Discrimination in Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesian Higher Education

Abstract

Objective: Discrimination has been significant in the COVID-19 pandemic in online learning in universities, as it affects the availability of technological devices, the training of human resources, student and parent literacy rates and institutional training.   Method: Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this article aims to identify and analyze the causes of forms of discrimination occurring in Indonesian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through interviews with students, teachers and parents, taking into account their characteristics, situations and particular cultures.   Result: The study shows that differences in the social groups and classes of university students and mothers structured their possibilities to study online in higher education in the COVID-19 pandemic. Differences between social class have consequences on the use of online learning in the COVID-19 pandemic at the level of discrimination. Existing structural differences are an important factor in interpreting the discriminatory reality of online learning in Indonesian higher education.   Conclusion: Three important factors were identified as the cause of this discrimination: limited availability of mobile devices, smartphones, tablets, laptops, signals, data packets and Internet network services; lack of technological literacy among learners and parents hampers the ability to participate; and lack of institutional training to learn online.