Educational Portal for Web-Based Courses (EPIC) as a new hybridized communication solution for In-service OUM Student-Teachers: The Experience of EPIC Online Supervisor (EOS)

The emergence of web-based social media has made it possible for people to communicate freely with one ,another, regardless of time and place. This has resulted in a changing notion about teaching and learning. In particular, educators from all over the world are beginning to pay attention to the possible roles of web-based social media in enhancing learning. Traditional mode of teaching and learning is very much teacher centered with information transfer mainly in a one-way manner. Learning is bounded by time and space. The use of social media enables the creation of a hybrid learning environment that leverages on the strengths of both traditional learning and the more constructivist learner-centred learning. OUM adopts a blended approach where learning is enabled through multi mode strategies. Here, learners learn self-managed learning with print modules or webbased modules and learning materials, face-to-face interactions and learning via online forum discussion. This form of learning provides learners with the best of both worlds by giving learners the guidance that can be achieved in an actual classroom, as well as the flexibility and openness of self-paced learning through online and virtual learning methods which allow students to experience online learning through online forum discussions. To explore the possibility of implementing effective learning via a fully online learning environment, OUM has designed and developed a web-based learning system named as EPIC. As a first step towards implementing learning via hybridized communication environment, four fully online courses were conducted, supported by the EPIC learning environment. The four courses are namely: Co-Curriculum, Professional Practice, Professional Development and Inclusive Education. These courses are not only fully taught fully online, but the assignments were also designed in a scaffolding format. This paper will highlight how OUM students’ (in-service teachers) explore and perceive EPIC as a new hybridized communication media as perceived by the EPIC online supervisor (EOS)

Perceptions of Students (In-service Teachers) on OUM as an Open and Distance Learning Provider

Distance learning has become a recognized method of educational delivery in institutions of higher learning. There are, however varying degree of acceptance to distance learning by learners. This paper reports on a study to investigate the perceptions held by in-service teachers about distance learning offered by Open University Malaysia (OUM). In particular, the paper reports on the findings of the research conducted to investigate the gap between factors perceived as important by the in-service teachers and those that were provided by OUM. Six factors were identified for the study: (i) access to information and administrative support; (ii) the teaching and learning process; (iii) learning support; (iv) programme implementation; (v) outreach; and (vi) academic support. A questionnaire survey was conducted using a set of questionnaire comprising two sections. The first section is aimed at depicting demographic information from the respondents. The second section of the questionnaire consists of 37 items encompassing the six factors or dimensions to be investigated. Six hundred sets of questionnaire were then distributed to the in-service teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Teaching at twenty OUM’s learning centres throughout the country. There were a total of 178 male respondents and 402 female respondents, ranging from age 25 to 49. The results of the study indicate that teacher learners are highly satisfied with five out of the six factors investigated. A detailed analysis also reveals the services that are satisfying to teachers as well as services that have not met the expectation of the teacher learners. Information and findings gathered from this research helps OUM to identify its strengths and weaknesses, with the aim of improving its services as a leading provider in open and distance learning

PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS (IN-SERVICE TEACHERS) ON OUM AS AN OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING PROVIDER

Distance learning has become a recognized method of educational delivery in institutions of higher learning. There are, however varying degree of acceptance to distance learning by learners. This paper reports on a study to investigate the perceptions held by in-service teachers about distance learning offered by Open University Malaysia (OUM). In particular, the paper reports on the findings of the research conducted to investigate the gap between factors perceived as important by the in-service teachers and those that were provided by OUM. Six factors were identified for the study: (i) access to information and administrative support; (ii) the teaching and learning process; (iii) learning support; (iv) programme implementation; (v) outreach; and (vi) academic support. A questionnaire survey was conducted using a set of questionnaire comprising two sections. The first section is aimed at depicting demographic information from the respondents. The second section of the questionnaire consists of 37 items encompassing the six factors or dimensions to be investigated. Six hundred sets of questionnaire were then distributed to the in-service teachers enrolled in the Bachelor of Teaching at twenty OUM’s learning centres throughout the country. There were a total of 178 male respondents and 402 female respondents, ranging from age 25 to 49. The results of the study indicate that teacher learners are highly satisfied with five out of the six factors investigated. A detailed analysis also reveals the services that are satisfying to teachers as well as services that have not met the expectation of the teacher learners. Information and findings gathered from this research helps OUM to identify its strengths and weaknesses, with the aim of improving its services as a leading provider in open and distance learning

EDUCATIONAL PORTAL FOR WEB-BASED COURSES (EPIC) AS A NEW HYBRIDIZED COMMUNICATION SOLUTION FOR IN-SERVICE OUM STUDENT-TEACHERS: THE EXPERIENCE OF EPIC ONLINE SUPERVISOR (EOS)

The emergence of web-based social media has made it possible for people to communicate freely with one another, regardless of time and place. This has resulted in a changing notion about teaching and learning. In particular, educators from all over the world are beginning to pay attention to the possible roles of web-based social media in enhancing learning. Traditional mode of teaching and learning is very much teacher centered with information transfer mainly in a one-way manner. Learning is bounded by time and space. The use of social media enables the creation of a hybrid learning environment that leverages on the strengths of both traditional learning and the more constructivist learner-centred learning. OUM adopts a blended approach where learning is enabled through multi mode strategies. Here, learners learn self-managed learning with print modules or webbased modules and learning materials, face-to-face interactions and learning via online forum discussion. This form of learning provides learners with the best of both worlds by giving learners the guidance that can be achieved in an actual classroom, as well as the flexibility and openness of self-paced learning through online and virtual learning methods which allow students to experience online learning through online forum discussions. To explore the possibility of implementing effective learning via a fully online learning environment, OUM has designed and developed a web-based learning system named as EPIC. As a first step towards implementing learning via hybridized communication environment, four fully online courses were conducted, supported by the EPIC learning environment. The four courses are namely: Co-Curriculum, Professional Practice, Professional Development and Inclusive Education. These courses are not only fully taught fully online, but the assignments were also designed in a scaffolding format. This paper will highlight how OUM students’ (in-service teachers) explore and perceive EPIC as a new hybridized communication media as perceived by the EPIC online supervisor (EOS)