This document describes research to develop a handbook model of computer networks based on the local wisdom value of the Subak concept from Bali, Indonesia. The researcher conducted a preliminary study and literature review on the Subak system and identified similarities between it and computer networks, such as its management of limited resources. The researcher then developed an instructional model and handbook consisting of 11 chapters that describe computer network concepts alongside analogous concepts from the Subak. The handbook underwent formative evaluations involving experts and students. The results showed the model was effective at improving students' understanding of computer network concepts.

1. ISQAE 2014 - ID # 089
3rd International Seminar on Quality and Affordable Education 2014
The Handbook Model of Computer Networks Based On
The Local Wisdom Value of Subak Concept
Ketut Agustini,
a,*
a
Jurusan Pendidikan Teknik Informatika, Fakultas Teknik dan Kejuruan
Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha Singaraja Bali Indonesia
*
email : eghee2006@gmail.com
Abstract
This research was attempted to improve the students „weak mastery on concept. The existing handbook which is loaded by abstract and complex
material are strengthened by providing series of analogy on computer network subject from the local wisdom value of Subak concept in managing the
system resources. The purpose of this research was to develop a handbook model of Computer Network Subject based on the local wisdom value of
Subak (the Balinese traditional irrigation system). This applied a research and development model of Borg and Gall‟s stages of system approach model
adapted from Dick and Carey(2005). The resulting model had been through four (4) stages of formative evalution namely (i) One to one expert
evaluation, (ii) One to one learners evaluation, (iii) Small group evaluation, and (iv) Large group evaluation. The result showed that the model was
effective to improve the student‟s mastery on computer network class.
Keywords: Concept mastery, Handbook Model, Computer Networks, Local wisdom and Subak Concept.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Computer Network is one of the main subjects at the
Informatic Education Department at Ganesha University of
Education (Undiksha). The computer network subject is aimed to
facilitate professionalism building and extensive knowledge in the
scope of data communications and computer networks. This is in
accordance with the curriculum applied at Undiksha which uses
the principle of diversification that gives autonomy to faculties
and departments to adapt curriculum based on the decree released
by our National Ministry of Education No. 045 / U / 2002.
Competency-based curriculum is structured based on the concept
that the education is not only to imparte knowledge to the students
but also to be able to produce professional, individual, and social
competencies as listed in the UNESCO‟s four pillars of learning,
namely, learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and
learning to live together. So, it is expected to be able to improve
the competitiveness of each graduate.
Ideally, after the lecture, students are expected to
understand theory, analyze, and apply the basic concepts of how
the computers work as a system that is designed to be able to
share resources, communicate and information access. The
Knowledge and applied competence can be reflected on the
student's performance of process during the lecture. The success
of the learning process can be seen from the results of students‟
learning. However, these expectations are seemingly not achieved
optimally. This is the evidence of some various problems that are
found and identified as follows:
First, the lecturers‟ competency during the teaching
learning process is sufficient but reference books used are still
too general and are not much suitable for the characteristics of
leaners. Second, the students‟ learning outcomes in the previous
years show that the achievement of learning outcomes is not
optimal. The students‟ understanding of concepts and ability to
problems solving is still low due to the abstract and complex
material. In fact, to applying practical learning required a strong
understanding of concept and high analysis to problem solving.
All this time, the main reason of students‟ failure is their master
on the basic concept analyzing on computer system process to
communicate, information access together and resource sharing is
relatively low.
Based on the cross check result through clinical
interviews to the failed students, it was found that they found it
difficult in understanding the content as well as the weak
reasoning on the lecture. In addition, The observation showed that
the learning resources used are limited and lecturers did not use
any instructional materials yet while there was a high demand of
the curriculum, target characteristics and demands of learning
problem solving. The implication can be seen during students‟
practice training program (PPL). They lack of confidence in
teaching networks and computer enginerring (TKJ) subject at
vocational schools (SMK), whereas the teachers of TKJ are highly
required in IT vocational schools these days.
A number of efforts has been attempted to improve the
students‟ learning outcomes. such as by applying cooperative
learning model, workshop and reproduce task. It was running but
did not seem optimal because the weakness of concept
understanding and problem analysis. In Relation to this, the
learning outcomes do not only depend on the experience in the
classroom, but also depend on culture and the environment.
Culture can be considered to instructional design and
learning process. Morrison, Ross and Kemp (2007: 59) said that
“Cultural and social differences should be recognized because
they can affect such things as the ability to take responsibility for
individualized work or to engage in creative activitie”. Similar
opinion was given by Paul and David (Ardana,2010:1135) that
“several approach can be taken to examine individual differences
created by cultural diversity”, Philosophycally and practically in
the daily life, The environment circumtances influence strongly
leaners to develop their knowledge. One of them is that the
environmental influence on the learning process can be seen as a
cultural aspect because learning process should not be put aside
from the leaners‟culture and environment.
According to Subagia and Wiratma (2006:255), life
values adopted by the community will have an effect on

2. educational process. They said, there are a number of local
wisdom potential that is relevant to the modern instructional and
educational theory. These local genius potentials were 1) the
conception of the level of learning, 2) the conception of learning
discipline, 3) the conception of teachers (guru), 4) the conception
of the method of teaching, and 5) the conception of the method of
learning. Based on these findings, it was suggested that the
existence of the local genius should be taken into account in
developing the concepts of a cultural-based education (Subagia &
Wiratma, 2006). This opinion is emphasized by Kesiman and
Agustini (2012:377) that “by studying and analyzing througly the
aspects of Indonesian culture, we may find many concepts of local
wisdom that have been practiced in daily life of Indonesian people
that can be beneficial for Information Technology study”. Then
Ardana research indicates that the local genius oriented learning
model can be effectively used for improving learning quality as
learner participating, student achievement and student response in
the learning activity.
The importance of culture through the contained values
in local wisdom of subak concept can be included in learning.
Subak is a Balinese organization of irrigation systems, and is one
example of local wisdom known widely in the world. Subak, as
one of the greatest Balinese cultural heritages, is the backbone of
Balinese rice cultivation. If we deeply explore of the local wisdom
concept “Subak” to collect a specific local cultural based teaching
material, we find that Subak is not only a religious and social
based cultural heritage, but it also manages a deep and complex
concept of limited resource sharing, similar with a modern
computer. Seeing the characteristics and organizational structures
of Subak system that are complete, solid, and effective, it is not
impossible to explore various underlying concepts of this local
wisdom that might prove beneficial for the field of information
technology. Built from the various aspects and components of a
complete life, Subak runs a quite complex operational procedure
and resource sharing, which is a close analogy to network
operating system run by a computer. An analogical reasoning can
reinforce the students‟ concept mastery from abstract into
something more concrete.
The aim of this research is to develop a handbook model
of computer networks based on the subak concept value. We can
adopt and assimilate the concept of Subak into a specific teaching
material to facilitate our local cultural based learning process in
order was to improve their motivation and achievement. The
study of the concepts of local wisdom of Indonesian culture is
expected to be more focused on the development of education,
such as in the field of technology which is still not a major
concern of the world community. Local cultural based learning
should be made on educational curriculum for maintaining
pluralism in Indonesia.
What is Subak ?
In the Indonesian island of Bali, rice farmers form
cooperative associations called Subak, averaging 100 farmers
working on less than 50 hectares of irrigated rice fields (Falvo,
2000). Subak is a socio-religious organization responsible for
irrigation management and religious activities within a defined
geographical area. Every Subak has rules that are developed over
a long period of time. The rules have been codified in a set of
laws called awig-awig. These laws regulate rights and duties
among the members of the Subak. Such rights and duties include
public obligations, regulations concerning land and water use,
legal transactions of land transfer, and collective religious
ceremonies (Lorenzen, 2006).
Subak components and services
As an irrigation system, Subak owns and manages a
network of irrigation from the same water source. Similar to a
computer, Subak is mostly supported by three main components:
the hardware (facilities and irrigation infrastructure), the software
(the processes undertaken since planting the seed to harvest, along
with a series of religious ceremonies performed), and users (the
members of Subak is concerned). Three main parts, such as the
input devices, the process equipment, and the output devices are
also contained in the concept of system of Subak. Subak as a
physical unit has a subsystem of artifacts which also serve as
input devices, process equipment, and output devices. Control
access to resources should also be done on a Subak system. The
basic services of an network operating system can be found
commonly in each of the Subak, such as Activity Management,
Resource Management, Input and Output System Management,
Protection System, and Distributing System between several
subak.
Subak members do not have direct access the resources
of Subak. System or device or Subak rules should provide
mechanism to access resources on behalf of Subak members. In
this case, Subak acts as a resource allocator, for allocating
resources to some of its members or jobs that are running at the
same time. Pekaseh or the head of Subak is responsible for
managing the distribution of water to be fair and equitable for all
Subak members. For a larger Subak (usually called subak gede),
Sedahan is responsible for synchronization when there is a
conflict of water usage among Subak members. The flow of water
from the dam should be governed by the gate controller so that it
is in accordance with the agreements that have been made by all
members. Interruption is an important part of computer
architecture. This mechanism is also applied in the process of
water distribution in Subak system.
