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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MERDEKA BELAJAR KAMPUS

MERDEKA THEORI FREIRE PROGRAM

Dina Gasong, Normalia Sirande

Universitas Kristen Indonesia Toraja., Indonesia

Email: dinag[email protected]m, n[email protected]

ABSTRACT

Learning that prioritizes freedom of expression, smart in socializing, and virtuous becomes the principle

of independent Learning Program. This principle has been introduced by Paulo Freire, which is also in

line with the principles of Constructivism. The purpose of this study was to describe the effectiveness

of the implementation of the independent Learning Independent Campus (MBKM) program for UKI

Toraja students. The research method applied is a qualitative approach, with data collection techniques

through open questionnaires to students. The implementation phase of the research started from the

registration of MBKM programming students, followed by sending an open questionnaire to interns at

the South Sulawesi Language Center by applying the principle of Independent Learning according to a

constructivist approach. The second stage is to classify the results of the questionnaire from students,

then discuss the results of the questionnaire, by linking the results of the questionnaire with the

constructivist approach, and Paulo Freire's theory. To determine the validity of the data, triangulation

was carried out to students regarding the results of the questionnaire. This research was conducted in

the even semester of 2021/2022, for UKI Toraja students in 2019. The results showed that the

Independent Learning Campus (MBKM) was effective in developing creativity, independence, and

social interaction. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended for further researchers to

examine aspects of personal communication in the implementation of the Independent Learning

Campus (MBKM) program.

Keywords: Independent Learning Program, Constructivism, Teori Paulo Freire

INTRODUCTION

Fun learning is a dream for every student. Learning while playing, or learning while

traveling, or learning while making friends with many people, is learning that demands

independence or freedom (Yamin & Syahrir, 2020). Learning does not have to be in a room

that limits space for movement, but studying under a tree, or learning to enjoy a tourist trip is

a recommended condition in independent learning (Hendri, 2020).

Freedom to learn adheres to the principle that learning can happen anywhere, and

anytime. The principle of independent learning, namely how to master data literacy,

technological literacy, and human literature (Sholihah, 2021). These learning needs demand a

change from uniform learning to learning diversity. Creative learning, and independent

learning are very important roles in the independent learning program. Not confined to

confined classrooms. Paulo Freire decades ago had suggested this (Mustaghfiroh, 2020). For

Freire education was a permanent path of freedom. Learn by......, not learn to........ Freire's

concept is in line with the concept of Constructivism which adheres to the idea of learning how

to learn, learning to do. Knowledge is constructed by the learner himself. Likewise, the

principle of freedom of learning is strongly based on Friere's opinion.

The independent learning program has been implemented in several campuses in

Indonesia, but how the independent learning program is currently implemented for students,

became the basis for this research (Sudaryanto, Widayati, & Amalia, 2020). Therefore, this

study focuses on the application of the MBKM program to UKI Toraja students. The results of

this study are useful in providing information for the campus regarding the implementation of

Injuruty: Interdiciplinary Journal and Humanity

Volume 3, Number 3, March 2024

e-ISSN: 2963-4113 and p-ISSN: 2963-3397

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the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka program. In addition, it becomes information for

subsequent researchers as reference material (Yamin & Syahrir, 2020).

Free Learning Education is a response to the needs of the education system in the era of

the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (Lase, 2019). Furthermore, it is said that the main needs to be

achieved in the education system in the industrial era 4.0 are mastery of data literacy,

technological literacy, and human literacy.

Teachers and students have not felt enough autonomy to determine the direction of their

learning and teaching policies because they are still regulated by regulations that make plans,

implementation processes, and evaluations carried out seem limited and binding. Hendri,

(2020)based on the principle of Free Learning which is relevant to Constructivistic learning

theory. Proram Merdeka Belajar (Outing Class) makes students comfortable, which not only

provides explanations from lecturers or teachers but rather shapes the character of students,

including daring to argue, independent, smart in getting along, polite, competent in their fields,

and virtuous in society (Febriana, 2021; Ibrahim, Cut, & Marwan, 2021). The teaching system

outside the classroom is an alternative to learning with the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka

(MBKM) program.

