Teaching Excellence System (TES) in UTM

What is TES?  It refers to Teaching Excellence System.  Yup.  This is one of the things that I need to keep myself updated on regular basis like elearning [well, not that frequent as elearning though 😀 ]

I am still struggling with this.  But, I will try my very best to comply to whatever requirement to fulfill my roles and goals as an academician.  Indeed.  One thing at a time.  

First, I need to write 4 things that I will upload later on my personal TES:

1) Goals of student learning,

2) Philosophy,

3) Beliefs and practices of assessment and

4) Self-reflection of teaching development over time.

I remember Norah said that I can link all of the four things to my personal TES if I write about it somewhere like in this post.  I would do that later In sha Allah.  

Al-fatihah to the former President of Egypt – Mohamed Morsi

The Muslim community has lost a great leader today, Mohamed Morsi.  Al-fatihah

I followed the news of the chaotic moment in Egypt back in the 2011/2012.   Later on within a year after he was elected as the president of Egypt, he was ousted from the office in 2013.  Indeed politics are complicated to comprehend.  But I remember vividly what my former lecturer once said in his political science class “Power corrupts.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely”.  Indeed.  May Allah grant him eternal bliss.  

 

What did I do while undergoing my Latihan Ikhtisas (LI)?_Part 1

Some colleagues have been asking me this question “What did I do at school other than teaching?”  Well, to think back about it, there were so many things that I did.  Most of the things were fun, new and challenging.  I never thought that I would create a mural (I still need to touch up some of the drawings though :D) 

Other than that, I would also never thought that I would harvest pineapple which they planted within the school compound.  At first, we had to pay but if we harvested it ourselves, we could get FOC.  So, armed with a small machete and gloves, I harvested the pineapples while wearing my baju kurung.   I also experienced cooking using wood (so traditional and basic!).  But of course, I was not the one who made the fire.  The fire was already made by the students.  As teachers, we don’t do the dirty works, for obvious reason.  That’s what the students are for!  But as the evaluator [uhuk uhuk judge], we were entrusted with the task to evaluate the students’ survival skills that they have to show during a 2D2N camping such as making fire.  So, we have to let the students “show” their skills to make fire etc.


 

What else?  To be continued….

 

 

Curriculum Review (Semakan Kurikulum)

When I came back from a long study leave in 2011, they were busying with curriculum review.  It was a busy time for me in early 2012 to finalise the editing parts for our panel in early 2012.

We did another curriculum review in 2015 and now, there would be another review again.  How time flies!  It is as if yesterday I did the first review after I finished my PhD.   Indeed.  So many things have changed and we need to update and upgrade our course materials and such.

Curriculum review is one of the seasonal tasks that we do once in every few years.  May Allah ease the process of reviewing the curriculum.

CALL FOR PAPERS – International Conference on e-Learning 2019, ICOEL 2019

CALL FOR PAPERS

International Conference on e-Learning 2019, ICOEL 2019
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia
21-22 August 2019
International Conference on E-Learning (ICOEL 2019) aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of e-Learning.
The conference will feature prominent keynote speakers in e-Learning and cutting edge challenges, and noteworthy special sessions.
Prospective authors are invited to submit papers (full page, 5-8 pages). All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceeding.
Please refer to the following Call for Paper poster in Attachment for Topics of Interest.
Important Dates:
• Abstract Submission – Extended to 25th June, 2019
• Full Text Submission – 5 July, 2019
• Author Notification – 15 July 2019
• Camera Ready Submission – 25 July, 2019

Bring your own container, please

In accordance to Eid, UTM is organising an event to celebrate Eid with the whole UTM staff and students.   But this year, it is different.  We have to bring our own container.

Setiap tahun Universiti akan menganjurkan sambutan hari raya dan bersempena dengan penganjuran Majlis Tautan Ukhwah Syawal 1440H peringkat UTM pada tahun ini, adalah dimaklumkan pihak UTM akan melancarkan “Program Sifar Plastik Pakai-Buang (Single-Use) ke arah Matlamat Pembangunan Lestari (SDGs) UTM”. Program ber­kenaan adalah selaras dengan matlamat kerajaan untuk me­ngatasi masalah pencemaran sisa plastik melalui Pelan Hala Tuju Ke Arah Sifar Plastik Sekali Guna 2018-2030 yang diterajui Kementerian Sains, Teknologi, Alam Sekitar dan Perubahan Iklim (MESTECC).

Pelancaran ini dirangka bagi mengurangkan pencemaran dan melestarikan alam sekitar serta memberikan kesedaran, pengetahuan dan menjadi komitmen Universiti mengenai punca lambakan sisa sampah dan pengurusannya terutamnya bahan plastik pakai buang. Selain itu, ia bertujuan untuk mengubah minda warga universiti berhubung isu sisa sampah ekoran pihak universiti terpaksa menanggung kos yang tinggi bagi melupuskan sisa sampah dan menjadi punca kepada masalah pencemaran plastik di samping memupuk identiti Universiti Bersih, Lestari dan Proaktif.

