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Asia-Pacific Collaborative education Journal
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
hence the need for better broadband internet vendor to undertake a coordinated planning effort
connectivity to leverage teaching and learning via ICT. towards realising the objective of ensuring quick
It is with this in mind that the MOE felt the need to internet connectivity in all schools. At the moment,
implement a national programme to connect all approximately 90% of schools in the country have
schools with fast internet access to address issues been provided with Customer Premise Equipment to
related to access, equity, and quality education. By allow school administrators, teachers, students and
providing all schools, whether urban, rural or interior, parents to access the VLE.
with high-speed internet access, this will lead to
narrowing of the digital divide and bringing rural and 4. The Frog Virtual Learning
interior schools to be on par with their urban Environment
counterparts. This will address the issue of access to
digital services and ensuring equity in educational The virtual learning environment under the
opportunities between the rural-urban schools. In this 1BestariNet Initiative uses Frog VLE as a teaching and
respect, MOE hopes to provide quality education in all learning platform in government schools. Frog VLE
schools irrespective of location. was chosen for its proven ability in leveraging teaching
Under the 1BestariNet initiative, a major and learning among teachers and students in many
challenge is to provide the necessary broadband countries, specifically the United Kingdom. In
infrastructure to all schools. While urban schools are addition, students can learn collaboratively and
definitely easier to develop as they have better effectively within the virtual learning evironment.
accessibility to good physical infrastructure, the rural Frog VLE brings this collaborative learning
schools are frequently more difficult to develop due to environment one step further by involving parents to
their isolation and, in certain circumstances, the participate directly in the educational pursuits of their
extreme lack of telecommunication infrastructure. The children.
issue is how can the MOE bring about equittable The Frog VLE (Frog Asia, 2014) is a web-based
development in both rural and urban schools? The learning system that replicates real-world learning by
solution lies in using VSAT technology in rural integrating virtual equivalents of conventional
schools and 4G technology in urban and sub-urban concepts of education. For example, teachers can
schools. While VSAT technology has certain assign lessons, tests, and marks virtually, while
limitations, such as the need for a configured students can submit homework and view their marks
contention-ratio in terms of accessibility, 4G schools through the VLE. Parents can view school news and
can only be provided when there is a good fibre important documents while school administrators can
backhaul and availability of a sufficient number of organise their school calendars and disseminate school
transmission towers to ensure sufficient broadband notices via the Internet.
coverage in these schools. In Malaysia, the According to Wikipedia (2014), a virtual
construction of transmission towers, in some cases, learning environment, or learning platform, is an e-
faced objections from the community and schools. In learning education system based on the web that
addition, the cost of building a sufficient number of models conventional in-person education by providing
towers is high. There is a need for systematic planning equivalent virtual access to classes, class content, tests,
to take place at the central level and appointment of a homework, grades, assessments, and other external
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resources such as academic or museum website links. environment for distance learning, opening up
It is also a social space where students and teachers many new possibilities for connecting learners
interact through threaded discussions or chat. and teachers. The Internet has enabled an
Through a VLE, virtual learning can take place efficient way of distributing information and
synchronously or asynchronously i.e. in synchronous sharing knowledge globally, which has led to
systems, participants meet in real time and teachers virtual interactions among people. The
conduct live classes in virtual classrooms. interactions first began with simple e-mail,
Learning virtually is a key to ensuring no child is added power with the growth of listservs?, and
left behind. MOE Malaysia is of the opinion that have since evolved into numerous strategies for
schools must be provided with a VLE to enable creating powerful new opportunities for online
learning to take place anywhere and anytime in line interaction. [...], there is little disagreement that
with the concept of ubiquitous learning. The virtual its arrival has opened up many new possibilities
learning environment must be able to take cognisance for delivering education. pp. 73-74
of this ubiquitous paradigm and provide the necessary
driving force for effective instruction to take place Volery & Lord (2000) stated that this technological
thats paramount in ensuring access, equity and quality progression serves as a means for interactive learning
education, the cardinal principles enshrined in the where course materials are more widely and
Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2013 2025. To effectively distributed. Researchers further believe that
facilitate ubiquitous learning, there must be sufficient the current method of online learning easily brings
mobile devices and for this reason MOE Malaysia is participants together as a networked community
providing Mobile Labs for both primary and through the use of the Internet and multiple
secondary schools via the Chromebook programme. technologies, thereby enhancing interaction with
Chromebooks being portable and linked to the internet course content and communication with fellow class
can be used as a repository of knowledge where members. Wilson (1996) described the online learning
teachers and students are able to get that knowledge environment as a relatively open system that facilitates
via Frog VLE. access to resources and encounters with other
participants. In addition, learners can access content on
5. Literature on Virtual Learning their own time and follow different paths to get
Environment in Teaching and through the academic materials, and online learning
Learning extends the ability for participants to communicate
through interactions and discussions (Bouhnik &
The currrent literature review points to the VLE Marcus, 2006).
