Abstract

The National Defence University Malaysia (NDUM) Kuala Lumpur provides an undergraduate education to the future officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). The establishment is considered to be an elite university because it is the only tertiary military institution in Malaysia. The main curriculum is engineering education; there are seven engineering degrees offered at the NDUM. This paper attempts to analyse the pedagogical issues surrounding the design and development of e-learning courseware for a military learning environment. In so doing, the history of the NDUM and its importance to the country is examined, together with the current practices of teaching cadets. At present, the NDUM has not yet implemented e-learning technologies. However, because the need for e-learning technologies is crucial, it is argued that some pedagogical concerns must be examined carefully before the NDUM embarks on the planning and implementing of new technologies. Three implications are highlighted at the end of the paper.

Keywords: The National Defence University Malaysia; Military Academies; Military Education; E-learning Courseware Design and Development; Student-Centred Learning