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special

INNOVATIONS MALAYSIA 

FOR decades, thedelivery ofteaching within theMalaysian educationsystem could bedescribedas being one-waycommunication thatrequired students tomemorise and regurgitatesignificant amounts of factsin examinations.

The country’s educationlandscape is quickly changing,however, and the introduction ofinnovative teaching and newtechnology will go a long way inmoulding students who are notonly knowledgeable but have theability to reason, think critically,interact, share and apply theirnewfound theories and skills to

real-world scenarios.

Developing all-roundedstudents

In terms of early yearseducation, many preschools as wellas private and internationalprimary schools have adoptedmore hands-on and learning-focused teaching styles that werepreviously deemed unusual or tooadvanced for young ages.

Malaysian schools anduniversities are beginning to useinternational teaching models suchas the flipped classroom concept,which is a student-centred, self-paced and flexible approach thatcombines face-to-face and Web-

based teaching.Department of Higher Education

director general Prof Datuk DrAsma Ismail said in her forewordto 2014 Education Ministry-published report Blended and Flipped Learning: Case Studies in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions that the emergence offlipped classrooms is a good startto creating a culture of knowledgesharing among Malaysian highereducation institutions to deliverthe best teaching and learningexperience to students.

The document concluded thatwhile some universities needed toimprove on their blended learningmodels, other institutions wereable to better engage students in

programmes that complementface-to-face classes.Working adults looking to upskill

or progress in their careers havealso benefited from the moderneducation innovation of massiveopen online courses – freeWeb-based distance learningprogrammes that are designedfor the participation of largenumbers of geographicallydispersed students.

These courses are often

structured and accredited byestablished institutions such asHarvard University, The Universityof Edinburgh and Open UniversityMalaysia.

Private sectorcontributions

With the Government looking toimplement innovative strategies ineducation as announced in theMalaysia Education Blueprints(preschool to post-secondary andhigher education), industry playershave also taken the opportunity tocontribute innovative initiatives.

In 2013, global technology giantMicrosoft Corporation chose fourMalaysian teachers (out of 23,000

educators from more than 150countries) to be part of its firstclass of global Innovative ExpertEducators – global educatorvisionaries who are usingtechnology effectively for betterlearning and student outcomes.

Besides this global communityof innovative educators who areable to share their ideas andexperiences, educators can makeuse of a designated website –

education.microsoft.com – thatlists numerous school-based andout-of-class lessons.

Using tools such as Bing, Office,Skype, One Drive and KoduGameLab on smartphones andtablets, these lessons are aimed atimproving communication,creativity, critical thinking andcollaboration among students.

Technological solutionsComputer companies are also

offering information technologysolution packages tailored toinstitutions’ budget, goals andneeds for optimal learningenvironments.

Services include setting up

secure networks to accessnecessary online resources,selecting best-in-breed digitalcontent partners, using actionabledata to track students’ progress,personalise training and fostercollaborations, setting up virtuallaboratories, enabling access to livelectures and offering collaborativetools such as cloud computing.

Three years ago, theGovernment started adopting

Google Apps throughChromebooks with the aim toequip all of Malaysia’s 10,000schools with a 10:1 student tocomputer ratio, a virtual platformfor learning and 4G Internet.

There are no verified reports ofthe Education Ministry havingsucceeded in achieving this targetbut the move allows Malaysia tokeep up with countries that alsouse Chromebooks in schools suchas the United States, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan and some Europeancountries, consequentlyencouraging further innovationand elevating the delivery ofMalaysian education.

Usage growthMalaysia is heading in the right

direction in terms of introducingnew teaching and learningmethods and the EducationMinistry is doing its part bysupporting efforts such as theDigital Education Show Asia 2016in Kuala Lumpur next month thatwill feature e-learning exhibitors

and speakers from local andinternational educationinstitutions, bodies andprivate companies.

But irrespective of theEducation Ministry’s efforts,educators and teachers must firstbe staunch believers that teachingneed not necessarily be restrictedto traditional pedagogy and use

online resources such as the Innovations in Education andTeaching International journal.

There are no one-size-fits-allteaching programmes and everystudent deserves personalisededucation to help them reach theirmaximum potential.

It is up to every educator topick up the gauntlet to provideinnovative and enrichingexperiences for their students.

Modernising education

By IAN JEROMELEONG

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PhD studentships for researchWNED and governed by thefrey Cheah Foundation, Sunwayversity is one of Malaysia’s

ding not-for-profit privateversities.he vibrant and modern Sunwayversity is not only known forquality of teaching and

rning, its research is now alsoreasing in prominence bothionally and internationally.unway University has been

ering 20 fully funded PhDdentships since last year foriring researchers to pursueir dreams of contributing to andping to develop a knowledge-

ed society in Malaysia andyond.

he studentships, which areilable to both Malaysian and

ernational students, will coverthree-year programme fees ofcessful applicants and anthly stipend of RM3,000 forearch areas in business,

mputing and informationtems and biological sciences.he studentships are offeredough the university’s Office forearch and Enterprise to further

ost the university’s growingtributions to the world’s

owledge base.