as being a tool with multifarious applications in Amongst the many benefits cited by researchers,
teaching and learning. Hanna (2003) describes the a major reason for the growth in virtual learning has
impact of the Internet and virtual learning on distance been due to its ability to transcend the boundaries of
education as follows: time and place. Students have the benefit of retrieving
learning materials at their convenience in terms of
The development and deployment of the when, where, which content, and how much (Bouhnik
Internet has radically altered the technological & Marcus, 2006; Liaw, 2007).
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
Virtual learning is no longer an individual endeavour activity. Resources may include textbooks, learning
as the learner takes advantage of the widely available materials from the instructor, the Internet, the library,
network infrastructure to leverage the many-to-many online discussions with peers, and interactions with the
relations among learners and with instructors (Piccoli, instructor. The third phase, called adopt and
Ahmad & Ives, 2001). Virtual learning allows students to executing learning acitivities involves the student
have more time to reflect on the materials at hand and deciding on a specific plan of action that is aligned
collect their thoughts (King, 2002). This makes with the established goals and use of available
discussions more succinct and focused, with opportunities resources. The fourth phase, called monitoring and
to collaborate and easily share information (Capper, 2001). evaluating performance entails the student tracking
According to Naidu (2003), students in online learning and measuring actual performance of results to
and other flexible learning environments often work previously established learning goals. The fifth and last
independently with self-instructional study materials. phase is called reassessing learning strategies and
involves the learner self-reflecting and re-examining
A major characteristic of virtual learning the various phases completed to determine ways in
environment is that it follows the Self-Directed which the student can improve his or her learning
Learning (SDL) Process Model. SDL originated from experience. Kims five-phase process can be seen as
the research of John Dewey, focusing on the an interactive flow of activities to fit the learner's needs.
experience of the learner. SDL is a learning process The primary concept of the model is based on research
where students develop skills to take ownership of findings that students must be proactive in managing
their learning activities. The distinguishing their learning processes rather than wait for learning to
characteristic of SDL is that students play a significant be passed on by the instructor.
role and accountability for their own learning. SDL
serves as a means to illustrate the phases of learning The literature on the role of parents in fostering
activities thereby facilitating an active learning process learning via VLE varies. Henderson & Mapp (2002)
that improves self-management and self-monitoring of assert that parental involvement has a myriad of
activities to meet individual learning goals. stellar outcomes, including greater standardized test
scores, higher grades, better attendance, improved
Kim (2010) puts forth a theroretical model of social skills and a greater likelihood of admission to
virtual learning via a number of phases. The first phase, postsecondary institutions. p. 9 Strom & Strom
known as establishing learning goals, involves the (2003) highlight the role of parents within the context
learner identifying what he or she hopes to accomplish of home-school communications, i.e. when parents
from a given learning experience and their and teachers fulfill complimentary roles, they can
participation in a course. The learner's goals may improve student social development and academic
include earning a good grade, mastering course achievement. p. 2 Kallis (2004) notes that studies
content, and learning information relevant to one's consistently show that parent involvement raises the
career goals. The second phase is known as locating achievement of children, improves the childs attitude
and accessing resources this phase involves the toward school, and enables parents and children to
student identifying what resources he or she may need, communicate by letting parents understand and
and accessing them for use as part of the learning support the work of the school. p. 3
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
its intended purpose(s) or to help stakeholders primary school pupils. Table 1 shows the mean value
determine whether the evaluation object is worthy of of the construct on VLE use for secondary students is
adoption, continuation, or expansion. higher (mean = 4.18; S.D. = .713; n = 89) compared to
primary pupils (mean = 3.81; S.D. = .789; n = 134).
