Reviving the Academic Atmosphere, ITB Intensify Offline Lectures Starting Next Semester

By Adi Permana

Editor Adi Permana

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id-Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) would like to welcome again offline lecture activities starting in the second semester of the upcoming 2021/2022 academic year. "We want the academic atmosphere and learning outcomes that characterize ITB to return to normal," said the Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Jaka Sembiring, M.Eng., at the ITB campus, Jln. Ganesha Bandung, Saturday (11/13/2021).

In implementing the upcoming offline lectures, Prof. Jaka reiterated the health protocol that all ITB civitas, including lecturers, students, and education staff, must obey.

"The ITB community has been carrying out limited offline academic activities for the last two semesters, and this is a process of training to live a new life with new habits, including in the teaching and learning process."

This Information Technology professor explained that the activities conducted 100 per cent offline are experiential learning activities, such as practicum, workshops, studios, and field lectures. "We will ensure and intensify these activities are conducted offline next semester, certainly in a careful way."

The on-campus activities of practicum, workshop and studio will pay attention to room capacity. According to Prof. Jaka, ITB runs on this adjustment to restore the development process of student skills using various tools. Those skills are essential to support the understanding of lecture materials and provisions for future careers.

Besides the experiential learning, the examination and defence are also carried out on campus. "Offline evaluation methods are prioritized to be done on campus again so that the assessment standards of learning outcomes and quality are effectively improved," Prof. Jaka explained.

Meanwhile, lecture activities in the classroom are carried out as a hybrid learning, with the mechanism that some students study in class, and others study online simultaneously. "The study program will select and assign a minimum of three courses for each batch," said Prof. Jaka.

Students will rotate in taking offline lectures with a maximum room capacity of 50 per cent of normal capacity. All class facilities will be equipped with hybrid lecture support equipment to present a lecture atmosphere to offline and online students.

Next semester, Prof. Jaka invited all ITB students to be around the campus, whether in the Ganesha, Jatinangor, or Cirebon Campus. "Students' schedules to enter campus will be arranged, adjusted to the capacity of each of our campuses," said Prof. Jaka.

In closing, Prof. Jaka again emphasized that health procedures should continue as a priority throughout the lecture process. "All ITB students remain ambassadors for the health program. We take care of each other so that we can improve the academic atmosphere during conditions that can change at any time," he concluded.

Translator: Zahra Annisa Fitri (Urban and Regional Planning, 2019)