Singaraja– Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha) held an initial orientation for Pre-service Teacher Professional Education (PPG), Monday (14/9/2020). The event which was opened by the Chancellor of Undiksha, Prof. Dr. I Nyoman Jampel, M.Pd., was attended by 28 participants for the Elementary School Teacher Education (PGSD) study program.
Undiksha PPG Secretary, Dr. I Wayan Widiana, S.Pd., M.Pd., explained that in order to be able to take part in the national program, participants must take tests relating to general knowledge, subject matter mastery, and psychological tests. “There are a lot of applicants for this program. But those who passed to join this program were 28 people. The selection is strict,” he explained. Delivered further, because this program takes place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, all stages are carried out online. These stages include independent learning with material for deepening expertise/fields of study, pedagogy, TPACK, and HOTS. Furthermore, the development of learning tools, comprehensive exams, PPL in partner schools, and continues with performance tests and knowledge tests. “We hope that this stage can be followed properly so that participants can become professional teachers,” he said.
The Chancellor of Undiksha, I Nyoman Jampel invited all participants to be able to take advantage of this PPG to improve academic abilities, nationalism, and so on so that later they would be able to become educators who are more competitive. “So don’t waste this opportunity. I also want the participants to become figures of character. Indonesian character,” he said.
It is hoped that implementing PPG online will not reduce the quality of the program and participants can pass one hundred percent. “Online learning is not inferior to face-to-face. This needs to be supported by the readiness of all participants, so they can get the best results,” said the Chancellor from Nusa Dua, Badung Regency. On this occasion, it was also conveyed that as an Education Personnel Education Institution (LPTK), Undiksha continues to strive to improve the quality of learning and the student recruitment process, especially in the education sector. “Undiksha as an academic institution that produces prospective teachers has made many changes, especially in terms of the teaching and learning process, both in terms of its human resources, learning tools, and infrastructure,” he explained.
He added that Undiksha does not only equip graduates with knowledge and competence. But also build the capacity for critical thinking, analytical thinking, collaboration, communication, compassion, and computational thinking. “This ability will be very useful for them in the future, where circumstances are always changing and uncertain. Data literacy, technology, and humanities are important things that must be mastered by our students,” said Jampel.
After the opening, the participants were given material about the direction and quality policy of the LPTKs with the Deputy Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Cooperation of Undiksha, Dr. Gede Rasben Dantes, S.T., M.T.I. In addition, on September 15, 2020, participants also attended a public lecture with speakers from the KPK and the Directorate General of Teachers and Education Personnel, Ministry of Education and Culture.
Apart from pre-service PPG, in 2020, Undiksha is also implementing PPG in positions that have entered phase III, with a total of 1,078 participants in various study programs. The participants were not only from Bali but also from Central Java, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and South Kalimantan. (hms)
