Adaptation of Google group for online teaching and learning

Abstract

The traditional education system in Malaysia has emphasised reading, listening and writing which has produced many students who adopt a more passive approach to involvement in their formal learning processes. Thinking and presentation skills are seldom taught which has compounded students’ attitudes towards active learning in classrooms. In the Malaysian context, most university undergraduates lack the ability to think critically and present persuasive argument. The objective of this study was to examine an alternative teaching and learning method which would create a learning environment for students to be actively engaged in critical thinking. A Google group was implemented into the unit Strategic Management 313, which is offered in School of Business, Curtin University of Technology, Miri campus, as an approach to improved students’ engagement in learning. Through the Google group, there was the avenue to post all notices to students, share some interesting files with them, introduce some interesting Web sites related to strategic management, and conduct a student online discussion forum. Through the online discussion, students were able to foster their self-learning and peer-learning processes.