Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 882 Received : 22-04-2021 Revised : 27-05-2021 Published : 30-06-2021 Digital Platform's: Investigations in the Application of Music Practice Learning Dani Nur Saputra Jakarta State University, Indonesia daninursaputra6@gmail.com Abstract One of the competencies that must be possessed in the 21st century is digital literacy skills. This ability must be possessed by every student and lecturer in integrating digital platforms into learning, especially in the current pandemic era. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a digital platform in its application to practical courses. Researchers use google classroom as a sample of the many types of digital platforms. This type of research is descriptive qualitative using a case study approach. The object of this research were 26 active students who took music ensemble courses, while the variable being investigated was the use of google classroom in learning. Data collection was carried out by means of questionnaires, observations, and interviews. The results show that digital platforms can be used as an alternative solution to carry out online learning in the midst of a pandemic. However, it is not optimal for the music ensemble course because of several factors, including the location of the student's residence which is difficult to get a signal, material that students find difficult, the availability of their own musical instruments, and the student's ability to play music. Keywords: digital platform; google classroom; practice learning; ansamble music https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 mailto:daninursaputra6@gmail.com Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 883 INTRODUCTION The world has entered the era of digital technology. Every human activity cannot be separated from the role of a technology. Technology offers convenience for every human being. However, not every human being can adapt to the very fast technological advances. Some things that cause someone to be unable to keep up with developments include age, economy below average, and the environment in which they live. The age factor has an impact on the low ability in the field of technology or commonly referred to as technology illiteracy (clueless). These clerics are usually dominated by the baby boomer generation and the x generation, where the two generations are the generation that experienced the initial transition to the digital technology era. The Baby Boomer generation was born in 1946 to 1964 and Generation X was born in 1965-1976 (wibawanto, 2016). It is different from generation y and z who were born in the technological era where Generation Y was born in 1977 to 1998 and Generation Z was born in 1999 to 2012 (Nindyati, 2017). Based on data research literature, Generation Y dominates in terms of the use of communication technology such as email, SMS, and social media such as Facebook, Telegram and Instagram. (Shahreza, 2017). The next factor is the economy which is below average, causing someone to be unable to buy technological devices such as smartphones, laptops and other computer devices. The third factor is the living environment, such as a village in the interior, which has minimal electricity and internet. These three factors generally become an obstacle for a person to be able to follow the development of technological advances. These obstacles must be faced, especially for academics in order to compete in the midst of advances in the technological era The demands of the current era are digital capabilities that are oriented towards the capabilities of the 21st century (Saputra, 2020). One of the competencies contained in the abilities that must be possessed in the 21st century is digital literacy skills oriented to the internet of things. This capability can create a communication and data network from anywhere in the world using only a computer or smartphone, and change the pattern or lifestyle of humans in working and socializing (Greengard, 2015). Therefore, technology is something that really needs to be adapted into all aspects of the field including education. The use of technology in education can help the learning process more effectively, quickly and efficiently to be applied in the current digital era (Saputra, 2020). One part of the basic essences in education is the learning process which involves communication and information activities that occur through teacher-student interactions (Wijaya, 2016). However, this essence will be constrained without the use of internet technology, especially during the current pandemic. The pandemic condition that occurred caused face-to-face learning interactions in class to no longer be carried out. Therefore, teachers inevitably have to integrate technology into learning. One way to continue to carry out the learning process that is carried out remotely is to optimize the google classroom in carrying out the learning process. Google classroom is an online digital platform that can be used to carry out collaborative learning activities between teachers and students (Sudarsana, 2019). Online learning provides several benefits, including providing easy access so that students can follow https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 884 the learning process from anywhere. In addition, students can repeat the material provided whenever they want so that the study schedule is more flexible (Al-Maroof, 2018). Learning that is done online does not go completely as expected. This is because the existing networks where students live are different. There are students who live in villages and have minimal internet network. This causes students to miss the material presented, in fact, not a few students did not submit assignments due to delays in information due to unstable networks. Worse, there are students who do not have the effort to try to find signals to other places so they prefer to surrender to the value they are from the lecturer. Not only the signal, the material load and media that are owned are also the impact of students choosing to be passive and surrender in terms of obtaining final grades. This research was conducted in order to investigate the effectiveness of using digital platforms in learning music practices. Music ensemble is one of the practical courses in the music education study program, Jakarta State University. This subject is very important for students in the future where they will become a teacher or music educator. Music ensemble material is material that must be included in the school curriculum, so that competence in playing ensemble music becomes the main indicator in determining student graduation in this course. Every student must be able to follow the material and complete assignment bills, Semester Mid-Test, and Final Semester Examinations. In addition, the ability to record, edit videos, and uploading to the google classroom platform is an important aspect that must be done by students in taking this lecture. Therefore, there is a need for research in an effort to investigate the effectiveness of the use of digital platforms (google classrom) in practical learning (music ensembles) in music education study program, Jakarta State University. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with a case study approach. Qualitative research methods are research procedures that produce descriptive data in the form of written or spoken words from people and observable behavior (Moleong (2012). Practical learning is learning that is difficult to do online. This is due to several things, among others, the limitations of the media owned by students, unstable internet networks, the video editing process that not all students can do well, and the process of uploading video files that have a large capacity.With these constraints, this study aims to investigate and assess the effectiveness of digital platforms in practical learning in practical courses. This research was conducted with a case study approach in the music ensemble course and google classroom as a digital platform that is quite familiar in music education study programs. The object of this research is the students who are involved in the music ensemble course, while the variables studied are the use of the google classroom platform by students in music ensemble lectures. Data collection techniques used were through observation, documentation study, and interviews. Observation is a way for researchers to see the phenomena or symptoms that are observed and researched. Documentation studies are carried out by collecting relevant previous research articles to find research gaps. There are several previous studies that have examined https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 885 the google classroom, but no research has been found by researchers on efforts to optimize google classrooms, especially in practical learning. The data collected is then analyzed using the approach of Miles and Huberman (2014) which consists of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A digital platform is a collection of several software or applications that can be used to share information and communication from one place to another. This digital platform has internet network facilities that are connected using a satellite network. Several digital platforms can be accessed using a smartphone or computer device connected to the internet network. This digital platform is created and developed by companies engaged in technology science. the use of digital platforms makes it easy for anyone who uses them. The platform can be used as an economic wheel for several people. One example is the sale of products and services online. Other than that, the tourism sector also often uses digital platforms to market its location. Digital platforms are used by all aspects of the field of science including education. Education, especially higher education, must be able to integrate technology into its learning system. Without technological interference, universities will be left behind and unable to produce graduates who are competent and ready to compete in today's modern era. One of the digital platforms studied in this study is google classroom. Researchers examined the use of google classrooms because the platform is quite familiar and is often used in distance lectures in most of the courses in the music education study program, language and arts faculty, Jakarta State University. The research was conducted in a class that contained music practice material, namely the musical ensemble course. The background of the researcher in choosing the music ensemble class is because music ensemble material exists at every level of education from elementary, junior high, high school, and college, so this subject is very important to be mastered by students of the Strata One music education program. In addition, this course is a subject that is directly handled by researchers who work as lecturers in the music education study program. The study was conducted on twenty-six active students who attended lectures in odd semester 113.There are twenty-five students of class 2019, and one student of class 2018. One student is a student who did not graduate in the previous year, so the student has to repeat because the ensemble course is a compulsory course for students of the music education study program. The twenty active students taking part in musical ensemble courses come from a variety of different family backgrounds and previous schools. Family is one of the important aspects involved in supporting student success in learning. Apart from family, previous school background also determines a student's ability to play music skills. Some students are high school graduates, some are music vocational graduates. https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 886 Figure 1. Students in Music Ensemble Class Of all the students who took the ensemble course, it turned out that not all of them could well follow the learning process carried out online using google classroom. It is proven by several findings from the number of students who are active in participating in each learning process, including in the work of assignments given, midterm tests, and final semester exams. Figure 2. Assignment Value Based on the first findings above, it can be seen that of the twenty-six students only twelve students submitted the assignments given by the lecturers and got grades. Five students submitted late, and nine students did not collect on the daily assignments given by the lecturer. The next finding, namely the collection of midterm tests can be seen in the following figure. https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 887 Figure 3. Mid-Semester Test Score Based on the results of the data above, it appears that not all students take midterm tests. Of the twenty-six students, only nineteen students submitted midterm tests, and seven students neither did nor submitted midterm tests. Furthermore, the researcher also obtained data results on the final semester test scores which can be seen in the following figure. Figure 3. Final Semester Exam Score Based on the data above, it can be seen that of the twenty-six students only twenty students did and collected, three students did not do it, and three students were not in the group. The final semester exams have a large enough weight, but not all students do it well. Based on the results found in this study, it can be calculated the percentage of the total student involvement in doing assignments, midterm tests, and final semester exams in this musical ensemble course. The percentage amount can be seen in the following figure. https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 888 Figure 4. Student Engagement Percentage The above percentage shows that as many as twenty one percent of the total number of students are said to have lost contact and there has been no news since the first lecture was conducted online using the google classroom platform. Even though they are registered and on the list of students who are members of the Google Classroom. Thirty-seven percent of all students do not assign assignments given by the lecturers. Twenty-nine percent of students did not take midterm tests, and as many as thirteen percent of students did not take final semester exams.Based on the research results, it was found that not one hundred percent of students actively participated in the learning process due to several things as stated in the background section of this study. On the background of the research, it has been stated that there are obstacles in carrying out practical courses in learning using digital platforms. These obstacles include the absence of devices that support learning such as laptops, recording media, and musical instruments, as well as the location of students who are on an unstable signal network so that students cannot participate in learning effectively. Based on the results Research data and the calculation of the overall score of students, it was found that there were only two students who received the A grade (86-100), eight students received an A- (81-85), four students received a B + (76-80), three students get a B grade (71- 75), two students get a B- (66-70), two students get a C (56-60), and five students are in the range of grades 55 and below and are declared not passing the music ensemble course odd semester 113, so that the student must return to repeat lectures next year. CONCLUSION Digital platforms can be used as an alternative in carrying out learning activities that are quite effective, especially during a pandemic. However, online media is only suitable for use as an alternative and support for the learning process during distance learning. Online learning that is carried out using Google Classrom is not yet optimal for use in learning ensemble music practices. it is still seen that there are five students who did not pass this course. Other factors https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 Vol.2 No.6 2021 ISSN: 2745-6056 | e-ISSN: 2745-7036 https://doi.org/10.47387/jira.v2i6.171 889 that lead to less than optimal use of the google classroom digital platform in learning musi practice are, among others, the location where students live which are difficult to get signals, material that students find difficult, the availability of their musical instruments, and the ability of students to play music. REFERENCES Al-Maroof, R. A. S., & Al-Emran, M. (2018). Students Acceptance of Google Classroom: An Exploratory Study using PLS-SEM Approach. 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