COVID-19_Teaching and Learning | Hadijah binti Jaffri

COVID-19: Using comics in teaching undergraduate students

Long time ago, I used Calvin and Hobbes’s cartoon for my Social Psychology class. I find that there are certain things related to psychology. The psychological terms depicted in comic strips are relatable. But it has been a while since I taught Social Psychology, so I have not used cartoon or comic strips in teaching.

One of the juniors shared a book by David Kyle Johnson – Science Fiction as Philosophy (Course Guidebook). I was blown away by the idea of using science fiction in teaching, especially teaching philosophy. I think Prof Johnson is a geek who like sci-fi movies. I am not that hard core sci-fi person though. So, even though I was introduced to Star Wars, Star Trek and such by one of my brothers when I was a kindergartener, yet somehow I am not a big fan of those things. I watch such movies for the sake of entertainment, but I never really into knowing the details of each characters or the plots.

But after studying the course guidebook by Prof Johnson, I got some ideas in crafting activities for my class. Nope. I do not teach philosophy though. But let’s see how it goes.

COVID-19: Reading marathon

I bought some books. But never had a chance to really finish reading one book in one sitting. I really had enough of online webinars or whatever sessions. I feel overwhelmed with back to back online sessions. I feel I need to take a break from all those things, and read.

It is not easy to finish reading in one sitting. It has been a while since I am able to do that. Most of the time, I would be disturbed by “other” things.

Reading these two books make me review and reflect my life as a teacher and educator. I know that I am not Erin Gruwell. My students are not like hers. But a stint in a school for a year gives me a glimpse of what a teacher has to face on daily basis. It depends on the school and students that one might have. But at the end of the day, it will come back to the question of “What did I do to make a difference in these students’ lives?” That question has no single answer but it serves as a reminder than teaching is not for the faint-hearted.

COVID-19: Dear former student

An FB post that you posted on 21 September 2021 caught my attention. I could not stop thinking about your well-being. Being a mother of two young children is not easy while working at home to teach due to the pandemic. I know you are strong, but there are times when you might falter. It is just a phase. A tough phase to deal with by a tough lady like you. It is ok to be sad, frustrated and hopeless with certain things but do not let it drag too long.

Take one thing at a time. It is so common to hear people say that. But it is true. Sometimes, we need to break things down into manageable chunks that we can deal with. There is no need to rush on doing things.

I am so proud of you. With what you have done and accomplished so far, I believe and always pray that you will go far in your life as an educator. There were times when I was your teacher, but now, you teach me more than I can teach you. I learn from you and others so many new digital tools that I can use in my class. I learn from you and others to persevere despite the challenges that we might face in life. I know that you are a risk taker in changing hardship into success. Like Ralph Waldo Emerson said “To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often“. Together in this journey as educators, you are not alone. We always have each other. We might have been through hell and back in life. But we have a choice not to remain there. If we choose to live in misery, we will be miserable in life. I know you will make a better choice than that. I pray may Allah ease the challenging process.

COVID-19: IUCEL 2021

At first, I was hesitated to participate in this event. Someone reminded me to look at the data that I have accumulated over two semesters (we always share ideas about our teaching practice). What should I do with it? I was thinking that whatever that I was doing at that time was in the experimental phase. I discussed the idea with a junior. She told me that I should give it a go. There is nothing to lose and the cost of the event is affordable (RM250). So, in between classes and whatsnot, I focused on refining my idea. It was not easy but I just set a deadline (my own) and submitted the application.

There was another colleague from SOE who also submitted her application. Alhamdulillah. I was not alone! Then I found out that there was few others who also submitted their application.

It is a baby step for me in exploring and improving my teaching practice. Am I a SOTL practitioner? Let’s say that I am trying my best to be one. I know that I need to document my journey. This is one of it.

