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COVID-19: Genial.ly? What is that?

One of my friends who teaches at UiTM posted something in her FB. Somehow her post caught my eyes. It is about Genial.ly. Then later on, one of my juniors at the faculty shared a link to a Youtube about it, Gamifying Learning through Genial.ly.

I was so excited about it and tried out few templates for my class notes (videos). Then I got involved in a project to create materials to be used by students who attend religious schools in Johor and I think of creating few materials for the students as well.

Here are some of the examples of the materials that can be used to gamify learning. It is suitable to be used as a formative assessment or classroom activities.

P.S: These are the materials for the religious schools.

Topics:

  1. Adab masuk rumah

a) Quiz/Exercise 1

2. Dakwah secara hikmah

a) Quiz/Exercise 1

b) Quiz/Exercise 2

3. Perintah dan larangan

a) Quiz/Exercise 1

b) Quiz/Exercise 2

c) Quiz/Exercise 3

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TES DCP: A checklist

Towards the end of last year, some of my colleagues had some problems while filling up things for their TES DCP. There are so many things that can be quite confusing because the system itself might extract evidence from other systems such as ELPPT, EPPP and whatsnot. But at the same times, there are things that we need to upload and such on TES DCP. Kind of confusing at times. Indeed.

So, after looking at some of the common issues that my colleagues and I had experienced before while filling up our TES DCP, I collect the information and come out with a checklist. This checklist is not a perfect one but at the moment, it could give some ideas what is needed in TES DCP.

In general, there are several things that you need to fill in and upload the evidence at TES (the rest are extracted from other systems such as ELPPT, EPPP and such). If you need a copy of this checklist, you may click here.

Code in TESNoWhat (label at TES)Evidence needed (some are in PDF format)Where do you find the evidence?What is needed (additional information that you need to key in)?
B31Course fileCourse information (CI)Example of class noteSample of assessment (test, quiz, assignment instruction)Sample of final exam with the answer scheme (need to combine the question and the answer)Your own collection of CI, class note, quiz and final exam (with answer scheme)   *PDF filesCourse code
Course name
Semester/session
B22Course Assessment Report (CAR)Course Assessment Report (CAR) from OBEOBE report (make sure you save a PDF copy of the report)Course code
Course name
Semester/session
A1, A2, A3, A43Self-assessment and reflectionGoals of student learning (A1)Personal of philosophy (A2)Believe and practice (A3)Self-reflection (A4)Your own thoughts   Note: It is expected that there will be a change on the four aspects over the years.  Do not forget to change it accordingly. Tips: You cannot write more than 4000 characters.  So, if you write more than that, you can put all four aspects on your people.utm.my website and label the post as My personal philosophy and such.  Copy and paste the link on the given URL box.
B54Professional activities   Note: The only part that you can add information is Implementation of non-conventional T&L.  The rest will be extracted from other systems such as ELPPT, AIMS and such.   Implementation of non-conventional T&LCompulsory evidenceStrategy Evidence: Evidence of class activities that show the teaching strategy (NALI) that you use in class (it could be instruction and such) Optional evidenceURL (people.utm.my) You can write a post on your blog to share what you do in class with a brief explanation and pictures (if any)Workshop evidence: Appointment letter for a workshop that you conducted related to non-conventional T&L (where you share your teaching practice) If you do not have an appointment letter, a certificate of appreciation (as a facilitator, speaker etc.) can also be considered as evidence   *PDF file of the classroom instruction and letter/certificateYou just need to choose (scroll down) the option of the non-conventional teaching strategy and workshop  
C25Measures of student learning   Note: The only part that you can add information is Feedback and Testimony (from others).  The rest will be extracted from EPPP.     Feedback and Testimony (from others)
*From current students and former students who have graduated (ALUMNI)		WhatsApp or Telegram message(s) that you receive from students of their note of appreciation and such Cards or handwritten note Email Survey (self-construct or pre-existed survey which requires students to give feedback about your teaching practice)   Note: Do not forget to screen shot and save as PDF before you delete the evidence from your phone or email or before you throw away the cards or handwritten note while spring clean your office.  Make sure you know the identity of the sender so that you can trace their name, matric number, and year of study. Student name
Matric number
Year of study
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SKAZINE 2020

I had a quick sharing session with the SKAFREE members over WhatsApp messages about Vizia. I never thought that they would be so welcoming to allow me to contribute in their magazine. So, I just wrote a short article about Vizia and how to use it. Here is the article

SKAZINE 2020

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Kisah Lockdown Nabi Yunus AS

Surah Al-Saaffat (139-144)

Apakah yang kita boleh pelajari dari kisah lockdown Nabi Yunus AS?

  1. PKP yang dialami oleh kita pada ketika ini jauh tidak sesukar apa yang telah dialami oleh Nabi Yunus AS. Beliau berada di dalam perut ikan paus yang gelap, sesak dan tidak selasa sama sekali berbanding dengan keadaan kita yang meskipun terbatas dalam pergerakan, kita masih boleh berada di rumah yang kita boleh bebas bergerak berbanding dengan Nabi Yunus AS.
  2. Tidak dinyatakan dalam Surah Al Saaffat apakah bentuk zikir yang disebut oleh Nabi Yunus tetapi di Surah An Anbiya’: 87, Allah SWT menyatakan zihir Nabi Yunus secara nas (nyata). Dalam konteks peringkat zikir, sekiranya zikir tersebut dinyatakan secara nyata dalam Al-Quran, ianya memberi maksud pentingnya zikir itu.
  3. Zikir yang dinyatakan itu bukan semata-mata zikir sebagai sebutan tetapi pentingnya penghayatan terhadap zikir itu.
  4. Terdapat tiga penghayatan utama yang menjadi amalan Nabi Yunus AS: 1) Tauhid kepada Allah SWT (beliau memperkukuhkan tauhid / mengesakan Allah SWT) – ini bukan bermakna Nabi Yunus AS kurang ketauhidannya kepada Allah akan tetapi beliau memuhasabah indeks kesetiaan beliau pada Allah SWT. Kesetiaan Allah SWT perlu digilap setiap hari, 2) Mengakui kebesaran Allah SWT dan 3) Taubat – Sentiasa menyedari dan meminta keampunan dari Allah SWT. Kita sentiasa meletakkan satu peringkat dosa seperti merompak dan sebagainya sebagai dosa. Akan tetapi kita terlepas pandang dosa dipinggir mata seperti masuk ke kelas sedikit lewat dari waktunya dan sebagainya. Ianya dikatakan sebagai dosa kecil yang kita perlu sentiasa minta taubat.

Dalam isu COVID-19 ini, kita perlu memastikan terdapat gabungan pendekatan rohani (spiritual) dengan pendekatan teknikal dalam menangani apa jua cabaran dari pandemik COVID-19 ini. Ambillah peluang keadaan sekarang ini untuk kita meningkatan ketauhidan kita, ketaatan dan sentiasa bertaubat terhadap dosa-dosa terutama dosa kecil yang sering kita terlepas pandang sebelum ini.

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E-content… oh… E-content

Remember about the post that I posted few weeks (months) ago? I got the information from the session that I attended. I might have misconception on certain. When I look at my ELPPT 2019 (last year) evaluation for the E-Content, I managed to get 3 marks: 1 mark (Receptive Basic) and 2 marks (Receptive Closed) from 7 E-content materials I uploaded. One thing for sure, if you upload two materials which fall under the same category such as Receptive Basic, you will get 1. So, if you upload one material falls under the category of Receptive Basic and one materials which falls under the category of Receptive Closed, you will get 3 marks. By merely uploading two materials of different categories, you will get accumulated marks. Darn, isn’t it?

I just need to clarify that online quiz like Quizziz is considered as Receptive Basic. Yup. It is 1 mark. But it is kind of confusing because, it is interactive in a way that students interact with the material by answering the questions, and they get immediate feedback (depending on the setting). What went wrong here?

