To my current and future students

Here are some questions that my current and previous students had and have asked me before, so I hope that there will be no student to ask these questions again.

a) Can you give me a list of reading materials to read?

If you take a course that I teach, you may find the list of reading materials and references in the course information. It is a lot and I expect you to find ALL the reading materials on your own.

If you are a research student, the ability to find a list of references on your own IS necessary. It shows you are an independent researcher. Relying on me as the supervisor to find, accumulate and list references for you shows that I do not trust you to be independent enough to find your own references. This is insulting. You do not want me to insult you indirectly, don’t you?

b) Can you teach me how to write a few sentences as examples of how to write my proposal?

I have taught and teach secondary students how to write an essay. Do not insult your intelligence by asking me to treat you like a secondary school student. You are an adult learner and tertiary level student. You do not need me to write sentences for you.

c) Can you proofread my proposal?

Proofreading is difficult. It is time-intensive. I spend so much time editing my own work that the last thing I need is to edit the work of my students. As your supervisor, unless you pay me to edit your work, I do not proofread. But I do not need a side income of proofreading at this moment. So, I do not take any proofreading job.

d) What will you do if I do not submit any writing to you for one whole semester because ……………. (fill in the blank)?

My style of supervision is simple. If students do not submit any writing for one whole semester, I will write a report as it is. I will not sugar coat saying students have what it takes to be independent yada yada yada. Students will be surprise how honest I can be in this sense.

e) Will you remind me deadlines etc.?

I have my own deadlines to meet. Reminding students about their deadlines is not my priority. Students should be responsible and accountable in meeting deadlines of their own assignments/proposal etc. Normally, the relevant offices will send notification to students. Students should be aware about it.

e) Is it compulsory for me to present my proposal (proposal defense)?

As a student, you should be aware of your program’s requirements. You do not need me to remind you of the requirements of your programme; as the student, you should already be aware of what is necessary to complete your studies.

f) When can I know the schedule for the research proposal defense?

You should submit your proposal for evaluation prior to receiving the proposal defense schedule (date, time, and location). The schedule cannot be implemented if you have not even completed writing chapter 1 (there are 3 required chapters for the proposal). It will remain in your thoughts/plans/dreams. I believe that students require their own learning time and space. Some students may require more time than others to learn or complete tasks such as writing proposals, etc. Even though there is a monetary incentive for “Graduate on time or GOT” blah blah blah, I couldn’t care less.

g) Where can I find information about research proposal defense?

Just google it. Type, “Research proposal defense FSSH UTM“. Or you can use any other key words that you can think of. This information searching is straight forward. You do not need a supervisor to be the fact finder for you. This shows that you are not independent to find information on your own relating to your own study.

h) What are the requirements for my program?

As a post graduate student, you can find the requirements of your program from the faculty’s website. There is also a briefing given by the administrator every semester (normally) for postgraduate students. If you miss that briefing, it is not your supervisor’s problem. Really.

P.S: If a student asks me similar questions, I will be sure to make a note of them while preparing the progress report. I never asked my former supervisor about the above questions because I can find those information myself as an independent researcher. Capisc?

Mata CPD (lama dan terbatal)

Apa itu CPD?

CPD adalah singkatan Continuous Professional Development atau dalam BM ianya dipanggil sebagai Pembangunan Profesionalisme Berterusan. Istilah dalam bahasa Inggeris digunapakai lebih kerap berbanding dengan istilah bahasa Melayu. Tidak kira istilah yang digunakan, ianya merujuk kepada perkara yang sama.

Bagaimana pengumpulan mata CPD dilaksanakan?

Mata CPD dikumpul apabila pegawai menghadiri apa jua bentuk sesi yang mempunyai ciri budaya pembelajaran berterusan.

Apakah bentuk sesi yang dianggap sebagai CPD?

Sesi tersebut boleh dalam bentuk kursus, bengkel dan sebagainya sama ada kursus wajib, kursus khusus, kursus umum, pengkayaaan ilmu, job on training, program gaya hidup sihat, bengkel kursus, bengkel kerja, MyLine, lawatan rasmi/korporat/sambil belajar, dan Epsa (e-pembelajaran sektor awam). .

