Hadijah binti Jaffri

We had a proposal defense of a PhD student yesterday.  All went well for a while (around 30 minutes) and after that, glitches started to happen on my part.  Even though I had permission to come to UTM and use my (uhuk uhuk unreliable) wifi in my office, but I have this urging feeling to test the speed and bandwith of my mobile modem that I bought last week.   It has never been tested for Webex video conference where I would be involved actively as one of the speakers since I would be one of the examiners of this proposal defense.  So, I decided to stay at home and participated in the Webex webinar or video conference using the mobile modem. (By the way, what is the difference between a webinar and video conference? I will explore the differences later)

So, what make the technical glitches to happen?  This is the question that I ask myself (still finding more information to understand the glitches better).  I started to google information about the required bandwith and devices capabilities to ensure a smooth webinar.  I find out there are many factors that could influence Webex video conference.  Here is the summary of some of the factors:

1. For any webinar (Zoom, Webex etc.), it has different requirement for bandwith consumption of sending and receiving videos.  Since I used Webex yesterday, what I share here is refering to my experience of glitches while using Webex (so others might have different experiences).  So, I don’t know if others might experience similar things when they were using other platform like Zoom, Google Meet and such.
   • For high quality video, it requires 90-130 kbps per video participant (minus screen sharing).  Meaning, if you have many participants in the webinar that turn on their video and  speakers (or in unmute mode), the bandwith consumption will be higher than 130kbps.  So, for those with weak or low bandwith, they will experience glitches like not able to hear or see the host or the screen sharing
2. Sender-receiver traffic also can influence the smoothness of a webinar or video conference session.  I am not an expert in this.  So, I don’t know how to calculate the sender-receiver traffic to minimise glitches.  I need to find out more about this.
3. Data sharing such as video or file sharing (Words, Powerpoint, PDF etc.) can also influence webinar session.   If we use screen sharing, Webex webinar or video conference can require anywhere from Kbps (low-quality) to Mbps (immersive three-screen telepresence suite ).  I got this information from here.  But the rule of thumb is if there are many active participants in the session who turn on video and file sharing, the higher the bandwith consumption.
4. Device capabilities refer to the device that you have in terms of the support provided by your device such as management provider, site requirements and such.  This may be varied and influenced by the model of your devices.  The rule of thumb in this case is the older device that you have, the less capabilities your device might have.  In a much simpler explanation: Not all devices have equal capabilities in terms of its video and such.

How to minimise or rectify webinar glitches?

• Non-active participants need to turn off their video and mute their speaker.
• Limit your participant (IF you can)
• Don’t use screen sharing (at all, IF you can)
  • Participants with low bandwith may try out some of these suggestions from Webex team.

But all seem impossible if you want to have active and interactive session with your students, right?   So, what should you do?

We had a trial/testing session for a PhD proposal yesterday at 2pm.  Something went wrong with my microphone/earpiece.   So, they suggested that I should go to UTM (my office) to ensure the session can be conducted smooth and steady.  I did the necessary (fill in a medical declaration form and staff movement form).

On top of that, thinking that I might have a faulty earpiece/microphone, I went to Toppen and bought another set: microphone/headset.  The price is similar with the earpiece version though.  Below RM100.  I had a chance to test the headset version when I attended our MPPU1024 class yesterday afternoon.  Even though it is not my session (Dr Narina’s session), yet I had just tried my luck to test if it is working or not.  Alhamdulillah.  The students and Dr Narina can hear my voice clearly.

Let’s see how it goes with the proposal session today with the new headset/microphone.  I have tried it for creating a video note using Prezi after sahur.  I am still in the practising mode/period.  I will give it a try several times more.  This is the preparation for next semester’s classes.  In sha Allah I will do bits by bits.  One thing, one step at a time.

Pandemik COVID-19 membuka peluang dan ruang untuk penambahbaikan dari segi ekonomi, sosial, politik, pendidikan dan pelbagai aspek kemanusiaan.   Mencari satu titik yang menyepadukan pelbagai dimensi ini perlu diberi tumpuan terutamanya dimensi kemanusiaan tidak dizahirkan.  Krisis nilai seolah dipinggirkan apabila dimensi yang lebih senang disukat seperti ekonomi diberi keutamaan.

Kemajuan negara tidak dirujuk dan diukur pada dimensi ekonomi bahkan dimensi kemanusiaan seperti kesepaduan, integriti dan sebagainya.  Sukatan holistik perlu dititik beratkan akan tetapi malangnya aspek KPI menjadi sukatan utama kerana ianya lebih bersifat objektif dan dapat diukur dengan sukatan berbentuk fizikal.

Bila diperingkat universiti, kepelbagaian sepatutnya diraikan bagi memberikan warga universiti menjadi lebih kreatif dan dapat memberikan peluang, ruang dan pilihan yang pelbagai bagi menyelesaikan masalah yang berbeza.  Akan tetapi, universiti terikat dengan KPI yang menyebabkan semuanya mempunyai ciri yang sama dalam melaksanakan sesuatu perkara.  Ianya meningkatkan satu “redundancy“.

