BACHELOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WITH HONOURS

3rd SEMESTER/2019

OUMH1203
ENGLISH FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

“The Application of Student-Centred Education in the

Higher Education System in Malaysia”
 The Application of Student-Centred Education in the Higher Education System in
Malaysia

PART A: OUTLINE OF THE ESSAY

INTRODUCTION

Student-Centred Approach has been introduced by theorists to be a format of educating

children where the students are at the forefront of the class. Teachers act as observers and
play a passive role throughout the learning process, guiding the students on building their
skills and knowledge.

THESIS STATEMENT

The Higher Education System in Malaysia should apply student-centred approach education
as it promotes an enhanced education experience, cultivates students’ interests and direct
application of skills.

I. Promotes an Enhanced Education Experience

A. Gives the students a more holistic approach in their education, as students have the
freedom to create and control their learning environment with the guide of a teacher.
[ CITATION Mir18 \l 17417 ]
i. Students can conduct their version of lessons based on their creativity on the
topic they learned which can enhance the students’ knowledge and skills on
regarding topic or subject.
a) For example, students can create a project of awareness of historical
sites by engaging in social media instead of monotonous lectures.

B. Teachers can recognise a student’s weakness and strength easily through observing
students and apply alternative assessments that cater to different students [CITATION
Lis09 \l 17417 ]

i. Assessments are not for grading and labelling, but to be a tool of importance
in studying the comprehension of a student in their lessons.
 ii. Educators should create assessments based on the students’ understanding
which can help the educators to comprehend their levels regarding the course.
iii. Students can feel confident in responding to assessments since the end goal of
these tests is to observe and guide students in their lessons.
a) A personalised test such as interviews can help teachers figure out if the students
understand the topic or subject directly without being ridiculed of peers.
C. Pulling down the barrier between students and teachers to create a safe environment
to study. [ CITATION Bec \l 17417 ]
i. Student-Centred Approach Learning places teachers in a passive role and acts
as a moderator who helps students to be open with their ideas differ from
traditional Teacher-Centred Approach.
ii. Having a great relationship with the educator helps students to start using
communication as a medium to understand the contents of the subject.
[ CITATION Bec \l 17417 ]
a) Students tend to not fully understand their course as they are not
participative in class as educators prepare everything for the lessons.
[ CITATION Bec \l 17417 ]

II. Cultivates Students’ Interests

A. Student’s interest is vital in learning and studying as to avoid any frustrations or

demotivation occurs during the period of learning. [ CITATION Joh14 \l 17417 ]
i. Lack of student’s interest could cause severe aftermath to the students’
knowledge, skills and their overall welfare.
ii. Educators should start cultivating interests starting from the first class and
continuing until the end of the semester.
a) For example, at the start of the semester, educators can ask how
students would shape the whole semester and discussing the flow of the
overall classes in the said semester [ CITATION Ada09 \l 17417 ]

B. To enhance the student’s knowledge and skills by using their interests as

stimulation in lessons
 i. Educators are encouraged to let students embrace their interests to uncover
hidden skills regarding their abilities in a course subject especially during
higher education periods.
a) A parent struggled with her son about completing a building
assignment based on a famous American figure, but she saw the
possibility of the assignment done through Minecraft; A game that her
son enjoys. After receiving a pass from his teacher, the son managed to
complete his task when initially he dreads to do. [ CITATION Joh14 \l
17417 ]

C. Interest empowers students through their interest to invoke care and

responsibility towards the course that they are taking.
i. In Student-Centred Approach setting, the responsibility is in favour of the
students rather than the teachers as they hold the active role in the class
a)Students can control their study environment not the teachers, creating
mature and independent students in Universities.
ii. Responsibility is a character that is needed to create a calibrate student
without interest, students will not feel the burden to be responsible.

III. Direct Application of Skills

A. In a learner-centred, students can directly apply what they have learnt through
the activities and project that they held, with the guide of educators.
i. Creating a Project-Based learning
a) Using the R.A.F.T component in producing a productive
project[ CITATION And11 \l 17417 ]
ii. Projects can be useful in understanding their lessons and studies.
a) Through brainstorming discussions and forums about specific
problems or experimenting with complicated formulas that can help
students simultaneously apply skills and learn more.

B. Appropriate application of skills can be a valuable element later in pursuing a

career after graduating.
 i. Employers favour candidates that can apply immediately apply their skills
into their jobs.
ii. Skills are more often attracts employers as the candidate are already have
the basics on hand and requires less training.
a) In Capital Medical University, China, it’s Nursing school practices
learning-centred approach in their practice which made their students
more confident in treating patients as they study through the
application of skills. [ CITATION JiH14 \l 17417 ]

C. With the appropriate skills, society would look up to the students as

individuals that contribute to the community.
i. The combination of knowledge and skills would create students as an asset
for the community around them, thus helping to build a stronger and
enhanced society.
ii. Educators should bear in mind that students are the backbone of society and
they are the determinant of our future.

IV. Conclusion

In conclusion, enhanced education experience, cultivates students’ interests and direct

application of skills are the solid reasons on why the Higher Education System of Malaysia
should change to a better education approach which is the Student-Centred Approach for the
betterment of our future leaders in our beloved country.
PART B: THE ESSAY

The Application of Student-Centred Education in the Higher Education System in

Malaysia

“Today’s Learner is Tomorrow’s Leader”

-Plato-

From the quote above, it is precisely clear that the students in the present day are the sole
beholder of the fate of tomorrow and at where students are primarily? Yes, the classes. The
class is an essential venue for educators and students to exchange knowledge, skills, and
thoughts which are the elements of education. But again, is our today classes especially our
universities and colleges are at the level where they could receive a full experience of
learning? This question has remained unanswered, but we could not continue to ignore the
cries of help of our burn-out and psychologically tired students that are begging for evolution
in their classes. This evolution could be a catalyst for our education system to be changed.
Our education system should turn into student-centred, an education system which has been
introduced by psychological theorists as a system where students are at the forefront in a
class and the educators act as a moderator, playing a passive role. In this essay, I will discuss
that The Higher Education System in Malaysia should apply student-centred approach
education as it promotes an enhanced education experience, cultivates students’ interests
and direct application of skills.

The first reason why universities should apply the student-centred approach in their education
system is, it promotes an enhanced educational experience. As a learner, the learning
experience should be holistic and complete, meaning the students can comprehend the
knowledge that they had learnt and apply it into their lives. The traditional method, which is
teacher-centred, mostly depends on teachers themselves to give the holistic experience, but to
employ this to only a teacher could just mean more resignation letters to the box. Especially
to the undergraduates that are only a few years before stepping into the real world, a holistic
approach in their education is a need to survive. How does the student-centred school achieve
to convey comprehensive teaching to the learners? The answer is in the students themselves.
Student-centred education gives the student the freedom to plan and build their lesson plan,
depending on how they want to create and control their learning environment, with the guide
of an educator[ CITATION Mir18 \l 17417 ]. Based on the subjects or a topic, students can
conduct their version of lessons that would be more enticing and interesting rather than
having a teacher reading aloud passages from textbooks or presentations, since students
themselves knows what type of things or activities that would consider as “interesting”. For
an instant, in a history-related course, students can create a project of awareness for historical
sites by engaging in social media; which seems like a part of life in students nowadays
instead of a bland essay assignment that most students would like to avoid. To conclude, a
class that incorporates students’ likes and studies can build a course that strives for holistic
education experience.

To create an enhanced educational experience for learners, highlighting any strength or

weaknesses of the learners is crucial for educators to notice. In a student-centred class,
educators can easily recognise a student’s weakness and strength through exclusively
observing students and apply various assessments to study on their different abilities and
understanding towards the lessons[ CITATION Lis09 \l 17417 ] . Understanding experience is
crucial, as a lesson would not be valid if the learners themselves cannot know what they are
learning about that is where the importance of assessment come through. It is known
statement that evaluations are not for grading and labelling students in a specific number or
percentage of intelligence, but a valuable tool to study on the understanding of the students
about the course. Tests can help the educators to understand their levels regarding the course
and identify any drawbacks or strong points of a student in their overall performance in the
course subject. Students should feel confident in responding to assessments since the end goal
of these tests is to observe and guide students in their lessons. An example, a personalised test
such as interviews can help teachers figure out if the students understand the topic or subject
directly without feeling ashamed from being ridiculed in crowds. Overall, identifying a
student’s performance in class can help create an enhanced educational experience.

