Implementation of Distance and Digital Learning During Pandemic Covid-19 in Malaysia

Abstract

Due to physical constraints preventing Covid-19 spread, TVET institutions are unable to develop and offer their courses effectively. Almost every country in the world has been affected by the pandemic Covid-19. Many students are having difficulty, limiting their access to a high-quality education. This scenario shines a light on how stakeholders can guarantee that the curriculum continues to operate even if students are unable to attend school. Many initiatives have been conducted, including curricular innovation and digitalization. The learning materials are transformed to digital form, and the curriculum delivery is done online. This involves the use of Open Educational Resources (OER). Many institutions are also implementing cutting-edge technology, such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), to improve student’s learning. However, challenges and issues occurred in terms of institutions' preparation to transition from traditional learning, and students' readiness in terms of physical equipmentand connectivity. The objective of this paper is to highlight the initiatives and efforts made by the TVET stakeholders in relation to distance and digital learning. This article will discuss the strategies and practices taken by the Malaysian Government and the TVET institutions to deliver quality education including the issues and challenges that most TVET institutions confront particularly the teachers and lecturers. The findings of this article elaborate the best practices initiated during pandemic. Furthermore, based on the online survey of 242 respondents from various TVET institutions, the student’s perception on distance learning is at moderate level with mean=2.875, SD=0.95. There is a need to enhance the student’s experience while taking distance and online learning. The outcome of this paper may be used as a guideline in the development and planning of TVET curriculum and delivery particularly on distance and online learning.