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p-ISSN: 2722-399X;  e-ISSN: 2722-1857 
SiLeT, Vol. 1, No. 2, August 2020: 63-65 

©2020 Studies in Learning  
and Teaching 

 

Studies in Learning and Teaching 
Homepage: https://scie-journal.com/index.php/SiLeT 
Email: silet@scie-journal.com 

Studies in Learning and Teaching 
https://scie-journal.com/index.php/SiLeT 

 

“New Normal” in Learning and Teaching 

*B K Prahani1, T-H Cheng2 
1Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya 60231, 

Indonesia 
2Graduate Institute of Science Education, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan 

Article Info  ABSTRACT 

Article history: 

Received August, 29 2020 
Revised August, 31 2020 
Accepted August, 31 2020 
Available Online August, 31 2020 

Social distancing and physical distancing policies have been 
implemented in many countries for some time in the face of a 
COVID-19 pandemic. The new policy that has been adopted by 
many countries is "New Normal". New Normal is a scenario to 
accelerate the handling of COVID-19 in health and socio-economic 
aspects. One of them is the Government of Indonesia has 
announced plans to implement new normal scenarios by 
considering epidemiological studies and regional readiness. With 
the implementation of New Normal, education will be run again 
according to the health protocol. New Normal policies in education 
must also be in line with instructions issued by The United Nations 
Agency for Child Welfare (UNICEF). UNICEF has issued 
guidelines for countries that want to reopen teaching and learning 
activities in schools. The guide consists of three stages, namely 
before opening, entering the opening process, and when opening 
has been carried out. Research on the planning, preparation, 
implementation, and evaluation of New Normal in the field of 
learning and teaching needs the attention of all parties, including 
academics. The results of research and publications on the impact 
of New Normal in the field of learning and teaching are believed to 
be beneficial in the field of education. 

 

Keywords: 

Education  
Learning 
New Normal 
Teaching 

 
https://doi.org/10.46627/silet  

COVID-19 pandemic has caused many countries to work extra hard so that the number of cases 
of infection does not continue to soar and the death rate of Covid-19 patients can be suppressed. 
Based on Worldometers data, as of 17:00 Jakarta Time, May 27, 2020, the total positive cases of 
COVID-19 in the world reached 5,704,077 patients today (Worldmeters, 2020). This means that 
there has been an increase of almost 100 thousand new cases in the last day. Of the 5.7 million 
positive cases of COVID-19, 352,669 people have died since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 
late 2019 and continues today. Conversely, the number of Covid-19 patients in the world who 
have recovered has reached 2,447,424 people. Worldometers noted that there were 2,903,984 
active cases or patients who still had to undergo treatment and isolation. About 2 percent or 
53,104 patients are in critical condition. 

Social distancing and physical distancing policies have been implemented in many 
countries for some time in the face of a COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic is now 
beginning to spread to the world of education. The Ministry of Education and Culture (MOEC) 
is currently based on official information, ready with all scenarios, including encouraging 
online learning for students (Abidah et al., 2020). The new policy that has been adopted by 
many countries is "New Normal". New Normal is a scenario to accelerate the handling of 
COVID-19 in health and socio-economic aspects. One of them is the Government of Indonesia 

http://u.lipi.go.id/1586183902
http://u.lipi.go.id/1587708325
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mailto:silet@scie-journal.com
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https://doi.org/10.46627/silet


“New Normal” in Learning and Teaching 

https://doi.org/10.46627/silet.v1i2.41 

 

64 
 

 

Studies in Learning and Teaching 
https://scie-journal.com/index.php/SiLeT 

 

has announced plans to implement new normal scenarios by considering epidemiological 
studies and regional readiness. 

With the implementation of New Normal, education will be run again according to the 
health protocol. New Normal policies in education must also be in line with instructions issued 
by UNICEF. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has issued guidelines for countries 
that want to reopen teaching and learning activities in schools. The guide consists of three 
stages, namely before opening, entering the opening process, and when opening has been 
carried out. 
 
During the pre-school opening, the following things must be prepared: 
❖ Develop clear guidelines for indicators of school opening. Opening can be started from the 

area with the lowest risk. Opening can also be done in stages, starting from limiting the 

days of entering school or certain levels first. 

❖ Prepare clear guidelines regarding the enforcement of social distancing in schools. 

❖ Establish clear guidelines regarding health and hygiene protocols that must still be 

maintained at school. 

❖ Revise the portion of attendance in determining the value of lessons. 