I never thought that I would win a Silver Award for this T&L innovation. It is a humbling experience that I will not forget. In sha Allah

Pssstt… there were people asking me why I did not put any other name in this? Well, it is my teaching and learning practice. Unless there are others who collaboratively do similar kind of things in class and we collaboratively work on things together, I think it is unethical and it shows that I am lack of integrity to allow others to “menempel” in my work. I know it is challenging to uphold the true spirit of I.S.E.S. (Integrity, Synergy, Excellence, Sustainability) with so many distractions and temptations but to remind myself, I will ask this question “Kalau sekejap lagi Allah panggil untuk pergi ke alam lain, apakah sanggup aku nak menjawab apa yang aku buat di alam ini?”

COVID-19: Improving one’s teaching practice

There is no one magic potion in improving one’s teaching practice. It requires conscious awareness and act of improving (it contains series of stages). I have a discussion with one of my juniors. One of the things that she has experimented with in her Philosophy of Education class is using comics as a tools to “spark” discussion.

She presented her findings in a conference about that. She also presented her teaching experience using oral assessment to replace final examination. It is a rare practice to use oral examination for final examination, but she did that. Practically, her students were not as many as I had. So, it was possible for her to conduct oral examination.

Retrospectively, it might take me the same amount of time to assess my students using oral examination as compared to normal written examination if I have a small class (less than 15 students per class). However, if I use oral examination with more than 40 students (like I had last semester for my Psychology of Personality class), it might take me more than a week to complete the oral examination. Let’s say I allocate 30 minutes per person. If I have 40 students, it means that I have to allocate 1200 minutes = 20 hours. I can only do let’s say 2 hours of presentation per day. Meaning, I have to spend around 10 days to complete the oral examination for 40 students. It is too time consuming.

Since majority of my students are teachers, so, the only free time that they have is on weekends. Weekdays? There are so many things going on with the preparation of home-based schooling (PDPR). I must consider this aspect as well.

In short, in improving one’s teaching practice, one should take into consideration about students’ needs, situation and condition. For my junior, upon taking all of that aspects into consideration and discussion with her students, she did oral examination to assess her students’ knowledge (PLO1). Good job! I just wish that she gets the appropriate recognition and appreciation. Well, sometimes people like “fake” stuff over “original” gems (tongue in cheek remark!) It is their choice. It does not downgrade the value of the original gems. Indeed.

COVID-19: Assessment for session 2021/22

To craft valid assessment is an art. An art means it is not depends on one’s personal whim and fancy but it must have the element of an assessment – to measure what it supposed to measure. Sound easy? But many of us are struggling to come out with a rubric as a guideline of assessment. So, the short-cut method is just to use whatever available rubric and change it a bit here and there to suit with the course that we are teaching. The real question is “Can we do that?”

Since we are using the new course information (CI) starting next semester (session 2021/22), I decided to revamp the rubrics of the courses that I teach next semester. It is not an easy process. I used the rubric handbook as a guideline and looked at the CLOs and PLOs that will be addressed in each course. One of the challenges is even though the PLOs might be the same for different courses, yet, the assignments could be different and thus, no one rubric is applicable for different assignments.

I thought it might take me a few days to create the rubrics. Well, days turn into weeks. But I am satisfied with the results. There is another one course which I have not “updated” the rubric. I am not the course coordinator. So, I have to wait for the course coordinator’s decision before I make any changes.

For the rest of the courses, I have uploaded the CI, instructions for assignments and rubrics on Padlet. Since Padlet is not cheap, I intend to use it extensively. I do not mind to be called as “The Padlet lecturer” as I know that using Padlet helps me to organise my materials for teaching as well as to monitor collaborative discussion among students. Of course, I can do it using ELearning features like chat and forum, but I just want to give my students different experience of using different platforms and tools available. In addition, Padlet can be used as a platform for formative assessment. (Psssttt…. I also can claim the activity that I give in Padlet as e-content material. Want to know more information about that?)

