Imported English language textbooks were introduced in Malaysian schools as part of the Common European Framework Reference of Language (CEFR)'s roll-out in this country through the establishment of the Standards Based English Language Curriculum (SBELC), which is the official English language curriculum in Malaysia. However, concerns were raised with regards to the use of these textbooks. Despite advocates clamoring for the textbooks' alignment to the CEFR and their contents, critiques were quick to point out their imbalanced cultural content, high lexical density, lack of supplementary materials, steep price point, ambiguous selection procedure, and fitness with the goals and objective of Malaysia's language program and English curriculum. Doubts were also expressed about Malaysian English teachers' preparedness to teach by using these books. It is then suggested that English language textbooks' selection procedure in Malaysia to be refined through the establishment of a systematic and transparent textbook evaluation framework. This will help in streamlining future English language textbooks selection and development processes in Malaysia while preventing any unnecessary outcry in future.

Unprecedented changes are happening in the way the world works; traditional jobs are being replaced by new ones that need critical skills for workers of the future. Enter the era of 'Industry 4.0'. In this era, knowledge and skills are paramount for one to stay relevant and remain competitive in the job market. Terms like 'reskilling' and 'upskilling' reflect the kind of changes that are happening. Thus, it is only natural that the realm of education follows suit, with the construct of 'Education 4.0'. This research article takes a broadly neutral view of Industry 4.0 and Education 4.0, although both constructs are criticized by certain quarters. In truth, the increasing automation of manual labor and remarkable growth in and expansion of technological developments, all point to an uncertain future for the next generation of future workers. Strategies must be drafted, and initiatives be taken, to ensure young people are not disadvantaged in the near future. This article examines the struggles of a small group of English educators at Malaysian public universities, who are frantically trying to apply Education 4.0 learning technologies to teach this international language to Malaysian students, based on three core research questions. Handicapped with little to no budget, limited technical expertise and no institutional assistance, and facing resistance from traditional educators, the 'thick' qualitative descriptions and stories shared by these educators cum learning technologists provide a glimpse into the realities of English teaching and learning at a time of 'disruptions' linked to Industry 4.0 and Education 4.0.

The present study aims to further explore Malaysian secondary English teachers’ perspective on the use of PULSE 2 in their language classrooms, after three years of its introduction in Malaysian secondary schools. The study is qualitative in nature, employing semi-structured interview as the approach for data collection the data. However, due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) the study was conducted through a Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) application, WhatsApp. ATLAS ti. was employed to perform the content analysis to the collected data. The findings revealed that the respondents preferred to use imported English textbooks with local modifications in their language classroom.  Most of them also felt that the level of the language content and skills offered by PULSE2 did not match with their students’ abilities. They also reported grouses about the difficult foreign content of PULSE 2, which indicated that they have yet to change their mind about it even after using it for three years. It is suggested that relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) to review the use of imported textbooks such as PULSE 2 in Malaysia, as this will bear an impact on the creation of the country’s version of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) called ‘CEFR-M’ as projected in the on-going English Language Education Reform in Malaysia by 2025. Not only that, selecting a textbook that is relatable, localized, and matches the students’ level is crucial in this COVID-19 era, where the new normal in education forces learning to be done remotely. Inevitably, there will be students who are less privileged, and  their only hope to gain access to continuous education is through a textbook that can easily be used for self-study and is readily available, without having the needs to have access to advanced technological devices.

Obstacles, both imagined and real, continue to hinder the wider adoption of Education 4.0 learning technologies although these technologies are available in the mainstream consumer market. At the same time, the boom in Industry 4.0 manufacturing has brought down the prices of these technological tools making them generally more affordable. A case in point is 360-degree spherical video cameras and software that can record, render and playback immersive 'real life' contents. 360-degree spherical video contents can then be rendered and post-processed into VR (virtual reality) experiences that are not just immersive but also allow for limitless exposure time to learners. Both technologies allow for learner-driven learning to happen in the truest sense, for instance for second and foreign language learners. This research paper examines data collected from 560 undergraduates (n = 560) who were immersed and exposed to 360-degree videos and VR experiences for degree level courses on English (as a second language), Mandarin (Chinese) (as a third or foreign language, and Arabic (as a third or foreign language) at four public university campuses in Peninsular Malaysia. The benefits of 360-degree videos and VR experiences in second and foreign languages content delivery were evident to support learner-driven learning: Contents were developed by local lecturers and then uploaded for free online and learners could learn anytime, anywhere; total immersion could be achieved using cheap VR goggles powered by learners' smartphones; and most beneficially, weaker learners who desperately need more time to understand and practice difficult degree level second or foreign languages now have the freedom to revise and upskill themselves at their own pace.

Learning Management System (LMS) is gaining prominence in how education is delivered today due to the increased popularity of remote and online distance learning and the unimaginable COVID-19 pandemic that stuns the world. One of the more popular LMSs in the world is Google Classroom (GC). Due to its popularity, it is essential for the perception of its users particularly educators to be gauged as it is believed that their perception could determine what they do in their teaching and learning sessions. This paper reviewed eleven selected past studies about educators’ perception on the use of GC. The content of these studies was analyzed and coded into themes and specific categories by using the Atlas.ti Software. In general, educators seem to hold a positive perception on the use of GC with their students. However, some reservations about the use of GC have also been expressed. Several recommendations about how GC could be improved were also offered by the participants in the studies. The gaps in the past studies might provide some ideas on how the educators’ perception of GC could be better ascertained in future.