E-Learning In Malaysia

Title

Acceptance Level of e-Learning among Optometry Students In Malaysia.

Abstract

Electronic learning (E-learning) is the current technology widely used nowadays. e-learning goes beyond digital technologies. New E-learning technology continues to become increasingly accessed and implemented by people of all walks of life. In Malaysia itself, e-learning has been implemented in the educational system, especially in tertiary educations. There have many studies done related to e-learning in tertiary education level. However, there is the limited study on the application of e-learning in Health Science students specifically Optometry courses.

Introduction: e-learning is the teaching and learning approach that used the network technology as an

The rapid growth of technologies and wide availability of the internet in various place have encouraged higher institution in Malaysia to start incorporate e-learning into their educational system. Based on survey in 2004, among the Asia Pacific region,the number of Internet users in Malaysia has increased to 8,187,00 from 6,500,00 in 2002. (Jaring,2004). E-learning started implementing in universities level when Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 1997 used it as tools for lecturers post their class schedules, course outlines, and lecturer notes for the students online. In the following years,1998, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (UNITAR) was setting up as a virtual university. However, due to lack of knowledge of virtual university among intended learners and poor incapability of IT infrastructure at that time has forced UNITAR changed their mode of system into hybrid learning. Contrast with another virtual university, Open University of Malaysia (OUM) in 2000, which is the first open and distance learning (ODL) institution in Malaysia. The educational system in OUM offerse-learning,face to-face tutorials, and self-managed learning as their modes of learning. According to Rais et.al ODL is expected to grow 33 percent each year for next five next years (IDC,2000). For example, OUM itself achieved high growth of students’ intake 25,000

According to Yengin et al, one of the current developed technologies that facilitates the changing of e-learning to its current state is video streaming. For instance, students in OUM record the lecturer’s slide presentation and video clips which known as i-Tutorial. The lecturer can explain the procedure step-by-step and in attractive ways through this method. Besides, a study done at UTM also show how effective video streaming which consist of subtitles and sign languages as tools for hearing-impaired and deaf students to learning