written by Indra Charismiadji*
Merdeka Belajar (freedom to learn), a millennial Minister of Education and Culture’s policy package, Nadiem Makarim, has entered the third stage. This policy still raises various questions among the public, including educators. Hasn’t Indonesia been independent since 17 August 1945? Why are we being asked to become independent today? What are the aims and objectives of this policy?
An American novelist named Walter Mosley said, “Freedom is a state of mind, our bodies cannot know absolute freedom but our minds can”. If freedom is related to the mind then freedom will be related to the level of reasoning. In education, this level of reasoning is often called a taxonomy. In this 21st century, the taxonomy often used as a reference in education is the work of Lorin Anderson and David Krathwohl in 2001, which is better known as Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). HOTS is a revision of the taxonomy compiled by Benjamin Bloom in 1956.
In the HOTS concept, there are six levels of human reasoning ability starting from the lowest, namely remembering, then understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, and the highest is creating.
The ability to think, memorise, understand, and apply is called lower-level reasoning (Lower Order Thinking Skills), while the ability to analyse, evaluate, and create is included in the category of Higher Order Thinking Skills.
Many educators strongly believe that remembering/memorising is the most important concept in education, I am often involved in this debate. In my opinion, the human brain was not created to store information evidenced by everything we memorise most of us will forget. It is proven if someone learns with the SKS pattern (overnight speeding system) when facing an exam on the next day, even though this pattern is quite useful for facing exams, but usually these materials will be forgotten after the exam. That is, what has been learnt is not useful for life because it has been forgotten. This is confirmed by the study of a German psychologist named Hermann Ebbinghaus with the Human Forgetting Curve. This is why memorising is placed at the lowest level of reasoning.
The next level is understanding. For example, if students are asked the following question:
Where is the best place for rubbish?
a. Sea
b. Sidewalk
b. River
d. Rubbish bin
We’ll be pretty sure that everyone will answer d. rubbish bin properly. Although in theory they already know the correct answer, this does not mean that in everyday life these children are able and willing to throw rubbish in the bin. So, at this level of reason, they are only able to understand theory without being able to put it into practice.
Meanwhile, for those who are able to throw rubbish in the bin, there are two possible levels of reasoning. Included in the lower level reasoning (LOTS) are those who, although able to apply/practice in real action, they do not know why they are doing it. Usually they just feel forced, obliged, or afraid of punishment. So, when they were asked why those chose throwing rubbish in the bin, the answers would range because it was school rules, later scolded/punished by the teacher or parents, later they didn’t go to the next grade, and so on. This shows that extrinsic factors (outside oneself) are much more dominant than intrinsic factors (inside oneself) in decision making.
On the other hand, those who are able to explain the reasons for throwing rubbish in the bin, such as: to maintain the health and beauty of the environment; to avoid flooding; to avoid disease; and others. Their level of reasoning is at the level of analysis, in the sense that they are able to analyse their own actions from cause to effect. They don’t just follow orders in doing something but with full awareness. This level of reasoning has entered a higher level of reasoning (Higher Order Thinking Skills).
An even higher level of reasoning is evaluation. Those who have the ability to think at this level, will see that waste is not just rubbish that must be thrown in the rubbish bin, but they can evaluate the various kinds of waste, some are easily recycled and some are very difficult to recycle such as plastic waste. Therefore, they separate these types of waste, starting from paper, plastic, organic, and other waste. They are able to evaluate their own actions.
The highest level of thinking skills in HOTS is creating. This is where humans are able to create new things or make new movements for real change. For example, by making compost from waste, creating works from waste materials (recycled), or creating a school/village movement free of waste.
Thus, it is clear that the difference between low reasoning in acting is limited to following the orders of others, has no choice because of obligation alone, and usually feels pressured (not independent). Meanwhile, those who have high reasoning are people who always have a choice (freedom) because they are fully aware of the causes and consequences of all their actions.
This concept of reasoning underlies the Merdeka Belajar program (freedom to learn). In fact, this concept was first coined by the Father of Indonesian Education, Ki Hadjar Dewantara with the formula Ngandel Kandel Kendel Bandel. Ngandel means believe, if we believe in our own thoughts then we will not be easily swayed by other people’s opinions (kandel). If we are not deterred, we will dare (kendel) to face anyone in an argument. And these brave people are usually called wayward (bandel) people. The Merdeka Belajar program wants to encourage smart Indonesians who are able to act without being ordered to. Study because you need to learn not because there is only a National Examination. This highly reasoned concept is the foundation of building Indonesia’s superior human resources.
* Observers and Educational Practitioners 4.0
Executive Director CERDAS (Center for Education Regulations &
Development Analysis)
Education Director of VOX Populi Institute Indonesia
