Category: COVID-19_Teaching and Learning

COVID-19: 7th Global Higher Education Forum 2021 (GHEF 2021) “Disruptive Era: Higher Education at the Crossroads

It is a two day forum. I might be able to join today’s session. I have another event tomorrow. To capture some important points that I might use later on for my class, I create this post. YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAP3vNO-p4w

Key note address 1: The COVID-19 aftermath: What the future holds for higher education and the sustainable development goals in a disruptive epoch.

By: Emeritus Prof Geoffrey Scott, Western Sydney University, Australia

  1. SDGs is not independent of each other. Each is interdependent of each other.
  2. Changes only happen when people find the values of changing current practice/situation. The drive to change depends on value on engagement and implementation for change and progress. But the real question is, does change bring about progress or does vice versa?
  3. Work ready graduates not only for today but for uncertain future – work ready plus graduates. Uncertain future is so unpredictable to certain extent, we might overlook and unable to foresee what the future holds.
  4. COVID-19 is a disruptive problem which brings about ethical dilemma. Decision making is value-laden. Graduates need to have values to guide their decision making. It is not enough to have technical knowledge if graduates are lack of values: honesty, authenticity, willingness to persevere, humility, compassion, kindness to others, learn from errors , inventive etc. Such value are grounded in religion and societal values.
  5. University needs to focus not only on competency (knowledge and skills) but also capabilities (self awareness, decisiveness, commitment, influencing, empathizing, strategize, flexibility, responsiveness). Individuals should have clear position on the tacit assumptions that drive the 21st century challenges.
  6. Good ideas with no ideas on how to implement them are wasted ideas (I LIKE THIS!!!)
  7. Change does not just happen but must be led and deftly. This is the responsibility of administrators to lead. Leaders need to be able to listen, link, leverage and then lead – always in that order.
  8. Moral purpose should be clear and use as a guideline. It is not enough to focus on STEM by neglecting moral purpose. So, the focus should shifted in STEAM. Arts are needed to inject the humanizing aspects of technical things which deal by STEM.
  9. Emerging myth? Teaching is learning? Information is learning? Leaning is not profoundly social experience. ICT is always the answer. Higher education is a cost, not an investment and is a business not a public service. Change is achieved through brute logic?
  10. Some things that I need to think. a) Wicked problems challenge us as human beings b) Ranking could lead to perverse consequences

Key note address 2: Higher education in the age of disruption: What are matters of Society 5.0?

By: Dr Yuko Harayama

  1. COVID-19 brings out and imposes new rules due to constraints on mobility, person-to-person relations, social issues such as social divide, digital inequality, surveillance for contact tracing, solidarity, preparedness, responsible actions for future generations etc.
  2. The question of what are the rules or ruling principles of delivering services (including education system)
  3. In Japan, Science and Technology Basic Law was proposed in 1995 and has been used as a guideline to deliver the values of openness, sustainability and inclusiveness which shifted Japanese society from technology-based society to humanity-based society. It is no longer about information society 4.0 but in the current situation of uncertainty, it necessitates Japanese society to move forwards and address not only economic growth but also well-being. Human-centered is needed more than before rather than focusing on advancement of science, technology and innovation (STI). Society is based by STI but human being will always be the center of everything. For example, the question of how to add a human touch of online teaching becomes more pertinent.
  4. Do not afraid to create space for experimentation even though we might make mistake (but we need to learn from the mistake that we do).

P/S: To be honest, there are back to back events organized by my faculty but I am starting to feel overwhelmed by it so, I need a breather. This forum gives me fresh invigorating ideas especially some of the ideas are coming from people outside my own faculty. There is nothing wrong with people in my faculty but after a while, I start to notice the similarity of ideas coming from them so I need different perspectives with regards to education system in general. There is also someone that I highly admired in this forum (tongue in cheek!)

COVID-19: How to create a meeting using Microsoft Teams?

I know that some of you might be expert users of this. But I create this post as a reminder to myself the steps. Transfer of learning takes time. Even though I have learned how to use WebEx, Zoom and Google Meet (all can be used for online meeting), yet there are specific features which are unique for each provider.

Like WebEx, Microsoft Teams Meeting also has similar function for breakout room, recording and transcription. You can also change the background by adding your institution logo or picture that you like. There are free samples of background that you can use. This feature is similar with Zoom and Google Meet too.

So, what are the differences?

  1. If you have Microsoft live account, you can store it in a folder (don’t ask me how. I need to review the recording of the session to learn this)
  2. You can create a Team (such as for each of the section that you teach) and it is easier to set meetings and also to organize notes, manage your students assignments and such because Microsoft Teams also has a “live” chat feature for the specific group or team that you have created. So, you can minimise using the official ELearning (but I don’t suggest you fully utilize this if you want to make sure your Blended Learning rating is high – tongue in cheek). Google Classroom has similar features like this but if you do not subscribe the premium version for Google, you might have certain limitation.
1. Go to your Microsoft Teams calendar, and click New Meeting
2. You will see three options: 1) Schedule meeting, 2) Webinar and 3) Live event. For normal classes, choose Schedule Meeting.
3. You will see this once you click Schedule Meeting. Fill in the information required (this is similar like WebEx, Zoom or Google Meet). But if you do not have any Team yet, make sure you add the information on Add required attendees. In my case, I have created a team for my masters students so, when I add required attendees, it will appear the email of the student that I already save.
4. This is the final version. You may see the invited attendee(s) of this meeting will appear under the Tracking box. If you forget or do not know the email of someone that you want to invite to this meeting, you can click Copy Link and share the link to the person via others means such as Telegram etc.

