LETTER: AS a result of Covid-19, most fields in life have come to a standstill. But, one field did not stop — schooling.
All educational institutions were forced to turn to e-learning immediately when the pandemic began.
Since then, controversy on this learning method has risen among teachers, students and even parents, as many are worried on how to proceed and get the best results.
Some forgot that after the "e", there is the "learning", which means there is still the traditional aspect before online lessons start.
This situation shows the lack of understanding on how to approach e-learning.
We must understand that e-learning is only a teaching tool. Generally, students will not be able to understand lessons without this crucial element — a creative teacher who knows how to moderate his classroom, including the best place and suitable time to learn.
In other words, the right usage of a variety of technological equipment available in the classroom depends largely on the teacher.
I would describe it like this: "A knife in a child's hand can hurt him, but in the hands of a chef, it can create tasty dishes."
The most pertinent question is whether teachers know when and how to use the tools.
When the Movement Control Order (MCO) was imposed, many teachers were unsure on what to do and how to go about teaching using technology.
I, too, faced the same question, a few months ago when searching for a way to inspire my students to do their homework.
Then, I decided to use mobile learning tools. Even though that wasn't my best time because of the huge amount of delayed assignments that had been submitted, the bright side was, many students enjoyed doing the tasks using tablets.
In this case, a teacher must be able to choose what kind of platform he wants to use for online learning.
Will it be Google Classroom or Google Forms? Microsoft 365, Zoom or open sources, such as YouTube, Twitter, interactive forums and enrichment online pages?
There are many options for the teacher. It's about using proper tools or platforms. But sometimes, teaching online can become dull.
A researcher, Elizabeth Flens, said the average student concentration in class is between 10 and 20 minutes, which means that the teacher has to be creative in his teaching every 20 minutes. If he teaches using only visual communication (distance learning platforms), it may not be very effective.
Other studies also indicate that students will be distracted by other things. In another approach, the students can choose whether they prefer group learning with their teacher, or whether they want to do it alone.
Whatever the circumstances, e-learning gives the teacher an alternative teaching experience while students are exposed to a new way of studying.
DR ABDEL RAHMAN IBRAHIM SULEIMAN
SENIOR LECTURER, KOLEJ GENIUS INSAN
UNIVERSITI SAINS ISLAM MALAYSIA (USIM)
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times