Significance of Technology-Enabled Teaching and Learning in Times of Disruptive Crises

Abstract

The Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic caught the world by surprise, even though many futurists and emerging infectious diseases experts had anticipated the ‘seeds of the Corona’, or the weak signals for a decade. What appeared impossible to the general comprehension, suddenly becomes plausible. The world is pushed towards a new normal that demands reeducation of norms. The pandemic is catastrophic to humans and the whole ecosystem, in essence, the virus, may be invisible in nature but is extremely invincible to the politics, economics and social landscape of the world – henceforth, disrupting the otherwise operational future.  Within the landscape of the Malaysian Higher Education scenario, a new narrative ensues. The metaphor of universities as ivory towers has become a passé and seriously challenged. The factory model of knowledge dissemination turns out impractical. Virtualization and customization of teaching and learning become an expectation and not an exception. In the context of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), the initial preparation for its five-year Strategic Plan circa 2012, has been prophetical. In anticipation of the changing future, the preferred scenario of maximizing technology-enabled teaching and learning delineated by the University’s stakeholders, has reigned supreme - replacing the litany of face to face methods. In ensuring viability during the period of crisis, UTeM reviewed the precision and significance of its preferred future. In essence, the substantial key outputs collectively mapped through the Causal Layered Analysis framework or CLA and the Integrated Scenario Approach, which was embedded in UTeM’s Strategic Plan 2012-2020, had actuated and proven compelling in sustaining the University’s teaching and learning operations throughout the crunch.