Category: Teaching

Am I becoming a Youtuber?

It is never in my wildest dream to be a Youtuber.  Nope.  But with COVID-19, I was challenged to learn new skills or to upskill my existing knowledge and skills.  I was feeling hopeless, helpless and frustrated with myself.  Indeed.

But, I take a baby step.  Some of the video editing is learned from training.  But I also learn from watching countless hours from Youtube.  I follow the tips and step by step process.

Here are some of the videos that I have created so far

  1.  Think-Pair-Share (Moovly)
  2. Sternberg’s theory of intelligence (Moovly)
  3. Cattell’s theory of intelligence (Moovly)
  4. Thurstone’s theory of intelligence (Powtoon)

Poster… poster….

I gave my students an assignment to create an infographic poster.   Wow… I am really impressed with them.  They use Adobe, Canva and so many other apps and software.  Me?  I only know how to use Canva but those who have seen my posters, they know that I need to improve and upgrade my skills and techniques.  I have a long way to go.  Indeed.

These students?  They belong to a different league.  It is hard to choose which the best.  I have my favorite though (tongue in cheek remark).  But I let them to vote two posters (not their own).  The criteria of evaluation: 1) accuracy of information, 2) interesting design/color, 3) attractive (the Wow factor).

Here are the posters (not rank into any specific order):

COVID-19: Unleashed your creativity_Part 3 (Powerpoint Audio note)

With limited internet connectivity, I could not add video on my Prezi note (yup, Prezi has video feature and I am still struggling to create a video using Prezi).  I am still trying out the new features on Prezi.

So in the meantime, I use different approach.  I added my voice on Powerpoint notes.  Old-timer method to others but for me, this is kind of new.

How to audio record your Powerpoint presentation slides?  For beginners

  1. Open your Powerpoint file which contains the slides of a particular topic
  2. On the task bar, choose Slide Show and Click at Record Slide Show (if you want to start recording without rehearsing)
  3. There are two options that you can choose from.
    1. If you choose Record from the current slide, the audio recording will only start at that particular slide
  4. If you choose Record from the beginning, the audio recording will start at the first slide
  5. If you are not sure about how it will turn out, you can rehearse first. At the task bar, choose Rehearse Timings (Click that)
  6. If you want to save the rehearsal version, you can do so. To stop the recording and end the session, Click X button and the following box will appear.  Choose Yes if you want to save the file.   But for the Rehearsal Timings, it does not record your voice though.  It just shows how long you spend time explaining information in one slide.
  7. If you are confident with yourself and do not need to rehearse (or if you have enough rehearsing), Click Record Slide Show and the following box will appear.
    1. You can select and set either to want to retain animation timing or narration, ink and laser pointer. And you can start recording.
  8. On the left side top corner of your computer/device, you may see a box that shows you are recording. You can forward, pause, undo or stop (Click button X).
  9. As you are recording, you can move your slide to the next one by clicking PgUp or PgDn or -> or <- like you normally do when you are moving your slides.
  10. If you want to save the recorded audio notes, you can do so. By clicking X button and it will be automatically saving your audio recording.  Click Save (Disk icon) to double check.

How to double check if the audio recording is ok or successful?  Click HERE

 

COVID-19: Unleashed your creativity_Part 2 (Future teachers)

Before the MCO, I never thought of giving an assignment that requires students to create a video because I was afraid that they need to learn video editing (which I don’t know how myself).  Video editing is a skill that I don’t have (yet) and I don’t teach.

But knowing how tech savvy the kids are nowadays, I decided to give two options of reporting: written (normal version + presentation using PPT slides with audio/voice note) or non-written (video) for this semester course that I teach SPPP/SHPP1012 Educational Psychology.  I just let their creativity unleashed and let them have fun while completing the assignment. (But how do I evaluate/mark their assignment as there are two options that I give to them?  HERE is how I do it)

Students nowadays are different from my generation.  They are more tech savvy and video editing is not an alien thing to them.  Indeed.

Wow.  What can I say!  I am impressed.  These are some of their works:

