CN Around the World: Joseph Choe Explains Berjaya University’s Recent Adoption

Joseph Choe Kin Hwa, a lecturer at Berjaya University College of Hospitality, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, shares his personal experiences and those of Berjaya, as they have implemented CourseNetworking on their campus.

Professor Joseph Choe Kin Hwa
Berjaya University, Malaysia

One year ago, Berjaya adopted the CN as their campus LMS for all instructors and students to use. When recalling the transition, Joseph admitted the change was challenging; “It is a paradigm shift of developing course material on the CN, if you compare it to the chalk board teaching method.” However, after briefing and training, the instructors are starting to see the benefits of using CourseNetworking and the many helpful tools. Joseph says the students in his courses are coping quite well and some have even started using CN as their alternate social network, by posting their activities and thoughts on thecn.com.

Joseph also shared his opinions on technology’s role in learning and higher education, saying that technology facilitates teaching and learning in higher education. He explained,

“[technology] provides more channels and opportunities for learning to take place, where educators and learners interact effectively without the constraint of having face-to-face sessions.”

The use of multimedia is very important to Joseph, as he uses it in his courses on the CN; he also says the internet allows learners to be more independent in their learning, which is very crucial in higher education today. Joseph Choe then explained further how he believes CourseNetworking showcases the importance of technology in education. At Berjaya, Joseph uses thecn.com to engage his students outside of the classroom, by posting short quizzes, organizing online discussions, and sharing additional readings and learning materials with his students. He was most enthusiastic about CourseNetworking’s SmartLink feature in Tasks tool, describing it as “one of the most brilliant functions on the CN.” Joseph uses SmartLinks tool to design and deliver tasks and facilitate students by having them go step by step to complete learning activities. He believes, “the user friendly interface and availability of a mobile app makes the CN easy and accessible for instructors and students alike.”

Joseph Choe also shared his own personal experiences and how the CN benefits his courses. Tasks and Subtasks are the backbone of his courses, as they provide structure and direction for students and help keep them on track as they navigate the SmartLinks that Choe has carefully created. Polls are also prominent in Joseph’s courses as he uses them to help quiz his students on material they have covered through the tasks. “They are excited to see the breakdown by percentage of their classmates’ answers compared to their own, and they can view my feedback automatically after they answer the Poll.” Joseph says that as an instructor, he sees that the moment the students are engaged, it is easier to encourage them to continue with other materials and activities he has designed for them. This process is done with the help and tools from CourseNetworking.

SmartLink: Hyperlinks that instructors can easily create in the Task tool to direct students to internal and external learning resources and activities. For instance, an instructor might highlight a term and build a Hyperlink on it to prompt students submit an assignment.