How are Malaysian Students Learning Online?
For part 1 of our “Student Voice Matters” articles, we explore the platforms students currently use, where they stand on online vs. offline learning, how they feel about their current experiences, and the challenges they face.
The top 3 platforms being used by students are WhatsApp, Google Classroom and Telegram
Key Findings:
WhatsApp and Telegram appear the most viable options for educators to teach remotely especially for students with slow internet connection as it does not require high speeds or large volumes of data.
Google Classroom is also at the top of the list. This is consistent with it being the Ministry of Education’s preferred platform and the resources that have been provided to equip Malaysian teachers with the knowledge and skills to conduct virtual classes via Google Classroom.
Only 25% of students prefer online learning. Why?
“I prefer offline learning because interactions play an important role in learning. Sometimes I ask my teacher questions (in WhatsApp or Telegram) but she interprets it the wrong way and proceeds with the class, leaving my questions unanswered.” — 17-year-old male student from Johor
“Jika saya tidak memahami apa yang guru sekolah saya menyampaikan, saya mempunyai platform lain di internet dan saya boleh belajar sendiri atau dengan bersama video di Internet...” — 16-year-old female student from Penang
Key Findings:
Majority prefer offline learning because they appreciate the face-to-face interaction with their teachers and peers.
Other reasons include struggles communicating with their teachers online, and difficulties adjusting to the inconsistent online learning structure
Students who prefer online learning indicated higher levels of readiness for self-directed learning. The reasons they prefer online learning are because they can learn at their own pace, manage their own time, learn new skills and have access to more information.
Regardless of preference for online or offline learning, students need clear communication and engaging interaction with their teachers for learning to happen meaningfully.
How are students feeling about online learning?
“Sebab pembelajaran secara bersemuka lebih senang untuk saya terus faham dan bertanyakan soalan yang sukar difahami berbanding pembelajaran online dan hal pembelajaran online juga banyak rakan-rakan saya ketinggalan kerana segelintir mereka tidak mempunyai handphone dan internet di rumah mereka” — 17-year-old male student from Sabah.
Key Findings:
45% of respondents indicated feeling either calm/steady/excited/joyful towards their online learning experience, while 35% of them feel tired/frustrated/stressed/anxious/insecure/lost.
Students from East Malaysia indicated higher levels of negative feelings towards online learning compared to other states [51% East Malaysia vs 32% Other States].
Deep-diving into the qualitative responses, many experienced communication issues with their teachers. Some also shared that they are concerned that many of their friends are ‘left out’ and unable to access online learning due to lack of resources.
Comparing student feelings between exam and non-exam classes
Key Findings:
We also observed higher indications of tiredness, frustration, stress, anxiousness, insecurity and feeling lost towards online learning amongst older students (17–18 yo) compared to younger students (13–16 yo).
Additionally, a higher proportion of older students preferred offline over online learning, citing direct communication and opportunity to ask questions easily as the main reasons. This frustration could stem from their sense of urgency in preparing for their upcoming exams.
Challenges students face with online learning
“Pembelajaran bersemuka lebih senang untuk beri perhatian pada cikgu. Masalah teknologi seperti tiada data, telefon rosak dan kena berkongsi telefon dengan orang lain membuatkan susah untuk pelajari pembelajaran atas talian” — 14-year-old male student from Kuala Lumpur
“The schedule is too complicated and some teachers are teaching at the same time. The fact is many teachers give us a lot of homework at the same time. Besides that, the homework is given from two different platforms such as Whatsapp and Google Classroom. It is mixed up and sometimes I might miss out on some homework.” — 15-year-old female student from Penang
“… Some students like myself are not privileged enough to be able to afford a study desk at home and the environment at home isn’t the best as some students experience domestic problems and such, thus interfering with our ability to learn effectively.” — 16-year-old female student from Selangor
Key Findings:
Poor connectivity, inconsistent learning structures and a lack of engaging interaction are some of the biggest challenges to online learning.
Students also attribute some of their online learning struggles to conflicting class schedules and unclear class organization systems.
Some students face impediments in having a conducive learning environment at home. Many reported that it is difficult to focus, especially with distractions like household responsibilities and other entertainment at home.
What’s Next
The truth is, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all method because different students have different needs and different communities require different solutions. However, we can start making incremental changes in the way we help students learn (and not just in the way we teach).
So, the question is: what can we as educators do to help our students learn online?