What about Prezi note. It clearly falls under the category of Receptive Basic (1). So how do I get the 1 marks for Receptive closed category (2 marks)? I put my Prezi note on my people.utm.my/hadijahjaffri. There. It is upgraded into another category.

So, if you are asking me how to get 3, 4 or 5 marks. Clearly, I don’t have any idea. Apparently whatever things that I learn so far from whatever workshop does not help much. Am I feeling despair?

Why should I? I know I have done the best. That is all that matters.

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The launch of FSSHEART 20

The launch of FSSHEART 20 is launched today. HEART stands for “Happy, Empathy, Appreciate, Responsible, Trust”. Datuk Dr Nurhafizah Musa was invited as the speaker to share her wisdom and knowledge about Husnuzzon.

I don’t know her personally but I always feel that she is unique. I know that I could never be like her but I aim to at least try to imitate her attitudes and behavior (which is a struggle on my part). She is a role model. Indeed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Qalbun Saleem encompasses attitudes and behaviors essential for relationships, leadership and such. What really important is what and to what extent we are going (willing) to take action to change for improving our attitudes and behaviors. That is the most challenging part. We might be complacent with the things that we are so used to do through certain ways. In this case, it requires and demands us to change the ways we are doing things. How willing we are to change the habits, culture and such?

We need to rely on the guidance from Allah. We need to seek for Allah’s guidance. But first, we need to know how to change as well and be clear about the definition and direction of our action.

For example, we need to know the definition of Husnuzzon (attitudes and how we look at something of other person in positive manner that satisfying/fulfilling or in Malay = sangka baik). It involves training to do reflection (muhasabah) and soul cleansing (tazkiyatul nafs). It involves cognitive and emotional aspects. If we think a negative event as a problem, we will be a problem maker/enhancer. If we think a negative event as a solution or we think a problem as an opportunity to invent something better, we will be a problem solver.

In short, if we think a problem as a problem, we will not be able to move forward to think about the possible solutions. If we think about a problem as an opportunity for us to solve a problem, we will be able to move forward solving a problem. It is how we look at a problem from different perspective matters.

Al-Hujurat (49): 12

O  believers! Avoid many suspicions, ˹for˺ indeed, some suspicions are sinful. And do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of their dead brother? You would despise that!1 And fear Allah. Surely Allah is ˹the˺ Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.

It is undeniable that we have negative thoughts about others. Sometimes we have this in our mind that come across once a while. But those negative thoughts would be dangerous once it is translated in our behavior (verbal or/and non-verbal). So, it is really important to identify the negative thoughts and try to eradicate it before it is translated into behavior. This is not easy. It is a constant battle. This is what I feel. So, that might explain why I have few friends because I am afraid that I might be influenced by them unconsciously. The more the merrier? Not in my case.

How can negative thoughts become sin? As long as it remains in our mind, it is not sinful. But once it is translated into verbal or action, for example, we tell our thoughts about someone (negative) to another person, our initial negative thoughts are translated into verbal action, thus it becomes sinful. We are accountable towards it.

But, another important thing that we have to remind ourselves is to have husnuzzon towards Allah. Sometimes we overlook the fact that we are at present situation because of Him. It is not due to other person’s decision. For example, if we perceive getting a promotion is by designed, it is as if we are in full control of what we can achieve and gain based on our efforts whereas it is the fact that each of us have different capacity and capability given by Allah to perform, achieve and gain whatever things exist in this world either professional status and such.

Of course we should do our best, give the best effort and such. But the One who gives the best solution, guidance and all is Allah. So, it is our responsibility to choose to remain negative or positive. I know it is difficult. This is my personal battle.

Some of the tips that I get from this session is

  • Change our attitudes. Remind ourselves that person might be better than you in things that Allah Knows better. “Force” ourselves to change our negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
  • Inculcate the culture of Husnuzzon

There are five levels of the culture of Husnuzzon:

  1. Taáruf level
  2. Tafahum level
  3. Takaful level
  4. Tanasuh level
  5. Taroodhi level

First: Taáruf level

  • Knowing me, knowing you
  • Getting to know each other is important at personal level.

