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: Bengkel Penulisan Bab 1

Alhamdulillah internet ok. Pelajar aktif tanya soalan. Cuma ada beberapa hal yang aku rasa macam tidak adil untuk pelajar sebab sejujurnya, aku tiada pelajar penyeliaaan untuk PSM. Pelajar terakhir PSM yang aku selia pada tahun 2012/2013. Hampir 10 tahun yang lepas. Bila Dr Diyana memberi sedikit maklumat diri aku ketika kata aluan, aku rasa kecut perut seketika. Naluri hati berkata – kata “I am such an impostor. I am not like that. It is nearly 10 years since I had a PSM student as my supervisee. Not only that, the last time I taught Research Methodology for undergraduates was in 2012. I feel cringe with the thought that I have to present myself like an expert whereas I am clearly lack of experiences with undergraduate supervision”.

Aku cuba yang terbaik untuk menggunakan pengalaman mengajar pelajar sarjana dan menggunakan nota kelas peringkat sarjana yang aku kurangkan sedikit maklumat tertentu untuk disesuaikan dengan keperluan pelajar PSM. Aku cuba meringkaskan proses penulisan bab 1 sebaik mungkin. Harap pelajar PSM dapat mengikuti apa yang aku cuba kongsikan dengan mereka.

Apa pun, selamat maju jaya kepada semua pelajar PSM.

Proctoring

How to monitor your students while taking online examination? Well, since you are not physically there to monitor them while they are taking the examination, you can use proctoring. But there are few things that you need to consider:

  1. Availability of camera/webcam
  2. Internet bandwidth (at least 1000mbps)
  3. Sufficient internet data plan

If our students are lacking in either of the above, we need to think about another alternative of administering the examination.

Oh my Padlet: Part 1

Starting this semester, I try to use Padlet. One of my colleagues has shown me how to use Padlet back in 2016 but at that time, I tried to create one page/display (whatever you may call it) for my research methodology class, MPPU1024. However, due to my incompetency and lack of motivation to find out more information about it, the one page that I created for my MPPU1024 remained unused for few years.

Then COVID-19 happens and this time around, I do not have any more excuse to use other than just buckle up and try out as many platforms, apps and whatever that I can find out. It is not an easy process. I struggle, but I set my mind thinking “One step at a time”. I know it is not even a baby step and the progress is snail pace but I know that I need to myself time to unlearn, learn and relearn things that can help me to improve my teaching.

So, when I use Padlet extensively this semester (1, 2021), my intention is to expose my students with the things “out” there other than UTM ELearning that might be useful for them. If they are teachers ( majority of my Masters students), they can have reservoir of learning platforms and apps that they can use for their own class. For the undergraduates especially those who are taking Fundamental Pedagogy course (SHPP2002) can learn about the available platforms and apps and they can use some of the platforms and apps when they complete assignments related to pedagogy. They are excited to use it [Need an example?]

However, I find out that some teachers feel overwhelmed with the current situation and when I use Padlet in my MPPU1024 class, the students feel that it is not useful, burdensome and time consuming. I will take their feedback into consideration when I revise my approach to teach this course next semester. For my other class (Personality Psychology), well, I do not get any feedback yet. Some of the students have not submitted the assignments yet. I ask them to submit their pre-recorded presentation assignment on Padlet. At this moment, I am still waiting for all students to submit it. There are only few of them have submitted their presentation on the Padlet. So, let’s see how it goes.

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

Kisah Lockdown Nabi Yunus AS

Surah Al-Saaffat (139-144)

Apakah yang kita boleh pelajari dari kisah lockdown Nabi Yunus AS?

  1. PKP yang dialami oleh kita pada ketika ini jauh tidak sesukar apa yang telah dialami oleh Nabi Yunus AS. Beliau berada di dalam perut ikan paus yang gelap, sesak dan tidak selasa sama sekali berbanding dengan keadaan kita yang meskipun terbatas dalam pergerakan, kita masih boleh berada di rumah yang kita boleh bebas bergerak berbanding dengan Nabi Yunus AS.
  2. Tidak dinyatakan dalam Surah Al Saaffat apakah bentuk zikir yang disebut oleh Nabi Yunus tetapi di Surah An Anbiya’: 87, Allah SWT menyatakan zihir Nabi Yunus secara nas (nyata). Dalam konteks peringkat zikir, sekiranya zikir tersebut dinyatakan secara nyata dalam Al-Quran, ianya memberi maksud pentingnya zikir itu.
  3. Zikir yang dinyatakan itu bukan semata-mata zikir sebagai sebutan tetapi pentingnya penghayatan terhadap zikir itu.
  4. Terdapat tiga penghayatan utama yang menjadi amalan Nabi Yunus AS: 1) Tauhid kepada Allah SWT (beliau memperkukuhkan tauhid / mengesakan Allah SWT) – ini bukan bermakna Nabi Yunus AS kurang ketauhidannya kepada Allah akan tetapi beliau memuhasabah indeks kesetiaan beliau pada Allah SWT. Kesetiaan Allah SWT perlu digilap setiap hari, 2) Mengakui kebesaran Allah SWT dan 3) Taubat – Sentiasa menyedari dan meminta keampunan dari Allah SWT. Kita sentiasa meletakkan satu peringkat dosa seperti merompak dan sebagainya sebagai dosa. Akan tetapi kita terlepas pandang dosa dipinggir mata seperti masuk ke kelas sedikit lewat dari waktunya dan sebagainya. Ianya dikatakan sebagai dosa kecil yang kita perlu sentiasa minta taubat.

Dalam isu COVID-19 ini, kita perlu memastikan terdapat gabungan pendekatan rohani (spiritual) dengan pendekatan teknikal dalam menangani apa jua cabaran dari pandemik COVID-19 ini. Ambillah peluang keadaan sekarang ini untuk kita meningkatan ketauhidan kita, ketaatan dan sentiasa bertaubat terhadap dosa-dosa terutama dosa kecil yang sering kita terlepas pandang sebelum ini.

E-content… oh… E-content

Remember about the post that I posted few weeks (months) ago? I got the information from the session that I attended. I might have misconception on certain. When I look at my ELPPT 2019 (last year) evaluation for the E-Content, I managed to get 3 marks: 1 mark (Receptive Basic) and 2 marks (Receptive Closed) from 7 E-content materials I uploaded. One thing for sure, if you upload two materials which fall under the same category such as Receptive Basic, you will get 1. So, if you upload one material falls under the category of Receptive Basic and one materials which falls under the category of Receptive Closed, you will get 3 marks. By merely uploading two materials of different categories, you will get accumulated marks. Darn, isn’t it?

I just need to clarify that online quiz like Quizziz is considered as Receptive Basic. Yup. It is 1 mark. But it is kind of confusing because, it is interactive in a way that students interact with the material by answering the questions, and they get immediate feedback (depending on the setting). What went wrong here?

What about Prezi note. It clearly falls under the category of Receptive Basic (1). So how do I get the 1 marks for Receptive closed category (2 marks)? I put my Prezi note on my people.utm.my/hadijahjaffri. There. It is upgraded into another category.

So, if you are asking me how to get 3, 4 or 5 marks. Clearly, I don’t have any idea. Apparently whatever things that I learn so far from whatever workshop does not help much. Am I feeling despair?

Why should I? I know I have done the best. That is all that matters.