (79.9%) said online learning
lacked interaction. This data is useful for stakeholders in that they can serve as a basis or reference
to evaluate the implementation of online or distance learning in Indonesia.

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On 16–20 April 2020, the Federasi Serikat Guru Indonesia (FSGI) and KPAI also conducted a survey
on online learning methodologies among 602 teachers from primary and upper secondary schools
in 14 provinces and 30 districts or cities in Indonesia. In general, the results show that the teachers
were not familiar with digital-based learning. In fact, only 8% said they were familiar with this typeof learning while 9.6% admitted they have never implemented the mode. The teachers were mostfamiliar with social media (e.g., Instagram and Facebook) and chat apps (e.g., WhatsApp and Line).
These findings confirm the initial finding that online learning lacked interaction, particularly sinceteachers only used the said media to distribute and compile assignments. They are not utilized forteaching-learning activities, such as discussions or lectures.
Concerning inequalities in terms of Internet facilities or digital devices among students, it seems thatteachers cannot do much to overcome problems. Some have, however tried. At least 8.8% of theteachers attempted to give assignments in other ways to students who had limited access to online
learning.

Online Learning Challenges and Solutions
Based on the description of changes made to Indonesian educational policies and the data presented
above, teachers and students face at least five challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. These
challenges are facility inequality (in terms of Internet facilities and devices), unsuitability of the current
curriculum to the emergency situation, lack of ICT literacy among teachers, unsuitability of existinglearning materials and teaching methods to online learning, and lack of capability to self-study.
The problems varied. Some were technical while others had to do with competence. Material
unavailability and lack of student involvement also caused issues. To address these problems, here
are some solutions implemented by the government, schools, teachers, and other stakeholders inIndonesia:•

To address the lack of Internet facilities, MoECRT gave students greater access bandwidth in
September–December 2020. A total of 35.7 million students and education personnel were given
Internet access. In March 2021, the ministry issued the “Free Internet Quota Policy,” which was
implemented between March and May 2021 (Ihsan, 2021). Early childhood students received
7GB per month. Primary and secondary students got 10GB a month. Education personnel
received 12GB per month. University students and personnel got 15GB a month (Kemendikbud,2021).

•

To address the unsuitability of curricula to emergency situations, the ministry issued Ministerial
Decree Number 719/P/2020 or the Guidelines of Curriculum Implementation in Educational
Units under Special Circumstances on 4 August 2020. Its mandates include:~ Educational units can provide a curriculum that is suitable to the needs of their students
under special circumstances.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1~ Educational units under special circumstances can choose one of the three offered curricular
options—continuing to implement the national curriculum, using the emergency curriculum,or simplifying the curriculum independently.
~ Regardless of curriculum chosen, the required competencies for each subject will be
reduced so teachers and students can focus on essential and prerequisite skills so they
continue learning at the next level of education.
•

Considering the fact that not all teachers were ICT-literate, teachers may personally improve their
ICT competency or join training sessions, webinars, or other activities related to using technology
for online learning. In addition, teacher training institutions (TTIs) should adapt their programs tohelp teachers improve their competence to conduct online teaching; become familiar with online
learning platforms, applications, and tools; and master online classroom management.

•

To address the insufficiency of existing learning materials and teaching methods in supporting
online learning, teacher training centers need training on online teaching or self-study modules
on the subject. They need to be able to turn non-digital into digital learning materials or media.
They also need help with online lesson planning and learning assessment. Finally, they need
to be able to adjust assignments for students who do not have access to the Internet or digital
devices consistently.

•

Lack of motivation or discipline on the part of students can be caused by inadequate interaction
with and supervision from teachers. To address the issue, teachers need to use videoconferencing
or online meeting applications more instead of chat apps. Looking back at the survey results,
87.2% of the students said teachers only used chat apps. Only 20% of the students said theyused Zoom. Videoconferencing can give students more opportunities to directly interact withteachers or their peers.

How the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEPin Language Adapted to the New Normal
The center is aware of online learning obstacles, such as lack of technological facilities, IT literacy,
teaching materials, curricula, and student discipline. But these challenges can be overcome if
stakeholders work together to formulate solutions and share their experiences and knowledge tominimize the negative impact of the pandemic.
To respond to challenges, the center quickly adapted and responded to the situation by providing
programs, activities, and products suitable to online learning. It also completely transformed existing
programs by integrating technology use.

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In 2020, the center conducted an online course to help 600 language teachers from across Southeast
Asia (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand)
use online learning platforms. The teachers could also improve their foreign language competence(English, French, or German) through a three-month-long training. By participating in these programs,
the teachers gained new knowledge and skills.
The center also conducted “Online Speaking Class for Mandarin Teachers” to help teachers fromIndonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and Thailand improve their speaking competence. The course
comprised 16 meetings held between February and March 2020. A native Mandarin-speaking internfrom the Capital Normal University in Beijing served as trainer. This collaboration was arranged by
the center and its partner—Global Cultural Adventurer, China. Apart from gaining more confidencein speaking Mandarin, the teachers also gained more knowledge about Chinese cuisine, traditional
Chinese culture, and others.
To shift from face-to-face to online learning, the center turned its usual seminars into webinars. It
conducted “The Utilization of IT in Language Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic” and “Sharing
Good Practices on Language Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic” webinars so far. The firstwebinar introduced the use of technology in language learning while the second gave 18 language
teachers an opportunity to share good practices on using new language teaching materials, media,
and evaluation means for online learning.
Apart from the aforementioned activities, the center launched the online storytelling competition“Listening to Asia” in December 2020. It enabled teachers and students across the region (Indonesia,
the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand) to showcase their storytelling talent using any ofsix foreign languages (Arabic, English, French, German, Japanese, or Mandarin). They were asked toshare stories that highlighted their chosen country’s local wisdom or moral values. Besides building
better cultural understanding across the region through language, the competition also aimed to
improve the 21st-century competencies of students. The competition encouraged students andteachers to improve their creativity through delivering stories in the form of short videos while
enhancing their foreign language, time management, communication, and presentation skills.
The center also launched new programs to support online teaching and learning. It produced
vodcasts and animated videos featuring best practices on language teaching. Teachers can use
these videos as alternative teaching materials or media for online learning. The center also produced
modules specifically designed for virtual classes. These modules introduced at least three models—the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Cooperative Language Learning (CLL), and MALL
models. These models can be applied to improve 21st-century skills, including critical thinking,creativity, communication, and collaboration. More importantly, they can help teachers teach better
online. All of the center’s programs are available on its website (http://web.qiteplanguage.org/) andsocial media channels (Facebook: Seameo QITEP in Language, Instagram: qitepinlanguage,
YouTube: SEAMEO QITEP in Language, and Twitter: QITEPinLanguage).

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Conclusion
Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic not only reshaped teaching and learning processes but also
created opportunities for both teachers and students to improve their abilities and competence toutilize technology for their educational benefit. We can overcome challenges if all stakeholders work
together to formulate solutions and share their experiences and knowledge to minimize the negative
impact of the pandemic. The SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language adapted its programs
and activities to support language teachers and students in the new normal.

References•

Atikah Ishmah Winahyu. (2 May 2020). “Komisioner KPAI Bongkar Permasalahan Pembelajaran
Jarak Jauh.” Media Indonesia. https://mediaindonesia.com/read/detail/309647-komisionerkpai-bongkar-permasalahan-pembelajaran-jarak-jauh.

•

Bella Cynthia Ratnasari. (29 April 2020). “Survei KPAI: Ini 9 Usulan Siswa Terkait Program
Pembelajaran Jarak Jauh.” Kumparan. https://kumparan.com/kumparanmom/survei-kpai-ini-9usulan-siswa-terkait-program-pembelajaran-jarak-jauh-1tJfIV9pllD/full.

•

Circular Letter of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia
Number 4 Year 2020 or the Implementation of the Education Policy in the Emergency
Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic. (2020). https://pusdiklat.kemdikbud.go.id/surat-edaranmendikbud-no-4-tahun-2020-tentang-pelaksanaan-kebijakan-pendidikan-dalam-masa-daruratpenyebaran-corona-virus-disease-covid-1-9/.

•

Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia Number
719/P/2020 or the Guidelines on Curriculum Implementation at Educational Units
under Special Circumstances. (2020). https://www.kemdikbud.go.id/main/blog/2020/08/
kemendikbud-terbitkan-kurikulum-darurat-pada-satuan-pendidikan-dalam-kondisi-khusus.

•

Dian Ihsan. (1 March 2021). “Siang Ini, Mendikbud Resmi Umumkan Kebijakan Kuota Gratis
2021.” Kompas.com. https://www.kompas.com/edu/read/2021/03/01/103002771/siang-inimendikbud-resmi-umumkan-kebijakan-kuota-gratis-2021?page=all.

•

Kemendikbud. (7 August 2020). “Kemendikbud Terbitkan Kurikulum Darurat Pada Satuan
Pendidikan Dalam Kondisi Khusus.” Kementerian Pendidikan Dan Kebudayaan. https://www.
kemdikbud.go.id/main/blog/2020/08/kemendikbud-terbitkan-kurikulum-darurat-pada-satuanpendidikan-dalam-kondisi-khusus.