How do I know that I have successfully set a meeting with this student?

I am an old lady. So, I asked her via Telegram. She replied by giving me a screen shot.

Zalikha sent me this screen shot. So, I know that she has received the invitation.

COVID-19: Tafsir Al-Quran dan Hadis Darjah Lima

Inginkan aktiviti untuk murid atau anak anda yang menghadiri Sekolah Agama Negeri Johor?

Yang berikut adalah aktiviti yang sesuai digunakan untuk menguji kefahaman murid atau anak anda tentang pelbagai tajuk bagi mata pelajaran Tafsir Al-Quran dan Hadis Darjah Lima. Aktiviti berbentuk kuiz ringkas dibina menggunakan perisian Genial.ly. Ianya boleh digunakan oleh sesiapa secara PERCUMA dan tidak perlu meminta kebenaran saya untuk menggunakan aktiviti tersebut kerana ianya adalah untuk kegunaan umum dan tiada had.

Terdapat sepuluh (10) tajuk seperti yang tersenarai dalam buku teks.

Tajuk 1: Dakwah secara berhikmah

Klik SINI untuk capaian ke aktiviti.

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Tajuk 2: Adab masuk rumah

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Tajuk 3: Perintah dan larangan

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Tajuk 4: Kehidupan dan perhiasan

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Tajuk 5: Taat kepada ibu bapa

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Tajuk 6: Kejadian manusia dan ketentuan

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Tajuk 7: Amalan yang tiada asas agama adalah tertolak

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Tajuk 8: Syubhah dan hati

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Tajuk 9: Agama itu nasihat

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Tajuk 10: Kewajipan menegakkan agama Islam

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COVID-19: CMap

Learning new things are not easy and challenging at times. Indeed. For CMap, I find that I need to learn about certain features and functions embed within CMap. After watching several videos relating to CMap, I realise that trial and error might be helpful in making me understand CMap better. Even though I follow the steps (while watching a video relating to CMap), and yet I notice that the steps are for basic things.

If I want to make the mapping fancier than the first version, I need to explore certain things on my own. That’s what I have been doing since yesterday after I had a supervision session with one of my PG students. While double checking her chapter 4, we find certain things that needed to be corrected (I force her to double check together with me – tongue in cheek). After finalizing the framework that I created using CMap, I asked her if she wants to publish her work in a journal. Well, I never force my students to publish in any journal but I always give them options. It is their right to choose.

Upon hearing the idea of publishing her work in a journal, she waved her hand frantically indicating that she does not want to do so. But I gave her another option saying that I would revise her writing and redo the analysis if needed to make it publishable. Then, she laughed and said “If you are going to do that, I am ok. I think doing a Masters is enough for me and I do not aim to publish my work any where“. Sigh…. I need to encourage her more on this.

COVID-19: (Another) Sharing session with my former students

Another sharing session by my former student who is now my teacher to keep myself updated with the current situation and trend of home-based schooling. But, today’s session is a bit different. What is it? Oh, I know. I get it! It is a bit formal.

Her tone and language that she uses are formal unlike last week. Then I notice some unfamiliar names. I think unlike last week who was attended by my students, this time around it is attended by her colleagues from the same school and few friends. I know that this session does not have any CPD points or whatever for me, but I like this kind of session. I learn new thing: Mylink.la (this is a Malaysian company, if I am not mistaken).

COVID-19: FSSH FREE 2021 video competition

I know that I can be a bit bossy. Yup. So when the faculty organised a competition last May, my initial reaction was “Ok. It is just another competition“. Then, someone messaged me and reminded me that I need to submit a video. What a heck! In a midst of doing something else and now I had another thing that I required (semi-forced) to do, I was hesitant to submit a video for the competition.


Then I remembered a video (at that time, it was not finished yet) that I was creating for my class. A short video as another version of a class note. Rather than giving normal slides and whatever, I convert the notes, recycle some points here and there from the class notes and turn it into a video.


But I need pictures and second opinion. I was desperate. I asked some of the group members and most of them said “I didn’t use that in my class“. But, I know two people who use Gallery Walk in their class. So, I bugged them to give me pictures. Of course, they were hesitant. I told them something like this “You have nothing to lose. We need to do this as you will be the next in line to be bugged by you-know-who if we don’t get the video done. We need to help each other in this“. So, they shared the links to their Padlet. I screen shot it and cropped it and the video was done. Phew!


