It took me more than a week to prepare my audio notes. It is not easy. I woke up early to record (before the kids wake up) and continued to record when they are semi-active. But once a while, I still went on recording regardless of the background noise. So, some of my recorded notes the sound of bird chirping, kids screaming/crying/singing and my cat meowing. Work from home? Indeed
On top of that, I also explore Quizziz and all as an alternative method to give my students quizzes. So Quizziz has new features and I am so excited to try it out. So, what is the best way to explore it? Yup. By creating quizzes using the new features. But some students messaged me privately and said that they don’t like the features. Well, it is ungraded quiz (for goodness sake!). So, I just take note of that. At least I know their perception about the new features.
I joined a Webex session last Tuesday (14 April 2020) about writing article for mass media. It was a sharing session with Assoc Prof Kassim Thukiman. A humble guy with vast experience on writing article for mass media. He has a flair of Malay language. Indeed. A class of its own. Things went well for this Webex session. So, I thought Webex is ok. Not that bad. But, how wrong I was.
I had another Webex session last Thursday (16 April 2020). This session was a meeting to discuss a special grant post-covid19. Only 10 proposals will be selected. Tough competition. Indeed.
The first 10 minutes was ok. I can see the host, Assoc Prof Fauzi from ATI talked. Then followed by Prof Zaidatun. Then out of sudden, I could no longer see her face, the slides and hear her voice. I tried to check the source of my technical problems. Well, apparently, the internet is really low and thus, I experienced that.
Having to experience this first hand, I start to think about the students who have classes using Webex. If they have similar internet connection limitations, they might experience the same thing. Of course, I can always look back the recorded session. Yet, the feeling that I had when such thing happened is indescribable. I felt confused, sad, mad (at the internet connection) and such feelings bugged me for the whole day because even though I know that I could not control it, yet I wish that things are different. I hate the fact that I am missing out some things that might be important. I want to be “present”. Watching the recorded session does not make me feel “at present”. Feeling left out is psychologically painful. It has something to do with our basic needs as proposed by Abraham Maslow in his hierarchy of needs. Feeling of belonging, inclusion and such.
Having a first hand experience on this matter makes me more emphatic of my students’ predicament. So, I will try my very best to make sure that I can reach out to them regardless of the limitations especially internet connection that we might have at the moment.
I still have the normal face mask. But I am feeling a bit stress out off lately. There are many things contribute to that. Alhamdulillah I can still recognise some symptoms and thus, I know that I need to slow down a bit. So, I divert myself from my work for few hours to do this little project. I googled and found some tips and instructions that I can follow.
Here are some of the materials: – Left over fabric – Scissor – Ruler – Needle – Stretchable thing (I don’t know what it is called)In the makingFinally, it finished. The final product
When the cable was stolen the first time since MCO from 3 April (Friday), I was left with no internet connection for 6 days. I was feeling hopeless because I could not do much since I could not go out to buy the mobile modem. I can always use online. But, how can I search and shop for the mobile modem when I could not use the internet? The feeling is indescribable. But I have to stay focused.
So, since I have lots of “uninterrupted” time, I focused on finishing my final exam questions, updating my class notes (converting some into audio notes) and others. Once I finished doing all that, I asked my sister if she could bring me to her office so that I can upload my notes, reply emails and such. I was desperate. Indeed.
Off I went to my sister’s office on 3 April (1st time) to settle my work. But I could not upload some of my notes on eLearning. What should I do now?
But little that I imagine that the cable would be stolen again. Yup.
Work from my sister’s office (6 May 2020, Wednesday) when the cable was stolen on the 3rd timeWork from my sister’s office (29 April 2020) when the cable was stolen on the 2nd time
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. 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).
Majority of us are struggling to learn a new thing. It is a fact. But, the question is “How willing are we to experience “disequilibrium”?” Most of the time, we are not willing to learn new things, to do something new because it disrupts our mental equilibrium.
But, what a heck! Just do it! With Wifi connection like Chipsmore in my room, I lugged my laptop and stuff to search for other possible places with strong internet connection. Yesterday, I found the perfect place which happened to be empty (no class at that time). So, I knocked on the door of the technician in charge and asked his permission to use the room. I had a blast! The internet connection is so fast but my excitement did not last long. Yeah. Congestion = Traffic problem with the server when everybody wants to use BigBlueButton. Panicky messages kept on coming in (I also sent a message to add to the panicky mode)
But the thing is, we are in this moment together. We do our best and don’t give up.
When I heard that one of my colleagues who is under the category of PUI (Person Under Investigation) still conducted the class using face to face means, I feel shocked, angry, bewildered, confused, numb (the list can go on).
How can a person be so _______________ (fill in the blank)? What was this person thinking? Have you gone ______________ (fill in the blank)?
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.
Alhamdulillah. I did my first online class with lots of technical glitches and whatsnot. With no video sharing (I learn later on that it is due to restriction that the library imposes on its users) and just audio sharing mode, I just conducted my class. Just do it! The technical glitches are due to some unforeseen things. Well, things happen when we are least expected it, right?
While I was struggling to overcome the technical glitches, some of my colleagues like Dr Narina and Dr Nor Azean tried to help me but there is nothing much can be done when things are just out of our hand. Kudos to them for giving me support when I (badly) needed one.
I was feeling helpless and when things happened like that, my normal reaction is crying. Alhamdulillah Dr Narina came with her husband just on time when I just about to shed my tears. But I guess they can sense it looking at my pale panicky face.
Dr Narina captured some videos of me panicking. Alhamdulillah, I can’t upload the video here because this webpage does not allow video sharing (tongue in cheek remark!). But here are some pictures to see me while in action.
I created a feedback form on the elearning. I told my students don’t hesitate to give their comments even though it is negative. I know their comments is not attacking me personally but rather giving me valuable information to improve my teaching.
I bite my finger when I am in panicky mode. Caught red-handed of doing thatStill in panicky mode but I shifted it by typing some questions on the chat boxTaadaaa!!!!! Even though there were only about 20 students joined the session, but at least it is better than nothing. 20/25 students? Not bad, right?
