TECH-INTEGRATED WRITING INSTRUCTION THROUGH MICRO-CREDENTIALS FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i1.1061Keywords:
educational technology, digital learning, gamification, learner autonomy, micro-credentials, MUETAbstract
This study presents a technology-integrated writing innovation developed as a micro-credential course to support Malaysian University English Test (MUET) preparation among post-secondary learners. Titled English Proficiency Course: Writing Skills Mastery, the course is hosted on Universiti Teknologi MARA’s uFuture platform and structures writing instruction into scaffolded, competency-based modules. The modules incorporate animated lessons, interactive quizzes, guided writing tasks, and self-reflection activities designed to strengthen sentence construction, paragraph development, and extended essay writing. Grounded in principles of learner autonomy, multimodal engagement, and formative digital feedback, the course aims to address persistent challenges in academic writing, particularly in mixed-ability classrooms. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data were collected from 78 undergraduate participants through surveys and follow-up interviews to examine learner perceptions of engagement and improvement. Findings indicate enhanced confidence in organizing ideas, greater clarity in understanding MUET task requirements, and increased motivation to revise written work independently. The study discusses the pedagogical design, implementation process, and learner-reported outcomes, highlighting the potential of micro-credential models to provide flexible, targeted, and scalable solutions for digital writing instruction in higher education.
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