COVID-19: Strategi memperkasakan budaya positif dalam kelas

Bagi merancang dan melaksanakan strategi memperkasakan budaya positif dalam kelas, pastikan kita ada 2 panduan ini: membina hubungan guru-murid dan proses berterusan.

a) Membina hubungan guru-murid

– Dalam membina hubungan guru dan murid, kita boleh menetapkan perjanjian kelas (class contract) – tetapkan secara bersama-sama apa yang dikehendaki dalam kelas, gunakan bahasa positif dan berfokus, mudah/senang difahami, bersesuaian dengan keadaan, dan mewujudkan suasana yang selamat dan tidak mengancam.

– Perjanjian kelas bukan peraturan kelas kerana perjanjian kelas ditentukan oleh murid bersama guru, bukan guru. Perjanjian dibina dalam bentuk ayat positif, mengandungi tndakan yang mudah diikuti oleh murid, spesifik, sentiasa dipamerkan dan dilihat oleh murid dan diamalkan oleh guru juga. Guru menjadi suri teladan.

b) Proses berterusan dan bukan bersifat “one-off“

4 Strategi memperkasakan budaya positif

Menentukan perjanjian kelas
Menintegrasikan rutin

3. Melazimi “positive narration”

I will try this in my class, In sha Allah.

4. Memberikan penghargaan

– Kalau PDPC, ganjaran boleh diberikan dengan menggunakan buku ganjaran.

– Dalam konteks PDPR, boleh menggunakan PlusDojo. (I will explore more about PlusDojo).

COVID-19: Memperkasakan budaya positif dalam bilik darjah

Budaya positif dalam pembelajaran melibatkan usaha yang terancang. Ianya boleh dibentuk dan memakan masa. Kita perlu mempunyai usaha yang konsisten kerana budaya positif bukannya pilihan tetapi keperluan (penting seperti pentaksiran atau perancangan pengajaran dan pembelajaran). Kemerosotan dari segi minat, pencapaian dan sebagainya akan berlaku sekiranya kita tidak dapat mewujudkan budaya positif.

Pelajar perlu mempunyai keyakinan untuk mengambil risiko untuk salah. Pembelajaran tidak mungkin berlaku sekiranya pelajar tidak melakukan kesalahan atau kesilapan. Kegagalan patut diraikan, bukan dihukum.

Budaya positif dalam bilik darjah boleh diwujudkan dengan melibatkan deria yang pelbagai seperti deria penglihatan, pendengaran dan psikomotor.

4 aspek budaya positif dalam pembelajaran

Komunikasi
Memberi idea
Mengambil risiko
Berani/ selamat

3 Ps (atau TOP)

Purpose (Tujuan)

Kita perlu menggambarkan (visualize) tujuan yang ingin kita tuju. Gambarkan dalam minda kita, pelajar kita seronok terlibat dalam aktiviti yang kita laksanakan. Dari situ, rangkakan aktiviti yang kita akan laksanakan untuk mewujudkan perasaan seronok dalam kalangan pelajar kita. Dari visualiasi, ianya akan diterjemahkan dalam tindakan yang kita lakukan. Akan tetapi, amatlah penting bagi kita memastikan emosi kita selaras dengan apa yang kita gambarkan dalam minda tentang budaya positif (contoh: gambarkan murid sedang berkomunikasi dengan rakan yang lain). Sebagai permulaan, boleh letak apa yang kita gambarkan dalam bentuk peta minda.

2. Processes (Proses)

Tentukan nilai bersama dengan murid/ibu bapa/rakan guru

Jangan “syok” sendiri. Tapi, sekiranya sukar untuk menentukan nilai bersama ibu bapa dan guru, kita boleh fokuskan menentukan nilai bersama murid terlebih dahulu.

Nilai yang ingin dicapai seperti penglibatan pelajar (komunikasi), menawarkan/ berkongsi idea, mengambil risiko dan mewujudkan persekitaran yang membolehkan pelajar berani mengambil risiko dan berasa selamat.