  1. Pelaziman klasikal by Muhamad Asyraf Bin Yahya
  2. Operant conditioning by Mohamad Fahmi Bin Abu Bakar, Muhamad Ibrahim Bin Johari, Mohd Zuhairie Bin Mohd Aidil and Mohamad Ridhwan Bin Othman
  3. Pelaziman operan by Muhammad Ikhwan Bin Abdullah
  4. Operant conditioning by Mohamad Farhan Bin Mohd Tap
  5. Operant conditioning by Nur Syamimi Binti Ahmad
  6. Self-regulation by Afifuddin Mahyudin
  7. Learning (behaviorism) by Kimberly Elsie Peter, Sharmila a/p Gobi, Kirooshini Navarathnaraja and Hannah Ruth a/p Ramesh
  8. Learning (behaviorism) by Arisha Balqis Binti Abdul Razak
  9. Social learning theory by Nur Aliya binti Amran
  10. Teori pembelajaran sosial by Nurul Nadiah Fadlil Alamin
  11. Operant conditioning by Fatin Maisarah Mohd Ariff
  12.  Teori pelaziman klasikal by Nurzahira Bt Rapani
  13. Teori pelaziman operan by Noorfarah Aimi Bt Habali
  14. Operant conditioning by Nur Aqila Farhana Bt Ismail
  15. Teori pelaziman klasikal by Wan Nursyahmi Idriss B Wan Nura
  16. Teori pembelajaran sosial by Nurulaian Nawwarah Bt Arif
  17. Teori pembelajaran sosial by Zanariah Bt Md Resad
  18. Teori perkembangan Vygotsky by Mohamad Zulsyauqi Bin Basarudin
  19. Operant conditioning by Ahmad Azmirul Hisyam B Ahmad Azam
  20. Teori pelaziman klasikal by Muhammad Nur Hamizan Bin Mohd Zaidin
  21. Teori pembelajaran behavioris by Nurul Ain Binti Zulkifli
  22. Teori pembelajaran behavioris by Muhamad Azfar Haiqal B Jamian
  23. Teori pelaziman operan by Aisyah Bt Yakop
  24. Teori pembelajaran sosial (Bandura) by Ahmad Nabil B Wan Ahmad
  25. Teori pembelajaran sosial by Siti Saidatul Asma Bt Zulkafli
  26. Learning (behaviorism) by Raihan Nadia Bt Roslan
  27. Operant conditioning by Ahmad Farhan B Shai Puddin
  28. Pembelajaran sosial by Nor Shuhada Bt Mohamad Sharapi
  29. Classical conditioning by Zainul Ariffin B Kamarul Azli
  30. Learning (behaviorism) by Nur Umi Rasyidah Bt Mohd Nor
  31. Learning (behaviorism) by Nurul Nazira Bt Mat Juri
  32. Teori pelaziman operan by Muhamad Sahirin B Abdul Sharif
  33. Teori pelaziman operan by Muhammad Zulfikri B Zul Edwar
  34. Teori pelaziman klasikal by Nurul Nasyita Binti Ahmad Fuad
  35. Teori pembelajaran behaviorisme by Amirah Afiqah Bt A Rashid
  36. Teori pelaziman operan by Nurfatinnajwa binti Rusli
  37. Teori pelaziman operan by Sulaiman B Hapit
  38. Operant conditioning by Aeron Tan Kwok Hou
  39. Operant conditioning by Muhammad Amin B Abdul Razak
  40. Teori pelaziman operan by Mohd Haizal Hariz B Jamhuri
  41. Teori pelaziman operan by Muhamad Faez B Mohmed Zi
  42. Operant conditioning by Qalida Aima binti Muhammed Khiruddin
  43. Teori pelaziman operan by Mohammad Syafiq Bin Roslani
  44. Operant conditioning by Afiq Hamizi B Jetan
  45. Pelaziman klasikal by Amir Ikhwan Bin Mohd Elham
  46. Teori pelaziman operan by Muhammad Hakimi Bin Mohd Fazil
  47. Teori pelaziman operan by Farizalmi Bin Juhari

Note to the haters: Come on, guys!  I know there are better videos according to your standard, but give my students a break ok!  They have done their best.  These are the future Malaysian teachers!  I am proud of them!  I think I need to learn video editing and whatsnot.  I feel old and outdated.

When Telekom cable was stolen_First incident

Staying at a sub-urban area is a blessing. When one of my colleagues lamented that I should have mobile wifi with unlimited dataplan and not using any excuse of unstable and limited internet connection of not conducting synchronous online class, I just bite my tongue to suppress myself from saying anything that I should not say.
I conduct my class using asynchronous online classroom method. Yup. No webex, zoom (uhuk uhuk controversial) and bigbluebutton. Here is the testament that I have provided materials/activities on my eLearning that students can use to assist their learning. On the day when we suppose to have class, I use Whatsapp to have “live” discussion.
Alhamdulillah, the internet is back now but still slow (low bandwith internet connection). Having this experience makes me emphatise with my students who are having the same predicament as me. So, synchronous online class is not a viable option for us.
In sha Allah if everything goes well as planned, the discussion of all topics will end on week 12.  So, my students can start their revision a bit early.

Be creative

Be creative.  One of my colleagues lamented that some course require face to face interaction.  Then this person later said “It is ok if you just teach theoretical stuff.”  Who says I only teach theoretical stuff?  For my Fundamental Pedagogy, I use Tarsia and all.  Hands-on stuff.