Of course, one of them feel guilty because as if I am the one who do all the work. Well, since I am using Genial.ly (paid some more, right?), I might as well use it to the max. What I need is someone to give me evidence in a form of pictures and someone who can double check the written texts in the video (context, grammatical mistakes, sentence structure and stuff). So, their contribution is in terms of giving me materials for my video and FOC of proof reading (tongue in cheek!).


Making a video is easier if we have materials, content that needed for a video. With my minimal skills of video editing, I use Genial.ly which does not require “technical” video editing skills. I do not need to know the “layers” of contents which can be found in Moovly, Powtoon and other apps when I use Genial.ly. There is nothing wrong with Moovly or Powtoon but for me, it takes me longer time to produce a video using it.


Note: There are only a few people who are responsible in creating the video though and RM80 is for me to cover half the cost of the annual fees I paid (tongue in cheek!). Without the support of my Sub Group Leader (Dr Doria who happened to be my former student long time ago), the video which was used for the competition will remain as my class material in which I don’t use for whatever competition. Thanks to her, I was motivated to finish the video.

COVID-19: CMap… what is that?

I admit that I am a slow user, adapter, adopter to new things. So, when Prof Khairiyah introduced CMap to us last Friday. I started to google and watch YouTube videos about it. Well, I am a true laggard indeed. CMap has been around more than five years but I am just know about it this year, 2021.

Never mind. I just need to take a small step, one thing at a time. At first, I think that I do not have anything worth to be converted into a concept map (that is what CMap is all about. A tool to organise points or ideas through concept map illustration). At this point of time, I do not want to go through my class notes to extract points and such. I am just need a break from looking at my class notes (tongue in cheek). I need to get a refresher.

So when I had a supervision session with my masters student who is still struggling with her qualitative data analysis yesterday (22 June 2021, Tuesday), I offered to teach her CMap even though I never used it before. What a great pretender, don’t you think so? An impostor. Indeed.

But the thing is, by looking at her qualitative data, my mind started to think the data in visual form. I can no longer stand anything in lengthy wordy sentences even though she has simplified the data in table form. Nope. My mind demands something simpler than a table (still too wordy to me).

So, I opened a new CMap file and I started to create one thing after another. Before we knew it, a framework-like illustration was produced. Both of us were amazed. My student did her part by looking at the raw and semi-analysed data that she has from her computer while I did that scribbling part on my computer using CMap.

Here is the result (not perfect but it is better than nothing).

COVID-19: A sharing session with my former students

I got a message from Shafaza or Lord Zara aka my former student on Saturday afternoon (19 June 2021) “Salam Dr. Esok kalau Dr free jam 10 pagi, jom Dr. Hihi. Nak email boleh? Saya nak invite Calendar” [Roughly translated: Salam Dr. If you are free tomorrow at 10am, let’s join (sic). Can have (sic) email (sic)?”]

So, with that message and with less preparation for slides or whatever, I joined the sharing session that she organised. Even though there were only 6 of us who could make it to the session, yet we have a fruitful and impactful session. Immediately after the session, I tried out Baamboozle (but I have not finished creating a game yet. It is a slow and steady process for me)

.Kudos to the organiser, Shafaza (the one with the live picture)

At the end of the session, they asked if I could provide a certificate for them (palm on face). But I reminded them that not all things important can be quantified and documented. The session was a personal, mini reunion thingy and sharing information and skills that we learn in our teaching practice. So, I think it is much meaningful than any session with certification but less interaction. In this session, we shared other things (not to be shared here – tongue in cheek) about the current situation and dilemma that we are facing as educators. But despite all challenges, we know that we are not alone in this journey.

COVID-19: Can you teach us how to use Genial.ly?

Since COVID-19, I aim to learn at least one online platform or application per semester. I know I should not set my target that low but, I know myself better. I learn better if I can focus one thing at a time. Multitasking is a thing of the past.

I posted some videos that I created using Genial.ly on my FB because I want to share it with my friends (an example of videos that I created using Genial.ly). One of my university friends and my former roommates during undergraduate asked me if I can teach her and some of her colleagues how to use Genial.ly. Rather than feeling flattered, I was scared because there are many things that I need to explore and so many things that I have yet to discover.

Since then, I make a point to allocate at least 30 minutes per day to improve my skills on using Genial.ly. It could be either watching YouTube videos on Genial.ly (an example of YouTube video) and immediately I will try out following the instruction while watching the videos repeatedly or I do the exploration myself – this is trial and error.

I should know better that sometimes, when solving a problem it is better to have a guidance rather having no guidance at all. So, when I set the time (to monitor the progress) learning while watching YouTube (by following instruction simultaneously) or learning without any guidance, I find that I learn better and faster after and when I follow instructions from YouTube.

This makes me realize that I need to do something about my teaching. So, I prepare some videos which involve steps by steps explanation and give it to students to watch it first before coming to class (synchronous mode) and discuss or have a hands-on session. However, I notice that some students are still struggling despite all the efforts that I have made to make sure that I provide the best guidance and support through online learning. I realize that it is not my lack of efforts that contribute to the lack of progress on their parts, but rather it is due to technical things that they cannot control i.e. lack of internet data-plan and such. What should I do now?