Tabel 1 Program Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM)

Program MBKM

Internship

Infrontden studies

There are several benefits of participating in the Independent Campus Program, including

the following: (1) practical activities in the field will be converted into credits; (2) Exploration

of knowledge and abilities in the field for more than one semester (3) Learning and expanding

networks outside the study program or home campus; (4) Gain knowledge directly from

qualified and reputable partners.

Table 2 Policies Program Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM)

Program MBKM

Opening of new Study Program

Accreditation System PT

Convenience of being PTN-BH

Right to Study 3 semesters outside the study program

The purpose of studying 3 semesters outside the study program is to improve the

competence of graduates, both soft skills and hard skills, to be more prepared and relevant to

the needs of the times, preparing graduates as future leaders of the nation who are superior and

have personality. Experiential learning programs with flexible pathways are expected to

facilitate students to develop their potential in accordance with their passions and talents.

The school of progressivism emphasizes the importance of the basics of independence

and freedom to learners (Little, 2013). Students are given the freedom to develop talents and

abilities that are hidden in themselves without being hampered by formal rules that sometimes

shackle their creativity and thinking power to be better. In the context of education in Indonesia,

the concept of "freedom of learning" launched by the new Minister of Education and Culture

of the Republic of Indonesia is considered a big policy to make education in Indonesia better

and more advanced. In addition, the concept of "freedom of learning" has the same direction

and goals as the concept of John Dewey's school of progressivism educational philosophy

(Mustaghfiroh, 2020).

The teaching system in Indonesia was originally nuanced in the classroom, changed to

outside the classroom. The teaching system outside the classroom is more convenient, because

students can discuss with the teacher more broadly (Ramadania & Aswadi, 2020). Learning

with outing class, is learning that not only listens to the teacher's explanation, but rather forms

the character of students who are brave, independent, smart in getting along,civilized, polite,

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competent, and not only relying on the ranking system (ranking) which according to some

surveys onlydisturbs children and parents, because actually every child has talent and

intelligencehis in their respective fields. Later, students who are ready to work and competent,

and virtuous in the community will be formed.

Constructivism is a school of philosophy of knowledge that emphasizes that knowledge

is the result of our own construction. Knowledge cannot simply be transferred from a lecturer

to a student. It is the students themselves who must interpret what has been received from the

lecturer by adjusting to their experiences or constructions that they have built or had before.

Many students misconception shows that knowledge cannot simply be transferred, but must be

constructed or at least interpreted and transformed by students themselves. This constructivist

philosophy is the foundation for many learning strategies, such as student-centered learning,

replacing traditional learning strategies known as teacher-centered learning. Constructivism

holds the principle that knowledge is formed or constructed themselves by learners, after

acquiring a certain amount of experience stored into accommodation, assimilation, and

aquilibrium proposed by Jean Piaget. In addition, it is argued that the determinant of learning

success is freedom. The learner is a subject who must be able to use the freedom to exercise

self-regulation in learning. Control of learning is held by the learner. Only in the realm of

freedom can the learner express a meaning different from the result of his interpretation of

everything that exists in the real world.

According to this theory, science is built in an individual through a continuous process

of interaction with the environment. This process does not run intermittently, fragmentarily,

but through a flowing, continuous process thoroughly. Like someone who plays music, this

person does not understand the block notes displayed on the sheet music as information that is

independent of each other, but as a whole that fully enters his thoughts and feelings. As you

read this, it is not fragmentary alphabets that you absorb and chew in your mind, but words,

sentences, paragraphs that all seem to be one.

