21st Century Implications (Digital Era) on Teaching and Learning Process

in SMP Negeri 3 Pangkalan Kerinci

By Titia Kanesthi K.W.P.

A. BACKGROUND
Nowadays we have already got into high order of technology era ( Digital Era) that is
signed by technologies that act on information which influence all human activities, and
cause hook effects. All systems that use information technology are defined by 'network
logic', it means that those human “think” not only with their brain but with their “network
brain” as well. These new technologies are very flexible, allowing them to adapt and change
constantly. Here and then these technologies are getting improved to improve the quality of
human life. At last we have produced product and service, but now we also produce
information. For example, at last we “communicate” our thinking through poetry, poster,
song etc, but now we have so many social media with “post”, “like” and “share” to
communicate with others.
The change of the world towards the era of digital society revolution also happened in
the world of learning. It requires us to master 21st century skills that is able to understand and
utilize information and communication technology (ICT Literacy Skills). Education plays a
very important and strategic role in building skilled knowledge society that has technology
and media literacy, to communicate effectively, critical thinking, solve the problem; and
collaborate. However, the issue of ICT Literacy in our society needs great efforts to solve this
problem.
SMP Negeri 3 Pangkalan Kerinci is a state school that has a goal to implement learning
and guidance effectively and competitively. It also encourage and help students to recognize
their potential so that it can be developed optimally in this digital era. It also try to improve
the education quality by creating innovation program in Literacy and training teachers to
have reading and writing skills in order to achieve the best result for education.

B. OBJECTIVES
How is the consequences of the development of 21st century learning for teachers
at SMPN 3 Pangkalan Kerinci to face the challenges of learning the digital era?
C. CONTENT
a. The Role of Teacher at SMPN 3 Pangkalan Kerinci

Day by day, era changes, demand changes, society also changes, and education
changes as well. In this network era, education must contain technology and media literacy
because they are valuable to create building skill knowledge, so that teacher can
communicate and transfer knowledge to students. Critical teacher will create students with
critical thinking, which is important to solve many problem in life and to build students
attitude so that students will have social intelligency to collaborate and to work
cooperatively.
High order of education needs teacher with high order ability. Nowadays, a teacher
must have ability to use and apply technology in daily teaching learning, teacher must
improve his knowledge to use or even to create the technology itself. Because it has so many
advantages, both for teacher and students. Technology facilitate teachers and students in
finding alternative sources of learning, it means teacher with no ability, will be lack of
alternative sources of learning. Teachers can clarify the material by presenting picture , quiz
and interesting animation. Teaching learning activity will be more efficient, knowledge
increases, teachers will know and follow the development of material and other info related
to the field of study, using technology will assist ICT-literate students.
Unfortunately, at SMPN 3 Pangkalan kerinci is established in June 2015 with no
buiding, teaching learning processes in small building that is rent, until the new building is
done and officially used in January 2018. Automatically, lack of facilities is the main
problem of SMPN 3 pangkalan kerinci, included electricity, computers, internet, laboratory
and building. Those cause teachers rarely use a fun way of teaching, I mean digital way. Most
of them only using the method of explaining and describing the theory on a book. Sometimes
teachers do not bring tools or media teaching in the classroom.
In the meantime, the 21st century learning world demands the characteristics of
teachers, as the facilitator, must a motivator and inspirator. Teachers must have high interest
in reading and must have the ability to write. Having high reading interest is not enough for
teachers, but must have the skills to write. By writing book or scientific work, teachers can
create their innovative ideas.
Only 10 % of teachers in SMPN 3 Pangkalan Kerinci who have already written
books, and articles. Some of them read a lot but mostly, teachers do not read books and
references outside of their students. Teachers rarely do research and write an article or other
journal.
Teachers also must be creative and innovative in developing learning methods or
finding solutions to learning problems, in order to enhance quality of ICT-based learning.
Mastery of e-learning for teacher is a necessity. In fact, sometimes teachers do not conduct
evaluation to improve ICT skils. They should take some course.
Last but not the least, teachers in this rapid development of the era of digital
technology, however, must be able to make cultural transformation, from the old one to
something new. Careless, passive, reluctant, and careless, in the 21st century needs to be
transformed into high curiosity, proactive, accurate, detailed, and confidence attitude.
Willingness to improve is often hampered by obstacles faced by teachers in SMPN 3
Pangkalan Kerinci. they tend to quickly give up without meaningful effort. they should be
encouraged to be better.

b. The Role of Students at SMPN 3 Pangkalan Kerinci

On teaching learning activity, students are one of the human components that have an
important position in the learning process to have goals, achieve goals optimally.
Meanwhile, the 21st century requires the characteristics of students, such as, learning and
innovation skills: critical thinking and problem solving in collaborative and innovative
communication and creativity; digital literacy expertise: new media literacy and ICT literacy;
and, life and career skills: possessing flexible initiatives and adaptive initiatives, and social
skills in intercultural interactions, productive and accountable leadership skills, and
accountability. Students are one of the human components that occupy an important position
in the learning process because students as parties who want to achieve goals, have goals and
then want to achieve it optimally. They need consistent guidance and direction toward the
optimal point of their ability. So, in the process of learning is first considered is the student,
how the circumstances and abilities, then determine the components after the other.
Students of SMPN 3 Pangkalan Kerinci are lack of computer, electricity, and internet
facilities. Actually students can come to the Warnet as a partner in the teaching-learning
process. But the willingness of students to study seriously is still low. At the time students are
assigned with discovery learning method, students must look for things related to it by
searching (down load) from the internet. Teachers also give tasks that require students to
access from the internet. But students less focus on learning from the internet about things
that are up to date related to knowledge. They tend to like games and unrelated videos.
Students should be used to critical thinking and become self-taught learners, but this only
happens in a small partof students.

D. CLOSING

Conclusion
By knowing so much the benefits of the ICT in the world of education, especially in
the process of teaching and learning, the school should be more open to the existence of this
internet facility. School task is no longer just introducing the internet to students and teachers,
but must utilize the internet as optimal as possible so that the benefits can be felt for teachers,
students and teaching-learning process itself.
A student will easily learn, achieve best results, not only because of their willingness
themselves, but they need the support of various factors both external and internal. External
factors that include curriculum, teachers, environmental, tool and teaching methods. It should
be there to support the students in order to be as good as possible and as much as possible in
learning, achieving learning outcomes and using learning outcomes in this 21st Century.