In Project ID, we constantly try new approaches to build a fun, safe and trusting online environment for our students to learn effectively. From our experience, we found a few strategies to be effective in engaging students while allowing learning to happen. Some of them include:
Run fun energizers before we begin an online session i.e. storyboard how you feel with StoryboardThat (engaging)
Provide students with a pre-workshop briefing to set expectations and provide guidance on the online tools used in the workshop (clear structure)
Provide space and time for students to process and express themselves during sessions (interactive)
“The session is interactive, fun and the facilitators are supportive” — 14-year-old participant from Penang, Workshop Series #1 Investing in Self to Lead Others
That said, some further questions to explore as educators:
How can we mobilize resources to support our students without connectivity — be it devices or connection?
What other platforms can we leverage on to enable meaningful learning for all?
How can we continue to bring students into the design of their online learning experience?
We asked Malaysian students what they want in their online learning. Here are their responses.
In Part 1 of “Student Voice Matters”, we examined the commonly used platforms used by students, their preference for either online or offline learning, how they feel about their current experiences and the challenges they face.
We found a majority of students still prefer offline (in-classroom) learning, citing a preference for face-to-face interaction. This was underpinned by connectivity issues, inconsistent learning structures, and a lack of interaction, which contributed to a disrupted learning experience for students.
In Part 2 we focus specifically on the experiences of students as they transition from offline to online learning, asking them what they enjoyed most, what learning platform they preferred using, what their ideal learning experience looks like, as well as suggestions for improvement.
Students want clearer teacher instructions and learning structure for their online learning
Key Findings:
Students want clearer teacher instructions
Classes organised by different teachers result in scheduling conflicts
A result of the shift to remote learning is students are less able to access their teachers for additional clarification
While poor internet connection was the biggest challenge students faced in online learning, our survey found clearer teacher instructions and a consistent learning structure were the main preferences of students to improve their online learning experience. A desire for clearer instructions stemmed from students not being able to access their teachers for clarification. The issue is further exacerbated by classes organised by different teachers resulting in scheduling conflicts. This suggests teaching via an online medium might require a different skill set than that of its offline counterpart, requiring attention to the method of communication to make up for the lack of physical presence.
“Systematic learning on all subjects, scheduled classes. Homeworks with clear instructions and a channel to ask the teachers questions” — 17-year-old male student from Negeri Sembilan
“Online learning is mentally tiring for me, the structure and homework given is inconsistent and the classes always clash with other subjects.” — 17-year-old female student from Johor
Students appreciate the novelty and flexibility of online learning
Key Findings:
The flexibility of online learning empowers students to manage themselves better
Additional online learning materials and resources add to the convenience
The newness of online learning was greeted with cautious optimism by some students, presented with an unfamiliar method of learning. Students enjoy the flexibility of online learning which empowers them to manage themselves at their own pace, while also enjoying the convenience of accessing additional learning materials and resources online. This suggests having human interaction and genuine engagement is a significant factor in ensuring a positive online learning experience.
“I am able to look up things immediately and it helps me to learn better. I can also sit and set up my study space to ensure that it’s conducive for learning. Besides that, I can give myself a break and it helps me focus and learn better compared to studying in school.” — 16-year-old female student from Selangor
“… saya tidak perlu menyalin nota pada waktu kelas tetapi saya hanya perlu screenshot layar nota yang cikgu share di skrin” — 17-year-old female student from Penang
Students prefer Whatsapp, Google Classroom for teaching platforms
Key Findings:
Whatsapp and Google Classroom are the preferred platforms for learning, as they are the most accessible
Platforms such as Zoom require stable connectivity and supported devices for optimal teaching utility
Considering how reliable internet is fundamental to an effective online learning experience, most students choose Whatsapp and Google Classroom for learning as they are the most accessible especially for areas with low connectivity. These two asynchronous platforms, alongside YouTube, are preferred as a poor internet connection does not necessarily interrupt the learning experience. However, there is a clear preference for synchronous and interactive platforms such as Zoom but their requirements of stable connectivity and supported devices make this choice less feasible than others.
“Sangatlah ideal bagi saya jika semua guru dapat melakukan proses Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran (PdP) melalui video call kerana PdP melalui WhatsApp dan Google Classroom serta aplikasi yang tidak membenarkan video call menyukarkan saya untuk memahami sesuatu pembelajaran dengan mudah :(“ — 15-year-old female student from Selangor
“The bad internet connection while we are on Zoom or Google Meet makes it very hard to learn because of the bad quality video.” — 17-year-old female student from Johor
The ideal online learning experience for students
Key Findings:
Students emphasize the importance of pedagogy, good platforms, and a positive experience
Suggestions include the use of quizzes as a form of assessment to replace writing tasks and to make learning more interactive
Students also note an increase in homework, and express hope that teachers will be reasonable considering the unique circumstances of the MCO
According to students, an interactive, engaging and fun online experience is key to sound online learning. They express a desire for quizzes to replace writing tasks as a more interesting form of assessment, keeping their engagement levels high. Other suggestions include incorporating more elements into online teaching such as setting norms, using interactive platforms, conducting Q&A sessions and implementing a reward system. Additionally, a number of students note an increase in homework, while expressing hope that teachers can be accommodating in order to prevent demotivation and burn out.
