Stimulating Lecturers’ Innovative Behaviour in Malaysian Polytechnics

Technical and vocational education that has been laid out approximately a century ago provides an important route for secondary school leavers to gain access to post-secondary technical and vocational educational and training and be successfully employed. Polytechnics of Ministry of Higher Education were established to produce semi-skilled employees to fulfil the needs of public and private sectors in the field of commerce, engineering and hospitality. However, a majority of graduates from polytechnics do not join the work force straight away but instead further their studies first to seek their bachelor degrees from universities and colleges before entering the work force. In the effort to improve the employability skills of graduates of Polytechnics, the Annual Report of Tracer Study 2007 proposes an action plan that comprises strengthens problem solving skills and enhances creativity through innovative teaching. The action plan also suggests for the strengthening of student oriented learning approaches through interactive learning practices in e-learning environment, increase group learning activities and improve the lecturers’ skills in the aspect of outcome-based learning