The Development Of Instructional Module Of Hybrid Approach Using Collaborative And Metacognitive (HybCoMet) Strategy As An Alternative Approach To Help Improving Generic Skills Among Students In Malaysian Polytechnics

Abstract

This paper presents the development and design of a new alternative approach to teaching, which is referred to as a hybrid teaching approach. This teaching approach is developed to meet the challenges and academic needs of students learning technical subjects at polytechnic level in Malaysia. It is intended to help students improve their learning and deepen their understanding in learning the subjects matters. It is also to help students to emphasize positive attitudes in a wide range of skills that are critically needed in a workplace such as communication, thinking and interpersonal skills (Yusof, 2004). Accordingly, this paper describes a “hybrid” educational system which integrates collaborative and metacognitive strategies, involving the development, design and implementation of an instructional module which is entitled “ A Hybrid Approach Using Collaborative and Metacognitive (HybCoMet) Strategy : An Instructional Module for Polytechnics Lecturers”. The HybCoMet Instructional Module is designed as an alternative to the current teaching approaches which are hereinafter referred as ‘traditional approaches’. The strategy is intended to help students to learn in a meaningful way, by facilitating the assimilation of their knowledge prior to transfer it into real world situation. The purpose of the teaching module of HybCoMet Strategy is to encourage teachers to move away from the current teaching approach by which students are ‘fed’ facts and information (Wee, 2004). Even where there are some activities in a classroom, the teacher retains control over the procedure and learning process. Introducing HybCoMet strategy may allow teachers to experience a new role, as a facilitator who provides support and assistance and interferes only when necessary. The strategy could be beneficial for teachers preparing a lesson and was more effective at pointing teachers toward individual learning objectives. Therefore, it is expected that students could take control of the learning process and become more motivated and responsible for their own learning, and then will be able to prepare them for their future life. It was hoped to inculcate this learning mode into students’ educational environment to prepare them for real-life situations and provide opportunities for the optimal intellectual and academic development as well as their generic skills. The designed instructional module is hoping will contribute as a new pedagogical approach to the representation of hybrid system for technical education needs at the polytechnics level and supply as a comprehensive academic references and guidelines to the academician and will be beneficial to those who are interested.