Educators need to ensure that the technology used for teaching is suitable for the students and their environment
by AZALEA AZUAR / Pic by BERNAMA
EDUCATORS must possess great understanding in the integration of technology in order to deliver the correct content.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) deputy VP (Industry, Alumni and Community Partnership) Prof Datuk Dr Norazah Nordin said teachers are expected to be technologically oriented, therefore they would need to revisit a suitable pedagogy.
Therefore, she said, this would require teachers to undergo professional development because of how dynamic technology is.
A 2020 report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) indicated that 56% of teachers have received training to teach online but do not have the adequate training to implement technology in the classroom, which is one of the biggest issues that teachers face when switching from a physical classroom to a virtual one.
Norazah also stressed that educators need to ensure that the technology used for teaching is suitable for the students and their environment.
Technology is meaningful in increasing the student’s cognitive skills such as information processing, critical thinking, monitoring, learning, participation and engagement.
Therefore, she emphasised how the student’s interaction towards their classmates, teachers and the environment have an impact on their behaviours when using the learning technology.
“With online learning, cognitive social factors are also important, so, the devices that we choose must be suitable,” she said at the EDUtech Malaysia webinar yesterday.
According to a 2020 study by the Education Ministry, 51.2% out of 52,413 students who took part in a home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) programme said they were stressed due to the lack of guidance during lessons.
Meanwhile, Norazah’s team conducted research involving the use of Chromebooks at SMK Jalan Empat in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, to explore the ways teachers implement Google for education.
“All the tools or the apps are to transform from a low-level technology adoption to a Google enabled classroom.
“We also explored the ways Google for Education transforms education in the Malaysian classroom,” she said.
The research identified the key challenges to be infrastructure, insufficient and unstable internet connectivity, inadequate computer labs, lack of devices and technical problems.
Teachers were also found to struggle in managing a virtual classroom where there are many students.
However, according to the research, many teachers preferred to use Chromebook since they are better in focusing and support problem solving activities in class compared to tablets.
Similarly, students also preferred the Chromebooks over tablets for completing homework and finding information in class as there is a much lower association of Chromebooks with recreational gaming.
This allowed students to focus and finish their homework quickly as well as having more engagement with their lessons.
Recently, Education Minister Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Jidin announced that all secondary students except those who are attending boarding schools will need to go through PdPR for two weeks beginning March 21 until April 4.
“The shift to online and hybrid learning has its own unique challenges to every school in Malaysia but it is important that we embrace these challenges.
“We must not view challenges as adversity but as an opportunity, we must become receptive to new ideas for improvement,” Norazah said.
Meanwhile, DG of education Datuk Nor Zamani Abdol Hamid said the integration of technology in education will become an integral component.
“In fact, we have started the initiative to digitise our education system through the Digital Education Plan and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint,” she said during her keynote address at the webinar.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic had greatly disrupted education, Nor Zamani assured that the country is ready to embark on a new adventure where e-learning is now the new norm.