Education remains a dynamic field, constantly evolving alongside societal changes and technological advancements. The 21st century shows a paradigm shift in education with the widespread use of digital technology.
The educational landscape has undergone a rapid transformation with the advent of technology. A traditional classroom-based learning environment is gradually giving way to a more dynamic and flexible learning environment that integrates digital learning platforms in the teaching and learning process.
As educational institutions move towards digital learning, it is important to assess the readiness of technology adoption to ensure that its use is smooth and effective.
E-learning as a subset of educational technology includes various forms of electronic media, digital tools and platforms to deliver educational content. The transition to digital learning is growing rapidly based on several factors such as internet accessibility, the rapid use of smartphones and the need for a more flexible learning experience.
Following the introduction of the Digital Education Policy (DPD) launched last year by the Minister of Education, Fadhlina Sidek; before schools fully accept digital education integrated in schools, it is important to assess their readiness to fully utilize the potential of technology in education.
Pupils from economically disadvantaged backgrounds will experience difficulties due to lack of access to important devices, use of high-speed internet and a conducive learning environment.
Therefore, schools need to address this digital divide by implementing strategies such as providing subsidized devices, collaborating with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), communities or obtaining government funding to bridge the accessibility gap.
One of the main considerations in assessing the school's readiness for digital education is the convenience of the technology infrastructure. This is because adequate technological infrastructure is essential for the implementation of digital learning initiatives to run smoothly and conducive.
Among the key aspects to evaluate include the school's internet access infrastructure to identify potential bottlenecks and ensure a consistent online experience.
Schools need to assess whether they have a sufficient number of devices such as computers, laptops and tablets to meet the overall needs of students. Furthermore, it's important to consider how these device advancements integrate with e-learning platforms and software to prevent inconsistencies in their usage.
Learning Management System (LMS) for example in Malaysia, Google Crassroom (GCR) is a platform used by teachers and students as a central hub to carry out e-learning activities. In fact, the Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia (DELIMa) platform has received the Recognition of Excellence 2023 from OpenGovAsia, Special Mention: The Inter-Agency Award by GovInsider and the Learning Pioneer Country Award 2024-2025 from UNICEF.
Schools should evaluate the effectiveness of existing platforms or consider exploring other suitable platforms for conducting e-learning activities. The LMS must have user-friendly features, offer seamless integration with other educational tools and provide features such as content sharing, assessment tracking and effective communication tools.
Assessing the availability and accessibility of digital content is important including the use of online books or e-books, online resources, interactive simulations and multimedia content. In addition, the school should also ensure that teachers and students can access and use these resources easily in order to foster an effective learning experience.
Schools that are technologically ready must not only focus on infrastructure readiness but also assess the professional development of teachers. This is important because the readiness of teachers is the driving force for the integration of digital education thus playing an important role in the success of this initiative.
There may be a handful of teachers who are not good at integrating technology because of technophobia or concerns about job security. To overcome this, teachers need a comprehensive approach including training and guidance opportunities in order to have a positive effect of e-learning on the teaching and learning process.
Schools should implement a comprehensive training program to improve digital literacy and teacher competence in using digital tools in the teaching and learning process. The program should cover a variety of topics including the use of LMS, online assessment methods, multimedia content creation and so on.
In fact, the school also needs a robust technical support system to deal with any challenges or issues that may arise during the implementation of digital education. Schools should have a dedicated technical support team to provide timely assistance to teachers and students.
In addition, assessing the readiness of digital education also involves understanding the level of student's digital literacy. Digital literacy includes the ability to use digital tools, critically evaluate online information and the ability to effectively navigate the digital landscape.
Schools need to assess the availability of device needs for students, taking into account factors such as socioeconomic disparity. Among the initiatives include introducing a device program such as a library that provides device loan facilities to qualified students.
Students need to be proficient with online platforms and tools for e-learning purposes. These include skills in using LMSs, participating in virtual classrooms, submitting assignments online and engaging in e-learning activities.
Schools can hold orientation sessions to expose students to this platform as well as promote responsible and ethical student behavior online for e-learning readiness.
The school should also emphasize in mobilizing digital citizenship education in order to deal with the challenges of using technology such as emphasizing the exposure of students to online ethics, information literacy and cyber security. This move can ensure students navigate the digital world responsibly.
Digital education is not only in the school environment but also beyond the classroom space. Understanding the internet access situation at home for students is also an important factor for school work assignments and e-learning activities.
AUTHOR PROF. ASSOC. TS. Dr. SITI HAJAR HALILI Head, Department of Curriculum and Teaching Technology, Faculty of Education Universiti Malaya, can be contacted via e-mail
This article is translated from the original Malay article. It is the author's personal view and does not necessarily represent the view or official position of RTM.