Examining a Virtual Learning Environment: Utilisation factors and impact on post-primary national school teachers in Malaysia

Abstract

Since 2012 teaching and learning in all national schools in Malaysia are supplemented with a cloud-based virtual learning environment (VLE). This study was instigated by the fact that despite many programmes associated with the VLE platform, the Malaysian national audit findings and other subsequent studies reported that utilisation of the VLE platform was between low to moderate levels. In addition, the number of in-depth studies regarding VLE implementation in Malaysia and its impact was limited. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the extent of the VLE utilisation particularly amongst teachers in the Malaysian post-primary national school context. In addition, it aims to identify the significant factors influencing the teachers? utilisation of the platform and its impacts on teachers? professional practice as well as the teacher-student relationship. Furthermore, this study also aims to investigate how the Teacher ICT Integration model developed by Donnelly, McGarr and O?Reilly (2011) fits into the hierarchical leadership culture such as practised in Malaysia.

This research was conducted based on a multiple-site case study design involving 5 schools in the state of Selangor. A total of 37 interviews were conducted with teachers, school administrators, students and a policymaker. Furthermore, there were 8 classroom observations involving lessons with VLE integration. A teacher survey was also conducted in the case study schools which gathered responses from 170 respondents. Appropriate quantitative and qualitative analyses were undertaken, The key findings revealed that, the utilisation of the VLE platform in teaching and learning by the teachers was still between low to moderate levels. The utilisation was mainly to provide supplementary teaching and learning resources to students. The teachers? utilisation was influenced by factors associated with the teachers, students and how the VLE platform was perceived to be suitable to support the education system.

Findings from this study suggest that many teachers perceived the integration of the VLE in teaching and learning, as well as their participations as digital content creators, as burdensome particularly at the beginning stage. However, once the educational resources were prepared, utilisation of the VLE platform was beneficial for the teachers and students. Furthermore, there was evidence in this study to suggest that VLE utilisation in teaching and learning helped to encourage more teacher-student interactions and collaborations. Meanwhile, based on the Teacher ICT Integration model, this study identified that most of the teachers were in the category of Inadvertent User (IU). However, this study proposes an extended version of the IU category to suit the Malaysian context. In general, this study includes an in-depth understanding regarding teachers? utilisation of the VLE platform in teaching and learning. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and other stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding the utilisation of a VLE platform as well as further discussions associated with the Teacher ICT Integration model.