Majlis Sambutan Peringkat Universiti ini akan memfokuskan kepada elemen utama iaitu:-

  1. Melarang penggunaan Plastik-Pakai-Buang pada majlis rasmi universiti bermula dengan Majlis Tautan Ukhwah sehingga disebarluaskan ke seluruh UTM selepas itu.
  2. Semua tetamu digalakkan/diwajibkan membawa bekas makanan dan minuman serta beg fabrik (woven bag) yang dibawa sendiri selain sudu/garpu yang bukan berasaskan plastik.
  3. Galakan setiap PTJ/Unit yang mengendalikan penyediaan makanan di setiap Lot Khemah menggunakan kaedah buffet tray dan mengelakkan/melarangpenggunaan sebarang beg plastik, penyedut minuman (straw), bekas minuman plastik serta sudu/garpu berasakan plastik.
  4. Menggunakan hanya bekas makanan/plastik terbiodegradasi dan berasaskan tumbuh-tumbuhan seperti kanji dan selulosa.
  5. Menggalakkan tetamu utk makan dan berukhwah sesama sendiri di lokasi berbanding terus membawa pulang makanan. Lokasi khas khemah akan disediakan bagi memudahkan tetamu.
  6. Memberikan kesedaran mengenai pembaziran makanan dan pelupusan sisa makanan yang sesuai semasa program. Lokasi tong sampah yang bersesuaian akan disediakan.

Justeru, pihak Universiti menerusi jalinan kerjasama Pusat Islam UTM dan beberapa PTJ/Unit yang mengendalikan majlis ini berharap program ini akan membantu meningkatkan reputasi serta imej kelestarian ke arah mencapai Matlamat Pembangunan Lestari (SDGs).

Lee Chong Wei retired

I am not a big sport fan.  But I do follow the development of sports in Malaysia (not religiously though).  

Lee Chong Wei has made our country proud.  It is not a shame to retire after 19-year career in badminton.  Not many can reach that level.   He wishes to focus his time more on his young family.  He has two children now.  Perhaps, this is best time for him to do so.  

UM – Ulang matapelajaran [Translated – Repeating Course]

I had students with the status of UM [Ulang Matapelajaran] before.  But, somehow another I don’t feel any attachment with them so when they fail a course, I don’t hesitate to retain whatever grade given to them.

This time around it is different.  Why?  I have known this student since 2012.  Yup.  We have known each other quite long.  I remember this student in particular because there was a male student in the same cohort who passed away drowning while saving others’ lives.   I have some emotional attachment with this cohort because I just finished my PhD at that time and excited to teach again after so many years of studying.  This class is also special because the students had swimming class before mine so, my class was the perfect time for them to take a rest after physically taxing swimming class.  Well, I tried to do some activities which required them to move around.  They moved around alright but the moment they went back to their seats, their eyes seemed to shut down automatically.  The faculty combined the class with TEASL students.  What a ying-and-yang combination!  Indeed.  

Years passes by quickly and before we know it, I met this student again in my masters class.  I had a quick chat with her after class.  She seemed a bit shy around me. When I asked her if she took my Educational Psychology class in 2012, she sheepishly acknowledged that.  Then, I asked if she was in the same class as the late Miji (only a nickname), her face went pale and gloom.  Without looking at me, she looked down on the floor before replying “Dr still remember Miji?“.  I told her that I normally remember my students’s faces.  It is just that I don’t remember their names.   To lighten up the atmosphere a bit, I asked her if she has settled down.  Looking down at her shoes again, she replied “I am still single, Dr.  I am busy with my work.  Many of my friends have got married.   I further my masters because I want to improve myself as a teacher“.  With a light pat on her hand, I assured her that the time will come for her to settle down.  She told me that she teaches Malay Language now even though she majored in Sport Education.  She is still a sport education teacher though.  So, she has the opportunity to teach what she learned at UTM.  Since that quick chat, I never have any chance to talk to her again. 

When I graded her assignment, I notice that she only took the quiz once and she did not get good marks for the quiz.  She did not get good marks for her final as well.  So, relying on her proposal assignment alone, she got below 60 marks.  To be exact, her final marks are 58/100.  Just a shy away from getting a passing grade.  I crack my head to increase the marks.  I can’t simply increase the marks unnecessarily and without any valid evidence.  I look again the quizzes that I have given them (some are graded and some are not graded).  I notice that she never tried to take the ungraded quiz unlike others.  This makes  me feel sad.  Others took the opportunity to improve their grades by using whatever things that I provide them to the fullest.  I notice that there are several students who took one ungraded quiz more than three times.  Since I don’t give the answer, they have to try as many time as they could until they get the right answer themselves.  So, in this case, they will “force” indirectly to refer to their notes to find the answer.  This is a part of self-regulated learning.  

What should I do with this student?   After all, she is in her 8th semester.  A dilemma indeed.