KUALA TERENGGANU: It has been almost a month since the movement control order came into effect and some netizens were quick to claim teachers were having an easy time causing students fall behind in their lessons.
“Yes, the schools are closed but we are not on vacation,” retorted some teachers to netizens as such unwarranted comments have undermined the credibility of educators in the country.
The truth is the class goes on and teachers have to ensure lessons continued through online platforms as provided by the Education Ministry (KPM).
This include teachers who hold the responsibility as heads or administrators for the online platforms, because besides teaching they have to supervise all the other teachers, to ensure that they master the teaching methods.
Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Seberang Marang teacher, EL Gamillo Habibun Tan when contacted by Bernama said, among videos that are receiving great response, are that of virtual teaching by a group of teachers through the Cikgootube group via Telegram application.
“Cikgootube features a group of teachers from all over Malaysia who share their teaching materials by subject, via Youtube, under the supervision of Educational Resource and Technology Division (BSTP) of KPM, in accordance with the recent syllabus.
“To date, about 3,500 teachers nationwide have joined the Telegram group ‘Team Cikgootube’, who shared various teaching videos and tutorials, and some of them recorded lessons through the Educational Resource and Technology Sector (SSTP) in their respective states and their recordings were aired over TV Pendidikan programme at TV OKEY channel (RTM),” he said.
EL Gamillo Habibun who is also the national coach of Cikgootube with a group of friends in Apple Teacher Community (ATC iChampion MY) Telegram group, also prepared many professional development tutorials for teachers who use IPAD, every night since MCO started.
Their websites are at https://www.cikguel.com, https://www.atcichampion.my/ and https://cikgootube.net/.
For Malaysian e-Didik Group chairman, Dr Syed Abi Ghufran Syed Ahmad Al Idrus, the MCO is very challenging for him because he has to organise workshops and online courses for teachers in the country to master the best teaching skills and methods, in line with the growth of information communication technology.
“The workshop schedules are always full, day and night, based on the teachers’ convenience which involved the whole country, so that they can quickly familiarise themselves, to continue online teaching.
“The e-Didik platform has existed for quite sometimes but this is the first time all teachers are required to apply the knowledge by training virtually.
“We combine various teaching skills from teachers all over Malaysia so that they can be used to help other teachers to master these skills through the workshops conducted,” said Dr Syed Abi, who teaches Islamic Education and English at SK Wakaf Mempelam here.
SK Gong Balai Marang teacher Kamariah Awang who is also an administrator on Channel Digitalclassroom said they have planned earlier by recording lessons to be uploaded on Youtube.
“Online lessons content must be interactive so that students are having fun and happy with many interesting aspects such as the element of music, animation, quiz, audio and interesting graphic designs.
“Lately, parent feedback regarding online teaching are very positive and many are getting used to them and utilising them to revise lessons with their children at home,” she said. – Bernama