•

Kemendikbud. (2021). “Bantuan Kuota Data Internet Tahun 2021.” Kementerian Pendidikan,
Kebudayaan, Riset Dan Teknologi. https://kuota-belajar.kemdikbud.go.id/.

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KPAI. (30 April 2020). “KPAI-FSGI: 53% Guru Berorientasi Kurikulum Saat Belajar Dari Rumah.”https://www.kpai.go.id/berita/kpai-fsgi-53-guru-berorientasi-kurikulum-saat-belajar-dari-rumah.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The Human Capital Development
Resilience Approach of SEAMEOSPAFA:A Response to COVID-19
Ms. Somlak Charoenpot
SEAMEO SPAFA
Thailandsomlak@seameo-spafa.org

Abstract
SEAMEO SPAFA specifically focuses on the cultural sector in Southeast Asia. As such, it is familiar
with the different adaptive actions that cultures take to ensure their way of life survives. These
measures of resilience have prevailed since the beginning of time.
The currently ensuing pandemic is a huge cultural challenge that we need to overcome. While it isdifficult to handle, it is bound to make us stronger and wiser. When the pandemic struck, we had torespond quickly. We created SPAFA SESH, a program that aims to encourage archeology and finearts practitioners and professionals to share work-related movements and ideas despite strict social
distancing measures.
SPAFA SESH is led by resource persons from around the world who share their experiences andknowledge in their chosen fields. Beginning June 2020, we conducted 10 SPAFA SESH sessions
so far. These sessions were broadcast on the center’s YouTube channel. They covered a variety
of subjects on archaeology, arts, cultural and natural heritage conservation, and museum exhibit
management.
While SEAMEO SPAFA’s second program is taking much longer to launch due to necessary
adjustments to turn field into online training activities, we have not stopped. We know that disruptions
like COVID-19 can bring out the best in humans, specifically resilience, creativity, and innovation. Thatis the rationale behind our virtual platform, which allows us to produce digital versions of our training
programs. We will continue to work on digitizing two more training sessions—“Training Workshop on
Disaster Risk Management (DRM) for Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia: Understanding People,
Nature, Culture: Heritage Management for Building Resilience of Living Traditional Settlements” and“SPAFA Archaeology Basic Field Training on Human Bone Handling and Conservation.” We areglobal citizens, after all, who bend with the wind to ensure survival.
Keywords: SEAMEO SPAFA, SPAFA SESH, education, resilience– 131 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
SEAMEO’s Regional Center for Cultural Promotion and Preservation
SEAMEO has 26 specialist institutions that undertake training and research programs in various
fields. Two of its regional centers focus on culture. SEAMEO SPAFA is one of them

Image 8: SEAMEO SPAFA headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand

SEAMEO SPAFA used to be known as the “Applied Research Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts
(ARCAFA).” It was initially established to develop programs and activities focusing on archaeology tohelp unlock the glorious past of Southeast Asian cultures.
After several years, SEAMEO SPAFA was established, specifically during the 20th SEAMEO Council
Conference held in Manila, Philippines. Over time, the center has brought about significant
improvements in the quality of life in Southeast Asia. For 50 years now, the center has been cultivatingawareness of and appreciation for Southeast Asian cultural heritage through various collaborativeand information dissemination activities. We continue to enhance professional competence inarchaeology and enrich archaeological and cultural activities in the region. We have been nurturing
mutual knowledge and understanding not to mention close relationships among Southeast Asian
professionals. These efforts have led to more research in archaeology, history, and anthropology.
We have taken part in several archaeological excavations throughout the region, which uncovered amassive number of monuments and cultural heritage sites.

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SEAMEO SPAFA helps restore and conserve monuments by improving professionals’ competence
in conserving artifacts and objects obtained from excavations. We also conduct programs on
museology for curators, conservators, architects, designers, and other professionals to improve
museums.
In the field of fine arts, we have introduced advanced digital media and technologies to visual artists.
We host seminars for artists to exchange views and inspirations so they can find new paths for
producing creative works of art. We also offer introductory courses for setting up new art galleries
and host art exhibits in our office.
We also promote Southeast Asian performing arts. Guided by our core mission to recognize thevalue of cultural heritage, we promote cross-cultural understanding and dialogue to achieve unity,
peace, and sustainable social development. We hope to continue expanding our scope to protect
and conserve cultural heritage. To enhance the capacity of professionals in the fields of cultural
management and archaeology, we will continue to collaborate with international institutions to find thebest resources for our participants.
At present, SEAMEO SPAFA has reached its half-century mark of operation. We helped Southeast
Asian nations grow into cultural and preservation-oriented countries. Many of our alumni have become
leaders in various art and cultural institutions in the region. It is thus reasonable to say that we havebeen competent and effective in developing human capital in the field of cultural heritage preservation.
Some of them even serve outside the region. The cultural artifacts we have discovered, preserved,
and conserved have also gone on to become valuable assets to their respective countries, both
symbolically and economically. The center showed that wise cultural and heritage management areimportant educational components that bring about a better quality of life.

Humans and Survival
Southeast Asia has various ethnic groups and traces of their lifestyle have been found from prehistoric
times. Their similarities and diversities suggest they communicated with one another and engaged
in cultural exchanges before regional boundaries were introduced. Many traces of cultural heritage
come in the form of archaeological artifacts, works of art, monuments, architecture, and intangible
heritage evidence that reveal a lot about the people who made them. Given this evidence, we canlearn about their evolution, including the natural changes they went through. Archaeology and fine arts
reveal that humans learned to adjust their behaviors and lifestyles to survive even disastrous periods.
They learned to become resilient over time and passed on their wisdom through generations. We
have faced many threats before and learned to survive by developing creative and innovative ways
and means to prevent and prepare for natural and man-made disasters. Disasters sometimes makehumans more resilient.

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Figure 35: Evolution of disasters, both natural and man-made

COVID 19 caught the world off-guard, a situation typical of most pandemics. All sectors of society
have been hit hard. And the disease did not just affect our way of life but also brought economies
and educational systems to their knees. Many of our youth were affected by school closures. The
world had to shift to the new normal. All institutions had to adjust the way they worked for survival.
The Internet took on an even more critical role in the new normal, as it enabled, among other things,
social distancing. The best way to communicate amid our situation is online. New apps for both
mobile phones and computers were developed and older ones improved to meet various workneeds. Although IT has been around for decades now, its vast distribution networks proved morevaluable for sharing information amid the pandemic. IT usage increased significantly, allowing people
to remotely communicate with one another. The pandemic is another challenging time that we must
survive and overcome. Hopefully, it has been making us stronger, wiser, and more aware of the needfor advanced planning and the importance of developing innovative responses to disease outbreaks.

SEAMEO SPAFA’s Resilience to the COVID-19 Pandemic
In mid-March 2020, SEAMEO SPAFA was planning to launch the second part of its DRM course
series in Brunei Darussalam. The first was conducted in Bagan, Thailand. That happened a few days
before the first lockdown in Thailand. We postponed the training to July. We did the same thing forthe on-site bone conservation training, which was scheduled in May. We brainstormed for solutions
to cope with the situation while working from home. We not only sought to determine new dates forthe courses but also alternative ways to fulfill our various responsibilities. That was our first step tobuild up the center’s resilience.

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Image 9: Online SEAMEO SPAFA Governing Board Meeting in 2020

Fortunately, we were renovating our office at that time. As such, we were able to quickly transform
one conference room into a broadcast room. We used that space for our newly launched online
program SPAFA SESH.

Image 10: SPAFA SESH goes live

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The program aims to encourage archeology and fine arts practitioners and professionals to follow
one another’s work and exchange ideas. Resource persons from around the world share theirexperiences and knowledge through SPAFA SESH. Audiences can participate in the discussions.
From June 2020, SPAFA SESH has had 10 sessions on the center’s YouTube channel. The subjects
covered include archaeology, arts, cultural and natural heritage conservation, ethics, law, andmuseum exhibit management.

Image 11: SPAFA SESH session held on 8 July 2020

Image 12: SPAFA SESH session held on 18 August 2020

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Image 13: SPAFA SESH session held on 11 November 2020

Image 14: SPAFA SESH session held on 16 December 2020

Image 15: SPAFA SESH session held on 16 October 2020

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To develop SPAFA SESH, the center consulted various partners to turn the training from physical toonline format. While we easily came to an agreement, we needed more time to determine what weneeded for the implementation. The virtual platform we created in the end enhanced the center’sability to continue serving customers throughout the region.
At present, we have adapted two training programs for online implementation, namely:•

Training Workshop on DRM for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Southeast Asia: Understanding
People, Nature, and Culture: Heritage Management for Building the Resilience of Traditional
Settlements

Image 16: Training workshop on DRM for cultural heritage preservation in Southeast Asia•

Basic Field Training on Human Bone Handling and Conservation

Image 17: Basic field training on human bone handling and conservation

Both programs required the adoption of online presentation and delivery skills. We took into accountthe participants’ capability to access the Internet.
We collaborated with the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration ofCultural Property (ICCROM) and Institute of Disaster Risk Mitigation for Urban Cultural Heritage of
Ritsumeikan University (R-DMUCH) for the DRM training. In fact, one of our resource persons is aretired professor from Tsukuba University, Dr. Nobuko Inaba.