“I would like to add more online quizzes after teaching and send soft copy notes to my students. If they score well for quizzes, I would reward them with points….” — 17-year-old female student from Sarawak
“There must be variations of teaching mechanisms for virtual classes to make use of the full potential of our gadgets. Teaching can’t be as simple as giving out assignments…We lack interaction. That is what online classes should have. More interactive learning, more visual learning” — 17-year-old male student from Sarawak
“Saya harap cikgu-cikgu akan lebih berusaha untuk membuat aktiviti yang menarik seperti bermain Kahoot selepas tamat sesi pembelajaran ataupun mengadakan sesi soal jawab selepas sesi tamat.” — 17-year-old female student from Sabah
“…some of my teachers gave us homeworks without a limit. They give us homeworks almost everyday, even on weekends…I expect that teachers who did not use live teaching should teach or give homeworks according to the timetable that we used in school so that we have enough time to spend with our family and ourselves…I will really spend the whole day to complete and submit them. This makes me feel so tired, stressed and exhausted…” -16-year-old female student from Penang
What we found useful for online learning
Based on our survey, and what we have learned in our experience organising online programmes for students, Project ID has gathered some practices we found to be useful for students and their online learning. These will be explored in greater depth in Part 3, but can be briefly summarised as:
Re-frame students’ perspective on online learning
Ask students what works
Create a nurturing, accessible setting to make up for the benefits of a physical classroom
Create clarifying mechanisms for students
Set session norms
Blend synchronous and asynchronous learning
Nurture independent learning
Listening to our students
As we discovered in our last article, there is no “one-size fits all” solution to make online learning work. However, what is more important is speaking to students to find out what they really want and how to meet their needs. While we know transitioning to online learning has come with its share of challenges, the responses from our students paint a detailed picture about what that experience is like.
Our survey highlights to us how online learning has vastly different requirements from offline teaching, which is hardly the fault of our educators as the extenuating circumstances that forced this sudden change were exceptional. Ultimately, carrying forward the community of the classroom into its new virtual setting will go a long way in encouraging students to participate.
Having heard our students’ voices, Part 3 of this series will expand on recommendations based on their feedback. These feature a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning to design a thoughtful and comprehensive learning experience as we embrace the new normal in education.
Students told us what they want for online learning. Here are 7 strategies that educators can use.
Part 1 of our “Student Voice Matters” series detailed commonly used learning platforms and some of the challenges students face. Part 2 focused on the experiences of students as they transition from offline to online learning, asking them what they enjoyed most and what their ideal learning experience looks like.
The final part of this series takes the responses presented in the first two articles and summarises some of the main challenges. We also propose some recommendations that educators may find useful to deliver a better online learning experience. Online learning, if done correctly, is a great enabler in creating access and here we discuss ways on improving the experience for students.
The reality of online learning
Varying degree of access to connectivity / device renders various challenges for teachers to teach remotely: The diversity of students from the same class inevitably means some will have better tools and connectivity than others, posing a significant challenge to teachers and their teaching methods. “Some teachers are unable to conduct online teaching because of the problem of internet connection. I hope we can find a way to teach using less data.”
A substantial lag in communication with teachers: The physical absence of teachers makes it more difficult for students to seek guidance and support especially to raise comments, questions and frustrations. “I want something that makes it easier for me to understand what my teacher want to explain and also allow me to ask any question that I don’t really understand…”
A lack of human interaction with both teachers and peers: Students feel isolated and miss out on the interactive environment of a classroom, whether with teachers or peers. “Sesi pembelajaran menjadi lebih seronok sekiranya dapat berjumpa dengan kawan. Selain itu, saya lebih memahami apa yang dipelajari sekiranya saya dapat berinteraksi dan bersemuka bersama dengan guru-guru dan kawan kawan.”
Both students and teachers struggle to adapt: A sudden and dramatic change from a traditional classroom to virtual learning is a new experience for both learners and educators that need more time for everyone to adapt. “Kerana secara atas talian saya akan mengalami kesukaran untuk memahami dan bila cikgu menerangkan saya berasa keliru dengan penerangan cikgu dan saya berasa susah nak belajar.”
A lack of structure in online learning: Students have found it difficult adjusting to online learning due to the inconsistencies in teaching methods, from schedules and preferred online platforms to the volume of homework. “The schedule is too complicated and some teachers are teaching at the same time. The fact is many teachers give us a lot of homework at the same time. Besides that, the homework is given from two different platforms such as Whatsapp and Google Classroom.”
