Designing English for Vocational Purposes (EVP) in the Context of Merdeka Belajar of Kampus Merdeka

Abstract

The concept of Merdeka Belajar and Kampus Merdeka has been attracting much attention of language lecturers and researchers in higher education institution. The program of Ministry of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia contributes to some questions on how the English learning should be designed and undertaken. This article would like to address how the teaching of English for vocational purposes (EVP) in polytechnic vocational institution. Specifically, it was in an attempt to develop of EVP teaching model. In this study the focus was given to the development of model, including developing material, leaning syntax and assessment tool. Material development included that of module used to facilitate the learning of EVP at vocational university. The result of the development pursuant to in the-class short experiment involving students successfully contributed that the development of visible, compatible and applicable vocational education materials consists of Snapshot, Project Preparation, Gathering Information, building up a Dialog, Making Dialog Using the Given Card, and Role Play. The lesson plan or learning syntax contained four main stages, such as preparation, realization, presentation and evaluation. And the assessment tool comprised of card and scoring rubric. Stages of learning include 'inventorying expressions or sentence structures', 'building a dialog', 'performing dialog', and 'giving feedback'. This was a stage where concept of learning language based on project activity was merely explained. It was emphasized in order for the students to really comprehend how the approach works, what processes were required to pass, and what purpose was lied behind it. The activity aimed at connecting students' (prior) knowledge with context. In addition, students were trained to finally build up a new concept using their prior knowledge.

Implementing Kampus Merdeka

“…Siregar et al (2020) also suggest that there are obstacles when attempting to encourage Universities to change, noting that processes and procedures need to be in place to 'socialise' the Kampus Merdeka policies across the University sector and to build greater awareness of the benefits for their students. Putra et al (Putra et al 2021) noted that, in the three universities that they studied, there were difficulties around the accreditation of 'external' study programs relating to the accreditation status of the participating Universities. This impasse requires further analysis and resolution, which, it is suggested, could be resolved with more detailed negotiations in order to build understanding and support from stakeholders for the Kampus Merdeka policy.…”