Category: Other

Getting 5 marks for e-content materials

It is a bit cliché to say that “Just do your best to create teaching materials for your class”. Well, everybody aims that but the real thing is, how far we are engaging students in learning process with the materials that we give or with the instruction that we give?

I never get full marks. That is the fact. But I never aim to get full marks when I create or craft my teaching materials for my students. It is just that when people ask me about “how to get 5 marks” for ELPPT bonus, I feel sad because I could not help them much in this thing.

But nevertheless, even though it is stated that the materials should be interactive yada yada yada, I do not know what it means. I am a bit slow in this but for this semester, one of the experiments that I do to improve my teaching is to use Padlet as a platform for students to showcase their presentation as well as discuss about the topic of presentation using asynchronous mode since some of them have to share devices and there are many of them have internet accessibility issues.

This is the example from one of my classes – CLICK. This is not considered as e-content.

Why does it not being considered as e-content?

ONE: Padlet is only used as a platform to collect and share students’ assignment. There is no interaction UNLESS we give an EXTRA instruction in which they have to give feedback on each assignment which is showcased in the Padlet. I did not do that. So, it is not considered as e-content.

TWO: The instruction given is too generic. You have to be more detail in giving the instruction. How to do this? First, think about “What is the thing that you want to accomplish – Is it students’ interaction? Is it just sharing information? Second, use simple, compact and concise wording. This is the most challenging part, for me personally. I am struggling with this. What I normally do is, I will brainstorm with another colleague how to rephrase the instruction. Sometimes, to have another person to brainstorm ideas is better than doing it alone. I am blessed to have such colleagues around me even though there are just a handful of them. Well, they are the best. It is most important. Quality. Not quantity.

E-content: Why is it confusing?

*sigh* There is amendment (betterment??) for the e-content.

Previously, I was told that Padlet which is interactive/active can get 3 marks. But, now, it is 2 marks. What the _________ (fill in the blank of your preferred word).

The rules of the game has changed this year (2021). To whom it will benefit? How does it use to assess me as an instructor? Does it mean that if I able to produce materials whatever that I use in my class, I am a good instructor? What if I am so fed-up with this game and decide that I just could not be bothered by it anymore and do not upload any materials even though I have it, in this case, am I no longer considered as a good instructor?

I will stop asking existential questions. I rest my case.

Where can I get the Blended Learning certificate ?

For those who got band 5 (the rating for blended learning), you can download the certificate which you can upload later on for your ELPPT – Bonus (Anugerah Pengajaran) here for 2022. You may find your old certificate for session 2020/21 onwards. So, if you want to find the older certificate for session 2019/2020 or 2018/2019, you might not find the certificate in the current system.

  1. Log in by using your email and staff number
  2. You will see the list of courses and blended learning level. Only level 5 will have the + button (blue color) activated where you can download your certificate.
  3. Click the + button to see the button where you can download your certificate

Just do your best to improve your teaching. Remember: “We teach not to attain glory but to educate future generations for the betterment of ummah” (it sounds cliche, right? But it is one of the things that I learned from great mentors of IIUM).

COVID-19: 1st dose of vaccine

On 24 July 2021, my eldest sister told me that there was a special quota vaccine registration at Kompleks Penghulu before 12pm. So I rushed with my other sister to register ourselves. While queuing up, there was an announcement that the registration was meant for those above 30s. There was a couple behind us that said they felt relieved they are in their 30s. Since we were wearing face mask, our faces were partially hidden and people might think that we are in our 20s. Nope. We told the couple that we are in our 40s. Long gone the days when we were in our 30s and 20s. As we went nearer to the registration counter, there was this PIC who suddenly asked one of the people who was queuing. Apparently, he is under 30s. So, even though he has been queuing for around an hour, he could not register. Well, it seems this vaccination drive was meant for certain age groups.

I got a call on Thursday asking me to come to the Dewan Raya Kg Sg Tiram at 11pm on 30 July 2021 (Friday) for vaccination. I went with my sister. Unlike others who said their vaccination process only took less than 45 minutes, mine took more than that. All in all, from the moment I arrived to the moment I got injected, it took more than 30 minutes. With the observation time (15 minutes), everything was done in an hour. There was a booth to take pictures and whatsnot but since there were more than 5 people were taking pictures (non-stop posing etc.), I told my sister that we should give it a pass. It is better to be safe than sorry since the place is a bit crowded and so many people were holding the placard and whatsnot.

What did I feel after that? I felt hungry, tired, and pain on my left arm. I also sweat profusely. I did not feel feverish but I took Panadol before I went to sleep. Just in case. On the second day, I could not raise my left arm above shoulder length. I felt tight on my left arm. I don’t force myself to stretch or anything like that. On the third day, Alhamdulillah I feel ok. I still feel a bit sore on left arm but now I can raise my left arm straight. So, I think I just got a mild side effects. Alhamdulillah.

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: 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?

The Big #5 things to be focused in 2021 at UTM

01: People Management

02: Institutionalize I.S.E.S

03: Strengthening research impact

04: Governance

05: High Performance Delivery

These are the five BIG things that I need to internalize. It is not easy as each might have its own challenges but I will give my best shot for all five things.

I know that some things cannot be rushed. To produce students who are future-ready employers, they need to be adaptable. How can we make them adaptable to the world out there which is volatile, relatively changeable and fixed? That are the common questions that we are concerned with but the real challenge is how to develop individuals who happen to be our students as human being.

To make them adaptable, we as the role models have to adaptable as well. This is the real challenge as we may be complacent with what we have and how we do things. But we cannot overlook the fact that we are also the role models as human being. Sometimes, students learn values that are not measured and often than not are overlooked in teaching and learning process. There are so many examples around which are self-explanatory.

COVID-19 pandemic challenges me (personally) to review how I teach my students via online method. It is not easy to teach via online format but whether we like it or not, we have to force ourselves to change.

My stance: Just do it and never give up. Slow but steady.

Note: I know others are more into fast lane mode, but I am not like that.