David Topolewski
KUCHING: Qooco, a mobile learning technology company focused spoken on Mandarin and English learning and assessment, sees ample opportunities for mobile learning in Sarawak, particularly because smartphone penetration throughout Malaysia is expected to continue climbing while outbound Chinese travelers are projected to rise from last year’s 100 million to over 200 million by 2020.
The company, which aims to change the way people learn languages by making it more convenient, enjoyable, and effective, said that with a high smartphone penetration rate, and a progressive and innovative education system, mobile learning in Malaysia is catching on among educators and users alike.
In an email interview with The Borneo Post, David Topolewski, chief executive officer (CEO) of Qooco, said, “Educators and students are beginning to realise that traditional methods of rote learning are inefficient, particularly for language learning.
“Technological and pedagogical advancements achieved by mobile learning providers such as Qooco offer the potential to revolutionise language learning.”
On the market, he said, smartphone penetration throughout Malaysia is expected to continue climbing, and private telecoms companies are expanding their offerings in Sarawak.
In addition, he pointed out, “Being somewhat isolated from Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak has less access to educational resources and international educators.
He added, “With the dramatic rise of outbound Chinese travelers, projected to rise from last year’s 100 million to over 200 million by 2020, there is no question there will be far more visitors from China to Sarawak and the rest of Malaysia.
“If retailers and hoteliers want to have strong business relations with the largest group of travelers in the world, they need to be able to communicate in Mandarin.”
Topolewski, who is Qooco’s CEO since its creation in 2010, in Beijing China, also outlined that while Malaysia is a country of many cultures, ethnicities and languages which gives it a unique vibrancy and dynamism, its diversity can affect the quality of spoken Mandarin.
“The reasons for this are various, it is possible that the presence of so many Chinese dialects (Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese etc) affects fluency, the way languages are taught and learnt also plays a role.
“One observation I have made surrounding language learning in Asia is that, while the traditional once-a-week classroom language course provides a good foundation of grammar for learners, students were spending too much time learning by rote.
“This offers little help in learning to speak the language, where frequency of practice and timely feedback are key.”
He noted that Mandarin is becoming increasingly important for Malaysian businesses, especially those in the hospitality and services industry.
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has placed China top in international tourism spending in 2012, spending a sizeable US$102 billion, up 40 per cent from 2011 and is expected to rise further.
For a hotel, speaking the same language as their guests is crucial to creating deeper connections with this group of guests, increasing loyalty and the bottom line.
In addition, with this year being Visit Malaysia Year 2014, it becomes even more imperative for locals to expand and enrich their language skills.
The demand for alternative language skills is there, Topolewski said, however, finding a cost-effective solution to train employees’ language skills is a challenge.
“Mobile learning solution providers such as Qooco remove the need for costly classroom training, tuition fees and scheduling issues. The great thing is, staff can learn – and practice – Mandarin in their own time, quickly resulting in better service levels and business outcomes.”
On Malaysia’s front, he said, more research is being done into mobile learning with the creation of the Mobile Learning Association of Malaysia (MLAM) in 2011 and the first International Conference on Mobile Learning, Application and Services in 2012.
“Educational institutions have started offering their own m-learning solutions, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) University Pocket Education (UniPE) provides learning support materials through mobile phone technology.
“In a survey conducted among students between 2008 and 2013, 76 per cent of students with smartphones used them for learning activities (from sending e-mails to lecturers to taking pictures for classes) which suggests an established mobile learning trend in Malaysia. Within two years, it is estimated that almost 60 per cent of Malaysians will own a smartphone.
“In East Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) has a dedicated department committed to the development of ICT within their curriculum (the Centre for Applied Learning and Multimedia (CALM)), which includes improving e-learning.
“Last year, the Deputy Prime Minister for Malaysia included the enhancement of internet access and virtual learning environment as one of the main thrusts for the Education Transformation Plan for Sabah and Sarawak,” he explained.
With an increasingly connected population and a supportive government and educational ecosystem, mobile learning is set to further develop. Students are able to learn and practice anytime, anywhere – perfect for Malaysians’ busy lifestyles, Topolewski said.
To note, Topolewski is responsible for managing Qooco’s relationships with Samsung, Lenovo, NTT DoCoMo, StarHub, SoftBank, and Microsoft. He spent several years with the Qooco team developing the research-based pedagogies to deliver strong learning outcomes for students using education technologies.
In addition to directing technology and business development at Qooco, Topolewski engages in strategic planning and works alongside social businesses to reach students in communities across Asia.