English Language Department, Centre for Language Studies and Generic Development, University Malaysia Kelantan,
Malaysia [email protected]
Syakirah Shafien, Noor Syamimie Mohd Nawi, Nik Ahmad Farhan Nik Azim English Language Department, Centre for Language Studies and Generic Development,
University Malaysia Kelantan, Malaysia
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Highlights: The advent of smartphone is surging through all spheres of life, especially among the young adults. The use of smartphone is no doubt revolutionising the field of education as well. Knowing the fact that social messaging application has become part and parcel of the young adults’ life, integrating Telegram into ESP learning is of great importance. Incorporate the use of Telegram in ESP learning is said to be a valuable extension of traditional ESP learning methods and also to leverage the advantages in ESP learning.
Key words: M-Learning, Telegram, ESP learning, Mobile learning, blended learning
Introduction
In this digital era, the educational needs of the growing populations can hardly be met in a traditional classroom environment. Therefore, we are moving forward from a traditional way of teaching and learning to a new and improved media to serve special needs of the learners. Mobile learning is not something new in Malaysia. Mobile learning a.k.a m-Learning according to Parsons & Ryu (2006), can be defined as the delivery of learning content to learners utilising mobile computing devices. Quinn (2000) defines m-learning as an extension of e-learning happening through mobile devices. On top of that, m-Learning in education is even more flexible than previous e- Learning applications (Georgiev, Georgieva, & Trajkovski, 2006). Such method has now evolved from using desktop to laptop, tablets and currently smartphones. Recognition of the rapid proliferation of smartphones and the emergence of countless number of social messaging mobile applications today, we realise the needs of combining the use of mobile applications in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) learning. This is especially essential among the young adults in which smartphones and social messaging applications have become part and parcel in their daily life. Among all the social messaging applications, Telegram has been chosen as a platform to engage and gamify ESP learning among the young adults.
As a cloud-based app, Telegram users can exchange videos, pictures, audio or any file stored without taking any space in their mobile devices (Ghobadi & Taki, 2018; Abbasi & Behjat, 2016;
Serostanova, 2014) with a focus on security and speed at the same time. Apart from the aforementioned advantages, Telegram channel can accommodate unlimited number of members.
Telegram also supports multi-platform, such as Androids, ios, windows phone, windows pc, Mac
os, Linux os and any browser. These significant features have made Telegram a useful platform for ESP learning.
Apat from that, ample of empirical studies have shed light on the use of Telegram in particular, is effective in teaching and learning English language (Heidari-shahreza & Khodarahmi, 2018;
Xodabande, 2017), and also in acquiring and improving English language skills, including reading comprehension ability (Naderi & Akrami, 2018), vocabulary (Ghobadi & Taki, 2018), writing skill (Aghajani & Adloo, 2018), speaking skill (Setiawan & Wahyuni 2017; Xodabande, 2017) and also pronunciation (Xoddabande, 2017).
The Telegram channel (English for Biz Comm) created is aimed at helping the ESP learners to enhance and improve their ESP skills through a set of engaging activities and games which can eventually motivate and encourage the ESP learners in their learning. While the Telegram Chatroom (Super Biz Chatroom) enables these ESP learners to pose their questions and comments. Such function in the chatroom helps the shy and introvert learners who often avoid to participate in face-to-face learning to express themselves and share their ideas and thoughts with others in a less stressful atmosphere (McQuiggan, Kosturko, McQuiggan, & Sabourin, 2015). Cooperative learning can be seen at this stage. The ESP instructors (the administratives) can also have more interactivity with the learners and this can help to develop an active learning environment (Hutchison, Beschorner, & Schmidt-Crawford, 2012).
Basically, the use of Telegram app in ESP learning can help the ESP learners to expand and encourage their ESP knowledge and also experience. The ESP learners can engage in a fun and interactive activities by joining the Telegram Channel and Telegram Chatroom. Besides that, it helps them to learn by examples and achieve better understanding of the subject content. All these can help to produce world-sensing generations who are future competent.
The innovation of this project is at its best in enhancing and developing a unique, interactive and creative way of ESP teaching and learning. The Gold Medal won (Creative & Innovative Carnival 2019) have further proven that this breakthrough is no doubt a trustworthy and quality guaranteed product. Moreover, the publication of this project is supported by Faculty for Languages Studies and Generic Development (FBI), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. After the pilot testing and competition, this project has been fine-tuned for the benefits of ESP teaching and learning. Most importantly, this project is also designed based on the needs analysis of the ESP learners. The results gained from the needs analysis have indicated that a majority of the learners choose to have technology and interactive activities integrated into ESP learning (R.
Lena, S. Syakirah and M.N. Noor Syamimie, 2019). The aim of this innovation is not just to introduce the idea of integrating Telegram app in ESP teaching and learning process in a larger scale via mobile learning, but also to optimise the use of technology in ESP teaching and learning for future sustainability. This innovation is hoped to stimulate the education revolution from conventional teaching and learning towards the digital technology engagement.
