Let our children benefit from the advancement of e-learning and game-based learning

(Adapted and translated from my article published by Sin Chew Daily on 23 July 2012)

The Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) might amend the Ordinance to allow students to bring computers and mobile phones to school. To scholars who actively promote e-learning as well as game-based teaching and learning, this is a positive matter, because this would provide a platform for academics who engage in research related to technology-enabled learning to practice the outcome of their studies. When tablet PCs, laptops and smart phones are appropriately used in schools, they can be powerful tools  for students to gain instant information and interactive media that will facilitate autonomous remedial and discovery learning activities. To teachers who are capable of using the electronic devices to promote efficient and effective teaching, teaching would become relaxed and fun. There are voluminous empirical research findings that illustrate the use of e-learning and other technology-enabled teaching and learning strategy in schools. Unfortunately, due to the absence of proper channels to obtain such evidence, the general public could only see the disadvantages instead of potentials of the use of these electronic devices.

In recent years, it would be fairly common to see lecturers and professions in tertiary institutions at home and abroad who can make good use of the blog, Twitter, Youtube video, Facebook and other online social media in conducting their classes. Under the promotion of paperless teaching and learning, college and university students can set up study groups of various subject matters, and submit their assignment to tutors or lecturers through Facebook; while the lecturers could provide learning feedback through such study groups anywhere anytime. In addition, the electronic game-based teaching initiative advocated by the Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), is showing positive progress, so that future teachers who are undergoing teacher training programmes would know how to make the best use of electronic technology, thereby allowing a new generation of students to achieve learning outcomes efficiently. Nineteen primary and secondary schools which are adopted by UPSI will be invited to participate in a series of game-based learning activities. Once the reaction and effect of the initiative are proven positive via scientific validation, the programme will be rolled out to the whole country.

The Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) is actively promoting student-centered learning (SCL) among public institutions of higher education (IPTAs) to enable students to plan their own learning progress: they choose the courses they intend to take each semester, and decide their learning methodology, which include the use of electronic technology. This, to some extent, guides the students to be responsible for their own decisions, leading to become Malaysian with the sense of responsibility. As a prelude to entering university, the MOE has began to promote SCL in primary and secondary schools, and the amendment of the relevant regulations is just an initiative set to achieve this goal.

Teachers who have negative attitude towards this proposed amendment of Ordinance might be those who have not grasped the knowledge, skills and attitudes of electronic teaching and learning. The Educational Technology Department of MOE is planning and preparing in-service teacher training courses on e-learning and GBL now. Of course, since the strategic plan would have significant impact upon the national educational policies, guidelines and expenses, it would not be appropriate to announce the plan to the public before its completion. 

Malaysian parents might not be familiar with the use of electronic technology in teaching, which lead to the nonacceptance of allowing the electronic devices to entre schools. In fact, parents can try to think from a positive perspective, and take advantage of the modification of this Ordinance, making the teaching methods in our primary and secondary schools keep abreast with the advancement of electronic technology. For example, parents may use some of the existing parenting and homeschooling apps to monitor their children's academic performance and school activities. This would promote a new generation of parent-child relationship, and the establishment of a harmonious family that is based on the use of electronic technology. 


Technological products per se are not good or bad; the good or bad is determined by how people use them. What the parents and teachers who are well-verse in using electronic technologies should pursue is 'how to form favorable learning situations for children', rather than demanding the children to give up technology. Situations that is beneficial to children's learning are not formed by constraining children's learning methods; instead the situations are formed through the creation of a conducive momentum for learning, and active facilitation of autonomous learning.