Category: Personal

The 2nd International Action Research Competition (i-ARC) 2022/2023: Should I?

I was devastated when the article that I sent to a highly recognized journal in August was rejected. So, I changed the article a bit and sent it to another local journal publisher. But I have not hear anything from them yet until now. I got a response from the former journal within two weeks but it is nearly two months since I heard anything from the latter. *sigh*

One of my friends suggested that perhaps I should consider i-ARC 2023 and get some feedbacks that I can use to improve my research. Perhaps the problems lie in the way I conducted the action research. Reading action research textbooks makes me realize that there are many models. Some are highly theoretical and others are more practical. May be there are things that I overlook while conducting action research in my class. If this is the case, I need to get feedbacks. One of the ways that I can think of getting feedback is through sending my article about the action research that I conducted in my class to be evaluated by others.

It took me a few hours to shorten the article which I originally had planned to submit to a refutable Action Research journal. Well, I admit that I recycled some ideas from the rejected article. It is a normal process to edit, adjust and recycle ideas from different article. Is it plagiarism? It is from me as the author. It is my work and the data was collected by me over more than 4 semesters (until Session 2021/2022). But, for i-ARC2023, I only used data that I collected last semester (Semester 2, Session 2022/2023). Why? The data that I collected from Session 2019/2020 until 2021/2022 has already been used for another article. Also, I think I need to make sure that I would not overpublish my data. I have seen some had done it before but personally, I try to avoid this practice.

How to check the books that you have borrowed from the UTM library? (as in Sept 2023)

There are updates about the log in system.

These are the current steps that I use to check the books that I borrowed from the library.

  1. Go to https://library.utm.my/
  2. Then Click the icon My library account.
  3. You will be directed to this page https://opac.utm.my/
  4. On your right side corner (on the top corner), you will see Log in to your account
  5. Log in using your ACID ID and password.

Note: The old version method to log in to your account is by using the ID number at the back of your matric card and the password that you have set before. If you forget about the password, you can come to the circulation counter at the library (depending on which campus either Skudai, Pagoh or KL), and reset the password with the assistance of the PIC.

TEACHING FROM THE HEART AND SOUL (12 September 2023, Tuesday)

This talk was by Prof Dr Abdul Karim Alias.

These are some of the questions that he posed at the beginning of his talk: “Are you passionate about research but finding teaching to be just another box to check? Do you wonder if there is more to being an educator than just delivering lectures and grading papers?”

The emphasis is on inspiring students who would carry the torch in the future to be “inspired, curious, and passion-driven scholars”. How can we not only embrace our roles as researchers but also “be change-marks, nurturing a new generation of brilliant minds and solidifying out institution’s legacy of academic excellence”?.

UNESCO’s four pillars of education: 1) Learning to know, 2) Learning to do, 3) Learning to be, and 4) Learning to live together.

Tips:

  • Project positive vibes to students regardless of what we experience at the moment.
    • “You are rainbow in clouds”. We can bring meaningful experience to our students’ lives. We can make difference in their lives. Refer to Maya Angelou’s poem “Rainbow in the clouds”. The analogy of rainbow symbolizes hope and renewal. Rainbow also symbolizes inclusivity, diversity and all embracing image of love and friendship.
    • Concern about the well-being of students beyond the compliance to OBE.
    • Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan is the beacon. It should be the guiding principle as it also includes the spiritual parts especially about the belief in God. Based on the Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan, the key message is “Learning is about being – not having”. It is not about having good results (CGPA) etc., but being human beings in its truest essence. “The quality of life is invariably related to the spiritual being first rather than the material being” – Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.
    • The focus should be about building character and values, not just focus on intellectual capacity and competency.
  • VUCA world (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity). It presents so many challenges that make us as the academics to feel overwhelmed, distracted and extremely busy.
  • Know your own self-worth as an individual who hold so many positions and responsibilities. Do not let yourself to be defined by figures and numbers of KPI etc. What matters most? Finding balance is not about 50-50 of things that we do but knowing our priorities without jeopardising our health (physical etc.)
  • Do personal SWOT analysis from time to time.

Pit-stop questions (Take a moment to think about these crucial soul-searching questions):

  • What is the purpose of education?
  • What does it mean to be a “good teacher”?
  • Who is your model? Can you recall a teacher who made a lasting impact on you? What made them special?
  • What does professionalism in teaching mean, and what does it entail?
  • What does it mean to teach from heart and soul?
  • How can I assist my students to find their own passion for learning?
  • Does the culture of academia influence your teaching style?
  • What is your best investment so far for your personal and professional growth?
  • How can I avoid burnout?
  • How do I achieve work-life balance?

Three qualities: Integrity, Intelligence and Energy. Without the first, the other two are meaningless.

Teaching is hard work because it is “heart” work.

