100 Recently, all classrooms of KUM, including the English classrooms, were
equipped with LCD projectors. This up-grade assisted teachers to provide more variety in their teaching and learning activities. However, teachers still require their own laptop
if they want to use the LCD. Unfortunately, KUM still needs to improve its maintenance system as the LCD is often out of order as mentioned below by Yeni
Interview 1, 02062012, an English teacher of School of English Education:
I’m happy when I know that every classroom is now equipped with LCD. Unfortunately, I often find it out of order so that I can’t teach like what I
planned. It happens many times. I really need it as a medium of my teaching. I think the university should improve its maintenance system.
Facilities are of limited use or value if they are not serviced and maintained, while a well maintained system, particularly the maintenance of the LCD projector, will support
more effective teaching and provide a platform for improved student learning outcomes. The next section of this chapter describes the language laboratory at the School of
English Education.
4.4.2.2 Language laboratory
The School of English Education has two language laboratories: ‘traditional’ and multimedia, both of which are managed by the Head of the laboratory. The
laboratories are commonly used to teach listening courses, but due to the limited classroom space available, some courses such as grammar, writing, and speaking also
use the laboratories. The ‘traditional’ language laboratory is a tape-based system equipped with audio equipment and an LCD projector only. The audio equipment
comprises a master console, which is connected by electrical cord to rows of student booths. The students have headset with a boom arm microphone. The teacher can use
cassette or VCD as the media. If the teacher wants to use video, heshe has to connect the video to the LCD projector. Unfortunately, the teacher often cannot use the LCD
projector because it is frequently out of order, as stated by Toni Interview 1, 3062012, an English teacher at the School of English Education:
Actually uhm..it’s quite frustrating to teach listening course at traditional laboratory because the LCD is often out of order. I planned to show some videos
101 to my students to create more interesting teaching activities but then I ended up
using only the cassette. The school should pay more attention on the maintenance of this laboratory.
Students at the School of English Education also raise the issue of faulty student headsets:
What I dislike if I have listening course in the traditional laboratory is when I have a seat with broken headset. It’s annoying because I can’t communicate well
with my teacher so that I have to speak up. It happens many times actually and I have reported this to the teacher but I know that it needs a technician to fix it
Nia, Interview1, 01062012.
On the contrary, the multimedia language laboratory has more modern equipment including a computer with Internet connection, video and television. This equipment
allows teachers to use more interesting and interactive teaching material. The laboratory is still quite new and was only used for the first time in 2011. Teachers and students at