Learning from several learning theories as follows:

a. Educators' efforts to shape the desired behavior by providing an environment, so that there

is a stimulus (environment) relationship with student behavior.

b. The way educators provide opportunities for students to think in order to understand what

is learned

c. Provide freedom to students to choose learning materials and how to learn them according

to their interests and abilities.

Learning is oriented to how students behave, giving the meaning that learning is a

collection of individual processes, which change from the stimulus of one's environment to the

state of a certain amount of information, which in turn causes learning outcomes in the form of

long-term memory. So, it can be concluded that the learning process is a communication

process between educators and students, or between students. In the process of communication,

it can be verbal (oral), and can also be nonverbal, such as the use of media in learning.

Four Pillars of Education

Danim (2011: 188) explained that UNESCO has outlined four main pillars of education,

namely learning to know, as the foundation of science, learning to do , learning to be, and

learning to live together (learn to live together, live in partnership, and at the same time

competent, coexist and friendly between nations)

RESEARCH METHOD

The research method applied is a qualitative descriptive approach. A research method

based on the philosophy of post positivism, which is carried out on natural object conditions

(Sugiyono, 2017). Qualitative descriptive research aims to describe, describe, explain, explain

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and answer in more detail the problem to be studied by studying as much as possible an

individual, a group or an event. In qualitative research, humans are research instruments and

the results of writing are in the form of words or statements that are in accordance with the

actual situation. The research was carried out at UKI Toraja on students participating in the

Even Semester 2021/2022 internship. The data collection technique is to distribute open

questionnaires to students. Qualitative research can use questionnaires, in the form of open

statements, which are answered according to respondents' opinions (Hennink, Hutter, & Bailey,

2020). Data analysis techniques are carried out inductively / qualitatively by identifying data,

and grouping it based on the principle of independent learning. To find out the validity of the

data, triangulation was carried out to students regarding the results of the questionnaire.

Triangulation is done when there is an answer or writing that is not clear. There are 3 questions

outlined in the open questionnaire related to the Merdeka Belajar Program, namely the

development of creative abilities, the development of independence abilities, and the

development of social interaction skills.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Based on the results of questionnaires from students, several aspects related to capacity

development in the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) program can be discussed.

There are three components that can be discussed from the results of the questionnaire, namely

(1) developing creativity; (2) develop the ability to be self-reliant; (3) develop social interaction

skills. The three aspects are discussed one by one below. develop social interaction skills. The

three aspects are discussed one by one below.

Developing Creativity skills

During our time participating in MBKM at Balai Bahasa Sulawesi Selatan we felt more

creative and more confident in developing opinions. Participating in the MBKM program at

Balai Bahasa Makassar really develops creativity to always look for new capacity building

because in internships we often learn about new things such as annotating a book and then

recording and entering into a special application for the Balai Bahasa library. The MBKM

program at Balai Bahasa Makassar we can develop creativity in terms of finding new things

such as how to become a quality student and think logically. The MBKM internship program

at Balai Bahasa Makassar, we feel more creative in thinking or giving opinions because during

our MBKM at the language hall we often talk with language researchers, and we often follow

or are involved in research at the language hall office (Asrif, 2019).

There are two things that make students creative in participating in the Merdeka Belajar

Kampus merdeka program, namely first, students often chat with staff at the Makassar

Language Hall office. The second is the creative ability of students who take part in the

Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka program, namely students directly working or being

involved in research. Students become creative because they often talk with office staff. In

addition, students are also directly involved in conducting language research. This is in line

with Sastromiharjo's opinion that establishing communication in conversation can make

conversation participants creative or innovate. Creativity can also increase due to observing

what is happening around you, because all the senses are used to all the senses that exist. By

doing work directly, a person can understand, and can do work creatively. This is in line with

Constructivistic theory, which is so that a person can compile new knowledge when directly

involved in doing an activity or work (Nurhidayati, 2017). Acting or learning to practice

