By Ian McIntyre
ONLINE Learning and the continued proficiency in English due to its global standing besides empowering schools to be part of their respective communities are now high on the agenda of the learning institutions in Penang.
Recently, the nation’s pioneering online learning module institution – the Wawasan Open University (WOU) headed by its vice chancellor Prof. Dr Lily Chan and its deputy vice-chancellor Dr. Yap Eng Hwa sealed a deal with SJK (C) Hun Bin to supply 32 upgraded desktop computers for the vernacular school’s digital laboratory.
And it is not simply the donation of laptops, as WOU has also offered to share insights with public educators and young students about the virtues of online learning, stemming from the almost 18 – months of lockdowns where children were confined indoors.
Speaking from experience, Chan pointed out that almost 90% of its distance learning for its working adult students is conducted online.
“This is where the challenge lies in terms of ensuring that the imparting of knowledge is of quality and the students can easily absorb what is taught online.”
WOU makes it easier for students to access information and to seek queries online too while advocating a safe culture of learning through video screens and sharing instead of the conventional – in-person attendance at classrooms.
Asked about the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the overload of information online, Chan replied that this is where the character of the students is important and where good morals can guide them not to fall prey to the culture of spreading copy and pasting practices or subscribing to the dark web where the content can be fake.
She said that WOU academicians understand the temptations to take shortcuts by copying work from unverified content providers, there are safeguards available to ensure that there is no wonton cheating on the part of the students.
She said supervision is important to guide the young whereas adult students must have the maturity to know what must be practiced and upheld when studying online.
Secondly, WOU wants students to use the information available to complement their work, not to rob them of their original efforts.
“We know of the unfettered access to ChatGPT and other AI applications but students must be wise to know that such tools are to aid learning, not to be abused for self-interests. Eventually, if no knowledge is acquired, our brainpower would be limited.”
Meanwhile at one of the state’s oldest English proficiency centers – the BELL Language Center in Air Itam, the mastery of the language continues to receive huge response among young students because it is a global language.
Its principal Angeline Khoo said that there is no denying that Mandarin, Spanish and Arabic are also receiving much attention globally but English continues to be a forte.
In view that not all students have access to tuition classes in English, Khoo hopes the private sector can aid the education authorities in offering extra-curricular classes.
Khoo wants more emphasis to be given to helping young students to have access to both written and spoken English, especially since there is a perception that the mastery of the language has dipped in recent decades.
Established in 1971, BELL recently hosted its 52nd Certificate Presentation, an annual graduation event organized to celebrate the achievements of students who sat for the Cambridge English Qualifications Examinations from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom last year.
Cambridge English Qualifications are recognized by over 25,000 educational institutions, employers and governments around the world.
In another development, the second oldest school in the country – St Xavier’s Institution (SXI) recently hosted a full philharmonic orchestra performance at the school hall.
It was a proud moment for its brother – Director Jason Blaikie, as he explained that schools are part and parcel of community integration.
“We are not just a premise for educating students. We can also offer our facilities for healthy social activities such as musical shows and the performing arts.”
Blaikie wants the hall to be used for many social obligations to ensure that SXI can be part of the community outreach efforts that the school wants to generate.
The school’s former disciplinarian master Constantine Gerard also marked his official retirement from the school after spending almost 39 years as a Xavierian.
Gerard was a student at SXI from Standard One to Upper Form Six before he continued his tertiary education and returned as a teacher in SXI from 2000 until last month.
Specializing in Mathematics, Gerard later became the disciplinarian master out of his love for his fellow Xavierians.
He shared his experiences here, saying that the Xavierian motto of sharing is caring became his living principle in life.
“My most memorable time besides teaching my core subject Mathematics is being the head discipline teacher in SXI. I had teacher Asri Meran and three beautiful angels, Renuga Devi, Nishaini, and Sakinah. They were the best dream team of discipline. The school could ever have,” said Gerard.
And in his retirement speech, Gerard said that: “you can take me out of SXI but you can never take the spirit of SXI out of me.”