Kelaziman baru (new normal) adalah satu istilah yang perlu dirujuk kepada budaya dan norma masyarakat.  Adakah tidak bersalam itu satu kelaziman baru?  Dalam Islam, tidak bersalam diantara individu berlainan jantina adalah satu kelaziman.  Ianya bukan sesuatu yang baru.  Menjaga jarak antara satu sama lain adalah kelaziman dalam Islam bagi bukan Mahram.  Akan tetapi kelaziman baru yang diuar-uarkan oleh pihak barat dalam menangani pandemik COVID-19 seolah ianya menjadi satu acuan yang datangnya dari mereka.

Penggunaan istilah dan amalan tentang cara hidup perlu dilihat dari sudut budaya dan masyarakat tanpa mengambil bulat-bulat atau mengimport dari pihak tertentu.  Contohnya jarak sosial (social distancing) merujuk kepada jarak fizikal (physical distancing).  Istilah jarak sosial mengelirukan kerana ianya boleh menunjukkan ketidakperluan kita untuk bersatu padu atau saling bantu membantu sedangkan pandemik ini menuntut kita meningkatkan kesepaduan dan empati dalam kalangan masyarakat.  Jarak fizikal tidak semestinya menyebabkan kita kurang bersepadu di antara satu sama lain.

Apakah proses yang kita perlu laksanakan untuk memastikan masyarakat kita kekal sejahtera dalam menghadapi pandemik COVID-19?  Pemodelan mencari satu formula dalam menangani masalah yang dihadapi perlu dilakukan berdasarkan norma budaya kita dan mengikut acuan kita sendiri.  Keseimbangan antara kebendaan dan kerohanian bukan mudah tetapi boleh dilakukan sekiranya kita tidak terlalu fokus tentang aspek yang boleh dinilai dan diukur dengan menggunakan sukatan dan ukuran berbentuk fizikal dan objektif meskipun aspek kerohanian adalah satu subjektif dan tidak boleh diukur dengan ukuran berbentuk objektif.

Which is which?  Webex or Zoom or Bigbluebutton VS preprecorded video notes (powerpoint).

Personally, it depends on your students and your own preference and conditions.

Option 1: Online synchronous meeting

It might be perceived as the best alternative to substitute face to face interaction because the element of “interaction” is still present.  You can ask students questions, use polls to get their response and so forth which allow you to identify and rectify certain things immediately.  For example, if your students do not understand certain things, they can ask questions there and then.  In return, you can answer their questions immediately too.

Option 2:  Prerecorded video (one type of asynchronous method)

If you prefer to have a more flexible work from home hours, prerecorded video such as powerpoint video might be the best choice even if you have strong internet connection.  In addition, you don’t need to set a Webex/ Zoom/ Bigbluebutton meeting.

But option 1 is ONLY possible if you have unlimited dataplan and speed (plus if there is no internet outage).  Even though I subscribe to unlimited dataplan for the internet, but the speed of my internet connection is varied (and unpredictable).  I need to minimise glitches during online meeting especially if I am the host.  So, I don’t have much choice other than using prerecorded video.

What is the difference of the size of different recordings?

1. The size of the prerecorded video (using Powerpoint) and Webex meeting that you save in MP4 format is not similar.   When I looked closely two different files (1 – a Powerpoint video note, 2 – a Webex meeting), Webex meeting is in Megabyte.  Powerpoint video note is in Kilobyte.  Megabyte is bigger than Kilobyte.
   1. A Megabyte is one thousand times bigger than a Kilobyte.
2. If I could rank it: Large (Webex or Zoom recording) -> Medium (Powerpoint video recording) -> Small (Powerpoint with audio narration)

Note: Both are still larger as compared to Powerpoint slides with audio narration.  So, students need to be aware about this too.  Another alternative, you can upload the prerecorded video on Youtube and just give the link to students.  But watching Youtube video will deplete your dataplan (unless you subscribe to unlimited dataplan).

Using online method to teach is costly.  No doubt about that.  Other than the infrastructure and tools/gadgets that needed for online learning, there are other things that need to be taken into consideration such as dataplan, internet bandwith and so forth.   But how far we can rely on online learning when there is always the possibility of unforeseen internet outage that can happen any time due to the increased users regardless of the internet providers?  In that case, nothing beats face to face learning.

Since 12 April 2020, as UTM staff we have to declare our whereabouts on daily basis using this UTM smart app.  It is smart, indeed.

So, where am I?  I am still staying at my home.  In specific, inside my late mom’s room which I have converted as my little office as I have to work from home now.

What can be a possible explanation for this?  It was raining when I slide in for my movement record.  So, there is only one possible explanation that I can think of at the moment.

Note: About the different location between the 12 and 11 April records, well, I slide in outside of my home while playing with my sis’s kitten (at her home) on 12 April and on 11 April, I slide in inside my home while waiting for Isya’ prayer.  1km difference huh?  Indeed.  The distance between my home with my sis’s home is less than 1km.  So, can we trust GPS in this case?