Challenges and Response to Distance Education During Covid-19: The Christian State Institute of Ambon Experience

Abstract

The Ambon Christian State Institute (Institut Agama Kristen Negeri Ambon) began distance learning in April 2020, after Indonesian government  through Minister of Education and Culture release  circular letter officially number 2,3 of 2020 concerning online learning and working  from home as a measure to prevent  spread corona virus disease (covid-19). This paper investigates the challenges and  responses to the implementation decision of distance learning at the Ambon State Christian Institute  (IAKN) campus. Just like other Universities in Various places, distance learning is the first experience at IAKN Ambon. therefore it contained  number challenges  starting from the infrastructure immediacy  to lecturers and students themselves of readiness face to the policy. However strategic steps were taken in response to this decision.  The result of adjustment to distance education process at IAKN Ambon show that learning in the even semester 2019-2020 can run properly, there are progress and success of distance learning that are very encouraging.  In a short period of time, IAKN Ambon can improve it through the creation and use an E-Learning application that integrates learning and assessment process. In addition to the success as mentioned  above, it turn out there  are many challenges that should be  considered and worked  the utilization of the technology in order to make distance learning successful, besides the content and learning methods that must be kept updated. On this occasion, we will discuss what the experience at IAKN Ambon was like.