By Yuli Tiarina

In recent years, the rapid development of English and digital and mobile technologies use has transformed the landscape of higher education in Indonesia. The way we teach and assess students is continually evolving. Although these advancements offer exciting opportunities, they also raise critical questions about their impact on educational ecologies, on how they are reshaping teaching and learning in higher education, what the implications for teachers, students, and institutions are, and how they impact equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) practices in English language education. In this blog post, these questions will be explored by referring to Indonesian teachers’ attitudes as expressed in data from the MODISH project.

Interviews were conducted with 5 non-native English teachers from 5 higher education institutions, including both public and private universities. Each of them was questioned on their attitudes towards English, their experience of using English in higher education, their technology use in teaching and learning, and EDI. Regarding their attitude and experience of using English, all teachers responded positively. They perceive that English has been more popular in Indonesia in recent times. Young people, when speaking, frequently shift between their local language and Bahasa to common words in English. However, English is still primarily limited to international classes rather than regular ones. From the perspective of use frequency, English in regular classes tends to be seen as a companion language. This is a result of the students’ English competency which is considered low, so teachers feel it is difficult to get themselves understood if speaking English only. Consequently, Bahasa with local language interruption is mostly used to assist both teachers and students achieve the course learning outcomes.

In regard to technology use in teaching and learning, the participants’ responses disclose similar conveniences and challenges. They acknowledged that they were facilitated by their universities in terms of technologies to use in on-site classes, including computers, smart televisions, and projectors. Likewise for online classes they were supplied with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and virtual meeting platforms, such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, supported by an internet connection. They positively perceived the convenience of using those tools, feeling that technology facilitated a dynamic teaching environment. They reported that teaching is more flexible when they can be connected to students while also on other duties. However, technical issues on devices and unreliable connections presented challenges. Although all students have good adaptive skills in the use of technology, dealing with problematic devices and connections still distracted their attention and disrupted the timeline of teaching. Problems of this sort can create anxiety for students as they are not able to keep up with lectures, especially during the test period.

With regards to issues of EDI, generally all universities broadly reflect the social diversity of the country. The teachers reported that there are no discriminating entry requirements in terms of gender, geographical location, and socio-economic background. All prospective students are required to pass the administered tests. Furthermore, the universities provide scholarships for students from low economic backgrounds or they assist students towards getting Indonesian government scholarships.

A requirement for English proficiency only applies to certain departments after the students are accepted, such as courses in English Language Education and Literature, and International Relations. Proficiency is tested via internal assessment exercises, carried out by the Language Center Unit of each university. The results are then used to map students’ study groups, thus reducing the possibility of discrimination. Every student has a fair right to learn, as well as to use all the facilities and learning resources provided.

In conclusion, the teachers’ views reveal trends towards equality and inclusion in higher education in Indonesia. The use of English and technology is reshaping the teaching and learning environment to be more flexible and convenient, and highlights no specific gaps for students from diverse backgrounds. The data suggests that all students have equal access to learning resources facilitated by technology. This helps teachers to treat their students equitably both in teaching and assessment.