Abstract
Innovative teaching, regardless of the discipline, brings about interest and motivation to learners, which eventually leads to learning. Thus, the role of educators is to ensure that they continuously innovate their teaching methodologies so that students’ learning is enhanced. This paper presents an investigation of selected Malaysian polytechnic lecturers’ understanding and perception towards innovation in teaching. Data were collected from 39 lecturers from selected polytechnics in Malaysia. Open-ended questions were given among the respondents and the data obtained were then analysed. The findings showed that lecturers’ definitions of innovation are varied and because of that, they found that it was challenging for them to innovate teaching methodologies. Nevertheless, the lecturers were actually interested in coming out with innovative teaching ideas provided that they are guided to begin. Overall, the findings of this study are significant in understanding the factors that hinder some of the Malaysian polytechnic lecturers in coming out with innovative teaching methodologies, thus, providing insight information for the Department of Polytechnic Education in taking proactive efforts to facilitate and encourage innovations in teaching among Malaysian polytechnic lecturers.
Highlights
Education is a very powerful instrument for social change and transformation and innovative teaching practice is the only way to enhance the quality of education (Nicolaides, 2012)
This paper presents an investigation of selected Malaysian polytechnic lecturers’ understanding and perception towards innovation in teaching
The findings of this study are significant in understanding the factors that hinder some of the Malaysian polytechnic lecturers in coming out with innovative teaching methodologies, providing insight information for the Department of Polytechnic Education in taking proactive efforts to facilitate and encourage innovations in teaching among Malaysian polytechnic lecturers
Summary
Education is a very powerful instrument for social change and transformation and innovative teaching practice is the only way to enhance the quality of education (Nicolaides, 2012). Academics are required to be innovative as they teach new skills as well as to equip students to be able to face the global challenges of the 21st century (Bawuro, 2018). The life challenges in today’s world require varieties of complex alternatives and solutions (Abu Yazid, 2016); being innovative is crucial. In the field of education, teaching methodologies and innovative ideas are seen as two sides of a coin. While innovative is defined as behaviour that can be described as a process in which new ideas are generated, created, developed, applied, promoted, realised, and modified by employees to benefit role performance (Kheng & Mahmood, 2013; Hammond et al, 2011; Thurlings et al, 2015). While innovative is defined as behaviour that can be described as a process in which new ideas are generated, created, developed, applied, promoted, realised, and modified by employees to benefit role performance (Kheng & Mahmood, 2013; Hammond et al, 2011; Thurlings et al, 2015). Zhang Shuguo (2012) pointed out that education must be innovative teaching ideas and teaching methods of innovation, reform the traditional teaching model, and build a new innovation-oriented education in order to achieve the objective
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