Second: Tafahum level

  • Emphatize – putting ourselves in the other’s situation.
  • Imagine if we are in the other person’s situation, we need to give ourselves opportunity to understand other person

Third: Takaful level

  • Supporting each other.
  • Each of us have our own strengths and difficulties.
  • Acknowledge and appreciate other contribution

Fourth: Tanasuh level

  • Reminding each other, such as giving advice and such.
  • Learn to appreciate people’s advice.

Fifth: Taroodhi level

  • Open-minded towards what we have and others have (not being envious)
  • Be happy for what others have in terms of position and such without feeling envious

  • Level of relationship

First level: Husnuzzon

Second level: Emphatic and love for good things for others

Third level: Ithar (put other’s needs first above our own needs)

Question ask by an audience (to appreciate the ones who asked the question, I put the original question without translating)

Question: Sekiranya ada hamba Allah menceritakan sesuatu yg tidak benar tentang kita, perlu ke kita bersemuka dan membetulkan keadaan atau perlu ke kita redha dan membiarkan sahaja?

Answer: We need to think about the benefits and negative consequences if we confront the person saying bad things about us. But if it is about our right, we can confront the perpetrator to rectify the matter. We have to do it with hikmah (Note: This is not easy to be done by me).

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What is my first impression of …..

I was called to meet the Chair few days ago.  At first, I was thinking, what should I do to prepare myself to see her?  Well, there is nothing better to do than the usual stuff that I do when I have something big up coming.  Is meeting the Chair fall under such category?  I know that it is not a usual occasion for her to call us one by one.  So, it could be a big thing. 

I have asked around some seniors and they told me about their meeting.  So, I know what to expect.  I hope that mine goes well.  That’s it.

Did it go well?  One thing that I could say is the meeting is a memorable one.  I use “Is” rather than “was” because it does leave indelible mark in my heart. 

Knowing that the whole world will read this (do I care?), I just want to say that “It is not easy to fulfil the expectations that are set forth by others”.  Yup.  As an academician, I know and am fully aware of the things that I have to do but at the same time, I know very well that in the end of the day, what matters most is “Will it matter in the eyes of Allah?”  That’s the question that I would always ask myself. 

Will it matter to get promoted?  Whoah!  Ok.  I am not going to delve into this any further. 

Let’s take a step back about this matter.  I always ask myself about this “In what way that my existence could help others to be a better person?” So, I might appear as a strict supervisor to my research students because if I could not help them to be a better person, what’s the point of being their supervisor?  Of course, in doing so, I will prompt them to give their best.  Clearly, some people who are paper chasing type would have different idea about working hard or working their ass off.

So, does it enhance my importance by getting promoted?  Clearly, it does not matter.  I learn from great people with the title Professor who are thinkers.  Do I find such among my current colleagues? 

Oh, do I have time to look at them closely to make such evaluation?  Better keep myself busy doing other things like making videos for my class than evaluating them.  Just say that I have my own standard that I use to evaluate myself.  It does not rely on whatever and whoever KPI.  Capisce? 

 

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E-Content: Tips that I get from my colleagues

Yesterday, the UTMLead organized a session conducted by Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Nihra Haruzuan about E content.  I was a bit late because I had a meeting with the Chair earlier. 

Alhamdulillah I managed to join the session before it was ended.  There are some tips that I managed to pick up from those who managed to get 5 marks for their e-content.  Here are the tips:

1) Diversify your e content materials.

Make sure that you add a variety of materials for your e-content.  Variety does not mean a lot.  So, if you add only ONE material that worth 5 marks, you can get 5 marks.  If you add 5 materials that worth 1 mark each, you will only get 1 mark. So, why wasting your time to upload 5 materials which equivalent to 1 mark?  On top of that, you can only claim one material once in your e content.  Meaning, once you have submitted for the material to be evaluated in your e content, you cannot submit it again on the following years EXCEPT if you make some changes like adding more information and such. 

