“The illiterate of the 21^st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”   Alvin Toffler.

SIDMA College Sabah realizing the fact that times and schools have changed; and that gone are the days whereby students in schools are sitting in rows, repeating and memorizing facts, poring over textbooks, and having pages and work to be done as homework. Advancement in teaching pedagogy as a result of the latest academic research and the technological developments such as 21^st Century Skills all have helped shift in the understanding of what great teaching and learning looks like.

SIDMA College continuously increases its effort to alert lecturers and all its academic staff on the need to acknowledge new development in the field of education via various methods such as Brainstorming, well equipped and utilized IT facilities, continuous staff professional development, adopting of different teaching strategies such as blended learning and flipped classroom technologies; as well as the up grading classroom facilities with a key focus to enhance professional development for the educators to enable them to transform their knowledge into practice for the benefit of learners (students) and the related industries; thus to ensure these future graduates are inspired by college vision and mission, and equipped themselves with the necessary knowledge and skills to inculcate the 21^st Century skills to their school students.

Currently, being equipped with all these tactile tools, SIDMA College lecturers despite the fact that some of them are UNITAR Sabah very own graduates, managed to empower their students (SIDMA College Diploma Early Childhood (DECE) students) to take control of their learning. Through the adaptation of blended teaching and learning and flipped technology, these lecturers are able to nurture the DECE trainees to become resilient, curious, analytical, critical and creative thinkers. These future graduates who are also future DECE teachers, were made to understand that to be a good teacher, they should be qualified, experienced as well as passionate about what they do. They also were made to realize that it is the quality of teaching that makes the greatest impact on children, and able to bring out the best in every child. 

Recently, semester two and three of the SIDMA DECE students taking Music and Creative (DEC2183), Children Growth and Development (DEC2043) and Early Learning and Early Development (DEC2073), were given the opportunities to conduct a project under the theme “Music Unites Us”. The event was held outside the normal classroom setting at SIDMA College Main Atrium.

The lecturers concerned Miss Valeria Padris, and colleagues were glad to note that the students collaborated with the nearby group of Taska and Tadika Sri Kandi, Penampang and welcomed kids from these kindergartens to participate in their project. The kids, despite being new to the college environment and SIDMA DECE teachers, eagerly and willingly participated in roles assigned to them, such creative movement, fashion show, and more. They followed instructions and enjoyed themselves throughout the occasion.

SIDMA DECE students also set up various galleries such as Doll House, Puppet Show, Train Station, Music Room, Puzzle Station and Coloring. The kindergarten kids were given opportunities to visit each of these gallery. While at each of these galleries, they were being facilitated to new knowledge such as short stories, new moral values, new skills development, and more.

Prof Dr Morni Hj Kambrie, SIDMA College Chairman and Founder, and Madam Azizah Khalid Merican (CEO) who were very satisfied with SIDMA lecturers’ commitment, congratulated them for their full abilities to transform SIDMA DECE students into future quality teachers ready to meet the need of the Early Childhood Education industries. They too advised these DECE students to continuously upgrade themselves professionally, as education is a very dynamic industry, and as future teachers, they must be knowledgeable and skillful, as well as ever ready to transform their knowledge into practice for the benefit of their learners in any learning situations.

SIDMA College Sabah June 2019 intake of new students is now open. All Form V and VI school leavers are welcomed to enroll at SIDMA College located at Jalan Bundusan, 88300 Kota Kinabalu. Potential students can also visit SIDMA Website @  https://sbah.sidma.edu.my/sidmalearning/landingpage_form to register. For more information about studying at SIDMA College Sabah, please call SIDMA Hotline: 088-732 000 or 088-732 02.

By Teo Eng Seng and Zain Azrai,

SIDMA College Sabah,

88300 KOTA KINABALU.