The Covid-19 pandemic has seen private colleges and universities forced to switch from in-person teaching to online learning.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Covid-19
pandemic has seen private colleges and universities forced to switch from
in-person teaching to online learning.
Traditional examinations are also
being replaced with other forms of assessments following the Movement Control
Order (MCO) being enforced.
Students, however, have expressed
concern over the efficiency and accountability of online testing and
assessment.
In addressing this, the Malaysian
Association of Private Colleges and Universities (MAPCU) said students should
not assume and treat alternative assessments as being “easier”.
This, its president Datuk Parmjit
Singh said, is because the degree of challenge posed by approved alternative
assessments may be at par, if not more stringent, than traditional examination
methods.
The Higher Education Ministry and
Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), he said, have issued guidelines for
these alternative methods.
“Each alternative assessment
approach must be designed to ensure that students achieve the learning outcomes
for the subject and course.
“This has to go through a review
and quality assurance procedures and ultimately be approved by the university’s
Senate.
“Proper alignment with programme
learning outcomes is extremely important. Besides, any alternative method will
have to be in full compliance with the directives and guidelines issued by
MQA,” he told the NST.
Parmjit said although almost all
academic and operational aspects of higher education institutions have been
affected by the MCO, early preparedness and mitigation plans have softened the
impact and ensured a smooth transition to e-learning.
Most universities, he said,
expected teething problems to occur, particularly in the early stages due to
limited access to reasonable quality internet bandwidth, especially for
students in rural or remote areas; and the ability of digital learning
platforms to withstand the sudden increase in load.
Other issues were differences in
time zones, as students who are back in their countries of origin have to
attend virtual classes based on Malaysian time; as well as staff capability to
“deliver” e-learning as they vary greatly even within institutions.
“This includes familiarity with
the platforms and tools as well as the pedagogical demands of online learning
that they never had to think of in conventional delivery.
“Students also had difficulties
adjusting to a learning paradigm where they could not just raise their hands,
ask a question in class and get immediate feedback, but had to do more
background reading before each class and engage in online discussions.”
Parmjit said a recent survey,
however, found that MAPCU member institutions have been well prepared for this
shift to e-learning, where students have been overwhelmingly receptive.
Among the industry-leading tools
and technologies used by educators, he said, were Microsoft Teams, Moodle,
WhatsApp, Blackboard, Open Learning Platform, WizIQ, Zoom, Facebook Livestream,
Google Classrooms, Google Suites and Google Meet.
Parmjit said classes are
generally conducted in line with published timetables to ensure that a sense of
“normalcy” continues to exist, while alternative arrangements have been
developed for assessments.
This, he said, includes new dates
or alternative forms of assessments, semester exams through e-learning
platforms, and final exam substituted by final assignments, projects, and
papers.
“In developing these alternative
arrangements, a primary consideration has been to ensure that students are able
to progress in their programmes of study and ultimately graduate on time.”
On a related matter, Parmjit said
the MCO took effect during a key recruitment season for Malaysian institutions
of higher learning, particularly for local students, thus preparations and
plans for recruitment activities had to be abandoned midway.
The impact, he said, would be
much greater for institutions heavily involved and invested in international
student recruitment and enrolment.
New intakes that were to have
commenced as planned, had to be postponed to a later date but a few
Institutions have commenced their new intakes in an online mode, he added.
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