Jurnal EMPOWERMENT; Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Luar SekolahVolume 12, Nomor 1 Februari 2023p-ISSN No. 2252-4738 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 26 IMPLEMENTATION OF E-TRAINING FOR EARLY CHILD EDUCATORS WITH A BLENDED APPROACH Nurul Fahimah1, Ihat Hatimah2, Oong Komar3, Jajat S. Ardiwinata4, Purnomo5* 1,2,3,4,5 Pendidikan Masyarakat, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia 1nurulfahimah@upi.edu, 2ihat.hatimah@upi.edu, 3prof.oongkomar@upi.edu, 4jsardipls@upi.edu, 5purnomo@upi.edu* Received: December, 2022; Accepted: February, 2023 Abstract The use of ICT in education has evolved into distance education management in the field of training, it aims to provide the widest possible access to education and training for trainees who do not have the opportunity to attend face-to-face education due to various problems. Based on Dapodik data, most playschool educators or teachers in Indonesia do not have an educational background that can support their competence. Thus, education and training services are one of the efforts that can be made to encourage the improvement of the competence of playschool educators. Through e-training with a blended approach, it is expected to be a solution because it has advantages including 1) affordable and efficient costs; 2) unlimited quota; 3) can be accessed via the internet; 4) flexible time. The approach taken is a qualitative research approach with a descriptive method using purposive sampling technique which representing training activities in Bogor Regency, Karang Regency, and Bekasi Regency, West Java, Indonesia. The results of the research on the application of e-training with a blended approach for playschool educators show a new model in the implementation of learning, namely combining face-to- face learning with online. Adaptation to e-training with a blended approach must be carried out following the changes and developments of an increasingly rapid era without compromising the objectives and learning outcomes in the training program. Keywords: e-training, blended learning, playschool educator Abstrak Pemanfaatan TIK dalam pendidikan telah berkembang menjadi manajemen pendidikan jarak jauh dalam bidang pelatihan, hal ini bertujuan untuk memberikan akses pendidikan dan pelatihan yang seluas-luasnya bagi peserta didik yang tidak memiliki kesempatan untuk mengikuti pendidikan secara tatap muka karena berbagai permasalahan. Berdasarkan data Dapodik, sebagian besar pendidik atau guru PAUD di Indonesia tidak memiliki latar belakang pendidikan yang dapat menunjang kompetensinya. Dengan demikian, layanan pendidikan dan pelatihan merupakan salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan untuk mendorong peningkatan kompetensi pendidik PAUD. Melalui e-training dengan pendekatan blended diharapkan dapat menjadi solusi karena memiliki kelebihan antara lain 1) biaya terjangkau dan efisien; 2) kuota tidak terbatas; 3) dapat diakses melalui internet; 4) waktu fleksibel. Pendekatan yang dilakukan adalah pendekatan penelitian kualitatif dengan metode deskriptif dengan menggunakan teknik purposive sampling yang mewakili kegiatan diklat di Kabupaten Bogor, Kabupaten Karang, dan Kabupaten Bekasi, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Hasil penelitian penerapan e-training dengan pendekatan blended bagi pendidik PAUD menunjukkan adanya model baru dalam pelaksanaan pembelajaran yaitu menggabungkan pembelajaran tatap muka dengan online. Adaptasi e-training dengan blended approach harus dilakukan mengikuti perubahan dan perkembangan zaman yang semakin pesat tanpa mengesampingkan tujuan dan hasil pembelajaran dalam program pelatihan. Kata kunci: e-training, pendekatan blended, pendidik PAUD How to Cite: Fahimah, N., Hatimah, I., Komar, O., Ardiwinata, J. & Purnomo. (2023). Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach. EMPOWERMENT: Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Luar Sekolah 12 (1), 26-32. Fahimah, Hatimah, Komar, Ardiwinata & Purnomo. Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach 27 INTRODUCTION Information and community technology over a short period of time has been one of the foundations for modern society. Every country today has regarded understanding of tic and basic mastery and concepts as part of the heart of education concurrently with reading, writing and arithmetic. The same as in Indonesia, every educational unit is required to prepare for the era of the industrial revolution 4.0, including the availability of tools and technology infrastructure, Internet networks, and electricity delivery. At the same time, tick can add value to the learning processes, as well as the management or management of educational institutions (Andresen & Van den brink, 2002; Barton & Haydn, 2006; Luke, 2003). The Internet is a driving force for such growth and innovation in developed and developing countries (Abbot, 2001). Technological developments created changes in the job and in needed job arrangements and competence. Similarly in the world of education, it is necessary to improve the competence of teachers. Teacher competence or educators today is groubed into six aspects, which are: 1) technological understanding and information in education, 2) curriculum and assessment, 3) pedagogies, 4) information