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For the second course, we engaged eight resource persons from different countries.

Bend with the Wind
Every once in a while, we face obstacles. Some are natural while others are man-made. The moreadvanced science and technology become, the heavier their impact and effects are on our planet it
seems. Throughout history, we have faced many natural and man-made disasters, including climatechange but we continue to survive. We learn to understand their causes and correct our mistakes.
We learn to bend with the wind. And although some disasters impact some areas more than others,
as global citizens, we normally attempt to unite to fight together. We have learned to support one
another and stay resilient. We at SEAMEO SPAFA are global citizens who will continue to bend withthe wind and strive to survive. We will continue to be resilient and become stronger than before.

References•

P. B. McInerney. (2010). “IT/Internet.” H. K. Anheier and S. Toepler (Editors). International
Encyclopedia of Civil Society. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-93996-4_555.

•

SEAMEO SPAFA. (5–7 August 1986). Final Report of the First SPAFA Governing Board
Meeting, pp. 25–26.

•

SEAMEO SPAFA. http://www.seameo-spafa.org.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

COVID-19 in Lao PDR:
Impacts on and Responses from the
Education Sector
Dr. Kiengkay Ounmany
SEAMEO CED
Lao PDRkiengkay_ou@yahoo.com

Abstract
This paper examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Lao education sector anddiscusses how MoES and SEAMEO CED responded to these. The information presented herecame from literature reviews, discussions with education policymakers, personal communications
with school principals and teachers, and field observations in primary schools in Northern, Central,and Southern Laos. The pandemic significantly impacted students and their parents due to school
closures. MoES had limited resources to deal with the pandemic and so worked with international
partners to implement aggressive responses to ensure learning continuity and the safe returnto schools in a short period of time. SEAMEO CED, for its part, used a pragmatic approach inresponse. Schools’ IT, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities needed to be improved, especially inrural areas, to ensure effective responses not only to the pandemic but also natural calamities andother emergencies that may ensue in the future.
Keywords: COVID-19, effects, Lao education sector, SEAMEO CED, Lao PDR

Introduction
This paper examines the effects of COVID-19 on the Lao education sector and how MoES and
SEAMEO CED responded to these. We obtained information from a literature review, conversations
with ministry officials, and field observations in primary schools in Northern, Central, and SouthernLaos.

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COVID-19, first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, rapidly spread worldwide to eventuallycause a pandemic. Apart from causing economic shocks, it significantly impacted educationworldwide. Schools and educational institutions were forced to close to contain the virus. Students
in low- and middle-income countries were hardest hit, partly due to disparities in access to online
learning platforms. Evidence suggests that around 1.5 billion students stopped learning in physicalclassrooms in March 2020 (Vegas, 2021).
As in other countries, Laos imposed lockdowns between March and May 2020. Physical classes
were suspended and students switched to online learning to curb the spread of the virus. Even
the day-to-day operations of MoES departments and institutions were affected by strict prevention
measures. SEAMEO CED, which is located inside the main campus of the National University of
Laos, also had to cease operations.

The COVID-19 Pandemic in Laos
The first confirmed case of COVID-19 infection in the country was reported on 24 March 2020.
The government immediately implemented measures to contain the disease. Schools, universities,
and entertainment venues were closed. Visitors traveling from countries with more than 100 cases
were subjected to 14-day-long quarantines. Most of the infected resided in Vientiane, the country’s
capital, and Luang Prabang, a tourist hot spot in Northern Laos.
As the number of cases increased, the government imposed a nationwide lockdown on 30 March
2020 (WHO, 2020). Traveling between provinces was banned without exceptions. Citizens were
urged to stay at home, except those who provide essential and public services. With aggressiveinterventions, the government managed to contain the virus in a short period. The number of
infections, in fact, stood at 19 cases between 24 March and 14 April 2020.
By early May 2020, the government eased lockdowns. Nonessential businesses and factories wereallowed to resume operations. Traveling between provinces was allowed. International chartered
flights were also allowed to operate even if passengers were subjected to 14-day quarantines. By
18 May 2020, schools partially reopened to cater to graduating students (i.e., Grades 5, 8, and12). Vocational and HEIs, however, remained closed until June. All educational institutions finallyreopened on 2 June 2020 although they had to follow strict disease prevention measures, such as
frequent hand washing, wearing masks, and observing social distancing protocols.
After some time, the number of infections slightly increased due to migrant workers from neighboring
countries. By early February 2021, 45 confirmed cases were seen in Vientiane alone although amajority recovered. Containing infections was very challenging, especially since Laos shares borders
with several countries, including Thailand, which stretches over 1,000 kilometers from North to South
Laos. A large number of people can easily cross the Mekong River using natural channels. As such,a surge in cases in neighboring countries translated to rising infection numbers in Laos.

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In mid-April 2021, the country was hit by the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, primarily linked
to migrants from Thailand and tourists who wanted to take part in its New Year celebration. The second
wave proved more devastating than the first, as the number of infections rapidly increased, putting
a lot of pressure on the public health system. The government again took swift action. It imposed anationwide lockdown on 22 April. Schools, universities, and nonessential businesses were closed.
Traveling between provinces was banned, except for goods transportation. By the end of May,
1,900 confirmed cases were recorded in three provinces—Vientiane, Bokeo, and Champasack.
COVID-19 significantly impacted life, including education, in Laos.

How the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Education in Laos
Students and teachers are considered front liners. As soon as the first confirmed case was reported,
all educational institutions were instructed to close to contain the virus. In Laos, around 1.7 million
students were affected by the pandemic, owing to school closures (UNICEF, 2020), which had
short- and long-term effects on students and their parents or caregivers.
Preschool children were probably least affected, as only a small number went to childcare facilities(UNICEF). Their parents, however, suffered longer-term effects. Reduced incomes pressured parents
to work harder. Some end up leaving their children in unsafe areas and unsuitable environments forlearning. Lost income also translated to less household resources, which could significantly affectchildren’s nutritional status. For some, separation from caregivers negatively impacted children’sdevelopment. Evidence indicates a correlation between time spent with caregivers and childdevelopment (Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2000).
For primary education, results from a survey of 1,200 households suggest that 86% of parents
believed that school disruption impacted their children’s education (UN SDG, 2020). The pandemic
resulted in a 1.3% reduction in the net attendance rate. School closures also caused the immediateloss of 0.6 years of schooling, which affected the quality of learning (WB, 2020). That translates to
0.2 learning-adjusted years of schooling (LAYS) in Laos (Filmer, et al., 2018). Around 6% of students
aged between 6 and 18 years old are expected to drop out of school because of the pandemic. As
such, school disruption implies an additional burden for parents. In poverty-stricken areas, parents
will find it more challenging to find sufficient food to feed their children. This problem was exacerbatedby the interruption in the school lunch program (WB, 2020).
Laos also registered low participation rates in secondary and tertiary education. The pandemic
worsened this problem. Estimates reveal that the pandemic caused a 1.6% reduction in thesecondary school attendance rate. Since the pandemic disrupted parents’ earning abilities, thepoor might consider asking their children to quit school and find jobs instead. As such, reduced
household incomes have long-term effects, such as increased dropout rates, child labor, and childmarriage.

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To make matters worse, COVID-19 dwindled the government’s revenue. It reduced public spending
to maintain liquidity. The education sector budget went down by 30% in 2020 and an additional 15%
in 2021. The reduced revenue hampered the government’s capacity to deliver quality education,
which may worsen the existing learning crisis in Laos (Demas, et al., 2018). In short, the pandemic
significantly impacted education, especially in terms of dropping out of school, repeating grades, anddecreasing learning outcomes.

How MoES Responded to the Pandemic
Educational institutions are probably the most vulnerable premises during the pandemic. In fact,physical classes were disallowed even before the official announcement of the first confirmed case.
MoES ordered preschools and other educational institutions to close on 17 and 18 March 2020,
respectively.
In response to the pandemic, MoES collaborated with development partners, specifically the socalled “Education Cluster Coordination,” to formulate the Lao PDR Education COVID-19 Response
Plan, which aimed to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, ensure learning continuity throughthe implementation of diverse activities and opportunities, support the safe and inclusive returnof students and teachers to school, and ensure good coordination between the government anddevelopment partners for effective responses (MoES, 2020). Teachers and students were asked to
implement disease prevention measures, such as wearing masks, frequently washing their hands,
and observing social distancing protocols. Online learning resources and media were developed toensure learning continuity. After the first lockdown, actions were taken to ensure the safe return toschool. To do all that, MoES received US$7 million from Global Partnership for Education (GPE) tomitigate the impacts of COVID-19 and allow children to safely return to school (UNICEF, 2020).

COVID-19-Related Challenges
Several challenges were identified while implementing the COVID-19 response plan. One of the
major challenges was inadequate supply of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) resources inschool. Around 25% of the schools did not have access to adequate water supply or functional
WASH facilities (UNICEF, 2020). While online learning proved useful in ensuring learning continuity
during the pandemic, it was only applicable to urban areas. Not everyone had access to TV sets, theInternet, and other technological devices, especially in rural areas. In urban areas, 94% of households
had TV sets while only 49% did so in rural areas (Lao Statistics Bureau, 2018). Also, only 50% of
the population had Internet access due to limited coverage. The exorbitant cost of Internet services
was also a major obstacle that prevented a large number of the population from accessing them(Southeast Asia Globe). It did not help that 50% of schools did not have electricity, making the
installation of electrical and electronic equipment impossible.

