01.Mindamas.Lecture.Series.18.09.2021.Prof Dinn Wahyudin of UPI in Bandung

Summary

The lecture examines Indonesia’s Merdeka Belajar–Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) policy—“Freedom to Learn–Independent Campus”—as a framework for developing and implementing university curricula.

Main Ideas

• Curriculum has both a formal definition and a practical purpose. Prof. Dinn Wahyudin refers to Indonesia’s higher-education regulations, which describe a curriculum as a plan and arrangement of learning objectives, content, teaching materials, and methods used to guide learning. He emphasizes that curriculum should be treated as a working plan, not merely a definition in a regulation.
• Curriculum planning happens at several levels. Universities establish an overall framework, while lecturers translate it into courses, teaching activities, and assessments.
• MBKM broadens where students can learn. Students may study in their own department, take learning opportunities elsewhere in their university, or gain experience outside their campus. Curriculum design therefore needs to support learning across different settings.
• The curriculum should prepare students for contemporary challenges. Alongside subject knowledge, it should develop communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking—the skills highlighted in the lecture as important for the 21st century.
• Teaching, learning materials, and assessment need to work together. Course content and materials should support the intended graduate competencies; teaching methods and media should fit the learning context; and assessment should provide useful evidence of what students have learned.
• The pandemic exposed practical challenges. Online and remote teaching required suitable materials and delivery methods, as well as cooperation among teachers, parents, and communities. The lecturer also raises concerns about learning loss and whether assessments accurately reflect students’ own achievement.

Curriculum-Design Approach Discussed

1. Define the intended graduate profile and competencies. Clarify what students should know and be able to do at the end of a program.
2. Choose and organize the essential content. Select material that directly supports those outcomes rather than treating coverage of content as an end in itself.
3. Plan the learning experience and delivery. Decide how learning will take place—in class, online, or through activities beyond the home campus—and choose appropriate teaching strategies and media.
4. Prepare learning resources. Develop suitable books, modules, and other materials, individually or collaboratively, especially when students cannot rely on face-to-face instruction.
5. Assess learning against the intended competencies. Use appropriate assessments to identify students’ progress and any gaps. Be cautious when interpreting results if outside assistance, including help from parents, may affect the work submitted.
6. Review and adapt the curriculum. Use evidence about student learning to adjust content, instruction, and assessment.

Country Comments and Discussion

• Brunei Darussalam: A representative was invited to comment on the country’s education system and policy, but the relevant portion of the subtitles is too garbled to summarize reliably.
• Philippines: A representative described flexible distance-learning arrangements, including printed learning modules for students without reliable internet access and online options where connectivity and devices were available. The account also mentioned teacher feedback, multiple learning modalities, and monitoring students’ progress.
• Japan: A representative said that schools used online learning during the pandemic, while face-to-face classes continued or resumed where possible, with precautions such as masks and physical distancing.
• Malaysia: A representative was invited to contribute, but the moderator said they had not joined the meeting.

The session closed with thanks to the speakers and participants and an announcement of a future MINDAMAS lecture on Brunei culture.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Prof. Dinn Wahyudin, lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), Bandung.
• Andi, the event host/moderator; the subtitles identify him as “Mister Andi,” but his full name is not clearly stated there.
• Brunei Darussalam representative, invited to comment; name and remarks are unclear in the subtitles.
• Philippines representative, identified in the subtitles as Professor Laura/Laurel Ocampo; the exact name is uncertain.
• Japan representative, whose name appears inconsistently as Yukina Kata/Yuki Nagato in the subtitles.
• Malaysia representative, invited but reported as not yet present.
• Prof. Jose Ocampo, mentioned in the closing remarks and in connection with a recommendation; the subtitles do not clearly establish a separate presentation by him.