Next, to make an educational experience that is enhanced, the barrier of teachers and students
should be demolished to create a safe environment to study [ CITATION Bec \l 17417 ]. In a
teacher-centred education, the only communication that a student can build is minimal as
only the teacher is the one giving out information and students passively receiving
information, painting the educator as an authority role instead of an educating role. The lack
of chemistry between teachers and students can lead to students finding the subject very dull,
when the nature of the course can be fascinating if taken with another twist. Student-centred
education places teachers in a passive position and acts as a moderator who helps students to
be more open and freer with their ideas and not putting pressure on the teacher which differ
from a teacher-centred class. Also, with the freedom of ideas, this helps students to start using
communication as a medium to understand the contents of the subject, with their peers or
even the moderator themselves. Students tend to not fully understand their course as they are
not participative in class since the educator prepares everything in a teacher-centred class
[ CITATION Bec \l 17417 ]. But in a student-centred class, students can help their other peers in
things that they do not understand, or skills that they could not master as they would be more
comfortable to discuss along with their group of friends.

The next reason is, student-centred education cultivates student’s interests in their studies. It
is to know that a student’s attention is vital in learning and studying to avoid any frustrations
or demotivation that occurs during the period of learning [ CITATION Joh14 \l 17417 ]. The
interest that intercepts students during a study session makes a lot of difference, the
interaction between the students and knowledge would be something out of the best quality.
Differ when the learners lack in terms of interest, this will cause severe aftermath to the
students’ knowledge, skills and their overall welfare. In a student-centred classroom, students
are open to making the class as enjoyable possible with whatever activities or projects, since
it is focused primarily on the students and how students can make the most in their lessons. It
is also crucial to take note that each student have different interests and it is the role of the
educator to utilise that uniqueness inside their curriculum. Educators should start cultivating
student’s interest, starting from the first class and continuing till the end of the semester by
engaging in discussions on the flow of the course and how they want to mould the course into
something that would be in their preference and interest [ CITATION Ada09 \l 17417 ]. All in all,
students’ attention is important to create a class without frustration during the lessons.

Besides, cultivating students’ interests helps to enhance the knowledge and skills of the
students. Improving education and skills is done by using their interests as a tool to stimulate
the students in their studies; a way that could drive the students to be more interested in their
learning process. A learner-centred class lets students to be encouraged by educators to
embrace their unique interests and to uncover their hidden skills regarding their abilities in a
course subject especially when a student embarks towards the higher education sector. As an
illustration for the previous statement, McCarthy explains from his experience. He told the
story of a parent struggled with her son about completing a building assignment based on a
famous American figure, but she saw the possibility of the job completed through Minecraft;
A game that her son enjoys. After receiving a pass from his teacher, the son managed to
complete his assignment when initially he dreads to do. (McCarthy, 2014). From the previous
story, it shows a piece of clear evidence that how interests spark a student’s motivation and
spirits up in their education, and it is a clear sign that how student-centred school turn the
tables in the education scene. An Education system that could cater to student interest is far
more valuable than a good grade, as knowledge is not limited to what is written in the paper
or book, it is a survival skill for students to live in the harsh reality that as humans live.
Education should instil the interest in learning to put a reminder in the students that studying,
and learning is not only for school, universities or colleges, but it is also a life skill.

Next, the importance of educating with interest is to empower students through their interest
to invoke care and responsibility towards the knowledge they are studying [ CITATION Joh14 \l
17417 ]. Effort and hard work should be put into progress, to understand the lessons that they
have studied. Interest plays a vital role for students to care and be responsible for the
experience, because the reason is simple! They are interested in the subject they are learning.
The power of interest can help demotivated students to put effort and hard work in their
studies because they find happiness and joy in the lessons. Studying in an environment that
influenced positively would create openness and willingness for the students to think about
deep issues and creating solutions for the problems, which are essential points in education.
In a traditional teacher-centred style class, it is impossible to take in every student’s interest
in the account and put pressure on teachers to able give out the best of knowledge intake, but
with student-centred class, students themselves can unify among them to create interest,
therefore making them voluntarily to care what they are learning. Even in subjects that are
deemed as tricky, generating interest inside the said subject would allow students to try to
understand in uncountable ways. Therefore, student-centred education empowers students
with interests to care about what they are studying.

