| Danial Norjidi |
A CLOSING ceremony was held yesterday at the Seameo Voctech Centre for a regional training programme on the Development of Online Teaching and Learning Materials.
The two-week programme began on February 3, and yesterday’s ceremony saw the 22 participants from Seameo member countries receiving certificates to mark their completion of the programme.
The course coordinator, Dr Abess Sebihi explained in his report that the participants were first introduced to the current trends and issues in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) personal development, pedagogical and practical skills as well as the need for digital teaching and learning, and were provided with an overview of approaches on using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in TVET delivery with regard to ICT programme development.
This was followed by lecture sessions on 21st Century skills framework, learning and innovation skills for students using pedagogical approaches. Other topics covered included instructional systems design for developing high performance training, as well as an introduction to some relevant ICT tools, such as Sway, Learn Boost, VoiceThread, Socrative, ADDIE model and others.
Dr Sebihi noted that an important part of the programme was the presentation of country reports by the participants on the best practices, issues and challenges encountered in their ICT and e-learning TVET programme, which also included the profile and educational structure of their countries in relation to ICT for TVET.
This was followed by modules that provided the participants with skills, tools, knowledge and experience to develop online teaching and learning materials, and how to use Moodle, a software to host content and interact with their students.
These modules included learning a technique in using ICT tools and software to teach and support learning; an introduction to web conferencing and MOOCS; facilitating online teaching and learning content via screen recording; the use of Learning Management System (LMS) services to manage teaching, learning resources and activities; as well as action planning and a group project.
“It is envisaged that this training programme has upgraded the participants’ skills in developing learning contents and hosting it on Moodle, and that they will make full use of newly acquired skills in their teaching,” he said.
He also highlighted the participants’ involvement in a regional forum on ‘The Future Ready Skills: Advancing a Future for Everyone’.
The forum at the Seameo Voctech Centre with the collaboration of Microsoft Brunei, provided participants with information on the use of technology as a tool for learning and developing a highly skilled workforce; on Minecraft as a tool to incorporate project-based learning; and on relevant TVET initiatives in Southeast Asia.
He added that the programme also included an educational visit to the Politeknik Brunei campus, and social cultural visits.
The programme was designed to meet the common needs of Seameo member countries for upgrading the competencies of their education practitioners, explained Dr Haji Mohd Zamri bin Haji Sabli, the Director of Seameo Voctech Regional Centre in his welcoming remarks.
He congratulated the participants for completing the programme, and said that he was sure that they were equipped with better skills in preparing online teaching and learning materials.
“I am confident that all of you will make valuable contributions in teaching and learning at your institutions in your respective countries,” he said. “I hope this regional training programme has been able to provide you all with the necessary tools and applications associated with the development of online teaching and learning.”
The guest of honour, Eko Himawan, Head of Chancery at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Brunei Darussalam, handed over certificates to the participants.
He remarked, “I am sure that the sessions in the past two weeks have been successful in introducing you to emerging tools and applications associated with the development of online teaching and learning, writing assignments and project-based tasks, simulation activities and individual actual plans.
“I am confident that this training programme has provided you with new, as well as much improved knowledge and skills to develop online teaching and learning materials, and that you have found them useful and relevant to your current work.”
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