From the period of the growing season until the harvest
season, the water distribution process is conducted in accordance
to earlier agreements of all Subak members. However, in actual
practice, some members may complain to Subak for problems in
distribution of water they received. Similar to a networking
operating system, organization system of Subak is also
responsible for activities related to collective management of
resources such as keeping track and distributing water, selecting
cropping activities and religious ceremonies, and also arranging
the process of borrowing/transfer of land and water among Subak
members.
Two or more Subak organizations may cooperate to
form a larger subak. In this distributed system of several Subaks
lies a lot of concept of local wisdom as a quite complex operating
system. A number of ceremonies are conducted for instance in
planting period or to anticipate extraordinary events such as pest
attacks. In a distributed system, Subak attempts to maintain the
coherence and consistency of water flow that may become more
complex. A rice field area may receive water input from several
sources originating from different regions of Subak. The process
of negotiation and com-promising of water distribution will be
made among Sedahan of each Subak region. Besides the need to
calculate the debit of water received from irrigation channels of
Subak itself, the quantity of water received from other
surrounding Subaks should also be taken into account.
Subak system also provides services of irrigation
facilities and infrastructures within its region. Services provided
by Subak in an irrigation system are as follows. The first service
is planting program (as program execution). Subak should be able
to implement the entire planting program that has been planned

3. including a whole series of religious ceremonies to be conducted.
The second one is the setting and maintenance of irrigation
facilities and infrastructure (as I/O opera-tions). Subak is obliged
to arrange everything about the usage of facilities and irrigation
infra-structure. Farmers themselves can not manipulate the use of
irrigation facilities, without any agreement among all Subak
members, in accordance with the rules stipulated in awig-awig of
Subak. The third service is Subak functions as a media of
communication among its members. Subak serves as a bridge of
communication among its members for all activities that will be
run by Subak members. The fourth one is anticipating the conflict
and the searching for solutions (as error detection). Subak should
be able to provide solutions for conflicts arising within its
territory. The fifth service is allocating the irrigation of water
resources (as resource allocation). And the last one, the sixth
service is protecting the distribution process and the use of
irrigation water resources (as a protection system).
Similar to an operating system, Subak also has its
main objectives, as stated follow. Leisure – Subak: it basically
provides comfort for all members in the use of limited resources
but common in the area concerned. Efficiency: the use and
utilization of Subak resources should be done as efficient as
possible. Evolving systems and organization of Subak should be
built to enable and to facilitate the development, testing, and filing
the new systems. These objectives are obvious from the
characteristics of awig-awig of Subak which is highly flexible;
even sometimes tend to be non-formal agreement among Subak
members.
Subak provides services for the proper use of all
resources in the operation of an irrigation system. Subak is not
only a religious and social based cultural heritage, but it is also a
real system supported by a deep and complex concept of limited
resource sharing, similar with a modern computer (Kesiman,
2011).
2.0 EXPERIMENTAL
This study applied a research and development (R&D)
method according to Borg and Gall‟s system approach model of
educational research and development (2007:590) by adding
preliminary study. The outcomes are conceptual and physical
model to be included in a handbook. The resulting model had
been through four (4) stages of formative evalution namely (i) one
to one expert evaluation, as feasible model testing, and for the
model effectiveness testing such as (ii) one to one learners
evaluation by selected three students who have GPA variously
(iii) small group evaluation, by selected 13 students who have
attended the course and (iv) Large group evaluation, by selected
29 students. All evaluation is conducted through a questionnaire
instrument and the result is described and analyzed.
3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The Preliminary study aimed to need analysis and
identification model towards three groups of people consisting of
(i) the stakeholder as output user, (ii) students as leaners and (iii)
teacher as an institution organizer. The Interview and
questionnaire‟s results showed that the characteristic of computer
network course need practical and theoretical concept applied.
Often the theoretical concept wasn‟t on learning objectives
expected. student difficulty understanding abstract description of
the theory of computer network data communication in depth and
thorough in improving they practical ability. Appropriate method
to overcome these problems is to make the development of
learning materials more visible concrete, with examples closer to
the real analogy can be found in the daily life of students, and the
social environment around them.
