The existence of the Online KKG, which was initiated in 2019, has been truly beneficial during the pandemic. Using the Online KKG, teachers have been able to discuss the learning conditions in their respective schools and local government policies. They have also been able to coordinate with school principals and members of the KKG.
INOVASI has introduced this online model to several assisted schools in other clusters. Ketut Yoni, as she is more commonly known, who at that time was an INOVASI regional facilitator (fasilitator daerah, or Fasda), was interested in the Online KKG concept and independently implemented it in Cluster 01 Central Praya, where she was located. During the socialization process, Ketut Yoni received a positive response from several school principals who were members of the cluster.
“Regarding the Online KKG, we consistently coordinate with each other to share and exchange opinions about what is working and what still needs improvement, especially in the context of this pandemic,” said Ketut Yoni.
Ketut Yoni explained, “It’s not all up to the principal. We have always gathered teachers, all school supervisors, administrators of the K3S (School Principal Working Group, or Kelompok Kerja Kepala Sekolah), and cluster leaders throughout the Central Praya subdistrict, even prior to the pandemic.”
The Online KKG also consists of a training platform for strengthening the capacity of teachers and school principals. Several facilitators of the Online KKG regularly share links related to training and learning materials, including modules, voice recordings, and short videos, to online discussion groups, which the participating teachers can access at any time. In addition, assignments, simulations, discussion, and question-and-answer sessions with facilitators are frequently carried out because they are done online.
For Ketut Yoni, who is also a school principal, the presence of the Online KKG has been truly beneficial. According to Ketut, the most fundamental thing has been the teachers’ change of mindset. To date, many teachers think that capacity building and acquiring skills can only be conducted through a very limited number of training invitations from the Education Office. As a matter of fact, they can study online anytime, anywhere, and even choose from the various materials that are already widely available. This is even more relevant during the pandemic, as they are now spending more time at home than at school.
“The materials we provide to the teachers are simple and easy to apply in the classroom. Through these online groups, the teachers share their experiences when practicing the learning models that they have already learned,” said Ketut Yoni. “This change in mindset encourages their independence, prompting them to improve their skills without having to depend on others.”
One of the problems that the Online KKG wants to address is schedulling. Long before the pandemic started, INOVASI facilitated a discussion on the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) in Central Lombok district in relation to the KKG. Finding a suitable time for all members to meet was one of the obstacles that resulted in halting the KKG activities. Planned meetings were often canceled due to the members’ busy schedules.
“The PDIA discussion revealed that although many of the trainings were not effective, the teachers had been trying to find their own solutions. More than 70 percent of the teachers were already using technology to find their own solutions, accessing YouTube, Google, and sharing on Facebook and WhatsApp groups. As a result, a solution came up during the discussion to hold an Online KKG where the supervisors or facilitators would provide a selection of materials to meet the diverse needs of the teachers,” said Sri Karna, the Provincial Manager of INOVASI NTB, who has followed the Online KKG from the start.
During the pandemic, Ketut Yoni has been encouraging the teachers in Cluster 01 Central Praya to make short learning videos that can be used in the classroom and by the teachers who are members of the Online KKG. Due to its many benefits, the members will continue to strengthen the Online KKG even though pandemic conditions have improved and face-to-face meetings are gradually being allowed. The evaluation and adjustment process will be continued so that the Online KKG will become even better.