The Application of Cdio Model in Spoken English Teaching Among Preschoolers in China

This study discussed how the CDIO model could be applied to the teaching of spoken English to preschoolers in China through the literature review approach. spoken English teaching plays an important role in developing good spoken expression and communicative skills among preschoolers in China, yet there are currently problems existing such as a single teaching method and a mismatch between teaching content and students’ actual needs. CDIO model, as a teaching model with engineering practice as the core, has been widely used in higher education. This study reviewed the basic principles of the CDIO model and successful cases in higher education, discussed the compatibility of the CDIO model with the goals of spoken English teaching for preschoolers and proposed methods and strategies for applying the CDIO model to teaching spoken English to preschoolers in China by reviewing the current situation and problems of it. Specifically, this study explored how to use the CDIO model to promote preschoolers spoken English teaching from three aspects: curriculum design, teaching methods, and evaluation system. It is shown that the application of the CDIO model in teaching spoken language to preschoolers has great feasibility and practicality and could effectively improve preschoolers’ spoken expression and communicative competence. However, further research and evaluation of the effectiveness of the CDIO model in early childhood spoken language teaching is needed, and more teaching strategies and methods suitable for preschoolers should be explored. This study provides theoretical and practical references for introducing the CDIO model into the teaching of spoken language for preschoolers in China and offers new ideas for the improvement and development of spoken English teaching for preschoolers

Designing and developing an e-Portfolio for second language learners in higher education

This study highlights the development of e-Portfolio as a writing assessment in an advanced English language course for undergraduate students at a public university in Malaysia. The e-Portfolio was developed using an instructional design model known as ADDIE (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate). A pilot test that involved 43 students was conducted in the Develop stage and qualitative data were gathered using open-ended questionnaires to determine the e-Portfolio's impact. The pilot test findings proved that the e-portfolio was functional and operating as intended. The students responded positively to the e-Portfolio features with the exception of the peer preview. The findings also revealed that a majority of the students voted for e-Portfolio to continue to be implemented in the future. The study serves as a reference for instructional designers who are keen to introduce new educational tools in the language classroom. It also established that the e-Portfolio is a promising assessment tool for second language learners in higher education

E-portfolio readiness among pre-service teachers and practicum supervisors at a Malaysian university

Innovative practices in teacher education programmes produce a ripple effect in the types of teaching and learning methods that will be practiced in the classroom. In line with the prevalent use of technology for education, electronic portfolios (e-Portfolios) have been introduced across higher education institutions. This study aimed to explore learner and supervisor readiness prior to the implementation of an e-Portfolio in a teacher education programme. The e-Portfolio is intended to be used for professional development during practicum by pre-service teachers who major in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) at a Malaysian public university. This is a qualitative study that involved data collection through semistructured interviews with 8 undergraduate students and 4 lecturers. The data were transferred to NVivo 12 and thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. Based on the Technology Readiness construct, the motivators and inhibitors in relation to the e-Portfolio were revealed. Motivators pertaining to the e-Portfolio comprised communication and shareability, accessibility and convenience, and tracking progress and documenting performance. On the other hand, the inhibitors included learning to use the ePortfolio and workload. The findings of this study revealed pertinent issues that need to be considered prior to introducing innovative tools in teacher education programmes

Science graduate employability and English language proficiency: Findings from a Malaysian public university

This study investigated the relationship between the employability of science graduates of a public university in Malaysia and their English language proficiency. Utilising a quantitative research design, the study involved 3,918 graduates from the 2015, 2016 and 2017 graduating years. Using available secondary data, three variables were examined: the graduates’ employment status, their English Language course results, and their Malaysian University Entrance Test (MUET) results. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Chi-square test. Findings showed the number of unemployed graduates was consistently greater than employed graduates although the unemployment percentage decreased progressively each year. No conclusive evidence however could be ascertained to suggest English Language proficiency as the main determinant affecting employability since the highest number of employed and unemployed graduates were from the Intermediate and Upper Intermediate language proficiency range. This points to other factors impacting employability which higher learning institutions may need to address in order to add value to their graduates’ future work credentials

