PENANG, 19 January 2016 – An expert in Instructional Technology at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Professor Dr. Balakrishnan Muniandy, 60, along with Outstanding Educator Award recipient Dr. Ismail Zain are currently testing a newly-designed 21st century teaching model which is intended to be used in schools in the country.

Currently serving at the Centre for Instructional Technology and Multimedia (PTPM) USM,  Balakrishnan hoped that this effort could be shared with teachers throughout the country to enhance the quality of teaching and learning through a more systematic and precise planning approach.

“All this while we have been using foreign instructional or teaching models that differed in relation to the cultural aspects and the students’ abilities.

“We hope that this ASIE model that we have developed is easier to be used, more practical and able to integrate the aspects of skills, content and individual backgrounds which are taken into account in teaching practices,” said Balakrishnan.

ASIE is an acronym for Analyse, Strategise, Implement and Evaluate and this model has been developed since last year and is expected to be launched in full by year end after initial testing has been done, such as the one in Batu Pahat, Johor recently.

“When it was shared during presentations abroad, it was well-received and was said to be able to fulfil the needs in teaching and learning in this century and therefore is suitable to be implemented in this country,” he added further.

This model which also has an online prototype that can be accessed by teachers would facilitate them in planning their lessons for teaching and learning in schools.

“I hope that Dr. Ismail Zain and I would be able to assist more teachers and educators in the planning of teaching and learning process, using the principles which would suit the more challenging needs of the 21st century,” he said further.

Balakrishnan has extensive experience in the local education scene, having served as a teacher at schools in Kelantan and Kedah, then worked at the Pahang State Education Department and later becoming a lecturer at two Teacher Training Institutes prior to joining USM in 2006.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin

Text: Mohamad Abdullah / Photos: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa