CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background
of the Study
Over the years,
Indonesia and Thailand have enjoyed well established cooperation in various
sectors, particularly in educational sector. Student exchange program, dual
degree program and other undertakings regarding educational institution have
been continuously conducted between the two nations. Education improvement both
in quality and quantity has always been the concern of the cooperation for both
countries.
One of the
efforts for the quality improvement of educational institutions in both
countries could be made through partnership program. Indonesia and Thailand as
parts of ASEAN member countries have potential in strengthening relationship
through educational cooperation program in various ways.
As stated on
ASEAN official website, ASEAN views education as the vehicle to raise ASEAN
awareness, inspire the “we feeling”, and create a sense of belonging to the
ASEAN Community and understanding of the richness of ASEAN’s history,
languages, culture and common values.
In relation to
ASEAN Economic Community 2015, where all ASEAN nations will relatively have
mobility in term of labors, products, services, and investments through the
agreement, Indonesia and Thailand will have to pay more attention in preparing
the education development especially in improving the quality and relevance of graduates
to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive world of work.
Referring to the
facts mentioned above, technical vocational education and training would be the
best areas to be explored for cooperation within the two countries as it
provides skills acquisition. Skill is considered to be very vital to the growth
of developing country’s economy, especially in this era of technological
integration. It would be needed by many life sectors, not only in a modern
environment, but also in agricultural and other informal sectors. It is through
technical vocational education and training a more relevant graduate could be
produced to meet the evolving needs of industry or employer.
1.2. Problem
Statement
This research
will study the importance of building educational cooperation between Indonesia
and Thailand towards the improvement of human resources quality in preparing
the two nations towards ASEAN Economic Community 2015.
This research
will be guided by these following research questions:
1.2.1. How do Indonesia and Thailand communicate
in conducting the educational cooperation?
1.2.2. What are the barriers in conducting the
educational cooperation in terms of communication perspectives and how do both
countries manage them?
1.2.3. How does the educational cooperation improve
the quality of human resources of the two nations in preparation towards the ASEAN Economic Community 2015?
1.3. Study
Objectives
The
objectives of the study are:
1.3.1. To investigate how Indonesia and Thailand
communicate in conducting the
educational cooperation.
1.3.2. To find out the barriers in conducting the
educational cooperation for both nations in terms of communication perspectives
and what are the solutions to the problems.
1.3.3. To measure the effectiveness of the educational cooperation
in improving
the quality of human resources in preparing the two nations towards ASEAN Economic Community 2015.
1.4. Significance
of the Study
This issue would
be worth studying as a feasibility study for Indonesian educational
institutions in analyzing their needs in establishing, developing, as well as
maintaining cooperation with other countries within the region. It also would
probably be a sample for other Southeast Asian countries that share the same
needs in the era of ASEAN Community 2015, where the promotion of improved
standards will be prioritized, and better access to education through
networking and institutional collaboration among ASEAN countries will be
highlighted.
In order to
build relationship with other people/institutions from other countries, one
should pay attention to characteristics of people from different culture,
customs, and values, as well as the best communication approach that would be
suitable to deal with them. That would be considered as key success factors of
the process.
1.5. Scope
and Delimitation
This research
would be limited to study about the conduct of education cooperation between
Indonesia and Thailand as their preparation towards ASEAN Economic Community
2015. This would also cover the impacts as well as the effectiveness of the
program.
The scope of the
research would be exploring education cooperation in the areas of technical
vocational education and training at the level of vocational secondary schools
within the two countries.
CHAPTER
II
THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK
2.1. Previous Research
Paryono (2013)
in his research entitled “Mapping National and Regional TVET Initiatives in
Southeast Asia and beyond in Response to Students and Labour Mobility” was
exposing the fact that Southeast Asian countries are positioning Technical and
Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the mainstream of education system
and setting it as a priority in their education agenda. This is simply due to
the fact that TVET plays an important role in the socio-economic development of
a nation, not to mention that it helps a lot in preparing the current and
future labour forces. At regional and
global levels, the issue of students and labour mobility are also very
prevalent particularly in anticipation of full ASEAN integration in 2015.
His research was
basically about the national and regional initiatives in TVET to be used as a
reference and stimulate ideas and collaboration for improving TVET policies and
practices. He used qualitative research as the methodology and found out these
following initiatives;
1. National
initiatives
The most vital initiative is the creation of the National
Qualification Framework (NQF) to be used as a means for promoting the
development, implementation and facilitation of a transparent mechanism used in
the assessment, certification, and recognition of skills. It requires intensive
preparation and strong commitments. Even in countries that have successfully
developed the framework, it does not always translate into successful
implementation. Communication is required between the various Ministries,
education and training providers, and industries for successful implementation.