Moral of the story:  you need to diversify your materials which belong to different categories of e content materials that carry different weightage of marks to get 5 marks.  

For example, add 1 Powerpoint notes with your voice (it is considered as a receptive material.  1 mark).   A Powerpoint notes with your voice recorded is considered as receptive material because the students do not interact with the material.  They just watch and listen to your recorded material, in this case. 

For 2 marks material, you need to add the element of “having a linkage with another source” such as you link a video within your note or you have animation in your normal Powerpoint note. But, please bear in mind, if you add a video in your Powerpoint notes, the size of the file would be large.  If you add a video in your Powerpoint notes (with recorded voice), and later on you save it as MP4, the size of the file would also be large. 

Other than Powerpoint notes,  you can add another material like Gamification by using Quizziz or Kahoot! in which students need or have the chance to interact with the media.  When you use Quizziz or Kahoot!, you create a question (you can add picture in your question) that prompt students to answer it.  Answering your questions is an example of interaction that students have with the material, which is in this case, Quizziz.  For this kind of materials, you get 3 marks (interactive-basic). 

For 4 marks, you need to make sure there are the element of interaction which is linked either internally or externally.  I have no idea about an example of this.  But basically, for 3-4 marks, there are the elements of students interaction with the material which the interaction is one to one basis (student –> material), not involving the interaction with another students for brainstorming ideas, responses or answers. Don’t ask me further about the examples of materials that fall under this category (4 marks).  But, I would like to experiment with a material that I created this semester.  A video that I uploaded on Youtube. 

Note:  When I created the video, I thought about what are the elements of interaction that I can inject in the video?  One of my colleagues suggested that perhaps I added a question or two at the end of the video.  I tried to find more information and examples from Youtube.  I found several examples of videos which use Powerpoint with audio i.e. voice which have questions and students or others who watch the video can leave answer on the comment box.  Interesting, isn’t it?  But I don’t know if this material would be considered as 4 marks category.  There is no harm in trying, right?  So, I will try it this year.  I will let you know the results next year, In shaa Allah.

For 5 marks, you have to make sure that there are the elements of cooperative learning in which students are able to discuss with one another through the material (e content material) that we provide them with.  A good example that I could think of is, Padlet (make sure you set it as public viewing).  In a Padlet page or worksheet or whatever you may call it, you can add instruction, reading materials such as a short article or you can even link a video in your Padlet and later on, give your students a question that they need to answer.  In addition, you can also instruct them to give comment of the other person’s answer in a given box (you can set a column or box for students to leave a comment underneath another column or box).  In addition, you can also monitor and give your comment or feedback through the Padlet.  There you go.  5 marks!

Note: When I first posted this post, it was the second week of the semester.  So, even though I have prepared a Padlet with questions and whatsnot, I did not have the complete version yet because it lacks of students’ feedback and interaction.  Alhamdulillah, I manage to get the students to give their answers and such on Week 3.  So, here is the example of a Padlet which contains

a) Materials that students can refer to (I gave students a Prezi note and two articles that they need to read before answering the questions that I posed).  I use external materials in this case.  Other than the articles, I linked my Prezi note.  [How about others who have limited internet connectivity who cannot view the Prezi note through online?  Since it is a paid version that I use so I also gave the students the PDF version as an alternative to the online version on the ELearning and our class Telegram].

b) Questions that prompt students to give their answers.  For the Padlet, I set the setting in which students not only can read others’ answers but also can reply or response to others’ answers and such.  So, it has the elements of discussion – but it is done virtually.  So, there you go!  You can have a cooperative learning technique such as Buzz Group.  In a normal case, you have to limit the number of students in one group for this activity.  But, since we need to conduct our class virtually and due to internet constraints that might be experienced by some, we can allow the students to respond with limited time frame.  Why limited?  This is to ensure the students will not take more than a few days to give their response. 

2) Be creative. 

3) Make sure the materials are YOURS. 

4) Don’t be afraid to experiment with a new thing. 

e content