Keynote Speakers

Dr. Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan Yahaya, Professor

Centre for Instructional Technology and Multimedia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

Biography: Dr. Wan Ahmad Jaafar Wan Yahaya is a Professor and Director of the Centre for Instructional Technology and Multimedia (PTPM) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang. He also serves as the President of the Malaysian Educational Technology Association (META). He holds a PhD in Multimedia Education from the University of Leeds and a Master of Education from the University of Manchester, UK. Before that, he pursued a bachelor’s degree at the University of Malaya, Malaysia. He has published more than 180 articles/papers in indexed journals such as Scopus, Web of Science (ISI), SCSI, SSCI, conference proceedings, and book chapters, primarily in the field of multimedia education. He has also presented over 18 speeches as a keynote and invited speaker, both nationally and internationally. In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of Educational Communications and Technology, he received the Thailand AECT International Honor Award for the year 2023.

Topic: Formulation and Validation of a Digital Competency Assessment Instrument for Lecturers in Open and Distance Higher Education

Abstract: Open and Distance Learning (ODL) involves two fundamental characteristics: the delivery of instruction by lecturers who are not physically or temporally present with students, and a commitment to increased openness and flexibility in curriculum design, accessibility, and institutional structure. In Malaysia, there is currently no unified framework to assess the digital competence of higher education lecturers, especially those engaged in ODL. This study aims to design and validate a Digital Competence Standards (DCS) instrument tailored for lecturers who teach and manage ODL programs. The instrument includes 35 items adapted from four globally recognized frameworks: the Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu), ISTE Standards, IC3 Digital Literacy Certification, and the Technology Integration Matrix (TIM). Data were collected via an online survey administered to 35 selected participants. Analysis was conducted using Winstep version 3.69.1.11, evaluating item and person reliability as well as fit statistics such as infit, outfit, and point measure correlation indices. The findings indicate strong reliability for the DCS 2 instrument, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.96, item reliability of 0.88, and person reliability of 0.96. Compatibility analysis showed that 34 of the 35 items met acceptable infit and outfit thresholds based on the Rasch model, though one item was identified for potential revision. Overall, the instrument demonstrates robust psychometric properties across the assessed indicators. This validated tool offers a reliable means of measuring digital competence among higher education lecturers and serves as a foundational framework to support the advancement of ODL in Malaysia's academic institutions.