Localisation of the e-Educator module: the Malaysian experience

The University of Nottingham, UK and Beijing Foreign Studies University, China developed a module for training tutors of online learners - one that could be adapted for use in a variety of contexts. The module was piloted at the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang with eight staff members (six tutors and two local mentors). They undertook to work through the different units of the e-Educator module and complete all the e-Educator tasks required which include online forums and other online activities. They were also required to complete reflective blog entries at regular intervals. This paper will share the results of the four focus group interviews and the reflections of one of the tutors. The findings of the focus groups were analysed first and then triangulated with the reflections of the tutor to give a more holistic picture of the Malaysian experience. The findings revealed that the e-Educator module curriculum was perceived as highly relevant to the tutors and impacted on their personal and professional development, establishing a community of practice for the tutors involved. However, the extent to which it can be localised needs to be explored further

Localisation of the e-Educator module: the Malaysian experience

The University of Nottingham, UK and Beijing Foreign Studies University, China developed a module for training tutors of online learners - one that could be adapted for use in a variety of contexts. The module was piloted at the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang with eight staff members (six tutors and two local mentors). They undertook to work through the different units of the e-Educator module and complete all the e-Educator tasks required which include online forums and other online activities. They were also required to complete reflective blog entries at regular intervals. This paper will share the results of the four focus group interviews and the reflections of one of the tutors. The findings of the focus groups were analysed first and then triangulated with the reflections of the tutor to give a more holistic picture of the Malaysian experience. The findings revealed that the e-Educator module curriculum was perceived as highly relevant to the tutors and impacted on their personal and professional development, establishing a community of practice for the tutors involved. However, the extent to which it can be localised needs to be explored further

Exploring motivational design and motivation types facilitated by an online support system for learning literature

This paper is a study designed to explore the influence of an Online Support System for learning Literature (LitOSS) on a group of twenty-five Form 4 Malaysian students who generally perceived English Literature as difficult and uninteresting. This asynchronous mode of learning was introduced with the intention of enhancing the students‟ motivation to learn English literature through a blended learning environment. LitOSS featured seven literature topics encompassing poems, short stories and novel, presented in the forms of online text-based materials, graphics and videos. This study was framed by the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) of language learning, Keller‟s (1987) Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction (ARCS) Model and the Social Cognitive Model of Motivation (SCMM). The motivational design of the system and the prevalent types of motivation facilitated by the system were measured using two sets of questionnaires (i.e. the adapted versions of WebMac Sr. 4.0 and Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ)) and a focus group interview. Findings from the study support the prediction that LitOSS would significantly enhance students‟ motivation to learn literature due to its highly motivating design. It was also discovered that not only did the system promote self-efficacy and a high control of learning, it also motivated the students extrinsically and intrinsically

Malaysian learners' conceptions of their learning processes and their perceptions of their English as a second language (ESL) courses in a tertiary distance learning context

There is an ever-increasing demand for higher education in Malaysia. In order to fulfil this demand, the government has introduced numerous measures to expand higher education opportunities. These plans have included the expansion and development of distance education. Prior to the mid-1992, only one public university, i.e., University Sains Malaysia, offered distance learning courses. Presently, six out of the eight public universities are participating in off-campus/distance education schemes. The distance learning courses offered by these universities can be divided into two categories: content courses and language courses. Research into the effectiveness of the distance learning content courses has been undertaken, but so far, no research has been carried out on the distance learning language courses. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the effectiveness of the distance learning English Proficiency Programme of one of these universities, i.e., Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, in meeting the learning needs of the distance learners. This thesis undertakes three studies that investigate the distance learners' conception of their learning styles in learning English, their approaches to studying in general and their perceptions of their English Proficiency Courses. On-campus learners are included to enable a comparison to be made. The thesis adopts an integrated approach comprising both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The instruments used are questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires are adapted from those of Willing's (1988) and Entwistle and Ramsden's studies (1983). The semi- structured interviews are used to elicit information regarding distance learners' views of their English Proficiency Courses. The data are analysed statistically (with the used of SPSS 9.0) as well as qualitatively. The purpose of this research is to devise a strategy for developing a distance learning English as a Second Language programme suitable for university learners in Malaysia and, possibly, to provide insights which might be applicable to other similar contexts

Malaysian learners' conceptions of their learning processes and their perceptions of their English as a second language (ESL) courses in a tertiary distance learning context

There is an ever-increasing demand for higher education in Malaysia. In order to fulfil this demand, the government has introduced numerous measures to expand higher education opportunities. These plans have included the expansion and development of distance education. Prior to the mid-1992, only one public university, i.e., University Sains Malaysia, offered distance learning courses. Presently, six out of the eight public universities are participating in off-campus/distance education schemes. The distance learning courses offered by these universities can be divided into two categories: content courses and language courses. Research into the effectiveness of the distance learning content courses has been undertaken, but so far, no research has been carried out on the distance learning language courses. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the effectiveness of the distance learning English Proficiency Programme of one of these universities, i.e., Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, in meeting the learning needs of the distance learners. This thesis undertakes three studies that investigate the distance learners' conception of their learning styles in learning English, their approaches to studying in general and their perceptions of their English Proficiency Courses. On-campus learners are included to enable a comparison to be made. The thesis adopts an integrated approach comprising both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The instruments used are questionnaires and interviews. The questionnaires are adapted from those of Willing's (1988) and Entwistle and Ramsden's studies (1983). The semi- structured interviews are used to elicit information regarding distance learners' views of their English Proficiency Courses. The data are analysed statistically (with the used of SPSS 9.0) as well as qualitatively. The purpose of this research is to devise a strategy for developing a distance learning English as a Second Language programme suitable for university learners in Malaysia and, possibly, to provide insights which might be applicable to other similar contexts

