ICT tools have driven the growth of online learning in schools and higher education settings in the world. These tools, with user-friendly interfaces and navigation, have inspired different modes of thinking and learning to support the new crop of students termed digital natives and the Net generation.
It is vital to relate technology to them. These learners prefer multitasking, online interactions and collaborative learning environments.
By using these tools, learners can reflect, engage, construct knowledge, interact, collaborate and become independent learners.
There is a gap between students and teachers’ relationship. This gap must be addressed for effective teaching and learning.
With this realisation staring at everyone, the integration of ICT tools with pedagogical practices is relevant.
However, teachers need to find ways to integrate the online environment with pedagogical practices to communicate with students.
It is timely to suggest an online learning model for Malaysian schools.
The suggestions given here is for students to interact and collaborate to form the online community.
Teachers need to master certain features to support learners. The model proposed in this article is based on the Community of Inquiry Model suggested by Garrison, Archer and Anderson (2000).
The model needs to be adapted as Malaysian schools differ in social, culture and geographical aspects. Three factors that will be discussed are cognitive, social and teacher presences.
TEACHER PRESENCE
The teaching presence refers to how teachers plan lessons. This includes topics, title and assignments.
Another component is on how to design the method. Deadlines to complete assignments should be stated.
Teachers’ most prominent role is to facilitate ideas and to encourage students to reach an understanding and reinforce their contributions.
Teachers should prompt discussions and encourage students to focus on topics.
To create more meaningful discussions, there is a need to include knowledge from sources, textbooks, articles and experiences.
In the Malaysian scenario, teachers should guide students on exam tips as students are concerned about passing exams to enter colleges and universities.
SOCIAL PRESENCE
Since non-verbal cues are not evident in the virtual environment, appreciation, acknowledgement and complements are important in an online learning environment.
Students are allowed to express their emotions and humour.
The interactions are not confined to academia. They can discuss events in their lives, which will encourage them to share ideas and create interaction.
Complementing and expressing appreciation will establish support and a sense of belonging.
Chat language, such as fillers, abbreviation and incomplete phrases, should be tolerated, but students should be aware of the way to write formally and for exams.
As Malaysia is a multi-racial country, code switching should be tolerated in discussions to encourage discussions and to increase students’ interest in learning.
COGNITIVE PRESENCE
The cognitive presence refers to the ability to construct meaning through collaboration. Garrison et al. has suggested on moving from phases from lower-order thinking to higher-order thinking.
This is possible when students are guided by the elements in Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Domains.
The different phases of critical thinking — such as remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create — will guide students’ interactions.
If teachers are aware of the importance of these elements, students can achieve a higher level of critical thinking and better writing outcome.
Dr A. Nagaletchimee is a senior lecturer with the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang