All lecturers in the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Sebelas Maret (FEB UNS) since 16-28 March are required to implement online lectures. This requirement is started since the issuance of UNS Rector Circular regarding Early Precautions, Preparedness, and Anticipatory Measures to Prevent the Spread of Covid-19 Infection in UNS.

There is flexibility in determining the application used for the online lecture, which depends on the lecturer’s capability. Therefore, there are various applications used by the FEB UNS lecturers such as UNS Spada (online learning system), Google Classroom, Google Meeting, Zoom Cloud Meeting, Cisco Webex, Instagram Live, and WhatsApp Group (WAG).

Online Lecture by Dr. Doddy Setyawan in Zoom Cloud Meeting

At the beginning of the online learning implementation, Prof. Doddy Setiawan, SE., MSi., Ph.D., Ak., a lecturer from the Accounting Study Program, carried-out a lecture in Research Methodology using Zoom Cloud meeting in front of 40 students.

Using this application, the lecture can be conducted effectively because the lecturer and the students can communicate directly using a video call. As for the attendance can be monitored directly who has been joined and who has not.

In the lecture that lasted for at least 2 hours, there were minor connection problems encountered by three students from away regions.

Muhammad Ridwan Ikhsan, the C Class Representative for Research Method course mentioned that during the Covid-19 emergencies, this online lecture is effective. However, it can only be achieved if the students’ network connection is not hampered.

“It happened that I use Wi-Fi, for me personally it is not a problem, but for our fellow students who use internet quota is mostly objected since the online lecture can last for 2 hours,” he explained to FEB UNS PR.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Deny Dwi Hartomo, S.E., M.Sc., a lecturer from the Management Study Program was also conducting an online lecture on Banking Management in class C using WhatsApp Group.

WhatsApp Group was chosen because the internet quota needed to follow the online lecture will not be burdening the student, even though the interaction was limited to written message or voice record, no eye contact with the students.

“Alhamdulillah, all students 100% can access, this proved from the ‘seen’ status of every chat is read by all the students. WhatsApp does not need a lot of quotas. Video conference is more effective but it needs speed and considerable quota, which might burden the students,” he explains.

Dr. Aisyah with the Students in Webex Application

During the 2.5 hours lecture, there was a problem in sending the students’ presentation video due to the limited size of the video file up to 60 Mb, thus, any file exceeding the limit has to be split.

Another FEB UNS lecturer, Siti Aisyah Tri Rahayu, S.E., M.Si., uses two applications in her online lecture conducted consecutively in 3 classes, the Webex for the undergraduate program in Economic Development and Google Meeting for the lecture in Doctoral Program in Management. From the two programs, Dr. Aisyah encounters a technical problem especially in terms of difficulty to connect and inaudible voice.

Although there are still some obstacles to the implementation of online lecture applications, in general, the teaching and learning activities during the emergency conditions can be carried out in accordance with a predetermined schedule. (Humas)

Editor: Drs. BRM. Bambang Irawan, M.Si.