WINNING BIG: PTPM WON 3 FRGS 2021 GRANTS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

USM, 8 September 2021 – Three PTPM academic staff, Dr. Mariam Mohamad, Dr. Nurullizam Jamiat, and Ts. Dr. Nur Azlina Mohamed Mokmin were among the USM winners of the FRGS grants released on 8 September 2021. They won a total grant of RM 234,470 for their project aimed at enhancing and promoting Instructional Technology in the field of Education.

Dr. Mariam Mohamad won RM71,000 for her project entitled “Establishing Framework for the Integration of Mobile Learning and Tactile Letters as an Assistive Technology for Early Years Dyslexic Children”. Her study is dedicated to all dyslexic children in Malaysia. She hoped that the research would bring a valuable input for the stakeholders in special needs education on how to embrace assistive technology effectively to support dyslexic children. Dr. Mariam’s research team consists of experts in assitive technology and special needs education for children. It is envisaged that with the combination of these experts, her research potentially brings impact for the society and nation.

Dr. Nurullizam Jamiat won RM69,470 for her project entitled “Framework for Collaborative Problem Solving Skills based on Interpretive Structural Modeling in Online Problem Based Learning (PBL) Environment”. Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) skills are crucial as most complex problems on the job are solved in teams. However, it is challeging to implement effective CPS in education. With the pandemic urging everyone to embrace online learning more than ever, developing the framework will ensure the successful implementation of online PBL to nurture CPS. This effort will promote students’ growth to become professional, skilled workforce and future leaders.

Ts. Dr. Nur Azlina won RM 94,000 for her project “Framework for Personalized Virtual Reality Trainer in Learning Physical Education among Students with Learning Disabilities”. According to Ts. Dr Nur Azlina, the study is proposed after working with her two projects under the BJIM grant and Short-Term grant provided by the university. The Short-time grant was about developing personalized trainers for physical exercise that aimed to create an App that can intelligently train students to do physical exercise. The BJIM, on the other hand, aimed to help the students with disabilites in preparing themselve with bussiness ideas and learn to create 3D objects using a 3D software. These two projects made her realize that the students with disabilities are among the group that is constantly left out in education. Therefore, Dr. Nur Azlina proposed the FRGS title for the Students with Learning Disabilities in hope that the project could assist the OKU community as well as contribute to the university and country.

"With great power, comes great responsibility" – Winning FRGS has once again signified PTPM’s contribution in innovation. However, it comes with great responsibility. The three winners hope the output of these grants will bring a better future for Malaysian education especially in the field of instructional technology.