On a clear Monday morning I entered my classroom with my set of whiteboard markers. The students were already there, waiting for me to begin my class. One of them came up to clean the whiteboard from the doodles of the previous lesson. I started calling names to fill in the attendance form.
As I began the lesson, I noticed students punching in a last few words on the smartphones before flicking the "silent" button. Some updated their Clash of Clan right before tucking it into their bags. I knew by the sound of the intro theme.
And so my lesson began. The typical powerpoint slides, the boring lecture... the "any questions?" question. And of course, followed by the fake "I understand" nod by the students. At one point of this uninteresting lesson, when I realized half the class was sleeping, I ask myself. What the hell am I doing? The point of the 16 hours per week lectures is to make students learn Traffic Engineering. Not to bore them out of their minds...
And so I went to INTI International University in Nilai to observe their blended learning implementation.
Okay so we don't have high tech facilities. But we have brains. We have the ability to generate methods of Teaching and Learning to make the students learn instead of sleep. We are well aware that the Gen-Y (or millenia) students are different. Students at this time were exposed to computers and smartphones at the age of 5. And in a short time, babies in the next generation will be born scrolling trough iPads and tablets. Certainly we cannot expect them to learn things OUR way. You know, the kind where you go to class and talk non-stop while they were wishing time would run faster and forcing them to read through 500 pages of textbooks.
There will be many excuses, such as "No budget" etc etc... But for how long can we hide behind these excuses? There was a time in education where lecturers don't have computers at all, let alone e-mails. But they managed to survive that. Then, there was a time where everybody else had a laptop and so we struggled to buy one too. And remember the shift between dot metrics to Bubble jets to 3 in 1 scanner/copier/printer? We did our best to catch up with technology. So, If we can do that, why can't we evolve mentally too? I mean, certainly we cannot just keep telling students "When I was in university I only had this and that and so should you..." This is the Facebook era. Move on.
It's time for a PARADIGM SHIFT.
1. FACEBOOK
A professor from INTI IU, reminded me that when students don't like something, they post it on Facebook. And there is no limit to what they can and cannot say on Facebook. As educators we must respond. No, not by commenting and making it viral, but by taking actions silently. We read, we understand, we find a solution. It is not our place to fight our students like uneducated keyboard samurais.
2. eEVERYTHING
Most students can afford smartphones along with internet that comes with it. And they will bring these gadgets wherever they go. And I know some lecturers who would firmly tell their students to keep away these gadgets during class. Instead of telling them "Don't" why not tell them to "Do". Do google any interesting information related to the lecture. Do tell me if you found better ideas. Do argue if you find my statements are not verified by wikipedia.
3. ACCEPTANCE
We are so tied to our rules and curriculum that we don't allow our students to generate their own ideas. We force them to think like we do. We become upset when they don't meet our standards. Gen-Y students are known to be sensitive. When they feel like they are being caged, they lose interest and rebel. In the end, we only produce average students whose goals were only to "pass" exams. Let's let them try and make mistakes. It is our job to guide, not force. We must provide reasons on all the "why" questions they ask us.
4. ZERO JUDGEMENT
This should come without a detailed explanation. Let us NOT judge our students on what they wear or what they do in their free time because our job is to help them get the diploma they want. We teach them the courses we were assigned to, not judge how tight their pants are. We are not training military. There's no such thing as "If you don't wear this, you'll be stupid..."
Well, okay I noticed how long this post has turned out to be. Before my TPA walks in and saw me blogging instead of "working" I better sign off. I hope I will become a better educator. It's my long term goal. To educate. Not teach.
Wednesday 9 July 2014
Monday 7 July 2014
Work... So far...
I didn't have the time to welcome the second half of 2014 as July approached. I was too busy with work, now that I have 2 posts in the institute, a lecturer and a quality management officer. Weird, back in my old institute, the one I had loved dearly, I was never entrusted enough to be given any posts.Or maybe people there were too judgemental and I just came to realize it now.
