Abstract. The Internet has prompted educational institutions world wide to deliver their distance learning programmes via the Web. Malaysian institutions are following suit. However, the success of Web-based distance learning programmes is largely dependent on how well we keep the students sufficiently interested, energized and enthusiastic to complete the degree requirements. There are techniques that designers and instructors can use to make the virtual learning environment attractive and meaningful. As such, the virtual learning team at the International Medical University developed a motivation model based on Horton's recommendations for a motivating environment to help sustain the students' interest. VENuS (Virtual Education for Nursing Sciences) was developed not only using the systematic model of instructional design but had also applied the motivation model. The paper describes the application of the model and highlights the feedback received on the prototype.

Online learning communities are often part and parcel of blended learning pedagogies in both traditional and distance learning institutions to enhance learning. One of the popular models to help create these communities is the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model, designed to help learners become engaged with their course mates and tutors online. The goal is to create a community where learners collaboratively construct meaningful knowledge. It is believed that the three types of presence (cognitive, social and teaching) specified in the model will create an appropriate environment for more matured open distance learners. The CoI model was selected for a study at the Open University Malaysia (OUM) to determine the effectiveness of its current online learning implementation. Forums from 20 courses were analysed by a group of academicians. At the end of the study, it was believed that the CoI model could be used as a framework to implement its online learning, particularly in developing a community of learners as a means to enhance their understanding of the subject matter. Following the acceptance by the OUM academic board, the CoI model was introduced during the recent tutor training. IntroductionAs an open and distance learning institution, it is imperative that OUM delivers quality education to all its students. When the university first took in its batch of students in 2001, the Internet was popular, available in most parts of the country and was considered affordable. Special rates were available for students. Hence, these were enough reasons to support OUM's decision to include online or e-learning as part of its pedagogical blend. Online learning at OUM primarily includes the use of the forum facilities in the learning management system to support discussions among learners and between learners and their tutor. Online learning is one of the three modes of OUM's blended learning pedagogies. The other two are face-to-face and self-managed learning. Face-to-face learning makes up eight percent of the blend whereas online learning is 12 percent of the total blend. Eighty percent of the blend is for self-managed learning. Hence, online learning is the second most important element of the blend.Online learning at OUM takes place in the form of online discussion forums comprising a series of interactions in an asynchronous communication medium. As a means to support learning during the two weeks in between face-

Open Distance Learning (ODL) institutions around the world have realized that effective pedagogies are critical in retaining students. In addition, as technology becomes increasingly available and affordable, more ODL institutions are leveraging on various technologies of learning to provide more efficient and effective pedagogies. The Open University Malaysia (OUM), for example, adopts a blend of learning approaches to educate its growing number of learners spread across the country. The blend involves interactive print and electronic media to support self-learning, peer learning as well as learning that is facilitated by the tutor. A successful blend is one that provides the right amount of opportunity for learners to construct their own learning. As OUM continues to experiment with new ways of using technology, it is important for the learning to be more efficient and effective particularly to cater to its exponential growth in student numbers. How pedagogical richness is conceptualised through various technologies such as audio and video streaming, online discussions, multimedia and print is described in terms of dynamism and level of interactivity. How an improved blend of learning is achieved through the development of various learning modes, technology and media or delivery used is described. The model for the pedagogical richness (in response to the need to cater to the different learning styles and requirements of 45,000 learners who are dispersed geographically in over 70 locations, both urban and rural) is provided. The greater challenge of ensuring the effectiveness of tutors who need to be able to adapt (from their preferred teaching style) to the requirements of the various pedagogical strategies at OUM is also discussed.2

The Malaysian government hopes to introduce computers in schools on a wider scale. Success will be determined by teachers' attitudes towards working with computers. A study was conducted to determine the computer attitudes among a group of teacher education students in Malaysia. The group consisted of 360 teacher education students at the Faculty of Education, University of Malaya. The Computer Attitude Scale (CAS) was used. The study also investigated relationships between selected independent variables (gender, frequency of computer use, length of computer use) and four types of computer attitudes (anxiety, confidence, liking and usefulness).

Malaysia has a population of about 28 million people but there are, incredibly, more than 30 million mobile phone subscriptions. Sixth in the world in terms of SMS (Short Message Service) volume, Malaysians appear to be addictive SMS texters. With over 98 percent of its students having mobile phones and 82 percent of the students ready for learning through mobile phones, Open University Malaysia initiated a project that first experimented with podcasts and SMS texts later. This chapter describes how the institution conceptualized, planned, and created a mobile learning environment using SMS to enhance its current blended learning model in general, and in particular, one of its courses with over 1,000 students enrolled. The chapter also describes the categories used for formulating the SMS content, use of Twitter and Facebook to support the SMS sent and discusses the feedback received on the initiative as well as the issues and challenges.