Teacher Professional Development through Blogging: Some Preliminary Findings

AbstractThe emerging trend of the use of innovative technologies to support teachers’ teaching and learning is indicative of the increasing dominance of technology in educational environments. One aspect of the use of technology is the developing online technologies where teachers are in an online interactive platform to share knowledge on their teaching practice. Blog is one of the online interactive platforms, commonly used by teachers to interact with their peers which not only makes them cognizant of the usefulness of technology but also helps them to learn how to integrate the technology to support teaching. Utilizing the theory of community of practice and through observing blog activities of teachers, this paper attempts to present some preliminary findings to show that teachers’ sharing of their practices within the communities facilitates collaboration and sharing of knowledge that benefits both the teachers and their students. It is based on a study involving 7 Iranian EFL teachers who shared their experiences and knowledge within the community through blogging for one semester. The initial findings suggest that blogging has a positive effect on teacher learning within a community of practice

Awareness of the risks and dangers of social networking: exploration on four types of Malaysian secondary schools

While social networking (SN) undoubtedly plays a vital role in the life of today's teenagers, its risks cannot be overlooked. SN can be a pervasive technology which can result in "risky behaviours". Issues linked to such behaviours have been investigated in a variety of contexts abroad (however, less so in the Malaysian context). The study aims at investigating Malaysian Secondary school students’ awareness of the risks and dangers of SN. A quantitative approach involving a questionnaire survey was used to collect data. The questionnaire was designed to elicit information from the students regarding their awareness of the risks and dangers as well as abuse of the SN systems such as cyberbullying, harassment, sexting etc. The questionnaire was distributed to all available Form Four students from four selected schools in the Klang Valley and Selangor i.e. an urban school, a suburban school, a rural school and an elite school. The quantitative study was conducted on 562 students from the four schools. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in analysing the data. The findings revealed that there was no rural-urban divide with regard to awareness of the risks and dangers involved in SN. Students in general seemed to be aware of the risks and dangers of SN. Likewise, there was no clear rural-urban divide regarding awareness of privacy issues. However, there was some ignorance regarding certain risks. For example, they were generally not aware that it was not possible to stay anonymous online. There were also some marked differences across school-types

A blended approach in teaching an EAP course: Malaysian instructors’ perceptions of the new course materials

This paper reports on a study which examines instructors’ perceptions of the new commercial course materials that comprises a course book and online practice reinforcement activities. The materials were used to teach undergraduate English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course for Social Sciences at a Malaysian public university. This represents the main facet of the blended approach introduced when the course was redesigned. The sample comprises ten instructors who taught the course for one semester. Three qualitative instruments were utilized to elicit data namely, instructor-researcher reflective notes, focus group discussion and one-to-one interviews. The results of the study were generally positive, however, two main concerns were raised. The first was regarding the difficulty level of the reading comprehension activities in the course book which majority of the instructors felt were too simple and not challenging enough for their students. The second was on internet connectivity to the online practice website which the instructors felt was too slow and was unable to support the students efficiently. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings and provides suggestions for the next cycle of the researc

The Interplay between Teacher-Centredness and Self-Critical Tendency among Malaysian ESL Learners: New Insights for the Asian Context

Over the last decade, issues regarding attributions for success and failure in the learning of English have garnered much interest among Asian researchers. Of particular interest is the tendency of Asian learners to be self-critical when it comes to attributions for failure in the learning of English. This tendency has commonly been linked to the influence of the socio-cultural context in which the learners have grown up and has been described as a prevalent trait among collectivist societies such as those that exist in many Asian countries. More recently, it has been suggested that a contributory factor for this behaviour is the students' high respect for teachers. The present study was an attempt to investigate to what extent that claim is true. The researchers examined whether or not there is a relationship between self-critical tendency and teacher-centeredness between students of different proficiency levels in the learning of English in a Malaysian context. A mixed-method design comprising questionnaires and individual group interviews was employed. The findings revealed that in general learners who displayed teacher-centred tendency were likely to be self-critical by attributing failure to personal factors. However, difference in proficiency levels did account for some variation in results. Although both tendencies should be seen in a positive light, recommendations with regard to educational implications are outlined

Influence of social networking on Malaysian female secondary students: a qualitative study across three schools

Social networking (SN) allows individuals to make connections with each other for both social and business purposes. The purpose of this research study is to find out the influence of SN on students from three Malaysian secondary schools by comparing their attitudes and behaviour towards SN besides finding out whether they are aware of the risks and danger involved, and how they handle them. These schools are all normal day schools and are located in three different types of school environments in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur namely: urban, suburban and rural. Focus groups interviews were conducted on these students who were asked to give their response to seven scenarios depicting negative situations involving SN such as texting, cyberbullying, and hacking and identity theft. The findings revealed that these students were not very different from those in the west in that they are aware of risks involving in SN and will stay clear of risky behaviours. However, students in these three schools handled the problems related to SN in a more direct manner compared to the elite students in Thang et al.’s (2016) study. In particular, students in School C which is a rural school seemed to be less perturbed over the negative consequences of SN compared to students in the other schools