2. Regional
initiatives
a. East
Asia Summit on TVET Quality Assurance Framework
All countries have their own way of assuring TVET
Quality. The development of a Regional TVET Quality Assurance Framework will
facilitate in promoting continuous improvement of TVET within the country and
enhance cooperation and mutual understanding between member countries. To
support this initiative, it is vital to establish a smaller TVET quality
assurance, such as focusing o teacher quality standard.
b. Regional
Qualification Framework (RQF)
There have been several attempts by various organizations
to develop ASEAN Regional Qualification Framework in Southeast Asia. Many hold
that an RQF will provide a reference point and translation grid for all
qualifications throughout Southeast Asia and that it will be benefit employers,
education providers, and job seekers to recognize qualification issued within
the region. Others feel that the RQF will only function if all member countries
recognize the benefits of it and support the initiation and the implementation
whole-heartedly.
This research
will be relevant to my research topic as it provides the information related to
TVET field in Southeast Asian countries. My research would be discussing about
the educational cooperation conducted between Indonesia and Thailand,
particularly in vocational sector in its support to the quality improvement of
human resources in both countries. Paryono (2013) clearly mentioned that
TVET plays important roles in (1)
providing the skill sets required by enterprises and across national economies,
(2) supports pathways into employment for young people, (3) strengthening
mobility between occupations for experienced workers, and (4) supporting the
development of new skills and assisting workers to be prepared to change or
progress in their occupations/careers. Therefore the TVET conducted in the scheme
of educational cooperation among countries regionally will have significant
impact to the improvement of human resources quality, specifically in preparing
themselves to welcome the ASEAN Economic Community. This research provides me
information on how the TVET being conducted in ASEAN countries, where Indonesia
and Thailand are parts of them.
According to
Fernandez and Martinez (2009) in their article entitled “Employment Skills
Strategies in Southeast Asia: Setting the Scene” described that ASEAN countries
(except Singapore) have dual economies with dual labour markets and skill
requirements. The modern sector must enhance its competitiveness on global
markets while the traditional needs anti-poverty programmes focused on job
creation and the development of skills that can support rural livelihoods. It
is necessary that governments in the region should give attention to strategies
that facilitate the transition of entrepreneurs and self-employed from the
informal economy into the formal economy.
In their
qualitative research, they found out that the youth unemployment rates in ASEAN
developing countries are on average three to four times higher than adult
unemployment rates. It can potentially lead to social and political
instability, and furthermore can lead to erosion of the competencies acquired
through education and training if these are not consolidated through practice
in the work place. They believe that employment and skills development in
Southeast Asia can be unpacked into 10 key issues;
1. Strategies
to create not only better but also more jobs in the region
2. Reform
the labour market institutions (LMI) which offer services like career guidance,
information on employment opportunities, and employment services
3. Examine
the interaction between country approaches to skills development and country
approaches to skills utilization to balance the provision of skills and the
opportunities to use these skills.
4. Governance
of labour markets is of critical importance
5. Poverty
reduction for some of target groups; women, unemployed youth, people with
disabilities, ethnic minorities and people living in rural communities.
6. Growth
of informal economy
7. Migration
and mobility both between and within countries is driving the need for
increased skills portability
8. Explore
the impact of Free Trade Area (FTA)
9. Industrial
composition is fragmented
10. Lack
of entrepreneurial development linked to productive activities
This article
speaks mainly about employment skills strategies in Southeast Asia and discuss
about the labour force migration and skills recognition among ASEAN countries.
The ASEAN Economic Community 2015 requires high skilled labour forces which
will compete one another in filling up the skills formation. My research will
explore on the importance of improving quality of human resources by
cooperating within the region in vocational education sector. Data and
information provided by this article could be utilized to support my research
in term of type of human resources quality that will be suitable in AEC 2015
and the efforts that should be done to improve the remaining human resources.
A paper entitled
“ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) A Potential Game Changer for ASEAN Countries”
written by Hansakul (2013) highlighted that the AEC’s envisaged launch at the
end of 2015 will not only be an integration milestone but a potential game
changer for ASEAN. The region’s diversity, ranging from advanced economies like
Singapore to developing countries like Myanmar, could be a source of synergy,
bringing the capital and more mature economies together with the competitive
costs and abundant labour and resources of the less-developed member countries.
The launch of
AEC was initially set for 2020 and subsequently moved forward to January 1,
2015. In November 2012 ASEAN leaders agreed to move the launch date again to
December 31, 2015 in order to give member states more time to prepare for
necessary regulatory changes.
Some of the
findings stated on the article are the AEC Blueprint’s vision and goals, where
the Economic Community would be focus on 4 characteristics;
1. A
single market and production base, where flows of investment, capital, and
skilled labour will be facilitated and cooperation in sectors designated as
priority integration sectors will be promoted.
2. A
competitive economic region which requires a regional standard in trade policy
and for the business operating environment.
3. Equitable
economic development. ASEAN member states will strive to level the playing
field as much as possible.
4. Integration
into the global economy. ASEAN strives to integrate itself better as a region
into the global supply chain.
This paper
provides an overview about AEC’s goals and main components, presents its
progress review, and makes an educated guess at what can be expected to happen
when AEC rolls out. It will be useful for me to map the role, the benefits and
the challenges of AEC to the member countries, and then to develop the
connection between the Technical Vocational Education and Training with the
supply and demand of labour when Southeast Asia enters the AEC at the end of
2015.
2.2. Theoretical Framework
2.2.1.
Social
Learning Theory
The Social Learning Theory proposed by
Albert Bandura has become perhaps the most influencial theory of learning and
development. It is a theory that believes people learn from one another through
observation, imitation, and modelling. Bandura (1977) emphasizes that humans
are active information processors and think about the relationship between
their behavior and its consequences. Observational learning could not occur unless
cognitive processes were at work. The model should motivate people to carefully
listen, observe and pay attention to others to learn.
Social learning theory combines
cognitive learning theory (which posits that learning is influenced by
psychological factors) and behavioral learning theory (which assumes that
learning is based on responses to environmental stimuli). Albert Bandura
integrated these two theories and came up with four requirements for learning:
observation (environmental), retention (cognitive), reproduction (cognitive),
and motivation (both). This integrative approach to learning was called social
learning theory.
One of the most famous experiments
performed by Bandura is the famous bobo doll experiment. Children observed as
adults modeled either violent or passive behavior towards the doll, and this
observation was found to influence the manner in which the children
subsequently interacted with the dolls. Children who observed violent behavior
behaved violently toward the doll and vice versa.
The theory of social learning is
relevant to this research as the cooperation between the two countries is in
the field of education, particularly in vocational education where transfer of
knowledge and skills will be involved. Teachers and students participated in
the program will need to share and learn from their partners to improve the
knowledge and skills in order to perform better in terms of quality improvement
of human resources.
2.2.2.
Intercultural
Communication Theory
Gerry Philipsen, a professor of
communication at the University of Washington who specializes in intercultural
communication, says that culture is not basically geographical. Nor is it
essentially political or a matter of race. Philipsen describes culture as “a
socially constructed and historically transmitted pattern of symbols, meanings,
premises, and rules.” At root, culture isa code.
Toomey (1999) stated that Intercultural
communication takes place when individuals influenced by different cultural
communities negotiate shared meanings in interaction. Having sensitivity to
intercultural factors is the key to success in casual or formal communication. When
individuals from different cultural background become more intimate, their
interactions typically move along the continuum from more intercultural to more
interpersonal.
According to Wiseman (2003), the
competent communicator is the person who can convey a sense of communication
appropriateness and effectiveness in diverse cultural contexts.
The Intercultural Communication Theory
would be relevant to my research as it defines a form of communication that
aims to share information across different cultures and social groups, while my
research will look more closely on the partnership between two different groups
of people from different countries with different cultural backgrounds. How
they adapt each other in aiming the same objectives would be viewed from
intercultural communication perspective.
2.2.3.
International Communication Strategy
Theory
Cambie
and Mai Ooi (2009) explained that communication is not only
about producing messages you want other people to hear. It is about
understanding what moves the listener. And in order to be able to do that, you
need to know the listener’s points of reference, their culture, their values, their
ways of relating to the world. We
can no longer expect people in other cultures to adopt the way we think and
communicate.
Friedman writes that in order to thrive
in the ‘Globalization 3.0’ era, individuals have to have ‘a certain mental
flexibility, selfmotivation, and psychological mobility’.3 In other words they
need to be highly creative. Communication is about creativity. This is why we
believe that our time offers unprecedented opportunities for communicators.
This
theory will be applicable to my research as one of the key success factors in
the educational cooperation between nations is the ability to communicate
internationally.
2.3. Conceptual Framework
Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the research
This research
would be best described by the above figure of conceptual framework. The
figure were developed out of the facts found from the previous research,
theoretical framework and literature review to address the research question,
which is: to what extent could the human
resources quality of Indonesia and Thailand be improved through the conduct of educational
cooperation between the two countries in preparation towards the ASEAN Economic
Community 2015.
In this context the theories that need to be
explored are:
1.
Social Learning Theory,
2.
Intercultural Communication Theory, and
3.
International Communication Strategy Theory
The Social Learning theory and Intercultural
Communication theory were chosen to as the most appropriate theories to be the
base of the conduct of the educational cooperation between Indonesia and
Thailand, while the international communication strategy theory provides the approach
to the preparation of ASEAN Economic Community 2015 where the high skilled
human resources would be one of the key success factors for the participating
countries.
REFERENCES
ASEAN
Economic Community Blue Print.
(2008, January). Retrieved from http://www.asean.org/archive/5187-10.pdf
Cambie,
Silvia & Ooi, Yang-Mai. (2009).
Interntional Communications Strategy Development in Cross-cultural
Communications, PR and Social Media. Philadelphia, USA: Kogan Page.
Retrieved from file:///C:/Users/agung_na_ani/Downloads/[Silvia_Cambie,_Yang-May_Ooi]_International_Commun(BookFi.org).pdf
Griffin, Em. (2012). A First Look at Communication Theory (eight edition). New York,
USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Hansakul, Syetarn.
(2013, June 14). ASEAN Economic Community
(AEC) A Potential Game Changer for ASEAN Countries. Deutsche Bank DB
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in Southeast Asia: Setting the Scene. Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) Report. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/countries/bruneidarussalam/45592999.pdf
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