7. Findings from the study The Levene statistic shows equality in the variances
between the two groups of respondents. The finding
The findings are divided into two sections, i.e. i. shows that the means for primary and secondary pupils
Students perceptions, and ii. Teachers perceptions. are significantly different at a confidence interval of
The study shows a generally successfully implementation 95%. From Table 2, it can be concluded that the the 2
of Frog VLE. Only key elements are presented in this groups means are significantly different (t= -3.593;
paper. For the teachers perceptions, factor analysis df=211; p < .05). The question is why is there a
was used to ascertain salient factors of teachers significant difference? The ratings for secondary
perceptions with regard to the use of Frog VLE. Other students are significantly higher as compared to
pertinent issues are also discussed, such as the primary pupils because VLE is more profoundly used
broadband connectivity, user IDs, school dashboard, by secondary students, hence the higher mean values.
and learning sites. This can also be attributed to VLE being better utilised
at the secondary school level as the construct is based
on the use of VLE as a learning tool.
7.1 Students Peceptions of VLE
Differences in the perceptions of primary and
From the students perspectives, secondary secondary students in use of VLE are shown in Table
students tended to perceive significantly higher than 1 below:
Table 2: t-test Computations for Differences between Primary and Secondary Students
Levene's Test for
Equality of t-test for Equality of Means
Variances
Sig. (2- Mean Std. Error
F Sig. t df
tailed) Difference Difference
Equal variances assumed
2.699 .102 -3.593 221 .000 -.37336 .10392
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Table 3 shows the statistical computations SD=.788) while collaboration among peers in doing
comparing the mean ratings of primary and secondary assignments both within the classroom and outside the
students for each item in the construct. Of the key classroom is rated lowest, i.e. with mean=3.79 (n=223;
elements, students perceived highest in the VLE being SD=1.02) for collaboration within classroom and
an interesting tool for learning (mean=4.29; n=223; mean = 3.79 (n=223; SD=1.03) respectively.
7.2 Key Success Factors cited by Teachers in Adequacy (MSA) is used to quantify the degree
the use of Frog VLE
of inter-correlations among the variables and the
Factor analysis was used to determine the key
appropriateness of factor analysis. The MSA value is
success factors cited by teachers. The data structure is
very high, i.e. .962 indicating that factor analysis is
tested for suitability for factor analysis via the Principal
appropriate.
Component Analysis method. The appropriateness of
On the key success factors, the latent root
using factor analysis is tested using Bartletts test of
criterion is used. This is the most commonly used
sphericity which is a statistical test for the presence of
technique. With Principal Component Analysis, each
correlations among the variables. The Bartletts test of
variable contributes a value of 1 to the total eigenvalue.
sphericity shows a significance level of less than .05
Thus, only factors having latent roots or eigenvalues
(chi-sq=10156.698; df=276; p<.001). This means that
greater than 1 are considered significant and all factors
the data structure of the variables is appropriate for
with latent roots less than 1 are considered
factor analysis. In addition, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin
insignificant and disregarded (see Figure 1).
Measure of
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
The findings also show that the percentage of among teachers, parents and students in a
variance criterion jives well with the latent root method collaborative virtual environment.
in the extraction of factors. The variance criterion
method is an approach used for achieving a specified An analysis of ranks in the mean values derived
cumulative percentage of total variance extracted by from the factors is shown in Tables 4 (a) and 4 (b)
successive factors. The purpose is to ensure practical below. Within items in the first factor, the first rank
significance for the derived factors by ensuring that goes to VLE providing a platform for teachers to
they explain at least a specified amount of variance. share ideas and opinions (mean = 3.79). The second
Using the percentage of variance criterion, the first rank goes to VLE as a portal for students to obtain
factor is labelled as Functionality of VLE as a learning materials (mean = 3.71). Third on the rank is
pedagogical tool and this contributes 62.60% to the the item VLE is used by teachers to recommend
variance, the second factor is labelled as Physical teaching resources (mean = 3.67). For the second
attributes of VLE and it contributes 5.11% and the factor (see Table 5), rank 1 concerns the Resources in
third factor is labelled as Tool for collaboration and VLE are interesting (mean = 3.80). The second rank
this contributes 4.21% of the variance. Specifically, an concerns VLE being used by teachers for sharing
analysis for the congruence of factors indicates that the lesson plans and resources (mean = 3.76). Third is
first factor concerns the development of resources, Teaching and learning occurs any where and any
curriculum management and ubiquitous learning. The time (mean = 3.68) which is synonymous with the
second factor concerns user-friendly graphical user ubiquitious nature of VLE. For the third factor (see
interface leading to ease of use and it must be Table 6), the item which is ranked first is Parents find
interesting. The third factor concerns communication VLE easy to use (mean = 3.57), the second rank is
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Parents feel they are a part of the school community monitor progress of children (mean = 3.28).
