Rokiah Mahmud
Following the launch of SEA-VET learning platform and Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education and Training (SEAMEO Voctech) Smart Lab, the centre began opening its door for ministerial delegation and educational institutions to take a closer look at the latest innovation as well as resources for collaborative opportunities.
SEAMEO Voctech Acting Centre Director Pengiran Haji Sufri bin Pengiran Haji Ali hosted delegations from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) led by Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Pengiran Dr Mohammad Iskandar bin Pengiran Haji Petra; Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) led by Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Services) Dr Haji Mohamad Saiful bin Haji Omar, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Dr Mohamed Hasnain Isa and Assistant Vice Chancellor (Academic) Dr Hajah Ena Kartina binti Haji Abdul Rahman; and from the Brunei Darussalam Leadership and Teacher Academy (BDLTA) led by Chong Yun Onn (Specialist Unit), Haji Mohd Najib bin Haji Md Basir (School Leadership Unit) and Hajah Rosinah binti Haji Sabli (Teacher Unit).
The delegation were briefed on the expansion of the region’s one-stop technical and vocational education and training (TVET) knowledge platform, SEA-VET.net’s all new e-learning platform, SEA-VET learning that offers high-quality online courses and in-demand topics befitting of Industry 4.0 for TVET professionals.
Courses developed are based on sound pedagogical and instructional design with an optimal blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences, using a variety of digital media formats and gamification to create an engaging learning experience for the users. SEA-VET learning is a significant addition that attests to the growth and increasing sophistication of the regional TVET knowledge platform SEA-VET.net – a joint project between SEAMEO Voctech and GIZRECOTVET that started in 2018.
In addition, the SEAMEO Voctech Smart Lab – a digital learning facility – was also showcased during the visit. It is the first-of-its-kind mobile smart lab for TVET in the region that aims to upgrade teaching and learning with its ability to turn any room into a digital learning centre.
Visitors were able to experience how the interactive lessons take place using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools to perform experiments and activities in classrooms.
Through this digital avenue, TVET teacher and learning media developers can learn, collaborate and co-develop resources using interactive technology; including gaming, simulation, VR, AR, extended reality (XR), and mixed reality.
A total of 94 courses are already available online on the e-Learning platform and, to date, 1,684 participants have been trained.
SEA-VET learning as a TVET e-learning platform will be working with international organisations as well as commercial training providers such as GIZ RECOTVET, InternaionaI Training Center of the International Labour Organisation (ITCILO), Labtech and Festo Didactic, to provide equitable access to expertise and innovations, in keeping with fourth industrial revolution.
Meanwhile, in the afternoon, 20 students from the NTec in Light Vehicle Mechanics and HNTec in Automobile Technology programmes, led by instructor Jasper Hong Yan Jie, also visited the centre to experience VR guided by General Manager of Labtech Academy and SEAMEO Voctech’s IT team Bradley Ker.
