Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (TLA) Implementation to Address the Psychomotor Domain of Engineering Students During Open and Distance Learning (ODL): A Pilot Study

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Malaysia had to change their face-to-face teaching and learning to Open and Distance Learning (ODL). Previous studies indicate difficulties associated with assessing psychomotor skills in engineering education via ODL. This study aims to observe the Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (TLA) implementation in carrying out laboratory work during ODL. This paper presents a pilot study involving 30 undergraduate engineering students. A descriptive research design applied using a document review and an online questionnaire survey to gather data on the effectiveness of the TLA related to psychomotor skills. The Cronbach's alpha values of more than 0.7, indicates that the instrument has obtained good internal reliability and consistency. The top-ranked challenge faced during ODL was a lack of equipment. Furthermore, the students recommended the provision of online simulations to improve online laboratory-based courses. The findings provide a basis and reference for improvements to carry out the main study on a larger scale that involves more engineering students in public and private universities in Malaysia. This study may facilitate the development of engineering programs in the HLIs to improve the practice-based learning curriculum during ODL.