Most innovative teaching approach
TAYLOR’S University brought home five awards from the Education Minister’s Special Award Ceremony: Innovative Curriculum Design and Delivery (AKRI) 2019, the highest number of awards attributed to a university to date.
Its vice-chancellor and president Prof Michael Driscoll expressed his elation over the news, sharing that this achievement is testament to the commitment of academics to ensure that the pedagogy available for students is current and allows them to achieve their full potential.
“We have a great team of academics who constantly seek to reinvent their modules and ensure that they deliver their lessons in an innovative manner.
“Their efforts to curate subjects in a manner that is relevant for students of the day are the bedrock of our institution and having it acknowledged at a national level in this way makes the effort more meaningful.
“I am also very pleased to hear that our Bachelor of Science (Culinology) programme was adjudged as the champion of the Innovative Programme category,” he said.
Taylor’s University Bachelor of Science (Culinology) programme director Dr Chong Li Choo who led the team to victory, is jubilant that the programme has received national acknowledgement for its innovative approach to education.
“Culinology integrates the three main core disciplines, culinary arts, food science and food technology, that are crucial to the development of healthy food products in Malaysia.
“Through the time they spend with us, our students have been able to acquire insight from industry professionals who can mentor them in the different areas of food research and development with the end outcome of coming up with food product that are healthy, safe and nutritious.
“I am glad our approach to teaching has been recognised in a prestigious platform like AKRI,” she said.
Taylor’s University was also named champion in the Immersive Learning (Fully Online) category for its innovative approach to teaching the Malaysian Studies 3 module.
Taylor’s University Centre for Future Learning Content Transformation senior e-specialist lead Enna Ayub shared her joy about their approach; the 21st Century Virtual Classroom for Education 4.0; being recognised at national level.
“My colleagues and I who are involved in the teaching of Malaysian Studies wanted to present the information for the modules in a way that would pique the students’ interest.
“This acknowledgement by the ministry will spur us to innovate our approach for other modules,” said Enna, who is also the team leader for this project.
The School of Engineering came in second for its innovative approach to education in the Innovative Programme category. Taylor’s also placed second in the Immersive Learning (face-to-face category) and third in the Immersive Learning (blended category).
This overall acknowledgement of the innovative nature of Taylor’s academics comes after about a month after Taylor’s University’s strong performance at the International University Carnival on e-Learning 2019 (IUCEL), which took place in August.
In addition to winning the “Best e-Learning Project Award”, Taylor’s University brought home five gold, six silver and three bronze medals in the Invention, Innovation & Design on E-Learning (IIDEL) Competition, which is held in conjunction with IUCEL.