But still when times like this, I don’t want to jeopardise my life and my students lives.  We need to take action.  So, I told my students “I know that some of you might need to go home and your home might not have internet connection.  It is ok.  But if you have no other means to go back home and need to stay inside the campus, you can go to the Elearning.   I leave some materials that you can use to revise on your own and keep yourself occupied.  I also create a forum so if you have anything to ask, you can ask me or others.  So you will not miss out anything”

So, I have been busied finding materials and linking it on my elearning plus creating forums and whatsnot.  I hope that the students would learn on their own (self-learning) with the support that I give (scaffolding).

My second attempt using BigBlueButton: SPPP1012/SHPP Educational Psychology

I really need to learn this new thing fast.  I really have to master it well.  These are my aims.  But when the reality starts to hit me hard, I know that there are some of things that are beyond my control: server congestion.

Kudos to CICT and UTMLead teams who work extra hard and go extra miles to make sure that we can use the available platform to conduct our class.  It is not easy to be done.  But everybody is doing their best job

I was starting to get panicky when thing happened like this. I got disconnected.  I had a crash course session with my colleague on using Google Meet.  We experienced some technical glitches.  But, never mind.  We will try again.

I just renewed my Prezi subscription.  I just learn that it has a new feature.  Video presentation with the usual Prezi notes.  Alhamdulillah.  A good news for me.  I have started to learn creating video-slides presentation using Prezi.  I know that it is a new challenge for me.  I know that I might need extra time to learn it well.  But I will not give up.   I am not in a race to get to any finishing line.  I will get it done somehow In sha Allah.   May Allah ease my journey to learn these new things.

BigBlueButton…. oh… BigBlueButton

I attended a workshop on using BigBlueButton last week.  It is very interesting until it dawns to me that I have a large group of students for my UG courses.   But the facilitators assured me that since all of the students will log in at different places, unlike the computer lab, there won’t be any internet glitch.

Suddenly, I remember the student that I had last semester who didn’t own a smartphone.  It makes me to start thinking further “Does this student has a laptop that can be connected to internet/wifi?”  or “What if there is a student like that this semester?”

So I decided to conduct a simple survey to explore this issue especially with regards to the ownership of a smartphone and a laptop/computer which is crucial if I want to use BigBlueButton later on.  It is like I am asking students to write using a pen whereas the students do not have any pen.  We cannot simply assume that students can afford to have smartphone or computer.

On top of that, since BigBlueButton is like Skype, you need a headphone (at least with or without the microphone).  You cannot get a headphone for RM5 to RM10.  Based on my observation on the Free Meal/Market, there was time when 50 pens were taken by students.  It means that 50 students need a pen that to us might cost pittance.   If they cannot afford to buy a pen, what more something like a headphone, smartphone or computer, right?

I met Hadi on my way back to my room.  He also just finished his class.  We talked about this possibility.  He said that he is aware about this too because back in the days when he was the student leader, he knows some students who would give all of their PTPTN loan to the family.  They would do odd jobs to survive at UTM.  Similar scenario is still happening now.

As an instructor, is it fair to conduct an online class where your students do not have the tool to get connected to you?  Anyway, I am still waiting for the students to respond to the survey.  So, until then, I will keep waiting before deciding on the next course of action.

Chocolate, anyone?

Every semester, I aim to do something new and learn at least one new thing.  I know some might say that I am capable to do or learn more than one thing but my aim is to do something or learn something new extremely well.  That is challenging.

I had a quick look at my Elearning before coming to my first undergraduate class today.  I noticed that there were three students who have “visited” my Elearning five days ago (5 February 2020).  At that time, Nihra told me that the Elearning was not that stable yet so I have to wait at least few days to start uploading materials and whatsnot.  I uploaded some materials on Friday (7 February 2020).

What should I do to reward the students who made such attempt to visit my Elearning?  I looked around my office.  Apparently, my junk food stock has “diminished” and all what left is the chocolate that one of my seniors gave me when she went to Jogjakarta last year.  An artisan chocolate.   So, I looked at the names again and wrote it down before I went to class.

As I started my class with introduction to the course, I remembered about those students.  So, I stopped my explanation for awhile and started to call their names.  They were shocked.  But I know that they are flattered as well.  Something that might has never happened to them before.  Who would care to reward a simple attempt of logging to the Elearning, right?

I reward them because it is unusual for students during their semester break to log in to Elearning, just to have a look at “what’s-new”.  Of course, it is related to the things we are going to discuss this semester.

This is not the chocolate that I gave them. They are not that lucky though (tongue in cheek remark)