Saturday 27 December 2008

SERAT OPTIK

Ketika Thomas Alfa Edison menemukan lampu pijar, Edison dikatakan berhasil "menangkap petir". Namun dengan perkembangan ilmu saat ini, manusia tudak hanya berhasil menangkap tetapi mengendalikan cahaya yaitu dengan berhasil ditemukannya material serat optik. Serat Optik (optical fiber) adalah sebagian kecila dari revolusi penemuan manusia yang dampaknya sangat spektakuler. Di tengah euphoria penggunaan alat jaringan komonikasi tanpa batas, serat optik dikatakan sebagai kunci lalulintas informasi, maka tak salah bila disebutkan bahwa serat optik adalah kunci masa depan komonikasi.
Apaka serat optik itu ?
Serat optik adalah material yang berupa serabut-serabut transparan yang terbuat dari kaca atau plastik yang diurai sehingga menajdi serat panjang, fleksibel dan lebih tipis dari pada rambut manusia. Serat optik digunakan untuk mensrtansmisikan sinyal cahaya dari suatu tempat ke tempat lain sehingga dapat digunakan untuk menghantarkan informasi melalui sebuah proses yang dinamakan pemantulan internal total. Sebuah pesan diubah menjadi pulsa cahaya yang kemudian ditransmisikan melalui serat melalui tube pada sudut tertentu sehingga sedikit cahaya hilang dalam proses pembiasan. Cahaya yang ada di dalam serat optik sulit keluar karena indeks kaca lebih besar daripada indeks bias udara. Sumber cahaya yang digunakan adalah leser karena leser mempunyai spektrum yang sangat sempit. Kecepatan trasmisi serat optik sangat tinggi sehingga sangat bagus digunakan sebagai saluran komonikasi.
Saat ini serat optik sudah digunakan secara luas dalam sistim telekomonikasi serta dalam pencahayaan, sensor, dan optik pencitraan.
Serat optik terdiri dari 2 bagian, yaitu cladding dan core. Cladding merupakan selubung dari core yang mempunyai indeks bias lebih rendah dari core sehingga dapat memantulkan kembali cahaya yang mengarah keluar dari core untuk kembali ke dalam core lagi.
Bagian-bagian serat optik jenis single mode.
Efisiensi serat optik ditentukan oleh kemurnian dari bahan penyusun gelas. Semakin murni bahan gelas, semakin sedikit cahaya yang diserap oleh optik.
jenis serat optik yang sudah diproduksi saat ini ada 3 yaitu,
  1. Single mode: serap optik dengan core yang sangat kecil, diameter mendekati panjang gelombang cahaya sehingga cahaya yang masuk ke dalamnya tidak terpantul-pantul ke dinding cladding.
  2. Multi mode step index : serat optik dengan diameter core yang agak besar yang membuat leser di dalamnya akan terpantul-pantul di dinding cladding yang dapat menyebabkan berkurangnya bandwidth dari serat optik jenis ini.
  3. Multi Mode grade index: serat optik dengan diameter core yang besar dan mempuyai caldding yang bertingkat indeks biasnya sehingga dapat menambah bandwidth jika dibandingkan dengan jenis multi mode step indeks.

Total Internal Reflection

Ketika cahaya dilewatkan dari sebuah medium dengan indeks bias m, ke medium yang lain denagn indeks bias yang lebih rendah m2, dibelokkan menjauhi garis.

Pada sudut yang lain (sudut kritis), cahaya yang dibiaskan tidak akan menuju m2, melainkan akan diteruskan sepanjang permukaan antara kedua median (sinus[sudut kritis] = n2/n1 di mana n1 dan n2 adalah indeks bias [n1 lebih besar n2]. Jika berkas cahaya yang dibiaskan akan dipantulkan seluruhnya kembali melalui m1 (totalinternal reflection), meskipun melalui m2 mungkin menjadi transparan.

Dalam fisika, sudut kritis merupakan garis normal. Dalam serat optik, sudut kritis merupakan garis paralll yang melwati bagian tengah serat. Dengan demikian sudut kritis serat optik = (90 derajat-sudut kritis fisika).

Dalam serat optik, cahaya dilewatkan melalui core (m1, indeks bias tinggi) dengan pantulan secara konstan dari cladding (m2,indeks bias lebih rendah) karena sudut cahaya salalu lebih besar daripada sudut kritis. Cahaya memantul dari cladding meskipun sudut serat dibelokkan atau bahkan membentuk lingkaran.

