The rate of learning loss has been increasing due to numerous factors, especially in 3T regions across Indonesia. Learning loss itself is a condition related to the loss of learning capability as a result of unequal distribution of access the students have to technological devices (e.g. gadgets and internet networks), which are the main media for education during the pandemic.

Lecturer of School of Architecture, Planning, and Policy Development of ITB, Ir. Tubagus Furqon Sofhani, M.A., Ph.D., informed that long-term learning loss may deteriorate student performance. This statement was substantiated by research done by Meyers et al. in 2017 and by Havari et al. in 2015. Of course, learning loss will also affect students’ cognitive capability.

“Changes brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the implementation of health protocols and online learning, have created several educational problems specifically in 3T regions. 3T in this context means underdeveloped, frontmost, and outermost regions (tertinggal, terdepan, terluar/3T). These regions have limited internet access, and some of them are not even covered by the network (i.e. blank spot),” as described by him in the Rekacipta Rubric of ITB, April 5, 2022 edition in Media Indonesia.

In addition, he added that some people in 3T regions do not have a gadget for each of their family members. Economic factors are also a hindrance to online learning, since not everyone is able to purchase mobile data. Therefore, face-to-face learning is crucially needed in these 3T regions.

ITB‘s Role

According to Furqon, the involvement of TBM in this activity was by implementing a third-space concept in face-to-face learning. The dependency of studying activities on schools (first space) and the limitations of parents (second space) made TBM effective in alleviating learning loss, especially during the pandemic.

ITB students were also involved in this project. These students were participants of the Freedom to Learn-Independent Campus program. In conducting learning activities, ITB employed a remedial approach by involving students who were classified as “very high risk.”

As one of the TBM activists, Vebi said that there had been significant progress from the students observed. Based on an evaluation conducted at the end of activity, 60% of students had an improvement in achieving learning outcomes. Students, which were initially not able to read, became able to read and spell. In addition, 35% of students managed to achieve the desired learning outcomes after joining the mentoring program. These results proved that mentoring activities were effective in improving student learning outcomes during the pandemic.

These students usually came from poor families with very low parental literacy levels. In addition, they were mostly not accompanied by their parents in their studies due to their parents‘ status of being unskilled workers. A TBM supervisor was responsible for assisting 5 to 6 students.

This project was conducted for 4 months from March to June 2021. The activity started by educationally evaluating the capability and condition of students. This was done to organize appropriate learning outcomes and strategies.

The learning activity was then conducted at a time and place that had been arranged beforehand with the students. There were 85 students participating in this program, covering 5 different elementary schools. This whole activity was obviously in accordance with strict health protocols such as the utilization of masks and antigen swabs.

Full text can be read at this link.

Reporter: Tarisa Putri (Chemical Engineering, 2019)
Translator: Ariq Ramadhan Teruna (Faculty of Industrial Engineering, 2021)