Enhancing Student-Centered Learning through Usage of Television Commercials via Wiki

The proliferation of educational technologies and various audio-visual gadgets has stretched the boundaries of student-centered learning. The medium for learning no longer rely solely on text books or traditional classroom teaching. Multimedia materials provide exciting new possibilities for learners, paving the way for students to assume an active role in their learning. This study explores the usage of television commercials via wiki an educational workspace to support student-centered learning. Learning through television commercials creates interest and is highly motivating especially for foreign language learners. The participants of the study comprise of 120 students pursuing a diploma in culinary arts and taking French as a compulsory subject. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit students' feedback on their experience using wiki during student learning time. The results yielded a satisfactory acceptance of this educational workspace. Findings showed that students have the capacity to control the pace of their learning thus motivating students to engage positively in independent learning. (C) 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of i-Learn Centre, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.