Strengthening Student Engagement: How Student Hone Their Soft Skill  Along Online Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic?

Valeny Suryaningsih

doi:10.38043/jmb.v18i1.2806

Authors

Valeny Suryaningsih Universitas Andalas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38043/jmb.v18i1.2806

Keywords:

Student Engagement, Online Learning, Collaborative Learning, Soft Skill

Abstract

The objective of this research is to know how student hone their soft skill along online learning during Covid-19 pandemic. It is a descriptive research, applied through interview and questionnaire survey among 15 students taken Leadership Class, Academic Year of 2020-2021. This study has discovered by providing group discussion session, lecturer has generated enthusiasm for learning and student’s interaction during online learning. To enhance students’ soft skill along online learning, it is found by optimizing the usage of media and method of learning; up to date SLP, integrated the LMS with Whatsapp function through Collaborative Learning. Students are schooled by submitting mind mapping sub-subject task, class discussion, FGD team discussion, PPT submission and oral presentation in specific time limit every meeting. It is provided from up to date case studies in every meeting that help students in providing the practitioner's view, hone critical thinking, presentation and public speaking skills.

References

Al Meajel, T.M., and Sharadgah, T.A. (2018). Barriers to Using The Blackboard System in Teaching and Learning: Faculty Perceptions, Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 23 (2): 351-366, available at: www.researchgate.net/publication/312136352.

Alawamleh, M. (2020). COVID-19 and Higher Education Economics, Journal of Economics and Economic Education Research, 21 (2): 1-2.

Albano, G. (2012). A Knowledge-Skill-Competencies E-Learning Model in Mathematics, Revista de Universidad y Sociedad del Conocimiento, 9 (1): 306-319.

Al-Mamun, MA. (2012). The Soft Skills Education For The Vocational Graduate: Value As Work Readiness Skills, British Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 2 (4): 326-338.

Andresen, MA. (2009). Asynchronous discussion forums: Success factors, outcomes, assessments, and limitations, Educational Technology and Society, 12 (1): 249-257.

Ayebi-Arthur, K. (2017). E-learning, resilience, and change in higher education: helping a university cope after a natural disaster, E-Learning and Digital Media, 14 (5): 259-274, doi: 10.1177/2042753017751712.

Baker, M., Chiasson, K., Mahar, P., Schroeder, S. and Terras, K. (2016). Students’ desired and experienced levels of connectivity to an asynchronous, online, distance degree program, Online Learning, 20 (3): 244-263.

Barberà, E., Layne, L. and Gunawardena, C.N. (2014). Designing online interaction to address disciplinary competencies: a cross-country comparison of faculty perspectives. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 15 (2).

Biasutti, M. (2011). The Student Experience of A Collaborative E-Learning University Module, Computers and Education, 57 (3): 1865-1875.

Chapman, K.J., and Van Auken, S. (2001). Creating Positive Group Project Experiences: An Examination of The Role of The Instructor on Students’ Perceptions of Group Projects, Journal of Marketing Education, 23 (2): 117-127.

Chen, P.S.D., Lambert, A.D., and Guidry, K.R. (2010). Engaging online learners: the impact of Web-based learning technology on college student engagement, Computers and Education, 54 (4): 1222-1232.

Choi, H.J., and Park, J.H. (2018). Testing a path-analytic model of adult dropout in online degree programs, Computers and Education, 116 (Supplement C): 130-138.

Dhawan, S. (2020). Online learning: a panacea in the time of COVID-19 crisis, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 49 (1): 4723952093401. doi: 10.1177/0047239520934018.

Education Bureau (EDB). (2020). Suspending Classes without Suspending Learning – eLearning, available at: https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/about-edb/press/cleartheair/20200402.html

Gillies, RM., and Boyle, M. (2010). Teachers’ reflections on cooperative learning: Issues of implementation, Teaching and Teacher Education, 26 (4): 933-940.

Hangman, J., and Almaenkinders et.al. (2003). Developing Soft Skills in Higher Education. Germany: PLA notes.

Hennessey, A., and Dionigi, RA. (2013). Implementing cooperative learning in Australian primary schools: Generalist teachers’ perspectives, Issues in Educational Research, 23 (1): 52-68.

Iahad, A., and Rahim, A. (2012). Acceptance and usage of ICT by university academicians using UTAUT model: A case study of University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Journal of Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Sciences, 3 (1): 81-89.