Berapakah tempoh CPD yang diperlukan bagi setiap tahun perkhidmatan?

Tempoh mata CPD adalah 7 hari latihan setahun bersamaan 42 jam setahun bagi tujuan meningkatkan prestasi pegawai dari sudut pengetahuan dan kemahiran.

Bagaimana menyemak mata CPD di UTM?

Mata CPD dipaparkan di UTMSmart.

Nota: Mata CPD bukan BTSA (Beban Tugas Staf Akademik). Untuk maklumat lanjut, boleh layari laman web Pendaftar UTM.

Makluman tambahan: Maklumat tentang CPD ini adalah berkuatkuasa sebelum 2 Mei 2023. Mulai 2 Mei 2023, pelaksanaan mata CPD telah bertukar.

UTM Blended Learning Reporting System 2022 (Nullified)

Where can you get the blended learning certificate?

  1. Go to http://elearn1.utm.my/caps
  2. Log in by using your email and staff number
  3. 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. (Click the + button to see the button where you can download your certificate)

Note: This is only valid for 2022 Blended Learning. For Blended Learning 2023, it has different URL link.

Note:  When I attended the workshop in September 2022, the link was different.  Do not use this link http://elearn1.utm.my/15163/CAPS/elearning/v5/

Elearning 1, 7, 3, 2

What is Elearning 1, 7, 3, 2?

The number 1, 7, 3, 2 refers to the aspects/elements that you need to complete in complying to the blended learning format.

1 refers to the course information that you have to upload in your Elearning.

7 refers to seven units of teaching and learning materials that you upload in the Elearning. It could be your class notes, any article that you want your students to refer to, videos that you want the students to watch before your class starts etc.

3 refers to three online learning activities that you have to set and make sure the students engage in the activities that you have assigned. It could be forum (for students to discuss about specific topic) or feedback etc. We have to make sure online discussion could be conducted through synchronous or asynchronous ways. For asynchronous discussion, we have to make sure we show “lecture presence” during the discussion. There are several ways to do this.

For example, we can give students few questions to discuss (asynchronous) but in a synchronous mode later, we could discuss their response or answer. In this case, our presence can be felt even though we give students time to give their response at their own time.

Another way is, we can give questions to students to discuss and we can chip in during the discussion even though we do it virtually.

2 refers to two assessments that you give students in a form of a quiz (it could be graded or non-graded assessment), or assignment (where students upload their assignment)

Last but not least, you have to make sure the average access of students to log in is at least twice per week so that the active index would be 28% per semester (active index).

Menggapai rahmat Ilahi

KEROHANIAN FSSH 2022, SIRI 120: Menggapai rahmat Ilahi ~ Surah Ar Rahman, Ayat 1-13

Rahmat Allah SWT adalah sebab seseorang masuk ke syurga, bukan disebabkan oleh amalan yang dilakukan oleh orang tersebut ketika hayatnya. Dalam konteks ini, bukan bermaksud seseorang itu tidak perlu melakukan amalan baik tetapi seseorang itu perlu berntung harap terhadap rahmat Allah untuk dikurniakan syurga kerana amalan yang dilakukan di dunia ini tidak mampu untuk melayakkan seseorang itu syurga Allah. Setiap yang berlaku di dunia ini seperti keupayaan untuk melakukan ibadah seharian adalah dengan rahmat Allah.

Akan tetapi, meskipun kita menghadapi dugaan di dunia dan melakukan dosa, kita perlu sentiasa memohon ampun dan bertaubat kepada Allah kerana mendapat taubat dari Allah adalah merupakan rahmat Allah. Rahmat Allah jauh lebih besar dari segala dosa yang kita lakukan tetapi kita perlulah tidak berputus asa dengan hidup kita (dugaan, cabaran dan ujian di dunia ini) dan juga sentiasa berusaha untuk melakukan amalan baik dan berhenti dari melakukan dosa.