(mean = 3.49). The third rank goes to Parents can
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
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Asia-Pacific Collaborative education Journal
Rating Scale
1 2 3 4 5
Type of Schools
No Not Fairly Stable Very
Connectivity Stable Stable Stable Total
Primary Schools Frequency 10 73 79 80 12 254
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
Table 11 shows the contents created in the schools had school address and telephone contacts
School Dashboard. The majority of school teachers (87.1%) and also mission and vision statements of the
indicated that they had uploaded contents which were school (83.6%). School song (55.2%) and school
useful for those who had access to their school Heads remarks (57.5%) seemed to be the least
websites. Of the contents created, a large majority of emphasis given by the schools.
Under the VLE component of 1BestariNet, a students and parents did not receive their IDs. The
total of 10 million unique IDs had been given to school percentage of students who did not receive their IDs is
administrators, teachers, students and parents. The 45.1% (192) as against 54.9% (234) who indicated
school community needs to log-in to the VLE using they had received their IDs. The findings from parents
their individual IDs. The findings of this study (see seem rather disappointing, i.e. only 25.1% (107) of the
Table 12) show that a significant number of teachers parents had received their IDs as compared to 74.9%
had received thier IDs (396 (93%)). However, many (319) of parents who had not.
The creation of subject-based sites is an indicating Yes for this subject. This is followed by
important feature of Frog VLE. The study shows that Mathematics comprising 279 (65.5%). Table 13
the majority of teachers had indeed created sites (> below shows the frequencies and percentages of
60%). Malay/Bahasa Malaysia had the most number departmental sites created.
of departmental sites, i.e. 296 (69.5%) of teachers
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The majority of the teachers indicated that the The development of websites is important in
departmental sites had been created to serve as a virtual learning. Websites provide the opportunity for
channel for the dissemination of information. Findings teachers to develop their instructional materials and
from the study reveal that 75.1% (320) of the teachers upload them for use by students and other teachers.
stated Yes for this purpose as compared to 24.9% From the study, it is noted that 88.5% (285) of teachers
(106) who responded No. As to the question of continuously updated their personal dashboard while
whether students could view these departmental sites 11.5% (37) did not. The majority of teachers, i.e.
which had been created, again the majority i.e. 73% 77.6% (250) had used the VLE to develop resources in
(311) indicated Yes while 27.0% (115) indicated Frog VLE as compared to 22.4% (72) who did not. On
No. the sharing of sites, 64.8% (208) teachers indicated that
7.4 Use of VLE for Teaching and Learning they shared teaching and learning sites with others in
Findings from the study show varying degrees of the school as compared to 35.2% (113) who did not.
uses for VLE in teaching and learning. The majority of As to the question whether teachers shared their sites
teachers (65.2%; n=208) stated that they use VLE for in Frog VLE through the MOE repository, a large
teaching and learning while 34.8% (111) stated they number of the teachers, i.e. 72.4% (233) said they did
did not. Only 47.5% (152) of teachers stated they used not while only 27.6% (89) said they did.
VLE as a medium to send homework to students as
compared to 52.5% (168) who stated they did not. The 8. Monitoring of VLE Key
majority of teachers, i.e. 67.1% (214) stated that Performance Indicators
students did not use the VLE to send assignments as
compared to only 32.9% (105) who stated they did. In Key Performance Indicators (KPI) were set to
relation to the question whether teachers checked the monitor the progress of: i. Quality of broadband
assignment of students using VLE, a majority i.e. services ii. Number of learnng sites uploaded to the
68.6% (218) stated No while only 31.4% (100) VLE and iii. VLE usage among students. For a project
indicated Yes. The survey also studied the use of of this scale, the KPIs must be outcome-based and
teaching and learning resources in the Frog Store for measurable. Weekly reports were made to a specially
teaching and learning and a majority i.e. 51.7% (164) established body called the Performance and Delivery
teachers stated they did not while 48.3% (153) stated Unit to map the progress. The Performance and
they used those resources in the Frog Store for Delivery Unit coordinates all initiatives under the
teaching and learning. Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2013 2025.
