with Mr. Chuah Kee Man

Senior Lecturer of Lecturer of Faculty of Language and Communication, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

SYNOPSIS

The inevitable reliance on open and distance learning (ODL) approaches during the pandemic has revealed the shortcomings of the one-size-fits-all model of teaching and learning. As we embrace the “new normal” in education, there is also an apparent need to recognize the “new empathy”, which embeds trust and empowerment. In this talk, insights from learning sciences research pertaining to learner variability within the context of ODL will be shared in order to improve our understanding in elevating the “new empathy”.

Learner variability acknowledges that each learner is unique, not only in terms of cognitive abilities, but also in terms of social-emotional concerns and student characteristics. These insights can be then used to inform the design of virtual learning environments that meet the diverse needs of learners for an impactful learning experience