New Feature On eKelas Portal Connects Students And Teachers Via Chat Forum To Encourage Greater Participation Amongst Students And Teachers

Marking an important milestone in its eKelas journey, Maxis recently launched eCikgu, a brand new feature in the eKelas portal that enables students to connect with teachers via a chat forum and encourages greater engagement with teachers. The new feature is aimed at making digital learning even more vibrant and interactive for rural communities across Malaysia. The Maxis eKelas portal enables self-paced studies where students progress at their own pace and discover how to learn collaboratively.

Present at the event at Menara Maxis was Yang Berhormat Tuan Eddin Syazlee Shith, Deputy Minister of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, who launched eCikgu in conjunction with the closing ceremony of the eKelas Holiday Camp 2018, a bi-annual activity that rewards top eKelas students. Also present at the event were YM Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Maxis’ Chairman; Robert Nason, Maxis’ CEO; YBhg Dato’ Mohd Ali Hanafiah Mohd Yunus, Chief Officer, Communications and Digital Ecosystem Sector, Malaysian Communication & Multimedia Commission (MCMC); and Gokhan Ogut, Maxis’ Chief Operating Officer.

“Technology and the Internet have changed the way we communicate and access information – especially amongst the youth – which is why it is now more important than ever to ensure digital inclusivity for all Malaysians, no matter where they are. I am pleased to see Maxis’ efforts in opening up new ways of learning for students in rural communities through its eKelas programme, and in helping to remove barriers or limitations to use technology and the Internet,” said YB Tuan Eddin Syazlee.

“As a digital enabler, we are delighted to provide our eKelas students with access to more interactive learning methods and greater participation amongst their peers and experienced teachers. Rich features like eCikgu are important tools and part of our desire to help nurture these students into more knowledgeable digital citizens. Today is a clear demonstration of how far eKelas has progressed since we launched two years ago. We remain committed to playing a prominent role in contributing to the nation through digital learning for even more students in rural communities in Malaysia to leverage the power of technology,” said Robert Nason, CEO of Maxis.

eCikgu combines a live tutorial with a chat forum, where students can type questions related to the subject being taught in the chat forum, and the teachers provide answers immediately while the lesson is ongoing. Among the key benefits of eCikgu include:

• Immediate attention – eCikgu enables more students to ask questions that immediately come to mind during the live tutorial, to ensure better understanding of their subjects.
• Community interaction – Provides opportunities for students to interact with teachers and other eKelas students around the country. The chat forum also enables students and teachers to share multimedia documents, such as video and pictures, for additional learning material.
• Growing digital knowledge – Students become more digitally savvy as they familiarise themselves with the eCikgu platform and incorporate technology into their education.

With MCMC’s support, Maxis also announced the expansion of eKelas into new target groups – Primary 6, Form 4 and Form 5 – in addition to the current Form 1, 2 and 3 students. With this expansion starting next year, the eKelas journey will begin from Primary 6 all the way to Form 5, which will enable even more students from rural communities across Malaysia to access eKelas. The expansion also provides the opportunity for students sitting for the critical UPSR, PT3 and SPM exams to leverage eKelas and aid them in their preparations.

The eKelas Holiday Camp, which took place from 21-23 November, saw 100 of the most dedicated eKelas students from 24 Community Broadband Centres (CBCs) nationwide flying into the capital to participate in fun activities, interactive workshops, a visit to Petrosains in KLCC, as well as engagements with teachers and fellow eKelas students from all over the country. As part of Maxis’ partnership with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), this year’s Holiday Camp was run at UKM’s campus for the first two days.

Maxis’ eKelas is an after-school digital learning initiative that aims to improve the academic performance of students in rural communities. Its focus is on three subjects - Science, Mathematics and English - for Form 1, 2 and 3 students. eKelas offers a combination of live tutorials, group learning and interactive digital content which is in line with the Malaysian School Syllabus. The programme was made possible by Maxis’ partnership with MCMC, as it is run at their Community Broadband Centres (CBCs) which serve as digital hubs for communities in underserved areas. eKelas is currently being delivered at 55 CBCs located across 10 states, with over 6,000 students connecting through the programme.

For more information on the Maxis eKelas programme, please watch the video here. 
To find out more about the eKelas portal, view the video here.