Using Blended Learning in the EFL Classroom During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: A Narrative Inquiry

With the rapid development of information and communication technologies, some learning platforms have been used in the educational setting, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper reports on blended learning or online and face-to-face learning practices viewed from lecturers and students' perspectives at an Indonesian higher education institution. To capture the participants' experiences, a narrative inquiry approach was adopted to the scope of blended learning in the English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom. In gathering the data, narrative interviews were used with four lecturers and four students. The findings reveal that the EFL lecturers used various online learning platforms in blended learning classes. Furthermore, both the EFL lecturers and students provided positive responses regarding blended learning. However, challenges were highlighted in the process of its implementation. These challenges include limited time allocation, poor internet connection, and students' self-study unawareness. This paper highlights the need to reschedule proper time allocation, design the best teaching methods and materials in blended learning, provide the best internet connection, and encourage student motivation in blended learning. © Authors.

Optimizing Efforts to Prevent and Control the Spread of Covid-19 in Lamongan Regency with the Simplex Method Linear Programming

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its disease called Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have been the main topic of discussion in various media today. Especially since March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. Lamongan Regency is one of the red zone districts in East Java with 3, 317 active cases as of July 1, 2021. The purpose of this research is to find out the combination of prevention and control efforts using linear programming with the simplex method that must be implemented in the Lamongan Regency. The researchers used using Linear Programming Simplex Method and POM-QM software for analyzing the data. The objective function of Simplex Method is to maximize prevention and control efforts. From the results of the study, and based on calculations from the simplex linear programming method and validated with POM-QM, the combination of efforts to prevent and control COVID-19 in Lamongan Regency that must be done is to increase efforts to wear masks in Deket District by 13, 014 people, increase efforts to maintain distance and avoid crowds in Bluluk District by 0, 9433%, to add health workers in Lamongan District were added to 477, 185 people, and to add vaccinations in Sukodadi District by 10, 236 people. Linear programming is a field of operations research that can be used for decision making. © 2022 American Institute of Physics Inc.. All rights reserved.

Quality analysis of non-medical fabric in terms of convenience, air permeability and sterilization

In the current Covid-19 era, personal protective equipment (PPE) is difficult to find and very much needed by medical personnel in service. People also need PPE to maintain health. Mask is one of the PPEs that is difficult to find and buy. Mostly, pharmacies run out of it and if there is any, the price goes up highly. UNNES, as a university, formed a COVID-19 Task Force during the Covid-19 period to help prevent the disease spread in the internal campus community. The UNNES Covid-19 Task Force prepared 3000 hand sanitizers and disinfectants, and 5100 masks for lecturers and staff. Fashion Design Major of Home Economics Department of Engineering Faculty of UNNES is appointed by the university to design and produce cloth masks to be distributed to lecturers and educational staff. The production of these UNNES non-medical masks went viral on social media and was even covered by a famous social media account named Lambe Turah. With various limitations, they produced 2-layer masks with pleated design on the outer side and a pocket on the inside that can be filled with a sheet of tissue as a filter. In addition, they also produced 2-layer cloth masks. A total of 4500 masks have been distributed to lecturers and staff for use. Moreover, there are 600 more masks that still need to be studied from the aspect of function, comfort and aesthetic and need to be tested in laboratory, particularly in the aspect of dust, microbes and air, as well as sterilization. Based on the above conditions, it is necessary to conduct research related to the analysis of mask quality developed and produced by Home Economics Department of Engineering Faculty of UNNES during the Covid-19 period. This study aims to describe the quality of cloth masks from the aspect of comfort and medical, such as the mask permeability and sterilization. The research approach was a survey based on user evaluation and experimentation through laboratory tests. The survey used a questionnaire via Google form to reveal the assessment of masks from the aspect of comfort. Experiments were carried out through sample tests for air permeability and sterilization in the health laboratory of PT Sucofindo, Semarang. The result of the research with respondents from lecturers and educational staff showed that the masks that had a very high quality is 50.71%;the ones with high quality is 37.14%;those which are moderate in quality is 3.51 and 0.71 had low quality. The laboratory test result of the UNNES non-medical mask based on the air permeability aspect showed that it had low air absorption because when it was tested using fire blow test, the fire did not go out. The sterility test results for non-medical cloth masks showed that they were not yet sterile. Non-medical masks already have very good quality in terms of comfort, function and aesthetic as well as low air absorption so that they are very useful for lecturers and staff to maintain health from the escalating Covid-19 pandemic. New non-medical cloth mask products are not sterile. Therefore, a thorough clean-up is required before using. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Validity and reliability of mathematical instruments in online learning using the Rasch measurement model at UM lab school

The existence of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has resulted in the implementation of learning changing from offline to online learning. Likewise, the performance of learning at SMA Lab UM is carried out online. Mathematics learning, which has been difficult for the average high school student, is also conducted online. Take online exams for all subjects at Lab High School using the application ThatQuiz. The validity and reliability of the mathematics subject test instrument applied to ThatQuiz need to be known. It is beneficial for the preparation of a better test instrument. In this article, measuring the mathematical test instrument's validity and reliability used Rasch modeling with Winteps software. Respondents were 67 students of grade 11 for mathematics as many as 25 questions with a choice of answers. This software's output statistical summary produces person reliability=0.55, Cronbach Alpha 0.63, and reliability items of 0.91. Of these three things, the consistency of student answers is weak, the interaction between students and the overall question items is sufficient, and the quality of the items is good. The construct validity was analyzed based on the correlation of person measure and outfit and MNSQ infit. It was obtained that the MNSQ infit value was between 0.83 and 1.29. At the same time, the MNSQ outfit values range between 0.80 and 3.35. Knowledge of measuring the validity and reliability of a test instrument is needed by the teacher to improve students' quality of the test instrument. © 2021 Author(s).

Face to Face Learning vs Blended Learning vs Online Learning (Student Perception of Learning)

The coronavirus covid19 pandemic crisis in Indonesia has caused all lectures to be conducted online (online learning), so that all students have experienced face to face learning, blended learning, and online learning. The purpose of this study is to determine student perceptions of learning, which learning is most preferred by students between face to face learning, blended learning, and online learning. The research method used is descriptive research with a quantitative approach. Respondents were 100 students of Islamic Religious Education study programs. The results showed that face to face learning was the most preferred choice by students of the Islamic Religious Education study Program in IAIN Takengon, which is 78 students or at 78%, while a total of 20 students or 20% of the study was done in blended learning, and only 2 students or 2% who chose online learning. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.