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Other challenges include the fact that teachers and students alike were unfamiliar with new normal
procedures, such as wearing masks and observing social distancing protocols during physicalclasses. It was, after all, difficult to communicate with masks on, especially during language lessons
where students have to practice proper pronunciation. The problem was exacerbated among nonLao-speaking communities. Social distancing protocols prevented students from doing group
activities, which could have a significant effect on learning outcomes. In remote communities where
people are less educated, it became too demanding for parents to support their children who werestudying at home.

How the Pandemic Impacted SEAMEO CED
The pandemic significantly affected the day-to-day operations of SEAMEO CED as well. It particularly
impacted the implementation of training and research activities. Since the center was only establishedrecently, it has limited human and financial resources. Its operational budget also largely depended
on how much MoES could allocate. It also relied on assistance from fellow regional centers anddevelopment partners. All of them were surely adversely affected by the pandemic.
By the time the COVID-19 outbreak struck in early 2020, SEAMEO CED was implementing several
projects, including taking the lead in the SEAMEO Border School Project. In November 2020, it
planned to conduct a training course on science and mathematics teaching for teachers from the
project in collaboration with regional centers in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It was also working
with the SEAMEO Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (INNOTECH) on aparticipatory action research on school-community partnerships in border countries. Finally, thecenter also had an inter-center collaboration (ICC) project with SEAMEO SEN to conduct researchon nutrition for SPED students. COVID-19 posed limitations on all of their implementations. In fact, allof these activities had to be put on hold or entirely canceled.

How SEAMEO CED Responsed to the Pandemic
SEAMEO CED had to switch to working online with the SEAMEO Secretariat and its partners during
the lockdown periods in 2020 and 2021.

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In 2020, the center’s Governing Board Meeting used the blended modality. Local participants
attended the meeting in person while international ones joined virtually. The Third International Seminaron Education for Rural Community Development, a Governing Board Meeting event, was separatelyorganized using a similar approach. Prominent education and rural development scholars from the
University of the Ryukyus in Japan and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia
were invited as keynote speakers. Local researchers from universities and research institutes acrossthe country were also invited to present their research findings in rural education and development,such as agro-tourism, health, natural disasters, and so on. The seminar received positive responses
from both international and the local participants.
Most importantly, SEAMEO CED managed to secure funding from the UN Development Programme(UNDP) for a research project on community development in Laos. It will continue to employ apragmatic approach to stay as active as possible even amid the pandemic.

Conclusion
This paper described the effects of COVID-19 on the education sector in Laos and how MoEs
and SEAMEO CED responded to mitigate them. As discussed above, the pandemic significantly
impacted the education sector. And it did not help that the education already had limited resources.
It had to work with international development partners to implement aggressive responses to ensure
learning continuity and the safe return to school in a short period of time. But several challenges had
to be addressed, including the development of IT, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in schools,
especially in rural areas.
On the positive side, the outbreak created opportunities to implement online teaching and learningin Laos. It also allowed SEAMEO CED to emply a pragmatic approach to respond to the pandemic.
Although it is one of the youngest regional centers, it still managed to seize a number of opportunities
to continue its activities amid the pandemic.

References•

Angela Demas, Emiko Naka, and Jennifer Adrienne Mason. (2018) The Learning Crisis in Lao
PDR: Challenges and Policy Priorities. Washington, D.C.: WB Group.

•

Deon Filmer, Halsey Rogers, Noam Angrist, and Shwetlena Sabarwal. (2018). LAYS: Defining A
New Macro Measure of Education. Policy Research Working Paper No. 8591. WB, Washington,
D.C.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

E. Vegas. (2021). Unexcused Absence: The Pandemic, School Closures, and the Rise of
Inequality. Foreign Affairs.

•

Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. (2000). From Neurons to Neighborhoods:
The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies
Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9824.

•

Lao Statistics Bureau. (2018).

•

MoES. (2020). Lao PDR Education COVID-19 Response Plan.

•

UN SDGs. (2020). UN Lao PDR Socioeconomic Response Framework to COVID-19.

•

WB. (2020). COVID-19 Could Lead to Permanent Loss in Learning and Trillions of Dollars in
Lost Earnings.

•

WB. (2020). World Bank Education COVID-19 School Closures Map.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Application of Blended LearningGoverned Schoology during the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Ms. Suci Nugrah Amalia
Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Surakarta
Indonesia
suci.nugrahamalia@gmail.com
Mr. Lastika Ary Prihandoko
English Department, Universitas Musamus Merauke
Indonesia
prihandoko@unmus.ac.id

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the education sector to look for the best ways to keep learning
going. One effective way to survive amid the new normal is through blended learning. This mixedmethod of studying uses Schoology. Twelve students of English pragmatics took part in this study
by sharing their experiences with blended-learning-governed Schoology.
This paper features a narrative study and descriptive quantitative research. It shows how blended
learning was applied as a dimensional framework of complex adaptive blended learning system(CABLS) comprising the learner, lecturer, technology, learning support, and institution. It found thatthe students had a positive perception of their learning experiences in terms of all the quality index
domains. Further studies to find best practices in teaching and learning during the pandemic arehighly recommended, especially for students in rural areas.
Keywords: blended learning, Schoology, COVID-19 response, student perceptions, rural areas– 149 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic led to several global changes brought on by lockdowns. The disease’s
tremendous impact was manifested in almost all sectors, including education. School closures were
imposed as a physical distancing measure (Sahu, 2020). In October 2020, Indonesia still had alarge number of COVID-19 cases, making it one of the most-hit countries in Southeast Asia. The
high number of cases pushed the government to exert massive efforts to curb the virus’s spread.
It implemented a national lockdown from March 2020. Unfortunately, that significantly affected theeducation sector. Schools and universities had to shift from offline to online learning fast. That forced
both students and lecturers to get used to a new learning system that transpired from their homes.
Teachers and lecturers had to prepare for the digital era of learning (Houlden and Veletsianos, 2020).
That demands the implementation of an online teaching toolkit that supports the teaching-learning
process. The teachers’ role changed from knowledge transmitters into facilitators and knowledge
navigators (Low, 2017). But what worked best, it seems, is a combination of online and face-to-facelearning, known as “blended learning” (Zimba, et al., 2020; Wong, et al., 2020; Evans, et al., 2020;
and Andujar and Nadif, 2020).
Blended learning was coined in the 1990s, around the time students began accessing the Internet(Moore, 2020). It attracted more attention as an educational technology at the beginning of the 21st
century. Since then, it has been further developed and widely adopted by institutions. In 2014, it
became the standard approach to undergraduate education (Dziuban, et al., 2018). There are various
kinds of blended learning. Some combine face-to-face, independent, and online learning, others
combine learning with technology use, and still others utilize teachers and parents as facilitators andsupporters of learning (Husamah, 2014). In this study, blended learning particularly refers to online
learning using an LMS and offline meetings.
Online learning has become an ubiquitous part of education. But problems arise when the modeis implemented among students in remote areas. While many students were happy and excited toexperience online learning since they are digital natives, those from remote areas who were lessproficient in using technology and lack Internet access felt burdened. Some studies investigatedissues regarding digital inequality and revealed that students with poor IT access, especiallythose from rural areas, had different experiences from those who live in urban areas (Oyedemi
and Mogano, 2018; Timmis and Muhuro, 2019; and Lembani, et al., 2020). The same condition
was observed among the students of Universitas Musamus, a state university in Merauke, Papua,Indonesia. As part of the country’s easternmost area, Merauke is considered a remote area. In fact,education in Merauke lagged behind other parts of the country. Apart from geographic location, thearea had inadequate learning facilities and infrastructure, resulting in low student motivation and low
educational quality. The pandemic and its consequences added to their burden.
Due to its situation, the university implemented blended learning. Offline meetings were held following
new normal protocols. Students and teachers were required to wear face masks and adhere tostrict physical distancing measures. Online learning, meanwhile, used Schoology to teach English
pragmatics (Sanchez-Garcia, et al., 2018).

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Schoology is a free web-based educational app that serves as an LMS that allows teachers or
lecturers to deliver content and manage and evaluate the learning process (Rahman, et al., 2010).
Schoology allows anyone to take courses by choosing their account types—Student, Teacher, orParent. The desktop app can be accessed at www.schoology.com while the mobile version isavailable at PlayStore or Appstore.
Many studies about Schoology have been conducted. They compared the outcomes of blended
learning using Schoology and problem-based learning (Irawan, et al., 2017), hypothesized thepotentials and challenges of using Schoology as an online learning platform (Muhtia, et al., 2018),
examined students’ learning motivation enhancement using Schoology (Rosalina, 2018), andinvestigated the effectiveness of Schoology in teaching writing (Masyhudianti, et al., 2018). However,to the best of our knowledge, no study focused on investigating how lecturers integrate blended
learning-governed Schoology to achieve objectives set amid the pandemic effectively. To dig more
into that, we investigated if blended learning using Schoology decreased student anxiety about thedigital era. We also found out how effective the app was based on student perceptions. Our findings
revealed the app’s potentials and challenges in blended learning.
This study is crucial as it provides valuable knowledge for teachers and lecturers regarding theapplication of Schoology as a teaching tool. It also provides information on how the students see theuse of Schoology. This information can improve the teaching-learning process, specifically blendedlearning-governed Schoology.