When u make time for Allah, Allah will give you time that you need. When you practice calmness and peace in solah, Allah will give you calmness and peace that you need. – Hussain Yee –

List of books to read

  • Unraveling Faculty Burnout: Pathways to Reckoning and Renewal
  • The courage to teach

Note: For more details, you may refer to the notes by Prof Abdul Karim.

Majlis Apresiasi FSSH 2023

Ini adalah kali kedua Majlis Apresiasi FSSH dilaksanakan secara bersemuka sejak pandemik. Alhamdulillah ini adalah kali pertama aku menghadiri Majlis Apresiasi FSSH secara bersemuka. Aku tidak menghadiri majlis ini tahun lepas kerana ada urusan yang tidak dapat dielakkan. Antara mesej yang disampaikan oleh Prof Arief hari ini yang dapat aku ambil:

  1. Niatkan apa jua usaha yang kita lakukan sebagai ibadah. Oleh yang demikian, lakukan dengan bersungguh-sungguh terhadap apa juga tugasan yang diamanahkan.
  2. Anugerah yang diberikan kepada lebih dari 100 warga FSSH pada majlis ini bukanlah bermakna tiada penghargaan kepada yang lain yang tidak menerima apa-apa anugerah. Tetapi perlu kita mengingatkan diri sendiri tentang anugerah dan ganjaran yang paling utama iaitu pada yang Allah akan kurniakan pada hari kiamat.
  3. Kejayaan yang di akhirat adalah lebih utama dari apa jua kejayaan di dunia ini. Ini adalah sesuatu yang sering didengari dan diucapkan tetapi bukan mudah untuk dihayati dan diambil ikhtibar dari contoh yang sedia ada. Sebagai contoh, kejayaan seperti yang telah dicapai oleh firaun meskipun merupakan satu kejayaan yang nampak gah dengan adanya piramid yang dikatakan sebagai salah satu keajaiban di dunia, kejayaannya bukanlah satu kejayaan yang patut dibanggakan. Ini adalah kerana pembinaan piramid melibatkan penganiyaan dan kezaliman kepada ramai orang dan piramid itu juga boleh dilihat sebagai satu bukti dirinya menganggap dirinya sebagai tuhan. Dengan pelbagai barang yang ditemui di tempat dirinya dimakamkan, kita boleh mengambil ikhtibar akan apa jua yang dimiliki di dunia ini adalah bersifat sementara sahaja.
  4. “Model keluarga FSSH Berjaya” berdasarkan prinsip yang tidak menggadaikan kesejahteraan warganya. Menyumbang yang terbaik mengikut kemampuan, tetapi bukanlah sampai menghasilkan tekanan yang mendatangkan kesan pada kesihatan fizikal dan mental. Dalam hal ini, kita merencanakan kecemerlangan dengan keikhlasan tanpa mengorbankan kesejahteraan.

Good Clinical Practice results

Since I took the exam on 8 March 2023 (Wednesday), so until 30 March 2023 (Thursday), I awaited the results with bated breath. Every time a new WhatsApp message appeared, I attempted to avoid reading it. Finally, the day arrived when they announced the results.  But we would get the results through email.  I tried not to think too much about it.  I kept myself busy.  But on 30 March 2023 around 9pm, I received the email.  

Alhamdulillah.  Out of 15 candidates, only 7 passed the examination. I asked my sponsored friend if she passed.  She passed the exam after taking it twice. Me?  Let’s say it was worthwhile for me to take the exam.  Will I retake the examination in another five years?  Well, let’s wait and see.  In sha Allah I will retake it again IF it is needed for whatever reasons.  

Good Clinical Practice

A friend inquired whether I was interested in attending a three-day course on Good Clinical Practice. The costs of RM1100 are a tad pricey, however. In addition, a certification examination would be administered on the third day. 40 multiple choice questions. To obtain the certificate, we must earn at least 32/40 points. Yup. There can be no more than eight errors, which is equivalent to 80%. Tough? You bet.

My friend gave me a copy of the book which I can use so I could start studying earlier before the course.  But, between the exam, grading assignments since early February 2023, and other things, it was difficult to find time to study. I determined to study the book from cover to cover no matter what. So, I arrived slightly early for the next couple of weeks in order to study for at least an hour or two. While invigilating examinations, I diligently attempted to finish reading and studying the book. But, reading a book containing legal words is difficult.   So, I decided to create notes for myself using concept-map format.   I do not now how it would help me to improve my memory but I need to do something.  Knowing how ________ my hand-writing is,  I need to have something that I can read with ease.

The exam on Wednesday at 1130am lasted only one hour and consisted of forty questions. Time passes quickly? Indeed. I had limited time to double-check the entirety of the questions. I just reviewed the OMR form and ensured that I had answered all questions. “At least, I answered all of the questions” I said to myself. That was my determination. After the exam, I could hardly recall the questions I had answered. When some of us were discussing the questions, I did my best to recall them, but it felt like a dream. I have no memory of answering the questions.

Now, the only thing I can do is pray that I would pass the exams the first time around. That’s my hope.