My students 🙂

One of the most important element in my Computer Programming III (Advanced Programming) course is conducting a hands on programming for the students. In the picture, is the real coding experience for the students in the lab.

Although lectures are much much more simpler than the lab, but in some sense, I need to give them the real experience during the lab. To prepare a “working code”, reading their code “essay(s)”, answering practical questions (i.e. why is it not working?) is I can say like squeezing your brain in order to identify student’s way of thinking and how to mold them to the correct way.

To prepare a one hour lecture require more than two hours of preparation. Lab? Is more than that. Usually, there are 2 hours of lecture and practical (lab) per week per course.

(Source: http://img.wallpaperstock.net:81)

A little bit different post this time. I’ve remembered an interesting song title “Biar Ku Menjadi Lilin” (Let Me Be The Candle) by Pelangi (Rainbow). An evergreen 1985 song that is written from a heart of a teacher (academician) for their students. If you able to be this candle, you indeed have a noble heart my dear fellow teachers.

The original video:

I’m hosting a research meeting between two well established research universities in Malaysia. The meeting starts from November 21st to November 24th, 2014. The main idea is to discuss, evaluate, and collaborate in research activities.

The reason I’m conducting this meeting is that I think it is a good practice for expanding the cutting edge research not only with industries but between universities. And this should be put in practice for other universities to established collaborations since I like to say this, that “the knowledge is free for all”!

Source: http://www.clker.com/cliparts/8/9/a/a/12074317621019828319hill%20climbing%20white.svg.hi.png

I laughed when I heard that this government university “i” in Malaysia (Non-research University) put a requirement for their lecturers promotion is to publish a paper in publication with ISBN. What? That is so so sooo easy. Meanwhile, Research Universities (RU) lecturers need to publish papers (yes, more than one paper!) in Impact Factor / High Impact Factor Journals and Indexed International Conferences. This is to say, it is much much much much harder than publish a paper in an ISBN books.

Well, not to put blame on that “i” university. It’s their top management decision. However, just to highlight, the “i” university and other Research Universities (RU) in Malaysia are using the same lecturer salary scheme. Means, they will receive the same or the exact amount of monthly salary and allowances. This is biased for RU lecturers.

Just to ponder, two men were given a task, a task of bringing a rucksack to a 500 meter destination spot. Men “A” need to transport it by climbing a 500m hill. Meanwhile, Men “B” need to bring the same size rucksack to a 500m downhill destination. Both of them later are treated (or paid) equally.

Source: http://images.all-free-download.com/images/graphiclarge/portage_canoe_clip_art_24870.jpg

I don’t know, but this is the reality (at this moment, I hope there will be a light at the end of the tunnel). Perhaps, a suggestion from me, for RU lecturers, to appreciate them with their hard work in making Malaysia “academically visible“, give them, let say more allowance++ apart from their current monthly salary and allowance. Or maybe, a better lecturer scheme than the existing practice. What say you? 🙂

“ISBN? Really? Are you kidding me? You really made my day.”

Source: Waze App

During 2014 Hari Raya holiday in Malaysia, the numbers of vehicle escalates up to 1.6 millions per day. A normal 3 hours trip turned to 8 hours due to heavy traffic happened nationwide.

As a geospatialist, I’m not surprised about this phenomenon. It can be predicted. However, an app called Waze (available in App Store) that is widely used by Malaysian during that holiday that shocked me.

Source: Waze App

Waze is basically a geospatial application developed based on the concept of Public Participatory Geographical Information System (P-GIS). I can see that almost 95% data contributed by the public are accurate.

These information provided in Waze can assists drivers to navigate using the most optimum route (avoiding heavy traffic and etc). My hat’s off to you, the Waze team in developing a thumbs up apps!

Nevertheless, a P-GIS will only work if “P” (the public) contribute for the apps. Hopefully, Waze development team can sustain in the market. I will definitely promote Waze

I received a call from the postgraduate coordinator. He asked me a favor, invited me to be as one of the panels in evaluating 12 PhD students proposal (yes twelve!). I spent one day, listening, evaluating, finalizing, formalizing their research. I can say that its not an easy task, but with the knowledge I gain when I did my research, I can share some experience whether the research is up-to-the-level required. And I feel happy that I can use my experience to help the students.

“A PhD, to know where its significance to the body of knowledge“.

One of the student from Nigeria presented his PhD research.

A group of HfT Stuttgart University, Germany and together with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) postgraduate students make a visit to Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). Two lecturers involved in this visit which is my colleague (UTM International staff) and me myself, as the representative from UTM. The warm welcome by UTeM was made by Prof Dr. Nanna Suryana, The director of UTeM International Office with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Khanapi Abd Ghani, the Dean of Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, UTeM. I like the view of the new UTeM main campus located near to Ayer Keroh PLUS highway exit.

Cruising the expressway – Destination, UTeM Malacca

UTeM Hang Tuah Campus Entrance

We are not expecting this, an escort by the UTeM personnel

Warm welcome at the Faculty

Visual and Audio Lab

The students

This is my first experience to be as a rapporteur in XXV FIG Congress 2014 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, KLCC. I received an email from the Deputy II of Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (Sr. Hasan Jamil) of the confirmation.

What is a rapporteur basically? I’ve been a chairman before. But not as rapporteur. Lets give it a try, shall we 🙂

It turns out that I’m an expert (not so expert) observer for the congress session. Evaluate the delegates topic relevancies academically and gives further recommendations. In the session, the delegates are from Germany, Turkey & Nigeria. Fill in the form and that does it 😉

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