Prof Peter Heard, deputy vice-chancellor for research andenterprise, believes that thesupport given to the university bythe Jeffrey Cheah Foundation tofurther develop its research profileprovides for a unique environmentfor prospective PhD students.

“Sunway University is fastbecoming one of the topuniversities in Malaysia and South-East Asia. Rated 5* by QuacquarelliSymonds for its teaching,

employability and facilities, it is theonly private university that I knowof in South-East Asia that truly putsquality ahead of anything else,”says Prof Heard.

“Sunway is a truly internationaluniversity in every sense of theword; we have staff and studentsfrom practically every corner ofthe globe, which means ourstudents not only learn from thevery best but also gain vitalexperience of working across

different cultures.“PhD students who join us

under this scheme will have thechance to attend at least oneleading international conferenceduring their time with us,” hecontinues.

“With opportunities to listen tosome of the world’s leadingacademics and thought-leadersthrough the Jeffrey CheahDistinguished Lecture Series,recent speakers at which includeProf Jeffrey Sachs, Sir AlanMilburn, Prof John Bowers andProf Khaw Kay-Tee, you will beexposed to some of today’s greatest

thinkers.”Aside from experienced

supervision, successful applicantswill have access to some of themost modern facilities availableanywhere.

The university opened its newpurpose-built RM350mil buildingin March last year, boasting someof the best facilities for research,teaching and recreation.

These facilities includestate-of-the-art laboratories, lecturetheatres, a FIFA-standard soccerpitch, gymnasium and Olympic-sized swimming pool – all withinthe confines of Malaysia’s finest

Prof Jeffrey Sachs at Sunway University’s Jeffrey Cheah DistinguishedSpeakers Series. Doctoral candidates will have the opportunity to beexposed to some of the the world’s great thinkers.

resort city Bandar Sunway.The broader Sunway Group to

which the university belongs hasan inspiring mission and visionwith the core values of humility,integrity and excellence thatpermeate all it does.

Sunway University is a memberof the Sunway Education Group,which has an extensive network oflinks with many of the world’sleading universities.

It has strategic partnership withLancaster University, ranked ninthin the United Kingdom and in thetop 1% of universities worldwide,which not only offers many joint

degree programmes with SunwayUniversity, but also undertakes joint research projects.

Sunway University alsocollaborates with HarvardUniversity, University of Cambridgeand University of Oxford, runningmajor events including lectures,conferences, workshops andsymposiums that successfulresearch candidates will have theopportunity to leverage on for theirresearch.

n For more information, visitsunway.edu.my/university/research-mngmt.

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innovations malaysia 3

Intellectual investmentEDUCATION is the manifestation ofperfection already in men, said the greatIndian scholar Swami Vivekananda.

One has to realise that perfection is self-empowered and self-sustained. This processof self-realisation is facilitated through anoble process called education.

Though educational philosophy has notchanged much over centuries, methods ofimparting knowledge have taken a hugeleap from delivery on blackboards toPowerPoint presentations and so on, thanksto technological advancements that bringvirtual models to the classrooms.

However, empirical evidence suggests thatno one method is proven to be the best foreffective learning.

So, what is the catalysing factor that drivesyoung brains to be on their toes? Could it bepeer pressure, environment or curiosity?

As Eugene Cernan said in his book The Last Man on the Moon, “Curiosity is theessence of human existence”.

On these grounds, inquisitiveness is theforemost tool for spawning interest. At the

Ramsay Sime Darby Healthcare College(RSDH College), we understand that each andevery student is unique in their potential.

Hence, we adopt a blended learningapproach to enable everyone to flourishwhile capitalising on individual uniqueness.

Intellectual investment will be profitablewhen interest in a subject is created andit is yieldable when learning becomesself-empowered.

At the RSDH College, we spark interest bycreating an environment conducive to thecurious mind, as the more curious studentsare, the more inquisitive they become.

This approach is called Active L (Activelearning), where students are divided intosmall focus groups for facilitation. Each

group is scrutinised with care to identifytheir strengths and uniqueness.

This process helps to unlock theirpotential. The pinnacle of success iswhen students’ knowledge grows beyondtexts and curriculum.

For instance, theoretical facts onrehabilitation of spinal cord injuries aredelivered by a tested and proven ( Journalof Physiotherapy) eLearning module.

This module allows students to learnbeyond the expectations of the curricula.This encourages students to be lifelonglearners, resulting in a value-basededucation.

The most satisfying part is when our

students are empowered to use theirknowledge in real-life scenarios, whichreduces the theory-practice gap.

RSDH College students have consistently

fared well in the LJM (Lembaga JururawatMalaysia) board examinations with anaverage of 99% passes over the last 10years.

