Learning and Knowing Boundaries: Schooling in New Order Indonesia
1 Title : Learning and Knowing Boundaries: Schooling in New Order Indonesia
2 Author(s) : Barbara LEIGH
3. Source: Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia,
4. Published edition : Vol. 14, No. 1 (April 1999), pp. 34-56
5. Published by : Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS)
The article "Learning and Knowing Boundaries: Schooling in New Order Indonesia" by Barbara LEIGH that Published by: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) In Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41057012 Leigh presents that Every question in every subject has a correct answer within each sector of schooling through nationally legitimated curricula. Teachers and pupils know that schools are places where one "learns by heart" the requisite texts. In fact, In terms of assessment in Indonesia, every question in every subject has a correct answer. These answers are measured within each sector of schooling through nationally legitimated curricula in Indonesia. In essence, in the New Order era, there was a limit to choosing dichotomous answers, just right or wrong answers when examining the computer in order to get the test results as fair and as effective as possible and the absence of answers that were between black and white or vague, such as essay questions due to random assessments. Dichotomous is considered more fair than the more subjective-descriptive type of essay assessment. In the end students must learn to speak the language of the school. Only by becoming in tune with the system requirements will they be able to obtain an offered degree, diploma, or certificate.
During the New Order era, schools throughout Indonesia developed unseen inner boundaries, boundaries that only saw right or wrong, otherwise it was considered to be "over the limit" during the New Order era. In my opinion Leigh emphasizes that in Indonesia education in new order, the students only memorize not understand what the learning that the teachers give to them.
This article is excellent because the author give the good sample to compare and to use theoretical work of Pierre Bourdieu as analysis the curriculum in Indonesia and French, the authors only focus on primary and secondary school, so it's simple to understand what the Leigh means. In contrast with the excellent in this article, this article is too long and have many unusual or unique words that explain the theoretical work of Pierre Bourdieu. Then about the boundaries in this article are not complete at all.
In conclusion this article is good and can make the supervisor of education recheck the curriculum in primary and secondary school based on the curriculum revition based on experiences in Indonesia in new order and make one standard that the younger people have to make a goal when they are still the Students, not only focusing to memorize and doing a test and choosing the answer with has dichotomous answers, but I think give a chance the essay question when they will do the examination. Then, the teachers is also helping their students to make a creativity in collaboration between learning and practicing. As a result, the education sector can give achievement in formal schooling and has considered to be “ over the limit” to explore their students’s passion. Finally Indonesia has many people that great in their studying and make Indonesia is full with the succes citizen.