Research Methodology
This study adopted an exploratory mixed-method design (Creswell and Clark, 2017). By using thisresearch design, we collected and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data. We investigated theapplication of blended-learning-governed Schoology qualitatively and determined how the students
perceived their experiences with the approach both quantitatively and qualitatively. We used thequalitative method described by Ollerenshaw and Creswell (2002) and the descriptive quantitative
method designed by Zook and Pearce (1988). The data we obtained was then used to verify ourfindings.
This study’s respondents were an English lecturer and students from Universitas Musamus. They
were selected using the total sampling technique. One lecturer and 12 students of English pragmatics
participated in this study. The lecturer implemented blended learning using Schoology as the LMS.
Offline classes were held several times during the semester.
Qualitative data was gathered through an in-depth interview with the lecturer. The interview was
guided by CABLS, which was suggested by Wang, et al. (2015). In light of the ensuing pandemic,
the interview was carried out via a mix of video and phone calls. A transcript was generated foranalysis afterward. A structured questionnaire was also deployed to obtain data from students. It
adopted the online learning quality index instrument developed by Gómez-Rey, et al. (2016). It had
39 indicators under 11 categories (see Table 13).

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Construct

Number of Items

1. Learning support

4

2. Social presence3

3. Instruction

3

4. Learning platform

3

5. Instructor interaction

3

6. Learner interaction

3

7. Learning content

3

8. Course design3

9. Learner satisfaction

4

10. Knowledge acquisition

5

11. Knowledge transfer ability

5

Scale

Strongly disagree, disagree,
agree, strongly agree

Table 13: Blueprint created by Gómez-Rey, et al. (2016) used for the questionnaire

To validate the data, some students were interviewed. A descriptive analysis, which involved
calculating means and SDs, was undertaken. Microsoft Excel 2016 was used for this process.
Subsequently, the data underwent narrative analysis as recommended by Creswell and Creswell(2017).

Findings and Discussion
This study’s findings focused on the application of blended-learning-governed Schoology and thestudents’ learning experiences with the app. The former was analyzed using qualitative data while
the latter utilized quantitative data.

Application of Blended-Learning-Governed Schoology
According to the results of the interview with the lecturer, he applied blended-learning-governed
Schoology based on CABLS, which was suggested by Wang, et al. (2015). He used a six-dimensionalframework proposed for this model, involving the learner, teacher, technology, content, learning
support, and institution. Table 14 shows a detailed description and discussion of the lecturer’s
approach.
Dimensional Framework Component

Application

1. LearnerBecome more active participants in online andoffline classes

2. Teacher

Serve as a learning facilitator who turns students into
more autonomous learners

3. Technology

Use Schoology as an LMS for blended learning– 152 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
Dimensional Framework Component

Application

4. Content

Blend online and offline learning by holding as many
as eight meetings per lesson

5. Learning support

Provide academic support to develop students’collaborative skills and technical support to improvetheir knowledge of using technological tools

6. Institution

Use the blended learning approach in lieu of theensuing pandemic

Table 14: Applying the blended-learning-governed Schoology approach based on the CABLS dimensional framework

Learner
According to the data gathered from the interview, the students actively participated in online andoffline classes, as shown by the following excerpt:“Although the blended learning method is new to the students, I feel that this method
effectively attracts student participation in the learning process. Almost all students
participate in every online class and actively engage in discussions by asking questions
about the materials studied. Besides, in offline meetings, they became more active,
clarifying the knowledge they gained during online classes. Moreover, they were alsointerested in preparing group presentations for offline meetings regarding the English
pragmatics materials.”
According to the lecturer, almost all students actively engaged in online discussions hosted on
Schoology. They also participated actively in offline meetings, especially since they needed toprepare for group presentations. This finding is in line with the study conducted by El Sadik and Al
Abdulmonem (2020) that revealed improved student enthusiasm about pre-class activities. As aresult, their classroom performance improved due to closer engagement with peers and teachers.
Teacher
The teacher acts as a learning facilitator rather than a spoon feeder. He/She guides students tobecome more independent learners. As such, the students are responsible for studying on theirown in greater depth and practicing for activities. Discussions occur mostly on Schoology but only
to avoid misunderstandings. Offline classes allow the students to do group presentations to deepen
their understanding of the content. As the lecturer said:“In this blended learning method, I help the students become more autonomous
learners since they need to be more independent during the pandemic. I gave them thecourse syllabus and study concepts for every topic. For the rest, I asked the students
to read more and do more self-practice. Discussions were hosted on Schoology.”
According to Harden and Crosby (2000), teachers have 12 roles. One of them is in line with thisstudy’s finding—the teachers acts as a facilitator and mentor.

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Technology
Technology plays a vital role in blended learning, particularly for online classes. The lecturer chose
Schoology to serve as an LMS since it has useful features and functions that meet the students’needs, as depicted by his/her answer:“I chose Schoology because I felt that the platform was inclusive and suited ouronline learning needs. It allows the students to access materials directly after they are
uploaded. Moreover, we can have candid discussions and the assessment can also
be adjusted automatically.”
Schoology is widely used worldwide. Studies have, in fact, proven its effectiveness in supporting
blended learning (Irawan, et al., 2017). It can also be used for online learning in rural areas.
Content
The lecturer used a syllabus that required eight face-to-face meetings per lesson. The materials
were adjusted to fit the context and theories of English pragmatics. The online meetings focused on
introducing concepts and related research. The offline classes, meanwhile, focused on discussing
the students’ presentations to measure their understanding of the concepts studied. The following
excerpt shows how online and online classes were held:“For the English pragmatics course, I designed a syllabus that requires eight face-toface meetings for discussions and presentations related to pragmatic research theories
and methodologies. The other eight meetings were online classes via Schoology
where I instruct the students to do mini-pragmatics research.”
Blended learning has various kinds but the lecturer applied a combination of offline and online
learning. The offline meetings were essential so the students would not feel too overwhelmed withthe shift to online learning. As with the research of Yen, et al. (2018), the students featured in thisstudy were equally satisfied with blended learning.
Learning Support
The lecturer provided two kinds of learning support—academic and technical. Academic support
came in the form of designing learning activities, such as discussions, group presentations, andresearch, meant to develop the students’ collaborative skills. Technical support, meanwhile, took theform of explicit instructions on using technology since some students were not as digitally literate asothers. Other tools, such as Kahoot!, were also used for quizzes during offline meetings.
“Cognitively, blended learning is more challenging for students because they need to
be familiar with IT. However, digital literacy is required to carry out blended online andoffline learning. As such, I provided detailed instructions at the beginning of the course.
I also made it a goal to ensure that the blended learning approach will encourage
the students to become more responsible in completing assigned tasks. I designed
classroom activities that allowed the students to engage with peers to improve theircollaborative skills.”– 154 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

The except above shows that academic and technical support is crucial in achieving learning
objectives. This point was also discussed by Mohd, et al. (2016) who reported that lecturer support
enhanced student engagement in blended learning.
Institution
Schools were all mandated by the government to shift to blended learning in response to thepandemic. Since the students were not allowed to go to school daily as part of the new normal,
institutions had to instigate blended learning. They also had to implement strict health protocols inschool, such as wearing face masks, maintaining physical distance, and washing hands regularly.
They thus had to provide the necessary facilities, such as free Internet access for online learning.
“Actually, the massive shift from face-to-face to blended learning is a response to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Since the government implemented the new normal, institutions
had to implement the blended learning approach while following strict protocols.
Some facilities were also provided, such as physically distanced seats and free Internet
access for both lecturers and students.”
The implementation of blended learning brought about massive changes to learning instruction andprocedures. As an institutional policy, blended learning was also discussed by Darling-Hammondand Hyler (2020) in a study about preparing educators for the pandemic and beyond. They wereright to say that teachers should act as mentors in online learning.

