The Application of ICT Techs (Mobile-assisted Language Learning, Gamification, and Virtual Reality) in Teaching English for Secondary School Students in Malaysia during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

With the sudden changes caused by the ongoing worldwide pandemic in Malaysia and rapid progress in the educational learning system towards online learning, some teachers wondered about the application of technology in students' education and how it would impact their learning process. Therefore, the main objectives of this research are (1) to contextually understand the university interns' perception of ICT Techs (MALL, Gamification, and VR) in teaching English for secondary school students during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Malaysia, and (2) to determine which of these ICT Techs (MALL, Gamification, and VR) would be most preferred by the interns for teaching English to secondary school students in Malaysia. The research design for this study was quantitative and a web-based questionnaire was adapted from three articles (Mihaela Badea, 2015; Huseyin Oz, 2015; and Ali Rahimi, Niloofar Seyed Golshan & Hooman Mohebi, 2013). The reliability test indicated a value of 0.866 with Cronbach's Alpha reliability statistic. From a total of 63 university interns selected from a private university in Malaysia, the results indicated that 38.1% chose MALL, 33% chose Gamification, and 29% chose VR, as their preferred technology to teach English for secondary school students during this Covid-19 Pandemic in Malaysia. Evidence suggested that online learning can be more effective for students where they can control their own learning pace, compared to learning in a classroom environment. Thus, future English teachers should explore and apply innovative pedagogical methods in the teaching-learning process during pandemic outbreak in Malaysia, while contributing to the development of motivation, participation, and engagement among secondary school students in acquiring the English language.