Blended learning for generation alpha during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the integration of online learning in the secondary education context in an unprecedented manner. Teachers who were accustomed to conducting lessons fully in the classroom had to search for various technology-based alternatives to replace the conventional form of teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to explore the blending of online and physical learning, also known as “blended learning”, across government secondary schools throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a qualitative study that involved 58 secondary school teachers from 3 districts in Sabah, Malaysia. Focus group interviews were employed to gather data about the use of blended learning among teachers in the districts of Tawau, Kota Kinabalu and Keningau. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings showed that the participants used a variety of online learning applications to deliver content, to provide social and emotional support to the learners and learners’ parents, and to evaluate learner performance. The findings also revealed that in some cases, the teachers had to create physical learning materials for the students. This study revealed the various ways teachers blended online and face-to-face approaches to cater to their learners. The outcomes are valuable for pre-service and inservice teachers who are keen to employ blended learning in the 21st century classroom

Technical and implementational issues of using a video platform (Flip.Com) for online learning for teachers in Keningau, Sabah

The recent Covid-19 health pandemic (2020 – 2022) had caused great concern for educators across the globe. Schools were closed under the Moverment Control Act of each respective country to curb the spread of the virus. School lessons were replaced with online sessions. Purpose: The main purpose of this research is to explore and share teachers’ experience and perceptions for using an online video platform (flip.com) for teaching and learning. Teachers related these experiences via research workshops conducted at the 4 venues in Sabah. Methods: Data were elicited via the reflection notes approach and analyzed qualitatively to support the investigation. The researchers reported findings from selected a sample of 12 informants from the Kota Kinabalu Workshop, Sabah. Results: Eight out of twelve informants registered positive perceptions regarding the usage and suitability of flip.com for nonMathematic subjects while negative comments were for the unsuitability usage for Mathematic, requests for professional development training and some technical issues while implementing the software. Recommendation: The research recommended that in order for an innovation such as flip.com to be accepted teachnologically by fulfilling the perceived usefulness and perceived ease-to-use components of the TAM Model, teachers’ comments on the feature of usefulness, user-friendliness of the interfaces and technicality issues of the software must be considered closely by the software provider

Teachers' Beliefs of Coronavirus on Online Learning

The learning and simplification in the 21st century particularly due to covid-19 is a real challenge for each individual teacher. Virtual classroom, multimedia, mobile learning, electronic learning, and cloud technologies as the components of digital learning play a vital role in this century but a sudden shift to totally online learning, instead of real classroom, has triggered teachers to change in their learning and simplification. Hence, this study is carried out to explore teachers’ beliefs of how corona virus impact on online learning. This study applied the qualitative study with 58 informants using the purposive sampling method. Motivation, engagement, social relationships, entertainment, creativity, and virtual experiments are the themes identified from this study. The impact of the coronavirus on online learning has been profound, affecting various aspects of education

Using Video Blogging (Vlog) to Enhance English Language Speaking Skills in A Malaysian Secondary School

Technology offers various means to enhance teaching and learning. In this study, Video Blogging (VLOG) was implemented as a tool for second language learning. The aim of the study was to investigate the use of VLOG to enhance the speaking skills of Malaysian secondary school students and to explore their experiences of using VLOG. The participants consisted of 80 Form 2 students enrolled in a Malaysian public school. This study employed a qualitative research design and collected data through open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Data collected from the questionnaire and interview were analyzed using thematic analysis. Based on the findings, the study demonstrated that using VLOG contributed positively to the students’ speaking skills by improving their fluency, motivating them to speak in English, and enhancing their vocabulary. Considering the findings, it is recommended for teachers and practitioners to incorporate VLOG in the teaching and learning of speaking in the second language classroom

A review of e-portfolios in Malaysian Higher Education

Technology has enhanced methods and resources to teach and assess learners. An example is the e-Portfolio, a tool that has the ability to accommodate a plethora of digital learning evidences. Due to its digital nature, the e-Portfolio also enables easy access to a wide range of stakeholders. Thus, e-Portfolios have gradually replaced paper-based portfolios as a more relevant educational tool. This trend is also evident in Malaysia whereby academicians and researchers have explored the use of e-Portfolio in higher learning institutions. A review is therefore timely to provide an overview of the present state of knowledge. This study aims to present a review of empirical research involving e-Portfolios in the Malaysian higher education context. As such, the review takes into account a range of studies involving various stakeholders, programmes, and higher learning institutions. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the e-Portfolio studies that have been conducted thus far and reveals the contributions of e- Portfolio as an educational tool in Malaysia