WhatsApp Media Bridging Teaching-Learning Activities for Basic Education in the Border Area of Indonesia and Timor-Leste

The basic education for children in the border areas of Indonesia and Timor-Leste is currently facing challenges. The challenges come from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced children in the border areas to learn from home. On the one hand, learning from home has required guidance from the teacher. While on the other hand, the teacher was unable to guide the children at home for a long time. Then the following question has arisen: how do teachers guide students through a pattern of distance teaching-learning process amid the Covid-19 pandemic? To answer the question, this research was conducted by proposing WhatsApp as a media that bridges the distance teaching-learning activities. The research uses qualitative methods such as literature studies, contemporary newspaper studies, distance interviews, and online research methods. The result of research has shown following findings: (1) Using WhatsApp media as an alternative for the teachers to communicate and to share learning materials with assignments in the context of the distance teaching-learning activities. (2) Some students could use WhatsApp media, while other students could not because did not have the device. (3) The class teachers continue to deliver learning materials and assignments to each student at home, then pick assignments up as well scheduled. Some conclusions of research are (1) The use of WhatsApp media in the distance teaching and learning activities in the border areas of Indonesia and Timor-Leste helped students to meet learning objectives. (2) In fact, class teachers and some students have used WhatsApp media in the distance learning activities, while some other students did not use WhatsApp media. However, the results have shown 99% of students' grades and graduations. (3) The central and local governments principally have responded the needs of basic education and supported the distance teaching-learning activities using WhatsApp media.