E-poster and prototype

At this edge, I was nervous. First and foremost, I and Szarmila have to present our e-poster and prototype. I was worried because of the product (e-poster and protoype) I have is much simpler. Bee Hua and Pat were the first to present. She is well prepared. But sometimes, we fail to realise that we might not know how perfect it is until it is commented by others. Well i agree that it is not too pick on the mistake, but it is to answer some questions on 'why' and how'. I guess this are two powerful words that will get the person to justifiy their reasons. This is really the critical part. It is just like standing in a battle field and every corner you get shot. Actually it is really tough, getting others to understand what is in the presenters mind. I believe many of us started thinking and more questions were posed to the presenter. Infact it benefited me. I could see some flaws in my project too. I and Szarmila sat and taught on it and worked over it. It was the third time rectifying it. Hope this time it is much better. Each time a comment is given, I was a little disappointed but i took it as a positive side and worked on it. Hoping it will make me a better learner and teacher.

Final Entry

1. What are 2 or 3 meaningful things you have learned in this class?

Joining this course has given me lots of information that I believe most of us did too. Firstly, it helped me to know in detail how distance learning takes place. The most important thing in this issue on distance learning, I got to know how important is the module or programme that should be prepared to cater the needs of the distance learner. This is more tedious compared to face-to-face learners. Not very far to experience this, I had to work with my partner who is hundreds of kilometres away, for my presentation. While working on this presentation, I indirectly could practise how distance learner’s experience in learning. Basically, it is very important to have gadget that could help me communicate with my partner. Therefore having installed my internet line, I could communicate with my partner. Besides that now I realise why feedback loop is very important. I was anxious to receive the feedback that I constantly spare some time to check my mail and blog. This is another important thing, I have encountered.

Another meaningful thing I have learned in this class is on various styles used by my course mates in presenting their topic. I was really fascinated on different styles such as using animation, pictures that associated with words, movies uploaded with music and also hands on practise to disseminate the information which I had least in that knowledge. This really draws my attention on the specific topic. In fact I could remember the information. As for my presentation it help me to know more on the topic "Assessment in distance learning" which is one major component in education field helped me enhance my knowledge it.

Sharing information and collaborating learning with others from a different field also enhances and enlightened my knowledge on topics presented. I believe different field has different information that was very resourceful. It made me think out of the box the topics presented. This is very valuable to me because it made me realise that not all field has the same information and experience on the topics. In directly, I had several questions to ask which I did in the blog and it was cleared by asking those who had presented and at times I referred to Dr Tee.

I have also learned a lot on how to work on wiki and producing e-poster, prototype programme. This is really a good hands on practise and very tidious practise too. It really shows how tedious it is to consider factors before coming up with a simple module. Knowing it is difficult I manage to come up with simple task on writing. I guess this is the greatest achievement for me. Iam really thankful to all my friends and Dr Tee who helped me in this course.


2. What will you do with the knowledge that you have cultivated from this class?

First and foremost i will use it in my classroom especially creating a blog. Since my school has a computer lab, i wish to help my students to create a blog and give me feedbacks on classroom teaching and also getting more information on their learning. I believe this is important as it will open up students feelings by writing it in the blog. Secondly I will also share this information with other teachers in school so that they too could benefit from it.

I will also share on the styles of presentation with my colleague so they will also benefit it. Lastly i will also share this knowledge on distance learning topics with them so that our head of department could propose to come up with modules that can be used as enrichment activities to help students enhance their language skills. Hope this will save time and the work load in imparting knowledge to students.

Entry 10 A Vision of the future

Wan's and Zamiah presentation was interesing. She gave us some input on how teachnology has advanced in it. For example from web 1.0 to web 2.0 and web 3.0. This is really interesting as how along the line, technology changes. further on this issue, Dr Tee explained in detail how web 3.0 works. Actually i did not know much on web 3.0 but Dr Tee's explanation made it very clear. Well now i realise that each time i key in the phrase in the web search with errors, it corrects it and replies 'Do you mean by....'. Another thing i liked very much is about Adobe pro. that Zaimah and Wan did hands on with us. This really make learning for distance learners much easier.
Lastyly, there was presentation on the prototype by Hana. It was really good because it opens up everyones mind in preparing the project. Looking at that and further explanation by Dr Tee, all of us hope to come up with something good.