Daripada Abu Hurairah radiallahu ‘anhu, Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam bersabda: جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الرَّحْمَةَ مِائَةَ جُزْءٍ فَأَمْسَكَ عِنْدَهُ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ وَأَنْزَلَ فِي الأَرْضِ جُزْءًا وَاحِدًا فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ الْجُزْءِ تَتَرَاحَمُ الْخَلاَئِقُ حَتَّى تَرْفَعَ الدَّابَّةُ حَافِرَهَا عَنْ وَلَدِهَا خَشْيَةَ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُAllah telah menjadikan rahmat sebanyak 100 bahagian. Dia menyimpan di sisiNya sebanyak 99 rahmat dan menurunkan ke muka bumi 1 bahagian daripada rahmat itu. Disebabkan 1 bahagian daripada rahmat itu, makhluk-makhluk saling berkasih sayang sehinggakan haiwan mengangkat kakinya daripada anaknya kerana takut akan terpijaknya. [Sahih Muslim, Kitab at-Taubah, hadis no: 2752]

Intipati:

  • Allah memberikan satu rahmat dari 100 rahmat di muka bumi ini.

Cara mendapat rahmat Allah

  • Berbuat ihsan dalam ibadah (Ihsan ialah merasakan seseolah kita melakukan sesuatu perkara, Allah SWT memerhatikan kita)
  • Bertaqwa kepada Allah
  • Banyak berdoa untuk mendapatkan rahmat
  • Mendidik anak dengan penuh kasih sayang
  • Mengasihi semasa makhluk

Kesan tidak mendapat rahmat Allah

Kesan tidak mendapat rahmat Allah bukan sahaja di dunia ini akan tetapi juga di akhirat di mana seseorang itu boleh dikategorikan kepada tiga. Seorang lelaki yang berzina itu bukan sekadar merujuk kepada orang yang berzina, tetapi juga orang yang masih bergelumang dengan maksiat dan perbuatan yang dikira sebagai dosa besar. Pemimpin yang berdusta itu juga merangkumi kepada aspek tidak amanah dan tidak menjalankan tanggungjawab dengan adil (atau berlaku zalim dalam melaksanakan amanah). Seorang miskin yang sombong merujuk bukan kepada individu yang miskin harta tetapi juga kepada individu yang kekurangan dari sudut lain yang lupa dan angkuh dalam meminta dan mengharapkan bantuan dari Allah SWT. Setiap insan adalah miskin di sisi Allah SWT yang maha kaya. Oleh yang demikian, kekayaan dan kurniaan bersifat keduniaan bukan bermaksud seseorang itu kaya di sisi Allah SWT.

Dari Abu Hurairah RA bahawa beliau mendengar Rasulullah SAW bersabda: “Ada tiga golongan manusia yang kelak di Hari Kiamat, Allah tidak akan berbicara kepada mereka, tidak akan melihat mereka dan tidak akan menyucikan mereka, dan bagi mereka azab yang sangat pedih. (Mereka adalah); lelaki lanjut usia yang berzina, pemimpin pendusta, dan orang miskin yang sombong.” (HR Muslim).

How to add questions in bulk on Elearning?

There are several ways to add questions in bulk. But the one that I have tried is using notepad (text). It is quite straight forward. From the questions that have been vetted (which normally is saved in Words Doc), we just copy-paste the questions from Words Doc file to Notepad.

Step 1

Just make sure your question might appear like the following example. There is no numbering for each question as it will be automatic. Make sure you have the options for answers (A, B, C, D (multiple choice question) or A and B (if it is true/false). Do not forget to write your answer scheme (caps lock)

Example of question:

B F Skinner was one of the pioneers in behaviorism.

A. True
B. False
ANSWER: A

Step 2

Go to your Elearning

a) Click Setting

b) Choose Question bank

c) Click Import

d) Choose file format -> Click Aiken format

e) Import questions from file -> Drag and drop files here to add them.

Step 3

Double check your questions in Preview.

Step 4

After you have uploaded the questions in bulk, you can create a quiz/final examination and select the questions that you have added in your question bank in the quiz/final examination.