Karena cladding tidak mengabsorbsi sedikitpun cahaya dari core, gelombang cahaya dapat diteruskan sampai jauh. Namun beberapa sinyal cahaya mengalami degradasi dengan serat, biasanya karena kotoran dalam kaca. Tingkat degradasi sinyal biasanya tergantung pada kemurnian gelas dan panjang gelombang yang ditransmisikan cahaya (sebagai contoh, 850nm = 60-75 persen/km; 1.300nm = 50-60 persen/km; 1.550nm = lebih besar daripada 50 persen/km). Beberapa serat optik premium menunjukan penurunan degradasi sinyal - kurang dari 10 persen/km pada 1.550nm.

Reliabilitas dari serat optik dapat ditentukan dengan satuan BER (bit error rate). Salah satu ujung serat optik diberi masukan data tertentu dan ujung yang lain mengolah data itu. Dengan intensitas laser yang rendah dan dengan panjang serat mencapai beberapa km, maka akan menghasilkan kesalahan. Jumlah kesalahan persatuan waktu tersebut dinamakan BER. Dengan diketahuinya BER maka, jumlah keslahan pada serat optik yang sama dengan panjang yang berbeda dapat diperkirakan besarnya.

Competency in English

Speaking of the competency of our senior high school graduates, we rarely see their outstanding ability in speaking or writing in English (as a foreigen language) though we have already known that they have learned English at school for four hours a week, which logically leads us to a thought that when they graduate they will have already been in 'touched' with English for minimally 960 hours (4 hours x 40 effective weeks x 6 years = 960 hours). This, in big cities in Indonesia, will be added by around another 960 hours (4 hours x 40 weeks x 6 years = 960 hours) if students whose parents are ecnomically classified into 'middle' to ,upper' are sent to improve their English skills to atwo-to-four-hour-per-week English course program. These students are probably the ones who commonly have 'tandard' skill of Englihs as a foreign language. Unfortunately, since most of the students in Indonesia do not come from the above mentioned social classes, they do not have the change to get additional lesson of English which is assumed (by our society) can help them improve their English.

So, the question now is how can't a 960 hour English lesson programme be adequate to make our students obtain and practice at least tandard skill of English ? The writer sees that there are several main problems to be the reasons of the poor quality of senior high school graduates in English, i.e :


  1. Lack of grammar understanding and its application,

  2. Insensitiveness of teachers to adjust teachng material, or modify it based on the needs and background of the students,

  3. Abundant number of students in one class in almost all national school, and

  4. Lack of reading habit among the students.

Lack of grammar understanding and its application

During her eight years of teaching junior and senior high school students English subyect privately and classically, which has given her a change to observe what her dtudents' problems in English are, the write sees that most of her students face difficulties in understanding English grammar, which in this case lies in (school) teacher's inability to involve students in comprehending the rules step bu step. Most of English teachers see grammar teaching at school as one way communication in which they genarally just inform the rules of grammar in English to students, and in turn expect students to take in those rules just like that. In other words, teachers still play a role as a'feeder' instead of a facilitator when they teach English. As a resukt, students are often stuck in confusion in their English learning.

Obviously, it is not easy to put in rules of oppositely different language to the mind of students who are not accustomed to speak, read, listen, and write in the language, and to familiarize them smoothly to it, especially when the teachers mostly always expect their students to produce correctutterance or writing in classroom, while at the same time most students are afraid and ashamed to make mistakes in front of their friends. No wonder all these thinngs make most students anxious and worry to interact and explore the language. Unfortunatelym instead of dealing with this anxiety and worry in the first place, our teachers generally tend to blame it to students' disability to understand the rules of the target language easily and quickly; sreating a gap between the students and the language. Hance, why don't teachers try to bridge this gap first by considering students' background knowledge and schemata, identified by Patricia Carrel and Joan Carson (1983, p. 556) in Joy M. Reid (1993) as the following, previously acquired knowledge is called ... background knowledge, and the previously acquired background knowledge structures are called schemata" (p. 62), which in this case is students' background knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia as their native or second language ?