Entry 9 - Benchmark

Fazu's and Mosayeb's presentation was good. It was difficult for me to differentiate "Benchmark' and Standard' but this is how i understand;- (Correct me if I'm wrong) Benchmark ( it measureable for example grade A- 50marks, for an essay) Standard is the what is needed to get Grade A such ammount of correct sentences, length of the essay). Besides, i also liked the activity on best practises and benchmark. It was simple and much related to our daily life situation. Later Fazu expands this activity in distance learning situation involving the students, the teacher, the programme comparing it with face 2 face situation. This was really a good one.

It was a good thing that Dr Tee brought up the issue on the new wiki on line project. Actually I was a confuse too how to post a discussion base on the matrix in Activity C. Hope more friends will post their questions in the forum for discussion.

Well as for the pair work prototype project, my partner and I are still working on it. Well it is a tidious work. But at the end, comming up with something is a good achievement that i will learn from this course.

Entry 8- Evaluation

It was a nice presentation with American Idol as a good set induction. Besides the jugdes in the programe, I as the audience also judge the participant. Overall a good explanation on evaluation and Dr Tee's and Fazu's detail examples has made it clear too. Well what we saw and learned today is on education. One question i was just thinking. Does the evaluation strategies the same as corporate business for example people who have on-line banking system with nationwide. Will they have the same procedure before setting up the marketable programme?. Or is this another different platform?.

Another thing I found out is on How people learn. This is the website for teachers learning. I hope others can view this too.
http://courses.teacherswithoutborders.org/non-profit-courses/creating-open-educational-resources/online-learning-2013-what-does-the-research-tell

Entry 7 - Copy right and Managing and Leading it

The presentation on copy right was very interesting. Especially on the video that conclude the presentation on it. Very impressive. Basically i understood the topic on copy right. But when it came to second part by Mariam, it was difficult for me to digest it. I guess it deals with how it is managed by regulatory subsystem, the logistics, the policy.
Is true that in Malaysia, we are not really serious on copy right. But I quess can it be because of the cost and the red tape that one has to go throu to get the details or purchase the materials. I wonder in the factor of cost, could the education agencies get the permission from the author to print in cheaper material (paperback cover). I teach my children to read using ladybirds key word book series. Eventually it is expensive. But recently i found out that it is much cheaper. I was told that the new published books are from China with cheaper cost, labour and material. so it is much cheaper. Can this be done for other materials too?

Entry 6 - Assessment

This presentation was done by me and my friend Szaarmila. In my presentation, maybe i should have post questions asking them to give me examples questions on different levels of Bloom's taxanomy. Besides that i should have ask others to give examples of norm assessment and criteria assessment in their field and how will they set in distance learning. Assessment is one thing that all pedagog knows about. To me assessment is the most crucial thing to know in teaching. On the whole, most teachers are still not professional in item analysis in planning an assessment for a student. How about in distance learning? Most assessment is on cognitive domain. Can assessment be done on affective domain?. If there is, how?. One more thing that i wish to know is 'when setting a module, which is better ; is it planning the assessment first or while students are involved than the assessment should be prepared?. In my opinion, , this is important because, a student will look at the course outline first than refer on 'assessment' than they may enrol for the course. There are possiblilities that if they do not have the requirement in the assessment method, they might be lacking confidence in joining the course or they will prepare before hand the project before enrolling. Well i wonder if this happens with distance learners. I should read more and find out on this.

ENTRY 5 - Internet based distance education

This presentation was very long and heavy for me. I felt that there was alot of information but lack of time. Some parts were very useful but it was not fully discussed. But i appreciate the presentors work as i got lots of new information that i am not aware of. At least when there is some kind of converstion on the content manangement, tools involved, i won't be alienated. It shows that the management on the tools in presenting the distance learning works hand in hand with the module presented. Sections that really facinated me was the virtual learning in hawai, the law faculty. It is really fascinating and learner friendly. Currently another section i am impressed is the licence to purchase online text/boooks and other related information that can be viewed without purchasing the hard copy. this really helps online learners. infact i believe not only distance learners but any learners can get latest information without purchasing the book in the bookstore. this is the best thing i like about distance learning which is anytime, anywhere through the net. Well i wonder if in future there will not be schools, university but all will have distance learning. Is there such distance learning for children currently in any part of the world? i guess i should find out......