Furthermore, to add more to the reasons why the higher education sector in Malaysia should
apply the student-centred approach in their education system is, a student-centred class is
better in the direct application of skills. The skills are the fruit of knowledge and should be
applied in a manner to be validation on whether the students understand the whole lesson,
productively. In a learner-centred lecture, students can directly apply what they have learnt
through activities and projects that they can fashion themselves. Educators can create project-
based learning after completed a lesson and use the R.A.F.T rubric that is endorsed by an
education blogger Andrew Miller, in producing a well-based project. In the project, the
students choose a topic (T), Then they will pick a role (R) such as producer, campaign
manager, etc and decide if they would want to do it individually or in a group. Next, they will
choose the preferred audience (A) that are based on the role and finally, select a format (F) on
how they would want to present [ CITATION And11 \l 17417 ] . Projects are an excellent tool for
students to understand the whole concepts in their education. Other than projects, educators
can organise discussions and forums about specific problems or experiment with complicated
formulas that can help students simultaneously apply skills and learn more. In brief, student-
centred education aids students in acquiring direct application of skills.

Besides students can indirectly applying skills in the classrooms, a student-centred class helps
students to use appropriate application skills which can be a valuable element in pursuing a
career after graduating. Most university students that attend universities and college are
people who want to pursue a job or career with their certificates in respective courses. But,
judging from today’s scenario, acquiring a career is a hard spectacle to commit during our
economy. Employers want the best out of the best in their employees and favours the
candidates that can immediately apply their skills and experience in the job with less training.
Often in a teacher-centred classroom, marketable skills will be over-looked and cared less as
most teachers tend to rush with the syllabus and pushing the students with the highest grades.
Where in reality classes mean nothing when the student graduates and with zero skills and
exposure of what they will be going through later in life, would probably just hurt the future
of these students. It is an identified fact that with the right skills and knowledge, guarantees a
student a secure job or career that they pursue in the future.

An example can be shown, in Capital Medical University at China, it’s nursing school
practices learning-centred approach in their practice which made their students more
confident in treating patients as they study and learn through the application of skills. Most of
their practical are not based on the books solely but through engaging with patients and
doctors to stimulate the real career they would embark later after they graduate [ CITATION
JiH14 \l 17417 ]. In brief, student-centred education expose students to skills that can benefit
them in a career they will achieve in the future.

Also, student-centred education lets students to be looked up from society surrounding them
as individuals that contribute to the community with their skills and knowledge. Community
play a different role in a student’s life, but students should not neglect that universities and
colleges are a part of the community too. When a student embarks a journey to the higher
education sector, society already claims them as people who are far-viewed and
knowledgeable among them and these are the youngsters that would grow up and build a
better future for their upcoming generations. The combination of skills and knowledge
creates learners of today as an asset for the community surrounding them, thus helping in
building a robust and enhanced society of tomorrow. Educators should bear in mind that
students are the backbone of the organisation and they are the determinant of our future. As
necessary the grades and acing with flying colours in exams, it is equally imperative that the
students can master both soft and hard skill in everything that they have learnt and transfer
after they graduated or finish their designated course subject. A student with skills and
knowledge is far better than a student who passes with flying colours but is problematic when
entering the real world. All in all, society values students who have appropriate skills as they
are the basis of the future.

To summarise everything, student-centred education is the best choice for Malaysia to choose
for the Higher Education sector. Universities and colleges are the pinnacles in the education
division in creating humans that are useful and beneficial for themselves, the society and the
country that they serve. So, enhanced education experience, cultivates students’ interests and
direct application of skills are the solid reasons on why the Higher Education System of
Malaysia should change to a better education approach which is the Student-Centred
Approach for the betterment of our future leaders in our beloved country.

WORD COUNT: 2506

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