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something, makes a person think to be able to solve well. That's when creative thinking is

needed. Because without creativity a job is completed in a very long time. So, effective learning

is not enough to memorize theory, but more importantly to directly do and complete a job. In

addition, creativity can grow through conversations that focus on a theme. Discussing becomes

an effective method to increase one's creativity. According to Constructivist theory,

cooperative and collaborative learning become one learning method so that a person can

construct his own knowledge (Suparlan, 2019). Through the Merdeka Belajar Kampus

Merdeka Program, students' collaboration skills can be grown by talking and communicating

a lot with staff at the Makassar Language Hall Office. Students are also directly involved in

conducting language research and compiling it in a library application.

Cultivating independence

The Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka program can develop the ability of student

independence. This is supported by the following student statements.

"During our time participating in MBKM at Balai Bahasa Sulawesi Selatan we felt more

independent, marked by our ability to do things by ourselves and feel more responsible for each

other's duties. In the MBKM program at Balai Bahasa Makassar, it really makes us dare to be

independent, because learning far from our hometown as we feel today is very much a test in

itself, which makes us able to instill a way of discipline and independence that is far from our

place of origin and parents. Really this is a way for us to discipline ourselves going forward

before entering the workforce later. With this program, we are required not to depend on others

both in terms of life needs and in any needs, because some things for example in the needs of

life we are required to be independent because we are far from our parents, we must be able to

manage all my needs so that they can be met. Likewise, when there is a task from the office, I

try to complete it well without having to trouble others. With MBKM activities, I am more

mature in thinking, not depending on others and dare to make my own decisions. Doing MBKM

in the language hall we feel independence arises, because when we are in the office we have

their respective duties in terms of helping office staff in terms of collecting books, making

schedules for the departure of researchers. The language hall employees always involve us in

office work, both outside the office and inside the office.

Independence is created because students are far from their home regions. They must be

good at managing time and needs so that all can be met. In addition, they are responsible for

the assigned tasks. In line with constructivistic theory that students construct or form their own

knowledge after experiencing various conditions and information.

Self-reliance is proven by the ability to complete one's own work. They are responsible

for completing the assigned tasks. Be more courageous to make your own decisions by

accepting the consequences. Have their own tasks that must be completed by themselves,

without having to burden others develop the ability of independence;

Develop social interaction

The MBKM program develops social interaction skills. This can be interpreted from the

results of questionnaires from students. As stated in the following sentences. "In participating

in the MBKM program at Balai Bahasa Sulawesi Selatan, I feel that I have been able to be

confident in interacting with people in the office and outside the office. We can interact socially

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well with all office people and people outside the office at MBKM in Balai Bahasa Makassar.

Here we find people who are like teachers to ourselves, who every time we find someone they

can teach us about something we have just gained now. They were also very enthusiastic in

directing and giving us new teaching.

With this MBKM activity, I can interact with people in the office who provide education

about the world of work and discuss with people around the office. I can interact directly well

with employees and the community around the office, based on the office teaching hospitality

to us students who are interns to interact directly with the staff if they want to ask something

or do not understand in carrying out tasks, besides that the researchers themselves offer

themselves as mentors in our research students if we need it. The ability to interact socially is

experienced by students who take part in the MBKM program at Balai Bahasa because they

are accepted like their own children. Tsaf in the office is very eager to direct and provide new

learning. The staffs treated them very cordially. Even the office staff offered themselves to be

mentors. We also as interns are polite to the staff. So for social interaction to occur well, then

because the staff is very friendly to us." This condition is in line with Constructivist theory,

especially Ausebel's meaningful learning humanizing humans

CONCLUSION

Based on the results and discussion of the research, it can be concluded that the MBKM

internship program can foster first the ability of student creativity, second the ability of student

independence, and third the ability to interact socially. Therefore, it is recommended to

continue the internship program for students, and for further researchers are expected to

examine the motivational aspects of MBKM.

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Dina Gasong, Normalia Sirande (2024)

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