E-mathematics : pre-instructional and supplement instruction and their impact of student's online participation and final exam score

• Main Authors: Ng, Richard, Kaur, Abtar, Siti Farina Sheikh Mohamed, Latifah Abdol Latif, Ramli Bahroom
• Format: Article
• Published: Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) 2009
• Subjects: LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
• Online Access: http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/375/1/e-math_richard.pdf; http://library.oum.edu.my/repository/375/
• Institution: Open University Malaysia

Open University Malaysia(OUM),Malaysia's first open and distance learning with over 70,000 students, offers more than 51 programsto-date. More than 90% of its students are working adults who are unable to leave their jobs or families behind to pursue their dream of getting a degree.The blended learning approach adoptedby OUM provides the flexibility for working adult's to obtain the required paper qualification and to upgrade their knowledge. One of the important elements of blended learning is the use of online discussion forum where learning takes place beyond classroom. Mathematics,a traditionally difficult course,forms part of thepre-requisite for students to obtaina business degree at OUM. The adult learners at OUM generally have left school for at least five years and most of them have low grades in Mathematics at O'Level. Thus it is a big challenge for these adult learners to undertake a Mathematics course via online with minimum Face-to-Face contact with their tutors. This paper focuses on the implementation of pro-instruction workshop and supplemental instruction to find its impact on student's online participation and exam results of 88 students. The contents of the online forum were also analyzed using a 34-item instrument derived from the Community of Inquiry model.