Engagement Series: Rethinking Content for Education

As part of the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) continuous plan to further enhance the Smart School Flagship Application, MDeC is embarking on the above engagement series to develop an approach for a sustainable content for learning and establishing standards for education content. The series also serves as MDeC's approach at optimizing and further building the capacity of MSC Malaysia creative content companies.

The engagement series will gather relevant agencies, educators and local content industries in creating awareness on current innovative approaches on the content development for education. There will be 11 episodes of engagement series and key activities planned throughout 2009 and 2010, which will culminate into the Education Innovation Fest (EIF) in October, 2010.

Episode 1: Discussion Session

As part of the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) continuous plan to further enhance the Smart School Flagship Application, MDeC is embarking on the above engagement series to develop an approach for a sustainable content for learning and establishing standards for education content. The series also serves as MDeC's approach at optimizing and further building the capacity of MSC Malaysia creative content companies.

There will be 11 episodes of engagement series and key activities planned throughout 2009 and 2010, which will culminate into the Education Innovation Fest (EIF) in October, 2010.

The Episode 1: Discussion Session had gathered relevant divisions from Ministry of Education (MOE). The main objective of the session was to gain inputs from Ministry of Education on the various series under the Engagement Series programmes.

Episodes 2: Rethinking Content for Education & Episode 3: The Launching Ceremony of Engagement Series

The Smart School Department organized the episode 2 and the launching of the Engagement Series: Rethinking Content For Education program on Friday, 10th December 2009, which was held at the Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa, Cyberjaya. As part of the launch, a forum was also held to discuss issues regarding the innovative and creative approaches in content development. Prominent discussants such as Tuan Hj. Sofian Azmi Tajul Arus from the Ministry of Education, Prof. Dr. Zoraini Wati Abas from Open University and YBhg. Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba from Pesona Pictures Sdn Bhd were invited for the forum. 60 participants representing government agencies, academia and local companies were gathered.

In line with MSC Malaysia's strategic thrusts of addressing the socio-economic divide, building local small medium enterprises, and attracting foreign direct investment, the event was aimed at empowering lives and businesses. The launching ceremony was officiated by MDeC's Chief Executive Officer, YBhg Datuk Badlisham Ghazali. The engagement series, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, aspire to transform teaching and learning, making it more relevant and engaging to 21st Century learners through the use of innovative and creative practices to enabling them to drive this country to the new globalised economy.

"In supporting MoE to transform all 10,000 schools nationwide into smart schools, it is our responsibility to ensure that the content benefit the users - students, teachers, school administrators and the community. This is the platform for us to reconsider our approach because innovative and creative education content is not only confined to content simply loaded with animation and multimedia" said Dato" Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of MDeC at the soft launch of the programme here.

Also present were, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI), Department of Standards Malaysia, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Finance, representatives from the academia; Universiti Kebangsaan Malayisa, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Management & Science University and representatives from the local content industry; IBM Malaysia, TM Smart School Sdn. Bhd., 5thW IlmuWorld Sdn. Bhd., Petrosains Sdn. Bhd., Pintar Learning Sdn. Bhd., Oracle Education Foundation and Zeal Hitech Sdn. Bhd.

The engagement series will be driven by MDeC with the support of key agencies to achieve two main objectives.

"We hope activities within the series will create awareness and the adoption of current innovative approaches in content development for education. Second, we will ensure that the series will lead to the optimization and harnessing of local content industry capacity as part of MSC Malaysia's efforts to nurture small medium enterprises in ICT".

MDeC have lined up 11 episodes of engagement series and key activities to be held throughout 2009 and 2010. The engagement series will culminate into the International Education Content Fest (IECF) in October, 2010.

"The International Education Content Fest 2010 will be held with the aim of promoting local content industry globally. This event will gather 1,000 participants from 30 countries, targeting various education agencies and relevant content providers from around the world." said Badlisham, adding that with the engagement series, local content industry's global competitiveness will be even greater.