Entry 4 - Pedagogical approaches for DE

Todays presentation was good. I liked the way how Lim and Chun presented bilingual. A good strategy though. another thing i like is they used visual, icons to represent the strategy of teaching. This really absorbed in my head. i guess i like it because i'm not the piaget kid (old timers) that will learn with long , lengthy text. Well it is a new era and visual is one of the best way to learn and memorise. Well another thing about the content of todays presentation was different from the chapter in the book. But anyway i just refress my theory of strategies with what lim presented. Another thing i am happy today is that i finally understand the term, ''intersubjectivity' with the picture Dr Tee showed. Well it was simply easy compared to the lengthy terms and explaination weeks ago. So, BINGO, i got the message. indirectly i also could solve what i don't know to what i know and what i should know. I guess this is what a teacher wants and the students would achieve.

Entry 3 - Students and Distance Learning

Hana and Iza did a good job. Their presentation was good. It really caught my attention with the VAKS results. it kept me alert throughout the presentation. Gosh, it is really difficult to set up a distance learning module as there are so many characteristics of the student compared to full time student. knowing the difficulities, i guess there are still demands on distance learning in the market. I guess is the time factor and the financial factor as the main factor that many students wish to learn in the distance learning academy. Regarding the language, i was just thinking that the actual procedure is that a student has to pass certain level of english proficiency course in order to be a student. Now (if anyone could respond to me) are the any possibilities that different proficiency levels of english language modules produced for students?.
In the round table discussion (regarding wikispace) , it was really an eye opener to me to know how tough is to be a distance learner. well i believe they meet with their lecturer once a while and maybe do not meet the team members very often too. well it is tough to get things going. i guess this can be the frustration of a distance learner. anyway, most of our students depends of teachers, lecturers. so i think students feel unsecured or not right if they dont get the concern of the lecturer in carrying out a task. I wonder is it the same with foreign students? How do they cope with their work? One of the characteristics in distance learning is independent learning. Are all malaysian distance leaners independent ?

Entry 2 - Need Analysist

Dr. Tee's role play was very interesting when he just post simple question on how to go the Sultan's palace from rumah Universiti Malaya. With lots of response from the class well , i could see how tidious it is to get all the imformation if it is to put down in a module, if we are teaching in distance learning because there in no face-to-face interaction. the theory that was put in practice is interesting too . Now i could figureout why some programme takes much time to be implemented. the content presented and the learners understanding is very important. therefore the design and evaluation section should be considered carefully before creating the module and lastly how easy to access this programme. i wonder how many percent is it considered before agreeing to a module. Besides that it was good to know this much earlier as i had a view on how our assignment suppose to be. Content experts and instruction designers should work hand-in-hand to findout all possibilities that could help the learners to gain knowledge.

Entry 1 - Distance Learning

This was the first class i attended. It was on the History of Distance Learning. I was engrossed with the lesson. Because it was something new - distance learning. all this while i thought distance learning is much easier with less homework, less syllabus and much cheaper. eventully i realise that to have distance learning classes, is much challenging compared to full-time classes. there are modules that is segregated into spurts of units with good rubrics, material, usage of multimedia so that students will be able to understand. but what surprise me is even with distance learning offerred not many could pursue their studies. is it because the cost of the multimedia or they could not understand the module or it is less interesting (maybe the content is different with their job experience). I guess in Malaysia we are still way behind in advancement of technology. many of us still complain on the cost in providing the multimedia service. due to that it hampers lots of students chances to access to information globally. besides that lots of material is not published in online journal for these intersubjectivity students could gain knowledge. therefore constraint of time maybe the probability that many distance learners may not want to join this class. Hope more can be done on this matter.

Introduction

Hello Dr Tee,

First and foremost, sorry for the delay of posting my blog website. I just got my new phone line and internet line fixed in my house. Anyway, last week was my first day in you class. Honestly, I really enjoyed your lesson. It is fun and interesting. I am happy that I signed up for this course as my friends told me that this is an interesting class to join. On top of that it is a bonanza for me to have a lecturer like you too!. I am fasinated with the information on Distance Learning . I hope that I could make this class as a class to remember in this final semester. Anyway I am not an IT expert but I hope to learn more as the lesson and the way you present makes it interesting.

Thank You ,
Kuldip Kaur