Source: BEM UI.
DEPOK — To support learning activities, Universitas Indonesia (UI) has developed a digital system. Two of the most commonly used platforms by the academic community are SIAK-NG (Next Generation Academic Information System) and EMAS (E-Learning Management System). However, both systems do not fully meet users’ needs.
A survey conducted by UI’s Student Executive Board (BEM) in September 2022 showed that SIAK-NG and EMAS often experience technical issues. The data revealed that students frequently struggle to access these platforms.
The role of digital learning systems cannot be ignored, especially since online learning became more common during the Covid-19 pandemic. A reliable system is becoming increasingly important.
As a university with an “excellent” accreditation, UI should have adequate facilities and infrastructure. However, it seems that this requirement has not been fully met.
Chandra Kirana, a lecturer at the Undergraduate Program of UI’s Department of Communication Science, uses both SIAK-NG and EMAS for her courses.
Unfortunately, online learning has made access to SIAK-NG even more difficult, as the system may not be prepared to handle heavy user traffic. “It goes down several times, so I can’t open EMAS. But all the teaching materials are there,” said the lecturer, who is commonly known as Kicky.
Aside from server overload causing disruptions, SIAK-NG and EMAS are also not integrated. This issue has led Kicky to use external platforms like Google Classroom instead.
Source: BEM UI.
Joys and Sorrows
Students have also experienced difficulties with SIAK and EMAS. For reference, EMAS allows lecturers and students to upload assignments, conduct exams, participate in discussions, and send messages.
However, during mass exams, EMAS sometimes encounters issues, disrupting the process of saving answers. Rahel Maulitha, a Management student from the Faculty of Economics and Business, was one of the “victims” of an EMAS error. “My exam! It disappeared once, hahaha,” Rahel said.
Like Rahel, Mitchelle Aura, a Communication Science student from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, also noticed the shortcomings of EMAS and SIAK-NG, especially from her experience using them for multiple courses.
“Sometimes, when I try to fill out the IRS (Study Plan Form) in SIAK, it errors. There was a time when my input didn’t get saved. With EMAS, the scariest part is during quizzes,” said Aura.
Mitchelle doesn’t use EMAS much for her Communication Science courses. Most of her classes rely on Google Classroom or simply use WhatsApp groups and Google Drive for assignments.
Despite its flaws, EMAS is still a key platform in certain faculties, such as the Faculty of Medicine. Dionisius Tonggo, a medical student, has used EMAS for all his courses every semester for the past two years.
“This semester, I use EMAS for learning materials, student handbooks, lab sessions, class schedules, and lecture materials. There are also asynchronous activities, lecture videos, and discussions with lecturers—plus, we submit assignments there,” Dionisius explained in an interview.
Since many academic activities depend on digital systems, Dionisius finds EMAS convenient. “Using EMAS means we don’t have to print assignments anymore.” It has become a better option for managing various academic tasks, particularly for submitting assignments.
However, Kicky pointed out another issue: “It’s tiring to use SIAK and EMAS because the SAP (Course Plan) isn’t integrated. We have to input everything manually, which makes using EMAS uncomfortable for me.”
Technical Improvements Needed
Many students agree that SIAK and EMAS help streamline learning. However, they hope the technical issues and system glitches can be fixed.
“SIAK and EMAS would be really great if they could solve the errors that happen during high-traffic periods. If that happens, we might not need to use other apps anymore,” Rahel said.
(Marchha Uli)
