Plenary 4

Education should be “more about inspiration than information”, and its goal should not simply be about imparting certain information to students, but rather to change something about how students learn and live. This paper discusses, showcases, and identifies key characteristics of a model 21st century classroom that uses transformative teaching and learning, within the context of Malaysian higher learning education. Guided by contemporary instructional design principles, constructivist learning theories, and current technology trends, this paper illustrates the importance of transitioning from traditional to transformative teaching among Malaysian higher learning educators.

While exploring the opportunities and benefits of transformative teaching and learning in the twenty-first-century education, the paper also shares on what has been realistically implemented and successfully carried out by the author in his attempt of implementing transformative teaching and learning in his class. Emphasizing more on practical examples as opposed to theoretical concepts, the paper climatically aims at extrapolating the possibilities of implementing the method in Malaysian higher learning institutions, which will ultimately prepare learners for the diverse but interwoven environmental, social, and economic challenges they will meet as they confront a changing world.