Ismail, R., Yussof, I., and Sieng, L.W. (2011). Employers’ Perceptions on Graduates in Malaysian Services Sector, International Business Management, 5 (3): 184-193.

Kurucay, M., and Inan, F.A. (2017). Examining the effects of learner-learner interactions on satisfaction and learning in an online undergraduate course, Computers and Education, 115: 20-37.

Lee, HJ., and Lim, C. (2012). Peer Evaluation in Blended Team Project Based Learning: What Do Students Find Important? Educational Technology and Society, 15 (4): 214-224.

Liguori, E.W., and Winkler, C. (2020). From of?ine to online: challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurship education following the COVID-19 pandemic, Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, doi: 10.1177/2515127420916738.

Marijana, D.Z., Aleksandra, B.L., and Aleksandar, R.M. (2011). Fostering Engineering E-Learning Courses With Social Network Services. In the 19th Telecommunications Forum (TELFOR ‘11), Serbia, Belgrade: 122-125.

Martin, A. (2020). How to Optimize Online Learning in The Age Coronavirus (COVID-19): A 5-Point For Guide For Educators, UNSW Newsroom, 53 (9): 1-30, doi: 10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004.

Mhlanga, D., and Moloi, T. (2020). COVID-19 and The Digital Transformation of Education: What Are We Learning on 4IR in South Africa?, Education Sciences, 10 (7): 180, doi: 10.3390/educsci10070180.

Mohamad, SMNH., Forret M., and Eames, C. (2013). Online collaborative learning in tertiary ICT education: Constraints and suggestions for improvement. In the International Conference on Informatics and Creative Multimedia (ICICM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 153-158. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICICM.2013.33.

Myers, T., Blackman, A., Andersen, T., Hay, R., Lee, I. and Gray, H. (2014). Cultivating ICT students’ interpersonal soft skills in online learning environments using traditional active learning techniques, Journal of Learning Design, 7: 38-53.

Noguera, I., Guerrero-Roldán, A.-E., and Maso, R. (2018). Collaborative agile learning in online environments: strategies for improving team regulation and project management, Computers and Education, 116: 110-129.

Nurbiha, A.S. (2012). Cognitive Engagement in Computer Supported Collaborative Learning Environment. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia.

Othman, M.B. (2012). Tahap Kompetensi Pelajar Melaksanakan Kerja Amali Berpandukan Domain Psikomotor Simpson. M.Sc. Thesis, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia.

Parkes, M., Stein, S. and Reading, C. (2014). Student preparedness for university e-learning environments, The Internet and Higher Education, 25: 1-10, doi: 10. 1016/j. iheduc.2014.10.002.

Petrovica, N., Jeremica, V., Cirovica, M., Radojicica, Z., and Milenkovica, N. (2014). Facebook versus Moodle in practice, American Journal of Distance Education, 28 (2): 117-125.

Pienaar, J., Wu, P. and Adams, N. (2015). Development of virtual teamwork skills for distance students through simulated global virtual team projects, Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 142 (1): 05015003.

Piyawan, C.K., Lauren, B., Mallory, L. and Megan, T. (2016). Evaluation of A Soft Skills Training Program, Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 79 (2): 154-179.

Sancho, P., Torrente, J., Marchiori, EJ., and Fernández-Manjón B. (2011). Enhancing Moodle to Support Problem Based Learning: The Nucleo Experience. In the IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON): 1177-1182. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON.2011.5773296

Simsek, A. (2011). Interview with Tony Bates on the aspects and prospects of online learning, Contemporary Educational Technology, 2 (1): 88-94.

Strømman, E. (2015). Participant activity and facilitator strategies in an LMS-based discussion forum, Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 9 (1): 43-65.

Swan, K. (2002). Building Learning Communities in Online Courses: The Importance of Interaction. Education, Communication and Information, 2 (1): 23-49.

Thoms, B., and Eryilmaz, E. (2014). How media choice affects learner interactions in distance learning classes. Computers and Education, 75: 112-126.

Tseng, H.W., and Yeh, H.T. (2013). Team Members’ Perceptions of Online Teamwork Learning Experiences and Building Teamwork Trust: A Qualitative Study, Computers and Education, 63: 1-9.

UNESCO. (2020). COVID-19 impact on education, available at: https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse

Yen, T.T.F. (2020). The Performance of Online Teaching For ?ipped Classroom Based On COVID-19 Aspect, Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 8 (3): 57-64, doi: 10.9734/ AJESS/2020/v8i330229.