E-learning in Malta

On Thursday, 29^th July 2010, while having a look at the online version of the Maltese newspaper Times of Malta, I came across an article named: “E-learning: It’s all about the students, teachers and parents.” Since I am interested in reading about computing and since my dissertation concerns E-learning, this article kept me reading.

Basically, the article was about two local non-governmental schools which have adopted an e-learning system by having their own e-learning platform. The two schools mentioned were the Chiswick House School and St. Martin’s College, in both of which the students have took on the e-learning system.

The principal of the two schools, Patrick Tabone, explained that when choosing an e-learning platform one has to make sure that it offers personalized learning where the work is usually project-based. The students need also to be able to develop their communication with others together as well as their teamwork skills, apart from their creativity. It is also important that the platform is reachable from both teachers and students in a comfortable manner where communication methods such as forums are available. Even the sharing of materials (such as documents, images and videos) between teachers and students must be available and easy to do.

However, the need of this kind of technology is not yet seen to be adequate for Maltese state schools as the Maltese government has still not decided about including it in the educational system even though it was explained that e-learning will substitute schools. The only instance where e-learning was introduced in Malta before these two independent schools was for higher education. Could it be that the Maltese are afraid of this system? Could it be that they have the wrong perception of e-learning? Quite a large number of people believe that e-learning means that schools will be completely abolished.

“International experience clearly shows that no e-learning platform can, or should try to be, a substitute for face-to-face teaching and learning, but it can be an excellent complementary tool. Since the online world will certainly be an important fact of our students’ future life, a closed, monitored, online community such as the one we are creating is also a safe way for our students to learn how to navigate the net safely.” (Tabone, 2010)

The idea behind e-learning is to start a learning process adequate and available for everyone. This system has to be started discreetly and its usage can be increased according to the comfort and adaptation of those using it. As Tabone said, the platform can also be monitored, through portfolios and tracking systems to make sure that the students are safe while they can access their information easily. Due to this, students would have to access their profiles through personalized logins and so they are kept safe while they are learning more effectively. Apart from that, an e-learning system makes it easier to develop communication with parents as they can be engaged in the system and so are able to check out on their children.

“We believe that Malta can become the hub of e-learning excellence that will empower and accelerate the development of Malta as a knowledge economy,” (Francois Grech, executive director at Exigy).

You can read the full article by following this link:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/technology/view/20100729/news/e-learning-it-s-all-about-the-students-teachers-and-parents