I was a former Tunku scholar at St Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, I graduated in 2019 with an MPhil in Education (Research in Second Language Education). I am currently a self-funding PhD student, researching educational technology and teacher professional development in low-resource contexts, with a specific focus on rural indigenous communities in Sabah (North Borneo), Malaysia. Sabah Foundation (Yayasan Sabah) has been kind enough to offer me a zero-interest loan, to fund part of this 3- to 4-year study. The rest I fund through my part-time job as a research assistant at Digital Education Futures Initiatives (DEFI) Cambridge, by applying to various small research grants here and there, and by doing miscellaneous part-time writing/editing and research work.
I have also received funds from various kind-hearted and generous people who believe in the work I am doing. I know I will never be able to repay these people. But I am determined to do the best I can for this research, to use the findings to help my home state Sabah, my home country Malaysia, and every teacher and student facing challenges associated with educational inequalities due to digital divide - anywhere in the world.
A little bit about my research:
I am adopting a design-based approach to construct a model for an online teacher professional development (TPD) for ESL teachers in rural indigenous communities of Sabah, Malaysia. This research is necessary because a lot of teachers who work in this context often have limited opportunities for professional development. This is mainly due to their remote, dispersed, and hard-to-reach locations. Online TPD is an option, but issues with Internet connectivity, unavailability of digital equipment, lack of support - just to name a few - pose a big challenge for this to be implemented effectively.
Through my research, I hope to explore solutions to these problems by designing a model of online TPD that utilises available resources and technologies, and rooted in the cultural contexts of the milieu where these teachers are working. The principles underpinning this model of online TPD are culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), collaborative learning (CL), and professional learning community (PLC).
I will share updates on my research on this blog regularly, so feel free to visit whenever you can if you are interested in the progress of this work. If you have specific questions regarding any aspect of this research, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can also check out my previous publications and my project's official website to learn about the work I have done.
How you can support my research:
You may contribute any amount to my PayPal account. The contribution will be used to pay for my field work expenses, for maintenance of the project's website, to pay for software and other research-related necessities, and other expenses related to this research.
Doing a PhD is tough, and coffee has become an essential element for my survival. But for a self-funding international student, coffee is not cheap. If you are keen, you can buy me a cup. I can also use some of the coffee money to buy lunch, books, and medicines for my many ailments.
God bless,
Cynthia
I have also received funds from various kind-hearted and generous people who believe in the work I am doing. I know I will never be able to repay these people. But I am determined to do the best I can for this research, to use the findings to help my home state Sabah, my home country Malaysia, and every teacher and student facing challenges associated with educational inequalities due to digital divide - anywhere in the world.
A little bit about my research:
I am adopting a design-based approach to construct a model for an online teacher professional development (TPD) for ESL teachers in rural indigenous communities of Sabah, Malaysia. This research is necessary because a lot of teachers who work in this context often have limited opportunities for professional development. This is mainly due to their remote, dispersed, and hard-to-reach locations. Online TPD is an option, but issues with Internet connectivity, unavailability of digital equipment, lack of support - just to name a few - pose a big challenge for this to be implemented effectively.
Through my research, I hope to explore solutions to these problems by designing a model of online TPD that utilises available resources and technologies, and rooted in the cultural contexts of the milieu where these teachers are working. The principles underpinning this model of online TPD are culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), collaborative learning (CL), and professional learning community (PLC).
I will share updates on my research on this blog regularly, so feel free to visit whenever you can if you are interested in the progress of this work. If you have specific questions regarding any aspect of this research, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can also check out my previous publications and my project's official website to learn about the work I have done.
How you can support my research:
You may contribute any amount to my PayPal account. The contribution will be used to pay for my field work expenses, for maintenance of the project's website, to pay for software and other research-related necessities, and other expenses related to this research.
Doing a PhD is tough, and coffee has become an essential element for my survival. But for a self-funding international student, coffee is not cheap. If you are keen, you can buy me a cup. I can also use some of the coffee money to buy lunch, books, and medicines for my many ailments.
God bless,
Cynthia