He also said that prior to the IECF 2010 and through the activities of the engagement series, specific outcomes have been targeted for this series which are to produce a model for sustainable content for learning which will be embodied in a prototype digital education content to be premiered during the IECF 2010 and to achieve the outcome of the establishment of standards for education content which is essential for our products and solutions to be internationally recognized.

"This in the long run will contribute to the increased demand for local innovative and creative education content. It is in this way also that we will contribute to the national target of producing innovative and creative human capital."

Episode 4: A Presentation on Opportunities In IPTV e-Learning Content and Solutions in Conjuction with the MOU Signing Ceremony between Korean and Malaysian Companies

9th February 2010 at Cyberview Lodge Resort

Two MSC Malaysia Status companies namely Telekom Smart School Sdn Bhd (TSS) and Zeal Hi-Tech Solutions Sdn Bhd signed a Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between a South Korean e-Learning solutions provider, Dunet Inc (Dunet) on Internet Protocol (IPTV) on 9th February 2010 at Cyberview Lodge Resort.

The broad objectives of the MOU are as the following:

• To enhance the capacity of local e-education companies
• To increase global competitiveness of local Smart School companies
• To innovate the approach in the education content development and solution for IPTV
• To co-access international educational content market and solution for IPTV

The MoU signings are the result of the Multimedia Development Corporation's (MDeC) on-going efforts to create collaborative opportunities between international companies and promising local companies. Together, the two MoUs aim to enhance the capacity of Malaysian e-education companies, in addition to increasing global competitiveness of Malaysian Smart School companies.

It is also hoped that the MoUs will lead to the innovation approach to IPTV education content development and solutions, and the co-access of the international IPTV educational content and solutions market. This is aligned with the enhancement of the Smart School Flagship Application to ensure its sustainability and global competitiveness. >

The signing ceremony was witnessed by YBhg. Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of MDeC and Mr. Kim Dong-Hwan, Commercial Attache, Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

The two MoUs are outcomes of the signing of an MoU in 2008 between MDeC and Korea's National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA), who both sought to collaborate on smart school programmes. Signed in conjunction with the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), the 2008 MoU led to exchanges and deliberations between Malaysian and Korean consortiums, ultimately contributing to the IPTV project framework.

Speaking at the event, MDeC CEO Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said that "the signing of these MoUs will lead to the formulation of strategies to enhance WebTV. I believe both parties will be able to work closely together to develop IPTV e-learning content and solutions, and perhaps even become leaders in the IPTV global networks."

EPISODE 5 - Exploration Clinic for the Development of Process Standards for NextGen eContent & EPISODE 6 - Development of NextGen eContent for Schools

The Engagement Series: Rethinking Content for Education, Episode 5 - Exploration Clinic for the Development of Process Standards for NextGen eContent & Episode 6 - Development of NextGen eContent for Schools were held on 10th March, 2010 at Hotel Pan Pacific, KLIA.

The Engagement Series consists of 11 episodes and key activities for each episode are planned throughout 2009 and 2010. The series will culminate into the Education Innovation Fest (EIF) in October, 2010. To date, 6 episodes were held in 2009, February 2010 and the latest were Episodes 5 & 6.

The Episodes 5&6 main objectives were to highlight the significance of process standards for NextGen eContent to develop a distinct set of core indicators/components of the process standards from pedagogical and technological aspects and to discuss the components and specifications to develop interactive and across curriculum NextGen eContent.

A Sneak Preview on Episodes 5 and 6 was conducted by Dr. Norrizan Razali, Senior Manager, Smart School Department and followed with the breakout groups session. Based on the breakout groups' discussion, inputs for the process standards, approach and characteristics of NextGen eContent were discussed and presented. As a way forward, all inputs will be consolidated and refined and will be enhanced in the next episodes.

The engagement series gathered 50 participants from relevant government ministries and agencies such as various departments in the Ministry of Education, INTAN, SIRIM, MAMPU; educators from private and local universities; and local content industries.