In teaching her students English, first of all, the wruter is used to comparing the grammar in Bahasa Indonesia, and thr grammar in English, their general differences and similiarities, for instance the existence of tense in English but not in Bahasa Indonesia (by being careful not to stuck in 'grammar-translation' method) by comparing several sentences in Bahasa Indonesia with different adverbs of time (e.g. sekarang, besok, kemarin) but with the same verbs (e.g. makan) to their translation in English. This usually helps the students to find out little by little and understand the concept of tenses in English first (and so it goes for other basic rules in English grammar). the writer is also accustomed to display as well as contrast different sentences in different English tenses, thus get students to states their similarities and differences in order to have students see for themselves what and why they are the same, or not the same.

The few examples above show that it is important to put in the students' mind to basically know why and how the two languages are different in answers to their query and confusion. Also, the point here is to make students activate their mind by having them analyze things given by themselves. Hopefully they would feel themselves 'enlightened' and 'bridged' into the language by the guide from the teacher to figyre it out step by step. Then, gradually, students can be guided to draw conclusion and discuss some grammar rules in English by themselves under teacher's monitor, for example concluding the differences among the English tenses; their usage, theircharacteristics, the time signal, and the patterns, in order to make themfamiliar with thinking logically and critically to reach real comprehension of the language, and lead them to be able to use it functionally. The main point here is to lead students to think that their confusion is not because they do not understand the language, but because there are a lot of new things in it that they haven't explored yet. They need to realize this, so that whenever they find problems in the language, they will try to find its solution, instead of running away from it, and creating more confusion.

Tuesday 23 December 2008

ACCREDITATION

Accreditation 

 

School accreditation is an assessment of activities (assessment) schools systematically and comprehensively through the self-evaluation and external evaluation (to determine the feasibility of the vision and performance in school. 

 

Basic Law school accreditation is: Law. 20 of 2003, Article 60, Government Regulation No.. 19 In 2005, Article 86 & 87 and Decree No Education. 87/U/2002. 


The school aims for accreditation: 

1.        kelyakan determine the level of a school in the delivery of education

2.        get an overview about the performance of schools

School accreditation functions are: 

1.        for knowledge, that is, in order to know how the feasibility of school performance & views from the various elements related to the quality of the books are developed based on indicators of good practice in school.

2.        namely accountability for schools that can account for whether the services provided or to meet the aspirations of the people.

3.        for the sake of development, namely that schools can conduct increased quality or development based on input from the results of accreditation.

Prinsi-accreditation principles, namely: 

1.        detached, objective information about the feasibility and performance of schools

2.        effective, the results of accreditation to provide information that can be used as the basis for decisions.

3.        comprehensive, covering various aspects and comprehensively.

4.        memandirikan, schools can improve the quality beupaya says with the self-evaluation.

5.        requirement (mandatory), accreditation is done for each school in accordance with school readiness.

Accreditation system has characteristics: 

1.        focus on the balance between reliability and performance of schools

2.        kesimbangan between internal and external evaluation.

3.        the balance between the formal determination of the rank and school improvement feedback.

Accreditation school implemented include: 

1.        Unit educational institutions (kindergarten, elementary, junior) 

2.        Vocational programs / Specific (SDLB, SMPLB SMIP SMK).

Accredited schools include an assessment of the nine components of the school, namely: 

1.        curriculum and teaching-learning process

2.        administration and management of schools

3.        organizational and institutional school

4.        facilities and infrastructure

5.        ketenagaan

6.        financing

7.        students

8.        the role of the community

9.        environment and culture school

each component described in some aspects. From each of the aspects described to the indicator. Based on indicators made items arranged in Self Evaluation Instruments and Instrument Visital. 


Implemented through the accreditation procedure as follows: 

1.        Application request accreditation from the school.

2.        Self-evaluation by schools

3.        Management of the evaluation results

4.        Visitasi by asesor

5.        Determination results akrediatsi

6.        issuance of certificates and accreditation reports.

In preparing for accreditation, the school perform the following steps: 

1.        School to apply for accreditation to the Accreditation Agency Province (report)-S / M to SLB, high schools, vocational schools and junior high school or to the Unit Accreditation Agency (Upa) District / City to kindergartens and primary schools of accreditation can be done by the school must obtain the approval or recommendation from the Office of Education.