Students’ Experiences with Blended-Learning-Governed Schoology
Anchored on the survey results, the students had positive things to say about their blended learning
experiences. They had positive responses for learning support, social presence, instruction, learning
platform, instructor interaction, learner content, course design, learner satisfaction, knowledge
acquisition, and transferability, as evidenced by an average mean score of 3.05 (see Table 15).
Course design obtained the highest mean score of 3.31 with an SD of 0.72. Learner satisfaction,
meanwhile, got the lowest mean score of 2.94 with an SD of 0.87.
DomainMean

SD

Learning support

3.02

0.80

Social presence

3.06

0.88

Instruction

2.97

1.02

Learning platform

3.03

0.86

Instructor interaction

3.08

0.90

Learner interaction

3.11

0.70

Learning content

3.08

0.81

Course design

3.31

0.72

Learner satisfaction

2.94

0.87

Knowledge acquisition

2.97

0.79

Knowledge transfer ability

3.05

0.82

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
DomainMean

SD

Average

3.05

0.82

Table 15: Students’ experience with Schoology(n = 12)The data shows that the students had positive experiences overall. A possible reason for that isthe effective blended learning design used by the lecturer. He used group presentations, online
discussions, and research writing as student activities. This finding agrees with a study of Alkhatib(2018), which suggested course designs for interactive blended learning. Learning content andinstructor interaction obtained the same mean score of 3.08 (i.e., the second highest), which revealed
that the lecturer played the role of facilitator well. That is in line with the findings of a study conductedby Hardika, et al. (2018), which stated that facilitative learning can improve student creativity. Finally,learner satisfaction obtained the lowest mean score of 2.94, which could be due to difficulty among
students to adjust psychologically to online learning. This is aligned with the findings of Bryson and
Andres (2020).
The quantitative data reflects the qualitative data obtained from interviews with some students, asevidenced by the following excerpts:“The use of Schoology for online learning during this pandemic made the learning
process more flexible and easier to understand. If something is not clear, we can still
ask questions and discuss them with lecturers and friends.”“With blended learning, practical and flexible learning can be done anywhere andanytime using the Internet. I also like online learning because it is easy to send
assignment files and it can be done from home.”
The student responses above revealed that online learning did not limit discussions to those withthe lecturer but also peers. Schoology made learning more flexible. The students could submit
assignments on time. Some students, however, also revealed issues, as evidenced by this excerpt:“The learning system is good, especially during this pandemic. However, sometimes
there are some problems, such as not all students have cellphones and the Internet
network conditions are not always stable, which hinders the smooth running of online
learning.”
Technical problems, such as poor Internet connectivity and lack of digital devices, could hinder
online learning. That makes blended learning more effective than pure online learning.
The data showed different results from a study that stated that online learning tended to burden
students in rural areas due to digital inequality (Lembani, et al., 2020). As we have seen from ourresearch, the students positively perceived blended learning. As such, institutions, policymakers,
and lecturers should continue implementing the teaching method in the future.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Conclusion
This study revealed that blended learning using Schoology is effective. Students were, in fact,satisfied
with their learning experiences. It may, however, have limitations. The approach, for instance, was notwidely implemented in Universitas Musamus. The university’s classes were also small. The results
may differ if the classes were bigger. As such, we recommend that further studies be carried out
to validate our findings and identify best practices for teaching-learning during the pandemic andbeyond.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Assessing the Quality of Distance
Learning Delivery for Technical
Education Students during the
COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak in
General and Technical High Schools
in Cambodia
Dr. Songheang Ai
SEAMEO TED
Cambodiasong.heang@yahoo.com
Mr. Vorn Tim
SEAMEO TED
Cambodia
timvorn@hotmail.com

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Cambodian education sector, especially technical education,
challenges brought on by disallowing face-to-face instruction. To respond, online course delivery
was implemented for technical education students in general and technical high schools (GTHSs).
This study aims to measure the satisfaction level of GTHS students with educational service delivery.
The importance performance analysis (IPA) approach was employed to answer this question. A totalof 796 technical education students from 13 GTHSs were asked to fill in 20-item questionnaires
using a five-point scale. It found that the quality of distance learning course delivery in GTHSs waslimited in terms of technological materials, knowledge, applications, and costs. More resources andefforts should be exerted to support this new learning norm.
Keywords: distance learning, COVID-19, technological disruption, GTHSs– 161 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Rationale of the Study
The Royal Government of Cambodia aimed to increase its citizens income. By 2030, it hopes to turnlow- to middle-income earners into high-income earners, making Cambodia a developed country by
2050. To realize this long-term vision, the government proposed technical education enhancement
to improve students’ vocational and technical skills to meet current job requirements, allowing thecountry to compete with others economically. The government developed strategies for capacity
building and HRD to improve the quality of education. It aims to prioritize upper-secondary leveltechnical education.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) increased the number of GTHSs throughout
the country, which gave students an opportunity to enhance their technical skills and work after
graduating high school or pursue a degree. Developing technical skills is crucial, as it equips learners
with physical, mental, and intellectual abilities; morals; values; skills; and expertise they need to
become global citizens (Vocational Orientation Department [VOD], 2015).
After the first confirmed COVID-19 case in the country was reported in late January 2020, MoEYS
closed all schools until further notice in an effort to combat the spread of the disease. The ministry
proposed the use of online learning platforms, such as TV shows, websites, and social media apps
throughout the country. Distance learning was prominently used to sustain teaching and learning
while bridging gaps to ensure inclusive education.

Research Problem
Technical education is a catalyst of economic development. It equips the youth with the skills theyneed to keep decent jobs and raise their living standards. Every child must be equipped with at least
one technical skill (Royal Government of Cambodia, 2018). GTHS graduates have three options—go
into higher education, engage in immediate employment, and put up a business. GTHSs expose
students to practice-based activities in real settings to enhance their skills. Technical education thus
prepares them for immediate employment after graduation to become productive citizens.

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Technical education requires more investment in terms of human capital, financing, expertise, andeffort from all stakeholders. Students and teachers have a role to play to improve education quality.
The COVID-19 pandemic, however, limited technical education quality due to problems with course
delivery. It negatively affected the academic performance of students, particularly those in Grade 12(Sintema, 2020). This situation pushed GTHSs to shift to the online mode through the implementationof a distance learning program. This program, however, posed challenges to students who did nothave access to the Internet or digital devices, such as smartphones and computers (VOD, 2020).
The pandemic led to inequalities between the rich and the poor (Briones, 2020). It did not helpthat some teachers had limited online expertise and slide presentation skills as well (VOD, 2020).
They found online teaching and learning daunting and awkward at the beginning (Sulaiman, 2020).
Curricula and course syllabi were also not optimized for the new normal (Reimers and Schleicher,2020). The shortage of skilled labor force due to poor education quality service delivery thus hindered
Cambodia’s economic development (MoEYS, 2019).
The involvement of parents in home and distance learning programs was required. But some parents
were not in favor of supporting remote learning (Ferri, et al., 2020). That also impacted the students’learning outcomes.
As shown, distance learning programs suffered from technological problems, such as poor Internet
connection, especially in rural areas (Ferri, et al., 2020). The limited quality of service delivery
obstructed student engagement. For the marginalized, lack of smart devices to access distancelearning courses delivered online proved to be a challenge (Ferri, et al., 2020). Students who used
to be very engaged in school might become vulnerable to dropping out due to the disruption (WB,2020). Extended disruption causes students to lose learning time. Some may forget the knowledge
and skills they already gained (Reimers and Schleicher, 2020). These issues affect the country’s
progress in reaching its strategic goals.

Research Significance
Stakeholder involvement is required to enhance the educational service delivery quality if Cambodia
is to successfully address the disruption. Teachers and technological infrastructure are critical to thesuccess of student learning (Reimers and Schleicher, 2020). The government needs to invest morein technological innovation and application development.
Cambodia attained an economic growth rate of 7.7% in 2014 (MoEYS, 2019). To keep this growth
up annually, secondary level technical education is crucial to upskill the youth. Digital education is analternative solution to school closures that can be delivered through various social media platforms(MoEYS, 2020).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

To respond to issues, relevant stakeholders, especially teachers and school management,
should intensify activities to ensure that students continue learning. First, research can familiarize
administrators, government personnel, school heads, teachers, parents, and students with online
course delivery. Second, policymakers and curriculum developers need guidance to know what
they should focus on. Third, relevant department administrators and school management need to
be informed of what kind of support they need. Fourth, technical education teachers should knowwhat they should teach to meet their students’ needs. All of these steps will enhance online course
delivery quality for technical education students.

Research Objectives and Questions
This study aims to measure the students’ satisfaction with educational service delivery. Schooling is
the best way to enhance students’ social interaction, peer learning, observation, and practical skills(Burgess and Sievertsen, 2020). The school closures affected 90% of the world’s students (UNESCO,2020). Extended school closures may also put students’ well-being at risk (Lachanthaboune, 2020).
This study aims to answer three research questions, namely:•

What attributes work well?

•

What attributes need improvement?

•

What attributes require immediate action?

Literature Review
Current Technical Education Distance
Learning Programs in Cambodia
Education and training play an integral part in alleviating poverty, providing people with decent jobs,
general productivity, fueling economic development, and fostering innovations to enhance global
citizenship (MoEYS, 2019). However, education and training have been disallowed because of the
COVID-19 outbreak since the end of 2019. As many as 1.5 billion students worldwide were affectedby school closures (UNESCO, 2020). Investing in online learning can reduce the unprecedented
educational disruption in the short term by developing a more flexible education system and thenecessary platforms (UNESCO, 2020). There exists relevant extensive literature regarding educational
quality, technical measures, and strategies to tackle the situation.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

There are sixteen GTHSs in Cambodia that were affected by COVID-19. From the start of April
2020, the number of students involved in distance learning rapidly increased. These programs used
several instructional approaches. A total of 80.8% of the technical education students attended
distance learning programs in June 2020, indicating a 4.24% increase compared with May 2020
(VOD, 2020). Most GTHSs used digital platforms, such as Telegram, Messenger, Zoom, Facebook
Live, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and others, to enable communication between teachers andstudents. The instructional approaches include presenting videos and completing homework virtually(VOD, 2020). However, these approaches could not capture tangible results and identify areas for
improvement. There are other activities GTHSs implemented but they, too, were not documented.

