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.

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

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

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