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.

By Santosh Mahapatra

Carried out as part of the MODISH-EDI project, a large-scale survey of educators across several universities in India and across four disciplinary areas (Sciences, Humanities, Economics/Business and Medicine/Pharmacy) has revealed insights into the perceptions that teachers have of their own English language skills, the current use of technology for learning English and the importance of technology-facilitated learning and teaching in higher education in India.

The results from this survey show that most Indian teachers value English competence, with a mean score of 3.5472 on a 4-point scale, the highest among the four countries surveyed by the MODISH project as a whole (Bangladesh, China, India and Indonesia). Additionally, a large majority of teachers believe that there is significant emphasis on English, reflecting a historical debate in the country over linguistic priorities.

Regarding usage, just under half of the teachers surveyed reported conducting their classes entirely in English — which was again the highest proportion among the four surveyed countries. Moreover, teachers in India reported the highest prevalence of English use at their institutions, with a mean score of 4.5865 on a 5-point scale. The data shows that English is considered critical for professional growth, employment opportunities, and communication, indicating its dominant role in determining academic and professional success for students and teachers across disciplines.

Most teachers reported feeling the need to improve their English skills, suggesting the importance they attach to their language proficiency. They overwhelmingly maintain that digital tools play a crucial role in language learning, with most of them using laptops and three-quarters of them mobile phones for learning or practicing English. Additionally, a significant majority of them report a rise in the use of digital technology for assessment purposes, and say they are keen on leveraging more digital technology for the same in the future.

From an equity perspective, the Indian teachers surveyed in the project report that in many cases, students find it difficult to meet the English language requirements in higher education. This makes English proficiency a determining factor in obtaining a place in institutions of higher education and raises questions about the practice of equity and accessibility in relation to English language training for students from various sociocultural backgrounds.

Finally, most teachers in the survey assert that the importance of English in the Indian higher education system will continue to grow. Many feel that English will remain the dominant international language, which is an indication of the direction in which the language education system is likely to move in the country.

In sum, the findings suggest that English is and will continue to be crucial for achieving success in higher education in India with technology playing a strong supporting role, but that the high status of English in this regard has emerged as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the extensive use of English in classrooms further strengthens its role in academic discourse, research, and professional success. However, those who do not have access to high-quality English education, which is to say a majority of the population, may lag behind others who do have access. This divide may have long-term implications for socio-economic equality in the country.

The National Education Policy 2020 (Government of India, 2020) may have foreseen these challenges, resulting in the emphasis on multilingual approaches in higher education in the policy document. The policy strives to pave the way for students from regional language-medium educational backgrounds to join universities without being disadvantaged due to the dominance of English. However, the job market may not be as considerate. Thus, English-haves will continue to possess an edge over English-have-nots – at least for the next decade or so. The way to more equity may lie in the popularity of accessible AI tools in the country, with ChatGPT having a large user-base in India. Such tools have made English learning easier, more accessible and affordable.

Reference

Government of India. (2020). National Education Policy 2020.

https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf