ARTICLE

ARTICLE

Abdullah, 2008, The Meaning of Learning Participant Inactivity (Case Study of Sport Training Group, A Program Held by Local Youth Center in Tumpang Malang). The Thesis for Non formal Education Department of Post Graduate Program of Malang University. Supervisors are (1) Dr. Sanapiah S (II) Dr. Djauzi Moedzakir, MA.

Abstract. The research takes its background from inactive learning participants of Sport Training Group, a program held by the Local Youth Center in Tumpang, Malang in implementing regular exercise. The research uses qualitative approach in attempting to describe the meaning of inactivity of learning participants. Information in the research is gained by using snow ball sampling technique. Data collecting process was done through interview, observation and documentation. The result of the research shows that the personality of the coach and the infrastructure are the reasons of idle learning participants. The constructible meaning from those reasons is the dissatisfaction and limitation.

Keywords: Inactivity, Sport Training Group

THE BACKGROUND

Education is implemented in three ways. They are formal education, non formal education and informal education. Formal education is held through formal schools. Non formal education is carried on in the form of working training institutions, skill enhancing institutions etc. And informal education takes place in family environment. Like in formal education, in non formal education we use and apply life skills education whose function is principally to increase life skill in each individual.

Life skill means skill an individual possesses to confront life setback properly without depression and to be able to figure out proactive and creative solution to work out the problem. Life skill can be categorized into four

1.      Personal Skill

2.      Social Skill

3.      Academic Skill

4.      Vocational Skill

(Life Skill Manual of PLS, 2003)

The implementation of life skill education in non formal education program, especially to reduce the poverty and unemployment is emphasized on learning effort that can yield an earning (learning and earning). In other words, the goal of PLS program is to master a skill.

The definition of skill is not only restricted in producing some works, but also extended into being skillful in doing anything so the skill will be beneficial for human life. PLS director general has decided the education approach that is widely based on BBE (Broad Based Education) to implement the skill life concept in empowering the society. The empowered society must have ability:

1.        To read and write well either in Indonesian or one of foreign languages (English,
Arabic, Chinese and so on).

2.        To analyze and solve the problem by using scientific thinking such as research,
invention and creation.

3.      To count with or without any help from technology to support those two former
abilities.

4.      To use many kinds of technology for many fields (for agriculture, fishery,
husbandry, home handicraft, health, communication-information, manufacture
and industry, commerce, art, showbiz).

5.      To manage the natural, social, cultural and environmental resources.

6.      To work in a team for both informal and formal sector.

7.      To understand himself or herself, others and his/her environment.

8.      To be able to work on and become educated individual.

9.      To integrate education and learning with nation's ethic socio-religious belief
based on Pancasila values.

After thoroughly seeing those nine abilities in implementing life skill counseling, apparently ability for sport is a significant aspect that can promote the empowerment of community.

Football training program is a form of non formal education that is carried on outside the formal education system (school). Non formal education is an education line outside the formal education whose implementation can be done in structured and graded ways (The National Act of Education System, No. 20,2003).

Sport Training Group (KBO) for Football, a program held by Youth Center in Tumpang, Malang started in 2001 and lasted to 2006. Firstly, this training group was comprised of the adolescents whose hobby is to play football. They usually gathered and played football in Tumpang. Later they founded a football training group that consists of a coqch and the members.

By using above description of Ihe sport training group (KBO), it can be inferred mat the group resembles non formal education because this training group is a learning group that focuses itself on the improvement of any skill and the program is carried on outside the formal education way.

During its development, this football training group lasted for four years starting from 2001 to 2005. The members were actively engaged in the group activities. Its evidence can be seen from the member presence list from which we can see that every week they participated actively 100%. However during the fifth year (2006), this football training program held by youth center experienced substantial decline. The presence level fell sharply into only 30% for every week.

This is an interesting phenomenon for a research. According to andragogy theory, a program whose implementation is based on the community learning need (the training group) should gain its popularity among the community learning members and those members should show their enthusiastic participation during the learning process. Why did the level of participation of this group decline while in fact the training in this group was so important for them?

RESEARCH METHOD

The research uses qualitative approach in describing the meaning of inactivity found in learning participants of Sport Training Group (KBO) for football, a program by local youth center. Creswell (2008:4) stated that basically qualitative research uses research format that has its own characteristic and focuses its concern to meaning participants hold. Principally, meaning is something essential from any phenomenon.

The main information from the research is that the participants of football training program were idle in carrying out the training program. The main information was acquired after researcher held direct interview with the coach of the football training program. From this point, researcher started to get information from other sources that could support the process of the research.

Besides accomplishing thorough interview with the informants, the researcher also observed the activity of Football Training Group in Tumpang Youth Center.

The research was carried out in Sport Training Group (KBO) for football that is located in Tumpang Stadium in Tumpang, Malang. The research location was 20 km away eastward from City of Malang.

The main data source of this research is from some participants of the football training program held by the youth center. They have ever joined the program but now they are not active anymore to follow the program. They could give precise information about information the researcher needs to know. Six people have given the significant information for the research.

The process of getting the information for this research used snow ball sampling. This technique was used primarily to decide which informant knew the problem exactly and would be able to provide precise information to the researcher. By using this technique, the researcher hoped that the correlative information could be revealed fully.

DATA EXPLANATION AND RESEARCH FINDINGS

The success of any program implementation involves at least two main factors; location and program participants. For location, near Tumpang stadium, there are many youngsters who have a lot of free time in the late afternoon. They usually spend their free time by doing their hobby; playing sport game. At first, they practiced to play football in common way. They usually did this habit every late afternoon and took long time. Many youngsters were attracted to join and practice their football skill. Gradually, their number increased. Because they had the same interest and need, so they decided to found football training group. This football training group of youth center in Tumpang village was founded in 2001.

The coach was appointed and he was the villager who has good skill in playing football and has professional background as a sport teacher.

The internal factors from program participants are some reasons that can motivate them to follow the program. From interview result in the field, participants' basic motivation to follow the program of the youth center football training group was that they felt the usefulness of this program and they hoped that one day they would become popular and professional football players so they would have bright future.

Other components that support the program implementation are the material, training schedule and evaluation. Based on the decided rule, the learning process of the football training program by the local youth center was held in outdoor location and football field in Tumpang stadium. The preparation of the learning process was adapted with the learning material. Learning/coaching time was determined for two days per week. Each training took 120 minutes, starting from 15.00 to 17.00.

The football training program by the local youth center has four development periods during its 5 year implementation. During (1) initial implementation in 2000 that program could attract 14 participants. (2) In 2001 the number of participants increased into 20 participants. (3) From 2002 until 2004, this football training program experienced its golden period but (4) after that period, the number of participants and its income declined sharply reaching 30% or only 8 participants.

From the data explanation above, it is apparent that the football training program held by the youth center in Tumpang village is about to end because it can not maintain the standard of having football team (it should consists at least 11 players).

THE   REASONS   OF   LEARNING   PARTICIPANTS   INACTIVITY   IN FOLLOWING SPORT TRAINING GROUP

   Based on the illustrative findings, it is revealed that the reason of the participants' inactivity is the absence of their favorite coach during the training schedule that all had agreed in advance.

Their motivation declined because the facilities were not complete. It can be inferred here that the meaning of the participants' inactivity comes from

1.   The dissatisfaction.

Based on the findings from the actual cases, the first coach was substituted by another new coach due to some personal problems. However the new coach couldn't get along with participants.

There is another reason why the participants' motivation suffered so much. The new coach was considered unfair in giving the training and deciding who would play despite the equal skill among the participants. This condition led to inharmonious relation between the coach and the participants because the gap of communication between the new coach and the program participants or among the participants became wider.

2.   The incomplete facilities

Like other programs, the availability of complete facilities is very needed in order to support the success of the program and to motivate the learners, hi the sport training group (KBO) held by the youth center in Tumpang, after four years of implementation, seemingly the improvement of its facilities is not evident. Furthermore this incomplete facility causes the decline in its participant's motivation.

DISCUSSION

An educative interaction must be nurtured between the coach and the learning participants in this sport training program. This sport training program held by youth center in Tumpang must have obvious scheme so it can be implemented better because it was founded by a group of youngsters who have the same hobby.

From the findings acquired from the field case, the method in delivering the information must be done through explanation, direct practices (from the coach) and discussion in order to solve the recent and upcoming problems. This method should be implemented during the regular exercise of this sport training program. This practice goes along with Brookfield principles (cited from Soedomo, 1989) that must be put into consideration in implementing learning activities for adult. Those principles can be described like this. (1) The participation of learning citizens must be done voluntarily and the program must be based on the participants need. (2) The learning activities must be based on the respect to the learning participants and the relationship between participants and facilitators must be done along with the spirit of mutual respect. (3) The learning activities must be based on the will to work together among the village official in such effective learning way for the adult, not the learning of reflect reaction and reflection, learning and putting it into practice or theory and practice. (5) The learning activities should be able to improve the sensitivity and critical thought among learning citizens; as a result they will become more curious and be able to solve the problems to find other alternatives. (6) The learning activities must be able to support and improve the will to learn, change, make decision and improve the knowledge and skill they get.

In order to support the learning activities for the adult, Abdulhak (2003: 13) described some assumptions about motivation to help the adult to learn. One of them is that the adult could share their opinion through discussion if the instructor gives the motivation for doing it They discuss to solve the problem. This assumption gives good example for us by showing us the practice of having good cooperation among the learning citizens that can bring about the mutual reaction with their environment.

THE REASONS OF LEARNING CITIZENS INACTIVITY IN FOLLOWING THE FOOTBALL TRAINING GROUP, A PROGRAM HELD BY LOCAL YOUTH CENTER IN TUMPANG

Related to the declining motivation because of the coach, Abdulhak (2001:13) stated the assumption associated to the motivation to help learning adult. It is assumed that adults are less motivated, but they have already had awareness to learn. The adults will build the communication with other learning citizens and they will continuously improve themselves. They often raise new ideas or opinions related to the learning environment because they get insufficient information from instructor as their motivator. If the instructor is not active in discussing their recent problems due to problems in delivering the materials for upcoming problems, the learning participants will also have difficulty in accessing this material. As a result, learning citizens will be less motivated, experience difficulty in learning and put themselves in incorrect position toward the instructor.

Another finding based on the result of observation and interview from actual cases shows mat the decline in learning citizens' motivation to train themselves in the sport training program for football held by the youth center in Tumpang is the effect of the incomplete facilities available for the program and the insufficient support from local government.

The emerging interest of individual depends much on the object that becomes his/her focus of interest Furthermore, those who put their interest in any object could change their interest to other objects as a result of good influence from either internal or external sources.

According to National Education Department (1999), there are two factors that could affect the interest. They are: (1) Internal factor that comes to the surface by itself without both help and influence of other factors such as need and environment, and (2) external factor that comes after the influence of need and environment

THE MEANING OF LEARNING CITIZENS INACTIVITY IN CARRYING ON THE SPORT TRAINING PROGRAM FOR FOOTBALL, A PROGRAM HELD BY THE LOCAL YOUTH CENTER IN TUMPANG

Based on the findings from the field research, the meaning that can be constructed from the reasons expressed by learning citizens after being interviewed by researcher is as follows:

1.  The dissatisfaction

The declining motivation among the participants to follow the training program of the sport training group held by the youth center in Tumpang started to appear during the fifth year of its implementation. This trend started to happen after the previous coach was married and became inactive in coaching the group. Many citizens could not fit themselves with the character and the way of coaching applied by new coach. Thompson (1991-177) stated that coaching needs a sort of high professionalism. A coach not only must have high standard of professionalism and individual personality, but he also must live with them.

The relation between the coach and the athletes lies not only in preparing the athlete achievement for the competition in the stadium, but also in other areas such as shaping the attitude and standpoint to face the wider possible problem.

The inharmonious relation between the substitute coach and learning citizens creates the apparent inevitable effect Needless to say, substituting the previous coach gives a burden to the new coach because learning citizens are likely to compare this new coach with the previous one. It is inevitable and has to be endured by the new coach in order to gain the participants recognition. What makes it worse is that the previous coach founded the program togemer with the participants and had close relationship with them.

A coach must be able to create comfortable situation that can support the process of training. Arif (1990:85) stated that in carrying out his duty, a coach must have sufficient knowledge and skill. As educating coach, he/she must have general knowledge about education philosophy. If he/she wants to be capable in giving easiness for others, he/she must understand how to create good learning situation and environment in which people can be stimulated to get something.

2.  Limitation

      The second meaning that can be constructed from the field findings related to the declining motivation among learning citizens who join the sport training group for football (a program held by the youth center in Tumpang) is the limitation. This limitation means the lack of support given by the local government in developing the existence of the sport training program for football held by the youth center in Tumpang.

Knox (1976:98-116) described that there are three program sources affecting the learning quality in adult education, as follows: (1) education environment program such as physical facilitator, (2) Material program that must be adapted with the purpose, content, technical use and cost, (3) cooperation program that must be carried out with other institutions in realizing the mutual collaboration and cooperation.

Based on those two statements and findings from the field case, the quality of this program implementation can not be done maximally because this program can not fulfill the main factors that education process must possess.

CLOSING

Conclusion

Entering the fifth year of its implementation, there was a declining motivation among learning citizens in following the training program as a result of the coach, facilities and local government support.

The meaning that can be constructed from the reasons of the citizens' inactivity in carrying on the training program is the dissatisfaction and the limitation.

Suggestion

Based on the result of discussion and some conclusions, below there are some suggestions that can be implied from the research.

1.       In order to improve the existence of the sport training group for football, s
program held by the local youth center in Tumpang, the former coach should take
an action to mediate learning citizens with new coach so both sides can develop
any new agreement.

2.       They must improve the cooperation with the local institution, from RT, RW to
Kecamatan level in order to increase the motivation of learning citizens.

REFERENCES

Arif, Zainudin. 1990. Andragogy. Bandung: Angkasa.

Creswll, John W. 2007. 5 Macam Tradisi Penelitian Kualitatif Disertai Model dan Desairt Masing-Masing. Malang: Unpublished.

Depdikbud (National Education and Culture Department), Visi Nomor 06/TH/V, Jakarta: Dirjen Dikluspora

Non Formal Education Directorate General, 2003. Pedoman Penyelenggaraan Program Kecakapan Hidup (Life Skills). Jakarta: National Education Department.

Soedomo, M. 1989. Pendidikan Luar Sekolah ke Arah Pengembangan Sistem Belajar masyarakat. Jakarta: Education and Culture Department. The Directorate of High Education and The Project of Education Institution and Education Manpower Development.

Republic of Indonesia Acts no, 20, 2003, Tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional Surabaya: Karina.