IPG Tun Abd Razak, Swinburne host virtual webinar for digital educators
KUCHING: Tun Abdul Razak Teachers’ Training Institute (IPG) campus here and Swinburne Sarawak through its School of Design and Arts recently hosted a virtual webinar for digital educators seeking to upskill their technological expertise.
Titled ‘Using Technology Effectively for Online Teaching and Learning’, the webinar aimed to guide academics with a host of new digital and pedagogical skills needed to ensure high quality digital education and how to develop them within institutions, a press statement from Swinburne said.
It said by exploring available free platforms, tools, and applications, the webinar focused on solving problems that educators may encounter in online teaching for effective online learning outcomes.
Swinburne senior lecturer and teacher trainer Dr Melinda Kong moderated the session while Dr Ho Theen Theen, a senior academic lecturer at IPG Tun Abdul Razak campus conducted the webinar.
Ho has more than 20 years of experience in teaching as well as training pre-service and inservice teachers in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and post-secondary English Language proficiency.
With a focus on solving problems that educators may encounter in online teaching, she explored available free platforms, tools, and applications for effective e-learning outcomes with the participants during the session.
Among the tips shared by Ho included basic training of Pear Deck, an interactive presentation tool used to actively engage students in individual and social learning using Google Slides.
According to her, the educational web-based application is an effective technique to make slide-based lectures more interactive and less one-sided or teachercentred.
Meanwhile, Ho proposed the utilisation of Edpuzzle to address unmotivated learners who do not respond well to asynchronous learning styles.
She shared how this teaching tool which can be integrated into a learning management system (LMS) is useful for creating unskippable videos with built-in assessments.
Instead of purchasing costly video editing so ware or being confined to videos which are not geared for local context, she advocated the use of the free Microso Video Editor tool as an alternative for educators to produce custom teaching and learning videos.
The webinar was a ended by educators of various levels including primary and secondary schools, as well as higher institutions from both rural and urban se ings. Participants hailed from countries such as Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, and Kenya.
Members of the public who are interested to watch the webinar are welcome to visit Swinburne’s Facebook page at bit.ly/3c9vxv0.
Swinburne Sarawak offers a two-year Master of Arts TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) programme designed for English teachers who are seeking to enhance their qualifications with a quality higher degree, or degree holders who plan to make a career change to the exciting world of English language teaching.
The MA (TESOL) programme offers three exit points with certification, namely a Graduate Certificate of Arts (TESOL) a er one semester of studies; a Graduate Diploma of Arts (TESOL) a er one year or; the MA (TESOL) course upon completion.
A range of financial aid and bursaries are available, including The Brooke Trust Education Bursary worth 50 per cent of the tuition fees; a 20 per cent bursary award to all Sarawak Teachers’ Union members and immediate family members; and a 15 per cent discount off the tuition fee for Swinburne alumni.
Further details on Swinburne’s MA (TESOL) programme can be found at swinburne.edu.my/apply-now/matesol/.
For more information about Swinburne, visit its website www.swinburne. edu.my, Facebook page (@ swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twi er page (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).