Distance Learning Programs in Brunei Darussalam
Brunei Darussalam reopened schools on 2 June 2020 at 50% capacity but technical and vocational
education and training (TVET) institutions had to shift to distance or home-based learning andusing educational TV programs (Sulaiman, 2020). The government issued online and home-based
guidelines and social distancing and hygiene protocols for students. Curricular content was modified
to prioritize topics and outcomes and produce the necessary teaching resources. Different social andeconomic contexts exist in different countries, even in terms of technical education course delivery.
As such, Cambodia can use the quantitative approach to assess its quality of online course delivery.

Distance Learning Programs in Lao PDR
Similarly, MoES implemented the distance learning mode in Laos. Teachers gave their students
homework weekly and prepared to broadcast TV and radio learning programs (Lachanthaboune,2020). Parents and guardians played an integral part in pushing students to continue learning bycommunicating to them and their teachers and instructing them at home.

Distance Learning Programs in Europe
The response strategies in the region varied from country to country and region to region, particularly
in technical education. In April 2020, the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training(CEDEFOP) launched a consultation workshop on managing apprenticeships for the youth during
the pandemic. A total of 25 experts from 22 European countries attended the workshop. The key
findings highlighted that the participating countries implemented distance learning by organizing
online classes and keeping contracts with the private sector to give students hands-on practice.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Reimers and Schleicher (2020) published a survey report on education responses to COVID-19. It
obtained 330 responses from 98 countries. In Belgium, academic courses were broadcast on TV
for home learning. Educational resources, including paper and digital versions, were made available,
depending on the students’ needs in Estonia. School programs and plans were made flexible,
depending on the students’ learning needs, in Finland. To employ a new learning environment, theItalian government created video tutorials, virtual meeting places, and digital content and provided
technical and financial assistance to disadvantaged students. Internet access and smart devices
were provided to those who could not afford them to ensure learning continuity, along with printed
textbooks and materials, in Latvia. The Portuguese government set up a three-phased process forschool reopening with guidance and preparations for distance learning programs for schools. In
Romania, schools partnered with TV stations to broadcast educational programs and developed
content aligned with curricular goals and course syllabi. Finally, the government invested 2.5 million
Euro to purchase smart devices so students can access online learning programs in the Netherlands.

Empirical Perspectives on Distance Learning Programs
Distance learning programs were enforced worldwide to ensure learning continuity. To ensure theirsustainability, we need the involvement of relevant stakeholders. Ionescu, et al. (2020) employed
the quantitative approach to analyze that in Romania. Their stusdy found that close collaboration
between parents and teachers is required to ensure e-learning sustainability. A qualitative study inGuyana explored the online pedagogy. It highlighted challenges, such as digital inequality among
students and teachers, unavailability of smart devices, poor Internet access, inconsistent power
supply, malpractices, and limited quality of monitoring and assessment (Oyedotun, 2020).

Research Methodology
Research Instrument
The questionnaire had three sections—demographic information, satisfaction, and importance.
Sections 2 and 3 each had 20 items that used a five-point Likert scale. The scores used ranged
from 1 to 5, where 1 stood for “strongly disagree,” 2 for “disagree,” 3 for “neutral,” 4 for “agree,” and5 for “strongly agreed.” To ensure the validity of the questionnaire, items 1–16 were adapted fromVOD (2020). Items 17 and 18 were adapted from VOD (2019). And items 19 and 20 were addedby experts. The 18 items were reviewed by GTHS management, comprising six principals and viceprincipals to ensure their practicability in a real setting.

Participant Selection
The criteria for participant selection were:•

They should be Year 1–3 technical education students.

•

They should attend online courses regularly.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

They volunteered to become participants.

A total of 796 students from 13 GTHSs participated. They were spread across eight trades. A totalof 407 were male while the remaining 389 were female. Table 16 shows more details.

Research Methods
IPA was employed to analyze the data. The approach was used to explore service quality andimprovement priorities (Figler ,et al., 2011; Iseki and Taylor, 2010; and Cao and Cao, 2017). The
random sampling technique was employed to collect data. IPA is always used by the government todistinguish the attributes that work and those that require improvement or immediate action.
The primary data was collected by distributing a questionnaire to technical education students fromthe following schools:•

Preah Norodom Sihamoni GTHS in the Kampot Province•

Bavet GTHS in the Svay Rieng Province•

GTHS of Preah Bat Samdech Preah Borum Neat Norom Sihamoni in the Kampong Chhnang
Province•

Saint Francio GTHS in the Takeo Province•

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen Rota Khsac Kandal GTHS in the Kandal
Province•

Kampong Chheu Teal GTHS in the Kampong Thom Province•

Pouk GTHS in the Siem Reap Province•

Poi Pet Don Bosco Private GTHS in the Banteay Mean Chey Province•

Heng Samrin GTHS in the Tbong Khmum Province•

Peam Chi Kang GTHS in the Kampong Cham Province•Community Development Center of the Chea Sim Kamchaymea University in the Prey Veng
Province•

Preah Reach Samphea GTHS in the Kampot Province•

Chea Sim Tbaeng Mean Chey GTHS in the Preah Vihear Province– 167 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
School Name

GenderGrade Level

Trade

Male

FemaleTotal

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3Agronomy

Tourism

Food
Processing

Electrical

AnimalHusbandry

Electronics

ComputingAccounting

Preah Norodom Sihamoni
GTHS

34

74

108

21

45

42

108

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Bavet GTHS

43

37

80

29

18

33

11

0

0

69

0

0

0

0

Preah Bat Samdach Preah
Borom Neat Norodom Sihamoni
GTHS

79

64

143

70

51

22

42

0

24

67

10

0

0

0

Saint Francio Private GTHS

33

19

52

16

26

10

36

16

0

0

0

0

0

0

Samdach Aka Moha Sena
Padei Techo Hun Sen ROTAGTHS of Khsach Kandal

72

12

84

31

35

18

0

0

0

53

0

31

0

0

Kampong Chheuteal
Demonstration GTHS

20

50

70

10

24

36

17

0

0

8

38

7

0

0

Pouk GTHS

25

2

27

10

17

0

0

0

0

27

0

0

0

0

Don Bosco Poipet Private GTHS

12

9

21

10

11

0

0

0

0

7

0

0

14

0

Technical and Vocational
Training Institute of the Heng
Samrin Tboung Khmum
University

10

26

36

12

6

18

13

0

0

0

0

0

23

0

Hun Sen Peamchikang GTHS

17

27

44

44

0

0

20

0

0

24

0

0

0

0

Community Development
Center of the Chea Sim
University of Kamchaymea

21

37

58

11

33

14

14

0

0

0

7

11

0

26

Preah Reach Samphea GTHS

29

5

34

18

16

0

1

0

0

33

0

0

0

0

Chea Sim Tbeng Mean Chey
GTHS

12

27

39

16

23

0

39

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Total

407

389

796

298

305

193

301

16

24

288

55

49

37

26

Table 16: Participants’ demographic information– 168 –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Data Collection
After the pilot testing and all necessary modifications were made, the questionnaires were administered
to the sample. We went to the schools to meet with and explain to the students how to fill up thequestionnaires correctly. A total of 796 questionnaires were distributed, completed, and returned.
The students had to go through each item before filling up the questionnaire. Before meeting withthe participants, we set up appointments to give them the exact date we would introduce the study’s
objectives. The questionnaires were immediately returned after completion. Because the students
were all below 18 years old, they were told not to copy from others.

Data Analysis
SPSS version 25 was used to analyze the data. The 20-item survey obtained a reliability score of
0.896 and a satisfaction level score of 0.89 using the Cronbach Alpha rating. Note that a Cronbach
Alpha rating of more than 0.7 is acceptable in terms of internal consistency of items (Georg andMallery, 2003 and Joseph and Rosemary, 2003).

Research Findings
The study showed how-satisfied the students were with distance learning through Figure 36. The
matrix is divided into four quadrants. Quadrant I stood for “concentrate here,” quadrant II for “keep up
the good work,” quadrant III for “overkill,” and quadrant IV for “low priority.” Table 17 shows the means
and SDs for each attribute.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Figure 36: Importance-satisfaction matrix

Abbreviation

Attribute

GTHS Details
N

Satisfaction

Importance

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

TM

Telegram and Messenger
learning chat groups

796

4.11

0.77

4.41

0.70

VCE

Video clip effectiveness andquality

796

3.94

0.83

4.16

0.77

LRS

Lesson and module
relevance and significance

796

4.04

0.79

4.18

0.79

ETV

Explanation techniques usedin video clips

796

3.95

0.87

4.12

0.82

SCS

Study clubs for students

796

3.65

1.01

3.79

0.94

TF

Teaching face-to-face forgroups of less than 10
students each

796

3.62

1.16

3.70

1.06

GHA

Giving students homework
and assignments

796

4.26

0.79

4.29

0.74

TFS

Teacher feedback on
students’ homework andassignments

796

3.87

0.88

4.01

0.81

TFA

Lessons and modules arealigned with course syllabi

796

3.70

0.86

3.86

0.84

LLT

Live lessons taught

796

3.38

1.15

3.71

1.00

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1
Abbreviation

Attribute

GTHS Details
N

Satisfaction

Importance

Mean

SD

Mean

SD

TLP

Lessons are practiceoriented

796

4.02

1.00

4.21

0.91

TLT

Lessons are theory-oriented

796

3.97

0.85

4.06

0.86

SAV

Students can afford toaccess video clips, online
classes, and Telegram or
Messenger groups