Our graduates are highly sought after bythe healthcare industry across the regionwith an average employability rate of 88%.

Although our teaching methods focus ongroup discussion and self-empoweredsessions, inculcating humanistic valuessuch as care and compassion are embeddedin almost all teaching delivery.

This is in keeping with RSDH College’svalues and tagline: People caring forpeople. – By Manikandan Narayanan andShree Ganesh Thavarasa

Manikandan is RSDH College’sphysiotherapy programme lecturer whileShree Ganesh is a lecturer in the medical

laboratory technology programme.

n For more information, visitwww.ramsaysimedarbycollege.edu.my or call 1300 888 321.

RSDH College encourages inquisitiveness in its students and empowers them to use theirknowledge in real-life scenarios.

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Expand horizons Smart, innovative programme

The qualifications are awarded under theAustralian Qualifications Framework andrecognised across Australia, and are alsorecognised by the Malaysian QualificationsAgency.

Like its Australian parent, Curtin Sarawakis widely recognised for its practical researchfocused on solving timely, real-worldproblems.

It continually creates new learning spacesequipped with the latest technologicaladvances in teaching and learning, including

distributed learning technology to supportactive student learning.

The campus facilities include a modernlibrary, state-of-the-art laboratories, securestudent housing and a range of sports andrecreational facilities.

Curtin Sarawak’s partnerships and stronglinks with the Government, industry andcommunity further enrich students’ learningexperiences and ensure their skills andexpertise are aligned with the changingdemands of today’s world.

n For more information, call marketingofficer Raihanah at 085-443 879 or 019-8550688 or e-mail raihanah@curtin.edu.my orvisit www.curtin.edu.my.

ORKING professionals with undergraduategrees can become experts in their fieldsough postgraduate study at Curtiniversity Sarawak (Curtin Sarawak).ostgraduate study at Curtin Sarawakds a huge potential for future growthen the large number of professionals inoil and gas industry in Miri and the

mand for highly skilled professionals anderts for industries within the Sarawakridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).ostgraduate students are given several

ions in either research or coursework.ts Faculty of Business and Humanitiesers graduate certificate, graduate diplomad master’s of science courses in projectnagement, all of which are by

ursework, helping students gain necessaryderstanding, knowledge and skills.The faculty also offers the Doctor oflosophy (PhD) by research programme.

The programme is identical in all aspectshe one offered at Curtin’s main campus inth, Western Australia, and adopts a

neric approach to project management.t is applicable to a variety of industries,luding construction, engineering,

ucation, health, commerce, informationhnology, and research and development.

QUALITY has been the cornerstone ofsuccess for the nation’s leading preschooleducation franchise Smart ReaderWorldwide.

Smart Reader Kids programmes standout as they are based on the Smart ReaderCreative Teaching Methodology, anunconventional approach to teaching thatincorporates fun and excitement in thelearning process.

To remain at the helm of the industry,the organisation continues to invest in thedevelopment of innovative products.

New products recently launched bySmart Reader Worldwide include theSmart Speaker_Writer Series and SmartCalculation.

The Smart Speaker_Writer Seriesaddresses public speaking and creativewriting skills of young learners. Studentslearn to present organised thoughts andideas and write in correct grammar.

The programme is excellent for developingstudents’ confidence, articulation,pronunciation and vocabulary.

Smart Calculation is designed to assiststudents to excel in mathematics in acreative and fun way. The programme isconducted in both English and BahasaMalaysia.

It also stimulates children’s interest todiscover problems, explore answers andsolutions by themselves and promotes theunderstanding of arithmetic concepts.

Launched in 2014, the innovative SmartReader Kids Islamic programme won theaward for Best Franchise Innovation at theMalam Anugerah Francais 2015.

Smart Reader Worldwide also launched its

first corporate preschool, Smart Reader KidsKepong Business Park, on its premises atSmart Reader International (SRI) College inDecember last year.

The corporate preschool caters to workingparents in Smart Reader Worldwide, SRICollege and the companies and communitiesaround Segambut and Kepong.

Smart Reader Kids Kepong Business Parkhas innovative programmes and excellentfacilities, coupled with new and interestinglearning aids and a fun-filled toy land.

Smart Reader Worldwide plans to set upmore corporate preschools next year. Nextin the pipeline is Mines Waterfront BusinessPark.

n For more information on Smart ReaderWorldwide’s franchised programmes, call03-6279 5555 or the SMARTLine at 1300 885555 or visit www.smartreader.edu.my.

(From left) Smart Reader Worldwide’s assistantcorporate manager Ahmad Ridzuan AhmadBaijuri, Smart Reader Kids Islamic’s honoraryadvisor Datuk Abu Hasan Din Al-Hafiz andSmart Reader Worldwide’s chief executiveofficer Datuk Seri Dr Richard Ong at the MalamAnugerah Francais 2015.