7.5 Website Development within Frog VLE
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Leveraging Virtual Learning Environment to Scale Up Quality Teaching and Learning in Malaysia
The quality of broadband services is measured minutes while 76,598 students logged on for less than
against the Service Level Agreement (SLA) agreed 30 minutes per week. This constitutes 52.34%.
upon between the supplier and the Ministry. For
schools connected via 4G technology, there is an SLA 9. Quality of Service
for broadband speed of between 4 to 10 Mbps. To
determine this KPI, weekly measurements are carried An independent quality of service study was
out on randomly selected schools (3,200 and 3,500) on undertaken to gauge the quality of service of internet
a weekly basis. Broadband connectivity speeds are connectivity over a period of time. Among the aspects
measured between 1 to 15 times weekly to determine studied includes i. Latency of network ii.
this. Results show more than 99% of the sample Throughput/Bandwidth iii. Packet Loss iv. Jitter dan
schools attain broadband speeds of between 4 to 10 v. Mean Opinion Score (MOS). The findings show
Mbps on a weekly basis. satisfactory results of the above measurements. These
VLE usage among teachers and students is results were then used for planning purposes to
monitored on a weekly basis to determine the progress improve network capabilities.
achieved thus far and to ensure that the learning sites
developed by teachers are fit for purpose. Fit for
10. Impact of Study
purpose means that the learning sites must be of good
quality for instructional purposes. A team comprising
A project of such magnitude affecting all school
evaluators from the relevant divisions in the MOE has
principals, teachers, students and parents must lead to
been entrusted to vet and make recommendations on
the desired outcomes. Hence it is imperative that the
the learning sites uploaded onto VLE. The KPI set is
MOE engage an independent party to conduct an
10,000 learning sites developed by teachers in 2014.
impact study. The impact, of measures currently
As of the 4th week of August, the Learning Site
undertaken, would look at programme effectiveness,
Dashboard shows a cumulative total of 11,578 sites
cost-effectivess and cost-benefit issues of the VLE and
have been developed by teachers and uploaded onto
other parameters of the initiative during the two and a
the VLE. Of this figure, 9,567 had been published
half years of implementation. What is important is that
while 55 were still in the pending stage. A total of
this impact study will provide informed decision-
2,011 sites had to be declined because of quality issues.
making on the future direction of the 1BestariNet
Constant monitoring of VLE is imperative to
initiative in which the VLE is a major component.
ensure optimum usage among teachers and students.
Of the teachers who have been provided with IDs, the
VLE Dashboard shows 75% of them had actually
11. Discussion
logged into the VLE and used it for teaching purposes.
For students, monitoring is done also on a weekly The findings support previous research in this
basis and reported to the Performance and Delivery area, indicating that functionality and usability of the
Unit. For the last week of August 2014, a total of VLE (as shown by good VLE attributes) and the
160,702 primary and secondary school students had ability to faciliate collaborations are what a VLE
actually logged onto the VLE. Of this number, 84,104 should be. For the implementation of VLE to be
students logged onto the VLE for more than 30 successful, it is important that a good broadband
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Asia-Pacific Collaborative education Journal
connectivity be provided. Resources within the VLE relevant in order to be effective and this means using
must be plentiful for teachers and students to leverage current communication technologies to leverage
on teaching and learning. On top of that, the teaching and learning. In other words, students need to
introduction of a project of such magnitude must lead see that education is keeping up with their culture. If
to positive outcomes in teaching and learning. education is perceived as consisting of old ideas and
To successfully implement the VLE, it is very old ways of learning, and have little or no relevance to
important that there is buy-in from all stakeholders. what is happening in the contemporary world, then
Very frequently, change management is not students are less likely to engage with them. The
implemented effectively, resulting in poor adoption 1BestariNet is expected to result in fundamental shifts
and buy-in. But the Frog VLE has a change in the provision of a technologically-endowed and
management component built into its implementation. innovative way of delivering instruction.
Carnivals, briefing sessions, hand-holding activities
and promotions on a nation-wide basis are imperative References
to disseminate the use of Frog VLE as teaching and
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