2.        After receiving the evaluation instrument, schools need to understand how to use instruments and perform self-evaluation. If not, schools can do to the consultation report, S / M on the implementation and use of these instruments.

3.        Given the amount of data and information needed in the evaluation process itself is quite a lot, the charging instrument before the evaluation, needs to be done collecting the necessary documents as a source of information and data.

Implementing Accreditation School, among others: 

1.        National Accreditation Agency School / Madrasah (BAN-S / M).

2.        Accreditation Agency Provincial School? Madrasah (BS / M)

3.        Unit Accreditation Agency (Upa) District / City.

National Accreditation Agency School / Madrasah (BAN-S / M) is a body of strukturalyang non-technically independent and fropesionalyang consists of the elements of community organizations, education providers, universities, and relevant organizations, which have the authority to set policy, standards, systems, devices and nationally accredited. Agency Akrediatasi Province School / Madrasah (report-S / M) berkewenangan to implement the accreditation of junior high, high school, vocational and SLB. Sedangakn Unit Accreditation Agency (Upa) District / City berkewenangan implement accreditation for kindergarten and elementary school. 

Results school accreditation form:
 

1.        School Certificate of Accreditation

2.        School profile, strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations.

School Accreditation lease is a letter stating the recognition and appreciation to the school on the status and feasibility of the school through the process of measuring and assessing the performance of the school component, school-based standards set BAN-BC to a certain level of education. 

Asesor team reports the results of which make the results visitasi, verification notes, and formulate suggestions with the evaluation results will be processed by the BAN-S / M to set the final score and ranking of schools accredited in accordance with the real conditions in schools.
 The determination of the value end of the rank and akrediatasi done through the plenum BAN-BC accordance with the authority. Plenum determination of the final product must be accredited attended by at least fifty percent plus one (50% + 1) BAN-member BC. Value of accreditation kahir and the rank is also equipped with an explanation about the strengths and weaknesses of each component and aspect of accreditation, including suggestions for follow-up schools, the Office of Studies, and the Ministry of National Studies in order to increase the feasibility and lkinerja in the future. Qualitative explanation and suggestions should be referred to the findings and specific agara facilitate the school to the development and improvement of internal and related parties (government and local government offices and educational empowerment to do more to the construction of schools). 

The period for accreditation for 4 years.
 Re-accreditation application 6 months before the validity expires. Re-accreditation for the improvement of at least 2 years since the set.

Monday 22 December 2008

Edensor

Edensor, which tells stories about Ikal's and his cousin Arai's journey to Europe and africa, is AndreaHirata's thirt book after Laskar Pelangi and Sang Pemimpi. The journey started when they got a scholarship to the University in Sarbonne, France. There they faced the reality which was different from what they had thought before. Worse, they had to spend the first night in the middle of thick snow witk no place to go but huddle on benches in the park.
After things were settled, they spent most of thetime studying at the university and sight seeing during their free time.
One day, they decided to make a trip around Europe ang Africa. Their idea spread to their friends, who then decided to join the trip and made bets about who could go the farthest. The problem was that Ikal and Arai had no money to money to pay for the journey. So they did all konds of things to make their dream come true, such as posting as two mermaid statues in theNetherlands and selling some of their belongings.
Needless to say, this book is surely interesting to read. Enjoy!

Taman Bunga Nusantara


This 23-hectare Taman Bunga Nusantara (The Archipelago's Botanical Garden) houses a huge collection of flowers from around the world arranged in saveral themes, such as the French Garden, Balinese Garden, America Park, Mediterranean Garden, Japanese Garden, etc.
Located in the area around Cipanas area (Jl. Mariawati Km. 7 Desa Kawung Luwuk, Cipanas, Cianjur, (the Garden is about atwo-hour drive from Jakarta or Bandung. Just look for a sign at the entrance of Kota Bunga Real Estate and follow the direction (about 9 km from the first sign). In front the ticketing office, you will be greeted by a statue of ginat black swan. After paying the entrance ticket (Rp 15,000 or Rp 20,000 by Januari 1, 2009), you can choose youe method of exploring. The easiest is to take a Dotto train (Rp. 20,000 or Rp. 25,000 by Januari 1, 2009 including entrance fee) wich leaves at the ticket booths. Another way is doing it at your own pace. Just enter the premises and enjoy the view, than start walking around or take a Wara-wiri train ( Rp. 2,000 or Rp. 4,000 by January 1, 2009) whenever you feel tired.
Before starting your exploration, you'd better visit Rafflesia Mini Theater. The 15 minute show provides a summary of the entire beauty and facilities of the park.
Be sure to bring along a camera with you. You won't want to miss the opportunity of taking a lot of beautiful pics of the giant lotus in Water Garden, the colorful giant peacock, the beautiful flower carpet display, and the attractive clock garden. If you are with your family and friends, don't forget to challenge your chums and siblings to compete in a race in the Labyrinth Park.
Another place that you shouldn't miss is the Viewing Tower (Rp. 2,000). From the second floor you can see almost the entire garden. And when you feel tired of walking around, go to the picnic area to rest your feet. You can celebrate your birthday bash in the area that accommodates 100-3,500 people. Just call 0263-581617/581618 to ask about the available facilities