This research was conducted at The Informatics Technic
Study Program, Department of Informatics Technics Education,
The Faculty of Technics and Vocational, Ganesha University of
Education, Bali. The result shows that Subak is an integrated
networking operating system which shares resources to its
members and it is from its great value then the handbook model of
computer network is attempted to be developed. Based on the
syllabus of computer network course, the handbook model
developed in this research consists of eleven (11) chapters with
twenty-three instructional objectives. Each chapter is described
and associated from two points of view: the concept of
networking on a computer and the concept of networking on
Subak. The development process results in a pattern of design
namely conceptual model (Figure 1).
1. Melakukan Penelitian awal
2. Menentukan tujuan umum
3. Analisis materi Instruksional
4. Analisis konteks dan
karakteristik mahasiswa
5. Merumuskan Tujuan Khusus
6. Mengembangkan instrumen
penelitian
7. Mengembangkan Strategi
Instruksional
8. Mengembangkan dan
memilih materi instruksional
9. Mendesain dan Evaluasi
Formatif
10. Model Materi Jaringan
Komputer Berbasis Nilai
Kearifan Lokal Konsep
Subak
Petani/penggarap
sawah (Organisasi
Subak)
Subak
Sarana prasarana
jaringan irigasi,
Awig-awig,
User
Hardware,
Software.
Brainware
Jaringan
Komputer
Revisi
Figure 1. Conceptual Model Result.
The feasibility study of the model material was
conducted by four experts who analyzes its cultural content,
computer network material and design materials. Having revised
the model for quite sometimes, it then proceeds to the next stage.
The one to one evaluation is conducted by 3 students
who gain very good academic achievement in their study. They
provide feedback to the language usage and exercises provided in
the computer network material.
The next evaluation involved a small group of 13
students who had previously taken the subject of network
computer. They are given three (3) topics to study and required to
fill out a questionnaire which measures two dimensions namely
dimension design and learning component design. The result
showed that the design is considered as interesting, attractive and
the students feel comfortable to study it. While on the learning
component design, the students admit to find more real-like
experience in understanding the concept of computer network.
The next stage of evaluation involved a larger group of
29 students. It is conducted for 1 Month and evaluating three
topics. A questionnaire is also administered to find out the
students‟ opinion. The result shows that 27 students (93.10%)
found it to be very positive and only two (2) students found it to
be positive and there is no student who found it to be doubtful,
negative or very negative.
It showed that this model of material is able to open the
students‟ mindset in understanding such a high level of concept as
Technics Informatics by using an analogy of Subak concept which
has been previously known. Subak concept could successfully
provide more real understanding on objectives, benefits and the
importance of computer network in sharing such limited resources
from a computer network system. This model of material also
provided social culture value for the students who have actually
grown and resided in Bali so that they could identify and
understand their own culture value in their own place.

4. For students living in Bali, Subak concept is not such a
relatively new thing. Subak‟s understanding and mastery is
actually a contextual experience which is possibly applied into the
learning process. A learning concept which integrates the
students‟ experience into the real learning situation is in line with
the constructivism view. Pritchard and Woolard (2010:6)
identified two social context aspects which influence the progress
and learning stages: (1) students‟ culture acquisition such as
language, use of logical and mathematical system, which develop
gradually and (2) social interaction larger members in the society.
Pritchard and Wollard mentioned the importance of cultural
aspects in the gaining learning results. In this context, Balinese
culture in the form of Subak concept is both an experience and
also knowledge. And the lecturers can synergize it in the teaching
learning process so that students have better understanding on the
concept of data communication and computer network.
The sinergy between contextual experience and learning
understanding is complementary. Creating a learning situation
which integrates and links students‟ real experience about a
concept that has been previously understood could possibly
improve learning motivation. As claimed by Parnell (Jhonson,
2007:90), linking the side aspect of „why‟ from concrete reality in
a teaching learning process stimulates important motivation which
is important for the students themselves. It is evident that a
teaching learning process which collaborates students‟ contextual
learning into the classroom-based learning situation provides
motivation and learning spirit which absolutely promotes the
process of achieving the targeted learning objectives.
4.0 CONCLUSION
This study results in a conceptual model and a model of
physical material in the form of handbook. The study also shows
that material model of computer network based on local wisdom
of Subak concept is effective to improve students‟ understanding
and mastery. It is reflected on the students‟ response where
93.10% found the model to be very positive, 6.90% found it to be
positive and no student admitted it to be doubtful, negative or
very negative.
Acknowledgement. The author thank for Prof. Dr. Hartati
Muchtar, M.Pd and Prof. Dr. Suriani,M.A for supporting my
Diserrtation. We Also thank to my Institution Ganesha University
of Education for the permission that has been granted.
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