Cara melibatkan pemegang taruh ialah dengan cara

– a) Inform (maklumkan perkembangan atau apa yang dirancang)

– b) Consult (mendengar masalah dan aspirasi. Berikan maklum balas bagaimana pemegang taruh telah memperngaruhi hasil.

– c) Involve + Collaborate (memastikan masalah dan aspirasi menjadi fokus guru)

– d) Empower (melibatkan pemegang taruh untuk merancang). Proses ini memakan masa sedikit.

Analisa jurang (gap review)

Kita perlu melakukan refleksi dan analisa sejauh mana budaya positif telah wujud dalam kelas. Apakah yang telah dilakukan? Sejauh manakah ianya telah dilaksanakan? Sejauh manakah ianya berkesan? Apakah yang menghalang budaya positif dilaksanakan? Apakah yang boleh diperbaiki/ ditambahbaik?

Apa jua yang kita lakukan, kita kena pasti tempoh masa pelaksanaan teknik, intervensi atau program yang ingin kita lakukan.

3. People (Orang)

People = nilai kemanusiaan. Perhubungan antara guru dan murid tidak lengkap tanpa nilai kemanusiaan. Don’t just teach, create relationships.

Pedagogy of the heart, not just pedagogy to teach.

COVID-19: Penggunaan Aplikasi Zoom

What I like about the Masterclass Pemimpin GSL by Sime Darby is they provide a note that I can refer to. Being a slow-mo and not so tech savvy, having such notes is helpful. But at the same time, since I also attended the synchronous session, I have a chance to do hands-on thing with the guidance from the facilitators.

I notice that the facilitators are young and energetic. So, I hope their enthusiasm would rub off a bit on me. It is not easy to keep myself updated with the technology and teaching/learning tools or apps, but I will learn some of it slowly according to my pace and needs.

COVID-19: Microsoft Teams training

I have been attending trainings on Microsoft Teams since last year but I am still struggling to use it. Of course, some of my students had become my guinea pig to experiment the Microsoft Teams features. Well, take it this way. When I show them what I am setting for their classes etc., they also learn new things.

I still remember one of my RS2 students (Master student) who was my first “sample” in my little experiment. Together we learn that, in order for her to access materials that I put in Microsoft Teams, she needs to have live.utm.my account. It is not an account which is assigned to them automatically. Students need to request or I can request (as an instructor of a course) to UTMDigital team – Email them at software@utm.my. Pssstt it is better if the students request it themselves.

From the training conducted by Dr Azizul yesterday, I learned from Dr Marlia and others (participants) about new features that Microsoft Teams has. Dr Azizul even said :”Saya pun baru tahu benda ini“. It makes the learning process less solitary.

Often than not, when I am stuck with something, I would google it up but nothing beats human interaction. So, like yesterday, when Dr Azizul encountered certain glitches like (Take Over) during the demonstration of Microsoft Meet, there were other participants who gave their opinions (possible solutions) and Dr Azizul even used us to experiment with new things. The session became interactive. But being a lecturer, there were times that Dr Azizul instructed us like his students. Well, some of use were a bit unruly to try out things to the point Dr Azizul’s slides “went” missing. Whose fault is that? So many of us were clicking the Take Over button at that time. It was kind of difficult to find the culprit.

But it was so cool! I feel that we are learning together and there is no air or feeling of superiority exists during the training. I feel assured that we are struggling together in learning new things. I feel supported as there are regular users like Dr Marlia and others who shared their experience, tips and certain valuable information. I find that I become more confident in using Microsoft Teams (even though it is still a baby step for me).

After the session, I tried out few things on my own. I told one of my juniors that we can experiment to use Microsoft Teams next semester. She later shared with me videos created by Mike Tholfsen. Wow, there are so many new videos! I like it so much! In sha Allah I will try my best to prepare my Microsoft Teams classroom (errr… a term that I use as it has similar features like Google Classroom).