Madagascar II

Remember Madagascar (2005)/ The four friends-dance-loving lion Alex (voice of Ben Stiller). exuberant zebra Marty (voice of Chris Rock). fretful giraffe Melman (vois of David Schwimmer) and sparkling hippo Gloria (voice of Jada Pinkett Smith), who used to liven in New York City's Central Park zoo-were stranded on an island.
Now in Madagascar II: Escape 2 Africa, with the help of some penguins and chimps, they try to get back to New York by using a wrecked plane and giant slingshot. But after a hair-raising flight, "air Penguin" crash-lands instead on an African savanna.
Surveying the area. Alex quickly remembers that it's the palce from which he was kidnapped as a kid lion when he's recognized by parents (voices of Bernie Mac and Sherri Shepherd). Aex'sfather is the leader of hispride, but he has a bitter rival in Makunga (voice of alec Baldwin), who plots to turn the family reunion into a mischief-marking opportunity. Meanwhile, Marty has an identity crisis sparked by Alex's inability to distinguish him from the hungreds of other zebras with whom he now runs, and Gloria, ignorant of Melman's secret love for her, turns for romance to watering-hole he-hippo Moto Moto (voice of Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am).
Will they finally be able to adapt to their natural setting, or will they go back to New York City's Central Park Zoo in the end/

The Soundtreck Laskar Pelangi

Ibet you've read the book and watch the movie. Some of you maybe have watched the movie more than once. Now it's time for you to listen to the cd.
Besides "laskar Pelangi" by NIDJI, which is specially composed as the soundtreck, the rest of the songs here are inspired by the movie. There is Sherina with "Ku Bahagia" inspired by Laskar Pelangi's spirit and gratitude for their friendship; NETRAL, who song "Lintang" a song of course inspired by Lintang; Gita Gutawa with "Tak Perlu Keliling Dunia," which talks about Ikal's feelings when the first time he saw Aling.
After reading the book and warching the movie, listening to the cd will make your Laskar Pelangi experience complete.

Saturday 20 December 2008

Rawabengkel Country

Rawabengkel Country is located in the village of West Cengkareng, Cengkareng district, West Jakarta municipality, the Province of Jakarta at the time of this space because the small scope of traditional land owners have to sell real estate developers and real estate development is fast developing rapidly, so only a few broad menyisahkan Rawabengkel Country.

ha and Hobbes land irrigation, which reaches a radius of 17 meters from the irrigation times.

Total population is quite solid, consisting of native people and immigrants. In terms of various social and generally as traders, while the religious aspect of this is quite strong due to the quite influential community leaders.

Rawabengkel Country actually came from the name of Rawa and bengkel. see swamp is a natural village, which means that the land was closed by water and is often used to grow rice while Bengkel (how to read: beungkeul letter or e diucap slightly nasal) means hideout.According to sources from the story is actually in the Dutch colonial era village that people want to be caught by the Netherlands vague and hiding in the region, the everent is long enough so that the gion is hiding more and more, and finally called areas such Rawa workshop. And the life of the people in Rawabengkel Country quite prosperous from the harvest of rice is more irrigation or watering good enough at that time. And now only remaining function of irrigation times changed to place washing clothes in colors such as clean water is not what it used to power the water they contain salt and digging iron can damage the color of clothing, but since mid-2008, water from the taps can be enjoyed people - Rawa villagers who Workshop.

It is just The Country Rawabengkel there may be benefits, and hopefully other facilities can also taps into the village.