technology and communication, 5) organization and administration and 6) professional teacher learning (Dasli, 2019). The use of ICT in education has developed into the management of education in the field of training by distance (e-training), this is to provide full access to education and training for trainees who do not have the opportunity to participate in face-to-face education because of obstacles. A touch of technology can be a solution and ease in making program decisions (Purnomo et al., 2017, 2018). E-training is a learning program that releases participants are taught to be able to learn without being bound by space and time with little help from others. At the e-training activity, there is no direct contact between the instructor and the klat- participants, the learning process is carried out by currently mostly custom-designed media middlemen. According to Barrow (2003). E-training is defined as the use of several technology tools to deliver training materials and other education, through the Internet. Distance learning or distance education has some of the characteristics of e-learning that are often used to depict web based education. The process can be divided into three categories: Computer Aided Instruction (CAI), Computer Managed Instruction (CMI), dan Computer Supproted Learning Reseources (CSLR) (Barrow, 2003) The implementation of e-training in the education and training system is carried out by an institution that is responsible for learning activities. This institution is in charge of designing and preparing learning materials, managing learning activities, providing learning support services for training participants, administering learning activities, evaluating learning activities, determining graduation, giving certificates and so on. Implementation of training, not only carried out in a full online way, but can be implemented by developing e-training that is adopted into conventional education or conventional models adopted into e-training models with a Blended Learning system (a mixture of online sources and face-to-face). The basic educational problem is at the Early Childhood level, namely the availability of playschool educators who are still below the competency standard. West Java Province, as the second largest number of playschool units in Indonesia after East Java, has 28,723 playschool units consisting of formal and non-formal playschool (Dapodik 2019/2020). However, the number of units has not been matched by adequate quality of playschool teachers. It can be seen based on national data obtained from the Dapodik Directorate General of playschool and Dikmas that more than half of non-formal playschool teachers in Indonesia (215,516 people), especially West Java (32,822 people) have not yet completed a bachelor's degree. and also more than 90 Fahimah, Hatimah, Komar, Ardiwinata & Purnomo. Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach 28 percent of playschool teachers in Indonesia are graduates of non-playschool Teacher Education study programs. In addition, data from Dapodik also shows that as many as 65.82 percent of playschool educators in Indonesia have not yet taken a bachelor's degree. This can also be seen in West Java, where most of the non-formal playschool educators in West Java are high school graduates. Based on the data presented, it can be concluded that most playschool educators or teachers in Indonesia do not have an educational background that can support their competence, especially pedagogical competence as professional playschool teachers. Thus education and training services are one of the efforts that can be made to encourage the improvement of the competence of playschool educators. The achievements of offline education and training are faced with several obstacles, including high costs, especially from the operational aspects of the program, printing of learning materials, relatively high accommodation and consumption expenses, and time constraints. Therefore, e-training for playschool educators can be a solution because this training has several advantages, namely: 1) more affordable and efficient implementation costs; 2) the quota of participants is not limited so that they can reach more targets and can reach a wider area; 3) can be accessed by various media connected to the internet; 4) more flexible training time because the material is available and can be studied offline and the material can be repeated at any time; 5) the available materials are wider, not only training materials but also other materials that support teacher competence METHOD The approach used in this study is a qualitative research approach with descriptive methods. Researchers used data collection techniques in the form of interviews, observation and documentation to obtain research data that focuses on the implementation of e-training with a blended approach in improving the performance of playschool educators. The data analyzed included data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results Implementation of e-training with a blended approach, namely applying two learning activities with different portions, both theory and practice (López-Pérez et al., 2013; Waha & Davis, 2014). Blended implementation aims to streamline costs and make learning time effective, so that the completion of learning will be faster because it is supported by independent learning by the trainees. The following is the implementation of e-training with a blended approach, shown in Figure 1 below. . Figure 1. Blended Approach in e-training Program Fahimah, Hatimah, Komar, Ardiwinata & Purnomo. Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach 29 In order for this blended learning to run smoothly, the role of the instructor and the trainees is very important, both of them need to agree on a learning contract so that together, the learning objectives can be achieved. The following are the activities carried out in the implementation of the training so that it can run well 1. Creation of a learning climate Creation of a learning climate in the conventional learning learning process, arranged in a conducive manner so as to foster a pleasant learning climate, knowing each other, trusting each other, and accepting each other. the creation of a learning climate is carried out through activities to strengthen motivation, exchange experiences, games, and other similar activities. Some of the services commonly used to stimulate course learning residents to create a conducive climate are conditioned learning residents to ask questions during the learning process taking place both between individuals and between groups. The creation of a learning climate in the virtual learning learning process is packaged in the form of a strategic interactive online design. This interactive online support is supported by e- learning tools, namely dynamic web, discussion groups (forums), e-mail, chat, instant messaging, video, animation, and sharing applications. The material developed is in the form of two materials, including: a) theory which consists of the basic concepts of playschool (30%), and b) practice which consists of learning planning, preparing APE, microteaching, learning evaluation (70%). 2. Achievement of Learning Objectives Learning activities attended by trainees are directed at achieving the goals set for each training material. Broadly speaking, the learning objectives that have been prepared have a priority, namely increasing the professional competence of students. The elaboration of these learning objectives is arranged in writing in the learning curriculum which is translated into a combination conventional and virtual learning syllabus. 3. Application of the Method The application of learning methods that are carried out using a blended approach, is applied at different times and places, but the aims and objectives of the multi-methods are essentially the same even though they are carried out in different learning modes. Tabel 1. Application of Conventional Learning and Virtual Learning Methods Conventional Learning Virtual Learning Discourses Face-to-face speaking, Using power point, Textbooks, Combining combinations of all media, such as film or radio shows 1. Teleconference (audio+video conferencing), dan Video Uploads Discussion Face to face speaking verbally, and discussion 1. Teleconference (audio+video conferencing), Chating Personal, Forum Discussion Simulation Fahimah, Hatimah, Komar, Ardiwinata & Purnomo. Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach 30 Conventional Learning Virtual Learning Demonstrate something live, Bring some miniatures or props to show 1. Teleconference (audio+video conferencing), Video Uploads, Online Quiz/Test Practice Practice directly or demonstrate an activity1. Teleconference (audio+video conferencing), Video Uploads, Online Quiz/Test Observation 1. Observing an object or activity in detail, and Seeing mistakes in the work that has been done to solve the problem (trouble shooting) 1. Teleconference (audio+video conferencing), Video Uploads, Online Quiz/Test 4. Selection and Application of Learning Principles The learning methods chosen and used in e-training activities are quite diverse, namely lectures, questions and answers, brainstorming, assignments, simulations, and practice. The training participants belong to the adult category, so the instructor pays attention to the assumptions of adults learning as a consideration in delivering material. There are several learning principles that need to be considered, namely physiology, self-concept and self- esteem, and emotions. From a physiological aspect, adults will learn effectively if they are in a healthy enough state and not tense and held at the right time. From the aspect of self-concept and self-esteem, adult learning activities will be effective if the learning objectives are felt to be in accordance with their needs, the learning material and the way it is presented is systematically organized, and the learning environment can create an impression of mutual trust and mutual respect. From the emotional aspect, adult learning activities will be effective if students are given encouragement and stimulation, learning experiences are given with sufficient repetition, and through two-way communication. The blended activities that are carried out show a combination of various ways to cover the learning needs of adults, this model will create independent and participatory learning methods. Discussion In fact, the principles underlying blended learning are no different from other forms of learning. The main criteria are based on the following: 1. Identify Core Learning Needs Identifying learning opportunities in blended learning is the same as identifying each learning opportunity. However, what is important is recognizing the need to provide appropriate solutions for learners. One of the obvious advantages of blended learning is the opportunity to be more focused and specific about learning needs. As training solutions develop into learning solutions, the hope is that organizations will begin to recognize the importance of making learning more suitable for each individual. Blended learning provides a great opportunity to truly adapt learning to the learner. Fahimah, Hatimah, Komar, Ardiwinata & Purnomo. Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach 31 2. Set Timescale Rate/Request In any decision about developing learning solutions there will always be a need to assess the reality of the demand. However, blended learning represents a real opportunity to respond more effectively to individual demands and thus have relevant applications for individuals in very small businesses as well as for learning teams in large global companies. The basic properties of the blend build flexibility. 3. Recognize different Learning Styles In fact, a positive by-product of using blended learning is that it provides a variety of learning solutions. This is also a great opportunity to review and revitalize the full learning and development that is on offer. 4. Work with available resources to identify the purpose of learning The power of blended learning is that it can enable a more elegant and ordered solution by combining one or more methods. The secret is to really analyze what the ultimate learning needs are and how best to satisfy them. 5. Conduct Educational Processes and Develop Easy-to-Use Demonstrations Some of the potential issues are most likely related to the need to do things differently and support people in dealing with change, so it's important to help people recognize potential and help them identify solutions that work for them. There are several ways this can be accomplished: online demonstrations, PowerPoint presentations, small lunch meetings or workshops. 6. Prepare a monitoring process to evaluate the effectiveness of learning Technological factors were identified by educators as the most relevant for blended learning. Accessibility and face-to-face design that is used must also be attractive. Ideally, educators have technical assistance to develop learning with various technologies, administrative support, and pedagogical support to reference various learning theories and instructional activities. In terms of assessment, Biggs (2003) provides a design model for assessment that ensures consistency from learning objectives to assessment strategies, and teaching and learning assessment strategies. Figure 2. Learning Curriculum Design Constructive Adjustment Model (Biggs, 2003) There are three points to emphasize: First, consider using formative and summative assessments. Second, the need for literature on learning which states that assessment has a significant impact on outcomes. Third, it requires assessed activities that include collaboration and the thoughts, activities, and products that are built will also encourage students to engage in deep learning. Fahimah, Hatimah, Komar, Ardiwinata & Purnomo. Implementation Of E-Training For Early Child Educators With A Blended Approach 32 CONCLUSION The implementation of e-training with a blended approach for early childhood educators is a new model in implementing learning, which combines face-to-face and online learning. This blended approach aims to answer the competency needs of students, due to several considerations such as distance traveled, costs, time and pandemic conditions which are still showing an increasing rate. The determining factor for the success of the Blended program is the integrated and mutually sustainable management of face-to-face and online learning, in addition to adequate equipment and support. Meanwhile, the weakness in the Blended implementation is that the digital technology literacy abilities of each participant who register have not been mapped or that a digital literacy assessment has not been carried out, so that participants do not experience obstacles during the learning process. The learning results show that blended learning does not reduce the goals and achievements of the training program, the difference is the delivery media, namely as a way of learning that is relevant to the assumptions that adults learn. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The researchers thank to community education experts at the Community Education Departement, Faculty of Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, thank to local government for granting research permits and receiving input from researchers, and thank to community education institutions that have become the object of research. REFERENCES Abbot, C. (2001). ICT: Changing Education. Routhedge Falmer. Andresen, B. B., & van den Brink, K. (2002). Multimedia in education. Infarmation Technologies at School: Conference Materials, 5–8. Barrow, C. (2003). E-Training and Development : Training and Development. Barton, R., & Haydn, T. (2006). 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