Hi Merrilyn and Shelley

I just want to let you know my difficulties in writing my ideas.
Now, I am trying to write the context of Indonesia. The reason I need to write this is because I want to answer one of my research questions: what are the implications of my ethnographic study in Australia for Indonesian context.

I am struggling in writing the context of Indonesia since I have so much knowledge about Indonesia. When I write something, then many things come to my mind.

I am trying to advice myself as follow:

1. I just need to write maximum 4 pages for the context of Indonesia.
2. It should be helpful to write the implications first, then from there, I might see what background I should provide for the readers.
3. No 2 will help me to avoid myself telling the story that useless (Do not say something in the context, if it is not necessary). So say something that you really need it in the implication sections.
4. I realised, that I came from Indonesia. My initial motivation was to investigate how Indonesian teachers could use the Internet for learning. How might the Internet be used by Indonesian teachers in Indonesia. Well, I have done this in Australia using ethnographic approach. My research should give me enough understanding how this Internet might be used for Indonesian teacher's PD.
5. Now, I must have some ideas/suggestions for Indonesian context (e.g. Indonesian goverment, Indonesian teachers, PD provider)

Well, my research suggests that many factors influence teacher uses of the Internet. Some factors support and some factors inhibit the effective use of the Internet.

Australian schools/classes would be regarded by Indonesian teachers as rich learning environment, where the computers are available in many classes with fast Internet connection. Many Indonesian teachers might see this environment as the ideal class and hoping the similar classroom, as one teacher stated: [.........]. Indonesian teachers might complain that they could not do any innovation since the limited resources. They might think, that having computers with Internet connection in the classroom would make difference in their teaching.

Howewer, my research (the contrasting features of the environment and the the ways of uses the Internet) demonstrates that the resources, including the Internet is not the key of the success of the teaching. The way of teacher's thinking about the Internet would determine the way they use the Internet. The Internet could either enrich the learning or restrict the learning.

Another important finding:

in the case of Jack, the researcher was trying to promote the uses of the Internet, taking into consideration of the characteristics of effective PD, utilise the potential of the Internet in her approaches, bringing some knowledge from her personal experiences in using the Internet and bringing some ideas from a high use Internet teacher, but, the fact, the researchers faced many challenges in encouraging Jack to follow the expeted learning trajectory. The analysis using the zones theory suggests that providing the resources (the infrastructure: computers & softwere) online learning and teaching resources, being competent in using the technology are not enough for teachers to be able to use the Internet effectively to enrich the learning. More important than that, is the philosophical beliefs and the knowledge about the learning, the teaching, the learners, the content or the subject matter.

Another important finding from working with Jack is: I discovered that deciding an approach to promote a concept to a teacher, assisting the teacher to achieve a goal is not always simple. Theoretically that we need to look at carefully the relationship between the zones of learning, we need to offer things that feasible for the teacher, we need to take into consideration of his/her ZFM, the problem is: understanding the teacher (ZPD, ZFM) is not always easy. What we see and hear one day cannot be concluded as it was. It is similar the way we should see the students that we need time and variety approaches in understanding our students in the classroom.

This research helps me to realise that individual teacher should be seen as a learner. If we suggest that the teaching in the classroom should be student-centred, then the professional development program should be teacher-centred. This means, that any programs that aims to improve the quality of the teacher must attemp to know the context of the teacher, the knowledge, and the beliefs of them. All programs for improving the quality of the teachers must take those elements into considerations.

In a more detailed, I would say, the approach that we would use for teachers like Ann, is certainly different from the approach for teachers like Jack.

For Ann typical teacher, showing the potential of the Internet might be enough, but for Jack's typical, challenging his existing beliefs should be done first and the Internet has potential to challenge these beliefs.

Back to the point, what the implications of this research for Indonesian context then?

What background about Indonesia I need to write?

Let me tell you in another separate letter.