It’s a peaceful and fulfilling Sunday, a day off in the calendar. My day began with attending the Pengajian Kitab (Kitab Faridatul Faraid) at my local surau after Subuh. I returned home shortly after 8:00 a.m., mentally preparing for the final examination of METE1153 – Occupational Safety in Energy Systems, which I am conducting for the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) cohort.

This semester, 28 students are enrolled in the course, spread across various parts of Malaysia, with one student even based in Europe. I initiated our Webex session at 8:35 a.m., and to my pleasant surprise, half the students were already present, waiting patiently and punctually for the session to begin.

By 8:45 a.m., I conducted a short briefing on the final exam procedures, ensuring clarity and alignment with the students. Since everyone was ready and there were no pending issues, we agreed to start the exam slightly earlier at 8:55 a.m., with a scheduled end time at 11:55 a.m.

Delivering ODL for METE1153 this time has been both rewarding and challenging. One major challenge was the fact that both the students and I are still relatively new to the ODL format. In addition, my hectic academic and administrative schedule added complexity to planning and execution.

However, there is much to be grateful for. I now have a clearer vision of what needs to be improved. With the help of:

Past trainings I’ve attended,

• Feedback and support from the METE course coordinator,
• Comments from students, and
• My own reflections from two years of teaching experience in ODL,

…I am confident that I am better equipped to deliver an improved ODL experience in the next cycle. InsyaAllah, the next offering of this course will be a significantly enhanced version.

So, stay tuned. Better things are on the horizon.

#20242025 Day 013

#Sunday