❖ Protection of teaching staff who are at high risk due to age and health conditions, and 

preparing plans to replace teachers who cannot teach. 

❖ Develop funding needs to improve the quality of school hygiene. 

❖ Building emergency response facilities such as shelters, health units, quarantine locations, 

and so on. 

❖ Provides training for teachers to support the learning process from a distance. 

❖ Compile changes in the academic calendar that includes various scenarios in the health 

sector. 

❖ Ensuring that teachers' salary payments remain intact and are able to support a decent life. 

❖ Providing financial assistance to schools affected by the corona virus pandemic. 

❖ Children from marginalized groups deserve priority access to education. 

 
Meanwhile, when entering the reopening process, the guidelines emphasized by UNICEF 
(2020) are: 
❖ Improve communication and coordination from the school to students, parents, and the 

community. 

❖ Increasing the supply of clean water to schools, including improving the quality of 

sanitation. 

❖ Providing training to teachers and school staff to uphold social distancing and clean-living 

practices. 

❖ Establish procedures when students, teachers or school staff feel unwell by increasing 

coordination with local health authorities. 

❖ Revising school fees. 

❖ Completing teacher knowledge to guide students in mental health and psychosocial 

aspects. 

❖ Implement large-scale learning to increase the literacy level of early childhood and children 

with special needs. 

❖ Develop risk assessments for teachers with certain conditions (elderly or have medical 

conditions). 

https://doi.org/10.46627/silet.v1i2.41
https://scie-journal.com/index.php/SiLeT


“New Normal” in Learning and Teaching 

https://doi.org/10.46627/silet.v1i2.41 

 

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Studies in Learning and Teaching 
https://scie-journal.com/index.php/SiLeT 

 

❖ Give a reduction in school fees if possible. 

❖ Develop specific steps to support female students. 

Then when the school has opened again, UNICEF (2020) provides the following guidelines: 
❖ Develop a model of decision making when schools can be closed and reopened. 

❖ Improving the quality and quantity of school cleaning. 

❖ Increase the use of hand sanitizers and cloth masks. 

❖ Increase investment in distance learning to prepare yourself if later schools need to be 

closed again. 

❖ Consider postponing the exam and if possible, all students may go up to class. 

❖ Develop innovative learning methods for example online learning methods. 

❖ Inform students about everything about the corona virus pandemic clearly, accurately, and 

easily understood. Avoid students from excessive fear. 

❖ Prioritize support for children with special needs. 

❖ Make sure learning material is accessible to students with limitations. 

Based on the description above, it can be concluded that "New Normal" is the choice to 
recover from the COVID 19 pandemic, including in the field of education. Research on the 
planning, preparation, implementation, and evaluation of New Normal in the field of learning 
and teaching needs the attention of all parties, including academics. Academics can conduct the 
latest research and publications in this field. The results of research and publications on the 
impact of New Normal in the field of learning and teaching are believed to be beneficial in the 
field of education. 

REFERENCES 
Abidah, A., Hidaayatullaah, H. N., Simamora, R. M., Fehabutar, D., & Mutakinati, L. (2020). The 

Impact of Covid-19 to Indonesian Education and Its Relation to the Philosophy of 
“Merdeka Belajar”. Studies in Philosophy of Science and Education, 1(1), 38-49. 
https://doi.org/10.46627/sipose.v1i1.9 

UNICEF. (2020). Guidance for Covid-19 Prevention and Control in Schools. New York: UNICEF. 
Worldometers. (2020). Reported Cases and Deaths by Country, Territory, or Conveyance. Retrived 

May 27, 2020, form 
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?utm_campaign=homeAdvegas1 

 

Author (s): 

*Binar Kurnia Prahani (Corresponding Author) 
Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, 
Universitas Negeri Surabaya, 
Jl. Ketintang, Surabaya 60231, Indonesia 

Email: binarprahani@unesa.ac.id 

 

Tsung-Hui Cheng 
Graduate Institute of Science Education, 
National Dong Hwa University, 
No. 1 Sec. 2 Da Hsueh Rd., Shoufeng, Hualien, 97401, Taiwan  
Email: editor.siletjournal@gmail.com 

 

https://doi.org/10.46627/silet.v1i2.41
https://scie-journal.com/index.php/SiLeT
https://doi.org/10.46627/sipose.v1i1.9
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?utm_campaign=homeAdvegas1
mailto:binarprahani@unesa.ac.id
mailto:editor.siletjournal@gmail.com