For example: If you have 60 questions in your question bank but for your final examination, you only need 40 questions, just select 40 questions to be added in your final examination.

Elearning berwajah baru bagi sesi 202223

Mulai sesi 202223, semester 1, Elearning di UTM akan berwajah baru disebabkan oleh Moodle dinaik taraf kepada versi yang lebih terkini. Sesi taklimat akan diadakan mulai Oktober 2022 sebanyak tiga kali. Elearning bagi semester dan sesi baru (Semester 1, 2022/23) boleh diakses mulai 3 Oktober 2022 (Isnin). Oleh kerana semester baru akan bermula pada 16 Oktober (bagi kampus JB), terdapat lebih kurang 2 minggu kita boleh menyediakan Elearning bagi kursus yang akan diajar pada semester hadapan.

Quillbot: Paraphrasing tool (Part 2)

I am addicted to use this tool. I have a few things that I need to edit. But knowing how stressful I can be during this period, I know that I might experience writer’s block. So, I set certain timing to check my writing using this paraphrasing including the worksheet that I use for the tuition class.

In addition, I also have to edit an abstract for an article. At first, I thought the word count is around 400-500 words but after looking the instruction written in the template of the article, I noticed that the word count is lesser than that, 200-300 words. I need to delete more than 100 words. It is not easy.

Using Quillbot allows me to shorten the abstract within seconds! This is interesting but I have to be careful that I might be dependent on Quillbot to edit my writing, rather than relying on my actual writing skills.

Quillbot: Paraphrasing tool (Part 1)

One of my friends showed me a tool to check spelling, grammar, and other things. I was excited, but when I found out that the paid version has more features, I was a little unsure. There are a few types of subscriptions that we can choose. But yesterday, as I was struggling to come up with better phrases and words, my friend (you know who I’m talking about!) who happened to be sitting next to me opened up Quillbot. She was able to come up with better phrases and wording in a matter of seconds.

Wow! I was impressed, and without further delay, I took out my credit card and began the subscription process. However, I was unable to complete the transaction. Something is wrong. I informed her that I was unable to complete the process. She did something incredible! I would be eternally grateful to her for her kindness. I began using Quillbot before 8 a.m. today. I used the tool to improve my writing. I used an abstract of my student’s thesis, a personal project, and some previous postings on this blog to get myself familiar with Quillbot.

I am aware that this technology is useful, but how will it assist me enhance my writing skills? (the skills that I possess without relying to any tool).

PENYAKIT UMAT TERDAHULU

Rasulullah SAW pernah bersabda di dalam satu hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Abu Hurairah RA:عَنْ اَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ يَقُوْلُ: سمَعِْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُوْلُ : سَيُصِيْبُ أُمَّتِي دَاءُ اْلأُمَمِ فَقَالُوْا : يَا رَسُوْلَ اللهِ وَمَا دَاءُ اْلأُمَمِ قَالَ : اَلْأَشَروَاْلبَطَرُ وَالتَّكَاثُرُ وَالتَّنَاجُشُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالتَّبَاغُضُ وَالتَّحَاسُدُ حَتَّى يَكُوْنَ اْلبَغْىُ (رواه الحاكم)

Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu ‘anhu berkata: “Aku pernah mendengar Rasulullah SAW bersabda: Umatku akan ditimpa penyakit-penyakit yang pernah menimpa umat-umat dahulu. Sahabat bertanya, “Apakah penyakit-penyakit umat–umat terdahulu itu? Nabi Muhammad SAW menjawab: “Penyakit-penyakit itu adalah terlalu banyak berseronok, terlalu bermewah, menghimpunkan harta sebanyak mungkin, tipu menipu dalam usaha merebut harta benda dunia, saling memarahi, hasut menghasut sehingga menjadi zalim menzalimi antara satu sama lain”. [HR al-Hakim]

I came across this hadith on my friend’s FB page. It caught my eyes. I start to ask myself questions. I have to be mindful about my actions, thoughts and feelings. This is not easy but have to be done.

UTM Open Day