Alternative Distance Learning Media During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Distance learning is learning that is not carried out face to face. Therefore, teachers must deliver the material well using suitable media so that students can learn enjoyably.

Over the past year, learning has been carried out without face-to-face meetings. Many obstacles have occurred, making learning ineffective. Teachers should master and learn everything that touches on technology. It is a very significant change: teachers who used to carry attendance lists and subject books into the classroom now have to hold a mobile phone and open a laptop.

Learning materials must be packaged attractively, such as by turning the material into PowerPoint and animated videos that will later be sent via WhatsApp, YouTube and Google Classroom. However, there are several other alternative learning media that can help teachers deliver learning material with the expected learning characteristics, namely interactive games, online web, running on Android and easy to use.

1.   Quizizz

Quizizz is a website for creating interactive quiz games that can be used in classroom learning (it can be used for learning evaluation). Quizizz can now be accessed on the Play Store for Android users, so it is more practical to use and of course mobile friendly. The interactive quizzes created have 4 options including the correct answer. The question display is very attractive because images can be added to the background of the questions.

Quizizz can be done not only in class but also at home, and then students' performance results can be seen directly by looking at the data and statistics. When giving questions, teachers can set the time for completing them. So, students will not be able to work on the questions beyond the set time.

After students finish, the scores will be shown ranked from the highest to the lowest, from the fastest to the slowest. The Quizizz display is very attractive so that students will not feel they are doing exercises but rather playing a game. There is music, there are funny memes, and the ranking is live.

 

Students will be trained to be honest because they cannot copy their friends' work, the questions are randomised, and after finishing, students can see and correct their own answers by looking back at the results they have submitted. Quizizz can help teachers carry out item analysis of the questions and it can be downloaded as an Excel file. Teachers can see the highest to the lowest scores, each student's correct and incorrect answers will be reported, teachers can see the percentage of quiz achievement for all students, and each student's results can be emailed to their parents.

 

2.   Kahoot

Kahoot is a platform resulting from a joint project collaboration between the Norwegian University of Technology and Science, with Johan Brand and Jamie Brooker as initiators. Kahoot has two website addresses: https://Kahoot.com/ for teachers and https://Kahoot.it/ for students. This platform can be accessed and all of its features used free of charge. The special feature of this platform is that it prioritises the learning evaluation process through group games, although it can be played individually, and it must be connected through an internet network.

Kahoot, as a digital game-based learning medium, can be optimised to increase students' motivation and independence. Kahoot can also be used to make the learning evaluation process easier. For developing students' intellectual intelligence, Kahoot content can be created to encourage students to delve deeper into every material taught. Kahoot can be used not only for learning inside the classroom, but also as a learning assignment done outside the classroom.

Another advantage is the presence of features – features for analysing the evaluation of each student's learning results and each question item, making it easier for teachers to carry out analysis and give feedback on learning results. In addition, there is a growing amount of game quiz content that is available free of charge and used for entertainment and practice.

 

3.   Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a blended online learning application that can be used free of charge. Google Classroom can serve as a distance learning medium solution for teachers to send assignments and communicate with students without having to meet face to face. Teachers create a class and share a private code, or it is automatically imported from the school domain, with their students so that students can join the class.

Teachers and students can share files through Google Classroom via Google Drive for creating and distributing assignments, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for writing, Gmail for communication, and Google Calendar for scheduling. Google Classroom can be accessed through Android, which makes it easier for students to submit assignments, documents, photos and files, share files from other applications and access information offline.

Teachers can comment on and grade students directly and can monitor each student's progress. In fact, Google Classroom makes it easier for teachers to manage online learning and convey information quickly to students by using the various features available in Google Classroom such as assignments, grading, communication, time-cost, archive course, mobile application, and privacy.

 

4.   WhatsApp

WhatsApp is still the main choice of teachers and students for communicating in distance learning, especially in primary schools. Parents are more familiar with the WhatsApp application, so it is easy to communicate with teachers.  

The features that can be used in WhatsApp include Messages, Group Chat, WhatsApp Web and desktop, Voice and video calls, Photos and videos, Audio, Documents and end-to-end encryption.

The advantages of WhatsApp as a learning medium include (1) there is no need to log in first to access WhatsApp if the phone number is already registered; (2) it is directly connected with the contacts of other WhatsApp users; (3) users can exchange contacts with other users; (4) it can send messages to many people (broadcast); (5) the application does not use up too much data; (6) teachers and students can discuss and hold question-and-answer sessions more relaxedly; (7) you can see who has read and who is inactive; (8) teachers can send documents, photos, audio and video as learning material to students through the WhatsApp group; (9) teachers and students can easily view and review learning material on their phones; and (10) teachers and students can communicate anytime and anywhere.

From the various learning media above, teachers can choose which medium is more suitable to use so that the learning process does not become monotonous and students are enthusiastic about taking part in learning even though they are not learning face to face.

Newspaper: Mata Banua

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