I am not one to be crazy desperate for positions and influence. But being given a chance to show my potential (especially in english speaking stuff), is an honour that I am more than just a cheerful lecturer who greets everyone with a 'good morning' everyday.
6 months have passed sinced I reported duty in this polytechnic and I have met all kinds of people. Honestly, I thought there would be no other place better than my old workplace in Sabah. I dearly missed the environment, the people, the friends... But in time I have learned that there was a reason God put me here. To be happy. And to learn that Sabah did not love me as much as I loved her.
A lot of things are different if I am to compare here and there. But I have learned to adapt. Here, my talents are appreciated. People listen to my ideas and people value my gifts. I don't have much to show off, I don't have a husband, children, a big house or car and I also don't have a Masters degree people desperately want so much. But my opinion counts and it boosts up my confidence. I am given opportunities to shine with my language skills. And I am no longer "anak pengarah" a heavy burden to carry, trust me. I am simply "anak Hj Mus yang pandai ckp english macam mat salleh..." I am happy I make my dad proud as he had made me.
It was indeed a difficult first 3 months, having no close friends as I went out to lunch or breakfast alone. But in time it became a habit and I honestly feel very comfortable going to places by myself without the need of asking people if they'd like to come too. However, occasionally I would go out with people and we enjoy a few happy breakfast and lunches together while gossiping about fashion and current issues. To be safe, I set limits to being too close with people. Because I don't trust people enough. Judgemental pricks, people are. I would move away as I get too close.
How I survived being alone in a new place? By being POSITIVE. By remembering I had been through worse. It was a struggle moving from KK to Ipoh. After these long months I learned who my true friends were. In hardships, who had been there for me? Who sent me to the airport to wave my final goodbye? And who, when I needed people, ignored my silent call for help? I didn't realize it back then, I was too sad letting go of a place I loved dearly. Now I do. God put me here for a reason. To learn, to live, to love and to be happy.
Goodbye KK.
I am not one to be crazy desperate for positions and influence. But being given a chance to show my potential (especially in english speaking stuff), is an honour that I am more than just a cheerful lecturer who greets everyone with a 'good morning' everyday.
6 months have passed sinced I reported duty in this polytechnic and I have met all kinds of people. Honestly, I thought there would be no other place better than my old workplace in Sabah. I dearly missed the environment, the people, the friends... But in time I have learned that there was a reason God put me here. To be happy. And to learn that Sabah did not love me as much as I loved her.
A lot of things are different if I am to compare here and there. But I have learned to adapt. Here, my talents are appreciated. People listen to my ideas and people value my gifts. I don't have much to show off, I don't have a husband, children, a big house or car and I also don't have a Masters degree people desperately want so much. But my opinion counts and it boosts up my confidence. I am given opportunities to shine with my language skills. And I am no longer "anak pengarah" a heavy burden to carry, trust me. I am simply "anak Hj Mus yang pandai ckp english macam mat salleh..." I am happy I make my dad proud as he had made me.
It was indeed a difficult first 3 months, having no close friends as I went out to lunch or breakfast alone. But in time it became a habit and I honestly feel very comfortable going to places by myself without the need of asking people if they'd like to come too. However, occasionally I would go out with people and we enjoy a few happy breakfast and lunches together while gossiping about fashion and current issues. To be safe, I set limits to being too close with people. Because I don't trust people enough. Judgemental pricks, people are. I would move away as I get too close.
How I survived being alone in a new place? By being POSITIVE. By remembering I had been through worse. It was a struggle moving from KK to Ipoh. After these long months I learned who my true friends were. In hardships, who had been there for me? Who sent me to the airport to wave my final goodbye? And who, when I needed people, ignored my silent call for help? I didn't realize it back then, I was too sad letting go of a place I loved dearly. Now I do. God put me here for a reason. To learn, to live, to love and to be happy.
Goodbye KK.
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