796

3.84

0.92

4.03

0.82

SAM

Student attendance
management

796

3.95

0.95

4.04

0.87

SMSF

School management
supports and facilitates
student learning

796

3.98

0.87

4.02

0.83

SRS

Sufficient resources forstudent learning, suchas textbooks, mnemonic
documents, and handouts

796

3.77

0.97

3.96

0.92

MAP

Marking and assessment
processes for students’
homework and assignments

796

4.19

0.78

4.26

0.74

TPM

Teachers prepared monthly
or weekly teaching plans
and schedules that consider
students’ prior knowledge
and readiness

796

4.16

0.93

4.26

0.81

HBT

Home-based teaching

796

3.59

2.14

3.79

1.00

SMS

School management
supports and facilitates
home-based learning andteaching

796

3.61

1.06

3.79

0.99

Table 17: Importance-satisfaction rating details

As shown in Figure 36, LLT, TF, SMS, HBT, SCS, LTCS, SRS, SAV, and TFS fell into quadrant III.
GHA, TPM, MAP, TLP, LRS, and TLT, meanwhile, fell into quadrant II. VCE fell into quadrant I. Finally,
SMSF fell into quadrant IV. Interestingly, ETV fell into the middle of quadrants I and II. SAM, meanwhile,fell into the middle of quadrants I, II, III, and IV.

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

Discussion and Conclusion
The unsatisfactory quality of distance learning programs in general and technical school course
delivery intensified challenges and issues for teachers, school principals, and policymakers. The
disparity among receivers in terms of socioeconomic background resulted from factors, such asteaching expertise, student access the online programs, school facilities and equipment, andcurricula, among others. Some teachers lacked technological expertise to ensure student learning(Khalili, 2020).
LLT, TF, SMSF, HBT, SCS, TFA, SRS, SAV, and TFS were rated as low priorities. Schools
underperformed in these attributes. Extra effort and resources should be spent on them. These
results were consistent with the claims of Burgess and Sievertsen (2020) that home-basedteaching impacted students’ learning and social skills. Extra time for schooling should improvestudent performance. As such, prolonged school closures will also impact students’ abilities andskills (Burgess and Sievertsen, 2020 and Carlsson, et al., 2015). These results also contradicted
the claims of MoEYS (2020) that school management is required to support and facilitate online
learning to ensure quality outcomes. Schools should provide students facilities and equipment,such as textbooks, mnemonic documents, and handouts in both hard and soft copies (MoEYS,2020). In particular, teachers should go to students’ homes to teach and guide them in small groups
comprising 10 people or less. They should also distribute and collect academic assessment sheets
and provide constructive feedback (MoEYS, 2020). Finally, schools have to organize live teachingsessions for small groups of students (MoEYS, 2020). These problems could have resulted fromguideline misinterpretations and implementation limitations. Document dissemination and distribution
at the school level were also constrained, which could have hindered their proper implementation(VOD, 2019).
The results were consistent with the claims of Ferri, et al. (2020) that course syllabus planning at
the beginning of the SY was not followed due to school closures. Distance learning may have also
hindered teachers from giving immediate feedback on assignments and homework, limiting student
progress. Some students did not spend enough time in online classes, again limiting the time forteachers to give feedback or answer their questions (Oyedotun, 2020).
The use of videos improved the quality of online learning. Continuing this delivery mode should
thus be continued. Immediate actions include allocating additional resources, such as ICT training
programs, equipment, facilities, and budgets.
MoEYS has conducted several ICT training programs suited for upper-secondary schoolteachers.
ICT education for students, teachers, and school management should be prioritized to enhance
distance learning programs. That requires software and hardware installation in schools, budget,and curricular modernization (MoEYS, 2018). This finding is in line with the claim of König, et al.
(2020) that ICT education and tool installation and application are useful for online learning programs.
Some students and teachers may be new to technology use, dampening the quality of service
delivery (Oyedotun, 2020). Finally, teachers need to acquire digital skills so they can effectively
deliver instructions (Ferri, et al., 2020).

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SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1

SMSF seemed irrelevant to students. Resources and efforts devoted to this component may thus
be curtailed. School management can just stick to fixing the academic calendar and facilitate
assessment and distance learning processes between students and teachers (MoEYS, 2020).
GHA, MAP, TPM, LRS, TLP, and TLT need to be maintained to gain maximum benefits. Oyedotun(2020), however, believes that the assessment and evaluation processes employed were noteffective for grading students’ assignments and papers.
As shown, the reliability of the data we collected may have been constrained because the respondents
were gathered in one place to accomplish the questionnaires. Because they sat close to one another,some may have copied someone else’s answers, affecting the survey’s findings. Further research isneeded to validate our findings.
To make the new education normal work, teachers should act as enablers and motivators. They
should learn soft skills, such as leadership, time management, communication, coaching, andmentoring skills to better facilitate student learning (International Labour Organization [ILO], 2020).
To recover lost learning time after the pandemic, an intensive review of the course syllabus should
be conducted before the beginning of the new SY (Reimers and Schleicher, 2020). Postponing
academic events and activities is the best way to solve the problem (Burgess and Sievertsen, 2020).
In addition, a task force should be set up. Its members should represent a variety of constituents,
such as curriculum developers, policymakers, teacher educators, IT experts, teachers, students,
parents, and private sector representatives (Reimers and Schleicher, 2020). To pursue learning, avariety of distance learning delivery modes can be used, such as TV programs, Facebook, webinars,
and websites (MoEYS, 2020). Substantial financial and technical support should be provided forschool management and teachers to succeed with their education plans (Reimers and Schleicher,2020). If these actions are taken, high-quality educational service delivery can be achieved.

Acknowledgment
SEAMEO TED would like to express our profound gratitude to MoEYS for giving us an opportunity to
conduct this study. We would also like to thank the GTHS principals, teachers, and students for their
hospitality, kindness, openness, help, cooperation, and active involvement in facilitating, assisting,and helping us with the survey for our data collection efforts.

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Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for contributing papers for inclusion in thisjournal:•Dr. Yoshiyasu Ida from the Faculty of Human Sciences of the University of Tsukuba in Japan•

Dr. Tetsuo Kyomen from the Faculty of Human Sciences of the University of Tsukuba in Japan•

Dr. Teruyuki Fujita from the Faculty of Human Sciences of the University of Tsukuba in Japan•

Dr. Masami Isoda from the University of Tsukuba in Japan•

Mr. Diego Solis from the Worsfold University of Tsukuba in Japan•

Ms. Laura Vanessa Lopez from the Zarate University of Tsukuba in Japan•

Dr. R. Alpha Amirrachman of SEAMEO SEAMOLEC in Indonesia•

Ms. Aline Almandha of SEAMEO SEAMOLEC in Indonesia•

Dr. Zulhamsyah Imran of SEAMEO BIOTROP in Indonesia•

Dr. Suprianto of the IPB University in Indonesia•

Mr. Slamet Widodo of SEAMEO BIOTROP in Indonesia•

Mr. Armaiki Yusmur of SEAMEO BIOTROP in Indonesia•

Mr. Harry Imantho of SEAMEO BIOTROP in Indonesia•

Ms. Dewi Suryani of SEAMEO BIOTROP in Indonesia•

Dr. Shah Jahan Assanarkutty of SEAMEO RECSAM in Malaysia•

Ms. Deva Nanthini Sinniah of SEAMEO RECSAM in Malaysia•

Dr. Indrawati of the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Science in Indonesia•

Dr. Elly Herliani of the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Science in Indonesia– vii –

SEAMEO Journal • 2021 • Volume 1•

Mr. Haidar Muhammad Helmi of the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Science in Indonesia•

Mr. Septian Karyana of the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Science in Indonesia•

Dr. Sumardyono of the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Mathematics in Indonesia•

Dr. Pratap Singhasivanon from the SEAMEO TROPMED Network in Thailand•

Dr. Ma. Sandra B. Tempongko from the SEAMEO TROPMED Network in Thailand•

Mr. Mohd Zulkarnain Abdul Wahab of SEAMEO SEN in Malaysia•

Mr. Ahmad Heikhal Amir Hamzah of SEAMEO SEN in Malaysia•

Ms. Fezny Othman of SEAMEO SEN in Malaysia•

Dr. Luh Anik Mayani from the SEAMEO Regional Center for QITEP in Language in Indonesia•

Ms. Somlak Charoenpot of SEAMEO SPAFA in Thailand•

Dr. Kiengkay Ounmany of SEAMEO CED in Lao PDR•

Ms. Suci Nugrah Amalia from Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Surakarta in Indonesia•

Mr. Lastika Ary Prihandoko from Universitas Musamus Merauke in Indonesia•

Dr. Songheang Ai of SEAMEO TED in Cambodia•

Mr. Vorn Tim of SEAMEO TED in Cambodia

Finally, publishing this journal would not be possible without the leadership of the SEAMEO Secretariat
headed by Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela.

– viii –© 2021
SEAMEO Secretariat
Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building
920 Sukhumvit Road
Bangkok 10110
Thailand