Aversion towards online learning due to unfavorable experience in the past: Some students currently hold disposition against online learning i.e.“I don’t like online learning. I just don’t enjoy any online classes”.
Based on student feedback, what can we do as educators?
1. Re-frame Students’ Perspective on Online Learning
Stigma against online learning persists among students. We can address this by:
Conducting reflection sessions to better understand their struggles, while helping them see the benefits of online learning.
Discussing with students how to collectively make the learning experience better encourage a change in mindset and overall impression of learning online.
2. Ask Students What Works
When confronted with an uncertain situation we find it most effective to ask our students, “What works for you?”
Conduct sessions for students to express how they would like to learn.
Allow students to rate their experience after each class to help educators adapt and tailor-make lessons to suit their students’ needs and overcome their learning roadblocks.
3. Create a Nurturing, Accessible Setting to Make Up for the Benefits of a Physical Classroom
Creating an experience for our students should be the focus when designing an online lesson to build trust and connection, making them feel part of a collective. A sense of belonging allows students to feel heard, putting them at ease with online learning.
Ask students how they are doing before beginning a lesson.
Increase interactivity by allowing students to express themselves using the selected platform’s features (such as Whatsapp’s voice note feature, Padlet, Kahoot).
Organize an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session at the end of classes for them to get to know teachers better and to have some fun.
Design a reward system to motivate students learning remotely, perhaps through virtual certificates or scoreboards in group chats with students.
4. Create Clarifying Mechanisms for Students
Teaching online often subjects us to the risk of being lost-in-translation which can lead to student attrition. As such, we need to find different ways to make ourselves available for students to clarify learning ambiguities. Opportunities for clarification make it easier for students to reach out and ask questions.
Schedule designated Q&A sessions at the end of every session using a video conferencing tool for students with higher bandwidth or voice call options for students with lower bandwidth.
Let students know that they can contact / inform you via different mediums of communication if they have questions.
5. Set Session Norms
Clear expectations of students’ behavior and actions will set the tone for better management of online sessions. Norms and consistency helps students remain focused on learning new concepts while setting the parameters for a new learning environment.
Set up rules with video call sessions i.e. “Mute” yourself when you are not speaking, join the session 10 mins before it begins, or click the “Raise Hand” button if you want to ask a question.
Find out what works and stick to it, be it schedule, learning platforms or online tools.
6. Blend Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning
Educators can create learning opportunities with Blended Learning to cater for students with different access and learning styles while ensuring that they are constantly engaged with high ownership over their learning process.
Compile good learning resources and deliver to students who lack access.
Collect all learning materials on one repository (e.g: Google Classroom) to allow students to learn at their own pace.
Plan fun assessments like online quizzes or game-based activities to enhance learning experience.
Create short (no more than 15–20 minutes) videos on your teaching content followed by a live Q&A session.
7. Nurture Independent Learning
Independent learning plays a key role in students’ success especially in remote learning, as it increases their intrinsic motivation and self-confidence. Prompting students to reflect on their work or to consider strategies they will use if they get stuck have been highlighted as particularly valuable.
Coach students to set personal learning goals.
Encourage them to work in teams with guidance for self and peer assessment.
Allow students to rate or comment their mastery on the knowledge before and after an online teaching session, then allow students to share what is missing and discuss what they can do to fill the gap.
Give personalized, qualitative feedback to students.
Incorporate project-based learning which gives students greater autonomy over their own learning and encourages them to engage with complex questions and real-world problems.
Making learning experiences work
Malaysia is now on the road to COVID-19 recovery. Schools are beginning to reopen beginning with students in Form Five and Six in order for them to sit for their SPM and STPM examinations. That said, we still have a large number of students who will continue learning from home, and will require more support from teachers.
In the past 3 months, we have seen some amazing stories of both educators and students going above and beyond to ensure learning happens — from a teacher personally delivering learning materials to a university student camping out to take exams online. The Ministry of Education has also launched DELIMa — a sharing and collaborative platform that consolidates technology from Google, Microsoft and Apple for online learning.
Now that we have access to this platform, the next step is to hone our craft as educators to create a great online learning experience for our students. From our experience, we find that addressing the seven strategies mentioned above has made a meaningful difference for our students. We hope our survey findings provide a useful starting point for teachers to continue their students’ learning journey as we embrace ‘the new normal’.
These articles and survey findings were developed and compiled by the Project ID team with additional analyses support from Bain & Company and Teach For Malaysia.
Project ID is an education social enterprise that runs high-impact programmes empowering students to lead self and others with 21st century skills. Since the beginning of the MCO, Project ID has run over 60 online workshops with more than 1400 student participation across Malaysia.
If you find this article useful, Project ID will be launching a series of teachers’ workshops on strategies for online teaching and learning. Click here to register your interest.