Acknowledgement
This project was supported by Faculty for Languages Studies and Generic Development (FBI) and Centre for Academic Excellence and Development (PKPA), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan.
Special appreciation and thanks to all who have directly or indirectly contributed in this great work.
45 References
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TELEGRAM: SURVIVOR ESCAPISM FOR LOW-BANDWIDTH LEARNERS Lena Ramamurthy
English Language Department, Faculty for Language Studies and Generic Development, University Malaysia Kelantan
Syakirah Shafien, Noor Syamimie Mohd Nawi, Nik Ahmad Farhan Nik Azim English Language Department, Faculty for Language Studies and Generic Development,
University Malaysia Kelantan
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Highlights: Online teaching and learning has become a new norm in this era especially during the outbreak of Covid-19. With the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia, lessons are all moved online as all government and private educational institutions are urged to close. For Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), all teaching and learning are made online by using the LMS E-Campus platform. However, this has caused some challenges in teaching and learning when there are bandwidth constraints among the learners. To help the low-bandwidth learners, Telegram app is fully utilised among this group in teaching and learning during the pandemic.
Key words: Telegram, Low-bandwidth learners, Covid-19, online teaching and learning
Introduction
Year 2020 has marked a hard year for countries across the world. Malaysia started its implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) on 18th March 2020 as a move for containment of Covid-19. Many industries are closed and activities are restricted. As a result, lessons have to move online due to the closure of all government and private educational institutions.
For higher education, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) per say, online teaching and learning has been im- plemented since 14th April 2020 with the formal announcement from the authority.
LMS E-Campus is used as a formal platform for all online lessons as all students are back in their homes. However, such new trend has caused some challenges not just for the educators, but also the students. When students are out of campus, they have no more robust wired and wireless networks. The most critical issue faced by the local and international students is the prob- lem of low-bandwidth, especially those who stay at the remote area. Bandwidth constraint is always an obstacle for these group of learners. Apart from internet accessibility due to staying at the remote area, weather and limited data plan are also other problems that cause low-bandwidth among the students. Existing E-Campus page con- sumes a lot of time and data to load. Although with the effort of 1GB free data plan sponsored by the government, still, these group of students are having hard times using E-Campus for their online learning.
In order to cater low-bandwidth problems among the students, Telegram app is introduced as an emergency and an alternative to replace E-Campus. Telegram app is used considering all students nowadays are equipped with smartphones and it is free to download. Unlike other social messaging apps, Telegram is chosen as users can send all types of file up to 1.5GB and everything will be stored at Cloud without interfering the phone storage. Instruc- tors can send big files like
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e-books, articles, videos and audios which are of essential for English language teaching and learning. Users can also access the messages and files from several devices at once as it is seamless sync. Henceforth, Telegram app is of great useful for blemished bandwidth.
Basically, this innovation is to promote a set of teaching and learning framework for bandwidth constraints among English for Business Communication students especially during the pandemic.
For English for Business Com- munication course, there are three main skills being focused throughout 14-week, namely reading, speaking and writing. In order to help these low-bandwidth learners, some careful planning and changes have been made and adjusted (Refer Figure 1). This proposed framework consists of three main components – Lecture/ Tutorial, Practices and E- Assessment. Unlike high-bandwidth learners, teaching and learning for low-bandwidth learners focuses more on asynchronous rather than synchronous. However, this design does not affect the quality of teaching and learning for the course as there are variety ways and tools being used.
Synchronous activities are always being applied to ensure the interactivity, active interaction and real time discussion happen in each of the topic or skill learned among the learners and the educators via Telegram app. Although immediate feedback from the instructors cannot be conducted via video conference, feedback in text messages and/ or voice messages are shared directly using Telegram app. Such tradeoff is needed as to take care of low-bandwidth learners so that they can somehow en- gage and ‘survive’ in teaching and learning not just restricted during MCO but also in online teaching and learning in the future.
In conclusion, advanced and careful planning is of great paramount for low-bandwidth learners as frequent use of high-bandwidth technologies can affect learners’ engagement and participation in a course as they will defi- nitely feel that they are the left behind ones. Often, such situation can trigger learners’ shamefulness and anxiety which can further jeopardise their learning and eventually give up in learning. It is hoped that this innovation not just contributes a big impact on online teaching and learning that is inclusive and effective for low-bandwidth learners but also as a guideline for the educators, schools and universities when dealing with online teaching and learning.
Table 1: Teaching & Learning Framework for Low-Bandwidth Students
Acknowledgement
This project was supported by Faculty for Languages Studies and Generic Development(FBI) and Centre for Acade- mic Excellence and Development (PKPA), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan.
Special appreciation and thanks to all who have directly or indirectly contributed in this great work.
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