E-content 2022

This year, I plan to submit four types of e-content: tools for communication, gamification, video-based learning, and tools for working together. This morning, I went to another E-content session, where it was confirmed that one of my E-content materials from last year was wrongly graded. I don’t get any points for it, but Dr. Nihra explained this morning (9 August 2022) how I could get points for that material on the rubric. He said, “It’s too late to tell me now because your ELPPT from last year can’t be changed.” Because of this mistake, there is no consolation mark for this year’s e-content evaluation (pun!). Just a note to whoever is doing the judging this year: Please study the rubric very carefully and thoroughly. You did wrong last year, either on purpose or by accident (tongue in cheek comment!).

We can only send in materials from five categories, and we only need to send one example from each category. For example, if you submit TWO things (like Quizziz and Kahoot!) under ONE category, like “gamification,” only ONE thing will be graded, and you will only get credit for ONE thing. This year, the TESDCP system will automatically stop you from adding new material in the same category. So, you won’t be able to add more than one of the same kind of content. So, choose the best piece of the material to submit for your e-content.

You can’t resubmit material you’ve already sent (and that has already been evaluated) unless you add to or change the content. For example, if you’ve already sent in a quiz in the “Gamification” category with 5 questions, you can send it in again if you add 5 more questions.

To experiment with the …………. (fill in the blank) of the e content evaluators, I put in a content under the category “collaboration tools.” It has a lot of things, like a class note, an article, a formative assessment, a discussion platform, etc. All of it is on ONE platform (i.e. Wakelet), which brings together different materials from other places. With just ONE platform, students can get to their class notes, take quizzes, and even talk to each other. Amazing, isn’t it?

I wonder how the evaluator(s) will assess this material . I will let you know if I get any marks for this material (tongue in cheek remark!). May Allah ease the process and bless us with the best results!

One of my colleagues asked me why I am so eager to get a bonus mark for e content. The thing is, I do not aim for the marks. But I want to know how the e content is assessed (evaluation process) because it seems there is “always a minor improvement/tweak” each year. I asked one of the _________ (fill in the blank) and this person admitted that the evaluation process is “improved” since they started to introduce e content back in 2018. The rubric might be the same but the evaluators might vary in their evaluation. Thus, it does explain the variety of marks that I got since 2019 (the first year I submitted e content materials). I asked around and I am not the only person who wonder about the __________ (fill in the blank) of evaluation even though we refer to the rubric to ensure that our e content materials comply to the evaluation criteria.

This is why when some people ask me why they got different marks every year, I would simply reply “Ask Dr Nihra“.

This year deadline for the e content submission is 30 September 2022 (Friday).

Note: If anyone wants to learn about Wakelet, you may refer to Wakelet official web.

Part 4: Wakelet certified!

It took me longer than two days to study and repeat the Wakelet examination. As I waited for the badge, I watched YouTube recordings of former AKRI winners to gain insight on how to express ideas.

Those who are natural presenters with superior oratory skills choose for a presenting approach with little media graphics. Some individuals, however, with a background in multimedia, decide to combine recorded movies embedded in the slides with multimedia graphics.

Me and my team members? We opt for creating a video using a platform that we already know and familiar with. Nothing fancy. As long as the video can deliver the ideas well, nothing else matters. We might add some voice over too.

Part 3: Become a Wakelet superstar!

I had a workshop yesterday. I informed one of the team members who was down with a flu that I will revise again the version that I submitted to her. Even though she was sick, she looked at the latest version and gave her comments. I felt honored that she took a time to review it despite feeling unwell. But both of us agreed that we need to take a step back for a while from it and perhaps when we look at it again in another few days, we have a fresher look at the things that we have done so far. At the moment, it feels things are saturated. As if there is nothing more to add but we know that we still have to make certain changes here and there.

There goes my plan to retake the Wakelet quiz for certification.

I got a message from a senior that I befriended through FB. We had agreed that we are going to have a brainstorming session about action research. She is enthusiastic to conduct the session even though it began at 930pm. To be honest, I was feeling exhausted. But seeing her cheerful face on WebEx, I felt less tired and tried my very best to take notes from the session.

May be an image of 7 people, laptop and screen
I looked so serious while taking notes (tongue in cheek remark!)

This is an opportunity for me to learn something new about action research. Her critical buddies for her action research are prominent figures in teaching and learning. I know both of them even though I have never met them before. She was mentored by these two critical buddies. A final note that she shared in her FB is

When a toxic no longer can control you, they will try to control how others see you. the misinformation will be unfair, but stay above it, trusting that other people will eventually see the truth, just like you did.

Part 2: Become a Wakelet superstar!

While attending a session, I tried to self-study the materials in Wakelet. Normally, I would write my own notes like I did when I self-studied materials for MyDigitalEducator@MOHE program. But multitasking is too much, I guess, so my notes are less perfect.

When I took the Wakelet test, I did not score well. So, I did not get the certificate or badge. I have to try it again.

Moral of the story: Even though it is self-study mode, but I should take note.

Part 1: Become a Wakelet superstar!

Wakelet has offered me a training session to help me reach my full potential as a Wakelet user. If we successfully complete the programme, we will be awarded a badge (plus evaluation). It’s fascinating! However, I was surprised to see how packed my weekends already were when I glanced at my current calendar (this weekend, especially). My cousin is planning a wedding, I have a tutoring session and a two-day workshop (of which I can attend only one), and I feel the need to pause, take a breath, and think.

Perhaps I require a legitimate diversion, such as this Wakelet training, as I am in dire need of upgrading my technological skills. When I received a message from my colleague requesting me to substitute for her, I was eager to begin the training. Am I permitted to use my Wakelet training as an excuse? A conundrum indeed.

There are six modules (including one assessment). It is self-directed study. In each module (five modules), there are more than three materials that we have to self-study.

The Wakelet training could enhance my knowledge in using Wakelet, but the thing that I have to attend is just ________________ (fill in the blank).

“We’ve created a self-paced online course that will train you to become a Wakelet pro and help you share the magic of Wakelet with your learning community. The course takes around 30 minutes, and if you pass, you’ll get an official Wakelet Certified Certificate and badge that you can show off to the world! ” (this is taken from the email that I received)

The 30 minutes are for pros. I am not in that category yet.

Tuition class or counseling session?

I had a tuition class yesterday. I gave the students notes about writing an email. I also explained the written comments that I wrote in the previous essay which I returned to them. Some of the common mistakes that I notice are mistakes in using prepositions and tenses.

We discussed that for an hour or so and after that the students continued with completing the email. Alhamdulillah things went quite smooth. We had few minutes left when I asked the students about “what had happened to few of your classmates who ……… (fill in the blank)”.

One of them who apparently is the bystander told me about the situation from his classmates’ perspectives. The funny thing was they started to ask me about my own experience when I was a student. It is a bit challenging to recall back some experiences which happened more than 30 years ago but I tried my best.

Knowing their current state as teenagers who are in a search of their ” identity”, I gave them my perspectives as someone with some knowledge in psychology. I challenged them to think about options and alternatives, choices, things that are controllable and uncontrollable. Some of the concepts seem a bit alien to them. They never thought that they should be accountable for their actions and seem to be egocentric in which blaming others is the best way to justify their actions. This has to stop.

They need to learn about being accountable. They should stop blaming others as an option to justify their actions. It seems that one of them finds it difficult to accept. I know that he might be unsure, perhaps afraid of being responsible and accountable. The thing is, they are adolescents. In a few years time, they will be adults. They are no longer children, and thus, they have to learn about being responsible and accountable of their actions and themselves. Goodbye to childhood, and welcome to adulthood! Indeed.

Part 8 – MyDigital EDUCATOR@MOHE program: Final evaluation before the real one

The deadline for final evaluation before the “real” one is 29 July 2022. My mentor started to evaluate each of us by looking at the materials, activities and assessments in the Moodle one by one. It took him quite a while to check all of our works.

He gave us a prompt reply using WhatsApp. The comments that I received are: 1) Add information relating to the duration of the module, learning mode, targeted learners and requirement of prior knowledge and (2) Add self introduction.

When I created the welcoming remark video, I just mentioned my name. It was insufficient. Alhamdulillah I use Genially, so I just rerecord again the specific slide. I rewrote the script for the video after Subuh and rerecorded that part again while waiting for a sharing session with one of the members in my group.

In a panicky mode, we need extra assistance from each other and in this case, peer support does help to manage our anxiety. Indeed.

AKRI?

What is AKRI? It stands for Anugerah Khas Reka bentuk Kurikulum dan Penyampaian Inovatif. I attended the sharing sessions with the previous winners (last Tuesday and today, Thursday 28 July 2022). Some of the tips and take home messages that I pick up from the winners are:

a) Use AKRI as a platform to share and showcase your teaching practice

This was mentioned several times by some of the winners. Dr Melissa from UKM crafted instructions for her course (Literature) which are aligned with the CLOs and assessments. I think, it is a common practice by anyone who embrace OBE but the details of how we implement teaching strategies, assessment etc. might usually be overlooked. We have to precise in crafting and giving instructions to our students. The assignments that we assign must be self-motivated in which students feel motivated to complete the assignments, rather than feeling overwhelmed.

b) Keep the necessary things well-documented

We have to make sure the teaching and learning processes that occur is well documented. Using certain platforms where students share their assignments such as YouTube might be useful. Have to make sure to give clear instructions to students to make it public sharing.

c) Think about how it might benefit the students, not only to you as the instructor

AKRI can be a platform to get feedback from experts from various institutions. Any improvement that we do to enhance our teaching practice, it will benefit the students directly or indirectly. But, I think let’s not waste the experts time to evaluate half-done project. This is a reminder to myself as I realise that the data that I currently have is not enough. I need at least a few cycles of data collection. Indeed.

I feel a kind of overwhelmed but I could not stop thinking about a little project that I have started with a junior colleague. I hope our collaboration can be continued in the future. She seems excited when I told about the possibility to assess our teaching practice and get feedback through AKRI. Not this year though. I notice there are several winners who showed the few cycles of data collection, like what Prof Haslinda from UUM showed. I am really impressed what she has done. To go out from one comfort zone is not easy, but any improvement cannot be done if we do not change. A small change is better than none. The impact is not something that we can predict but In sha Allah nothing will go wasted.

Micro credential? What’s that?

I have attended several sessions of briefing about micro credential. It is interesting, but I am not just into it. Why? This is a good example of commodification of knowledge. When I learned about the concept of commodification of knowledge 20 years ago, I could not imagine how it can be actualized but my mentor could foresee it. Reading his works again recently makes me feel scared because the reality is in front of me now. It is daunting.

Having a first hand experience of crafting a simple module for MyDigitalEducator thingy makes me ask myself again “Do I have what it takes to do this?” I am really struggling. I promise myself that I would no longer spend my weekends on creating videos and whatsnot as I am starting to have English tuition classes again starting this July. It is a little project, no grant, no official letter but it is an honor bestowed upon me by the school to make a little difference (if you may call that). I am not an English major but a stint at school for a year was resulted in me having lots of teaching materials that I crafted on my own. I enjoy doing that!

The teachers know and recognize that I am the best person to teach the tuition classes using my materials. Ita said “Kak, bahan yang banyak kau buat dulu tu, kau buat apa sekarang? Kak Imah tanya nak buat lagi tak kelas tuisyen sebab sekarang ni dah macam sebelum PKP. Tak ketat. Hari Jumaat atau Sabtu boleh tak? Budak-budak batch ni ramai yang B40. Tak mampu nak ada cikgu tuisyen yang berbayar macam dulu tu. Budak-budak tu dah tau kau akan ajar mereka. Diorang dah excited” Ita does know my weakest link.

To be honest, I need this in restoring my decreasing faith in myself.

UTM Open Day