When Mr Cloud weds Miss Ground: A personal account on creative teaching delivery attempt

When ‘Mr Cloud' weds ‘Miss Ground’: A personal account on a creative teaching delivery attempt  by integrating cloud computing and grounded teaching facilities.

Norliza Kushairi (PhD)

IPG Kampus Darulaman

norliza@ipda.edu.my

Abstract

This is my personal account while attempting to embed creativity in my teaching as a response to the current call for 21^st century learning skills and classroom models. Owing to the dullness and stagnant in presenting the lecture, the attempt was carried out by using cloud computing merged with grounded teaching facilities to create an astonising presentation style for my lecture. While navigating my teaching delivery, I encountered many possibilities and impossibilities. Apart from enriching my strenghts, it invaluably discloses my rectifiable weaknesses; the ones that I didn’t believe needed to be addressed before. The contentment and satisfaction derived from the experience evidenced in the students’ after-class-reflection and written responses, paved to a whole new perspective of mind reboosting. What I gathered from the endeavor is the lesson for life; lifelong learning could be manifested only if you are willing to expose yourself for possibilities and impossibilities. To ‘learn, unlearn and relearn’ is the whole true notion to be grasped and exercised by a 21^st century teacher.

To be presented at Seminar Zon Utara IPGM (23-25 April 2013)

A Seminar on Action Research- Despite turbulence, accomplished at last!

After two semesters of struggle, PISMP students from Sem 8 finally presented their action research to Assessment Panel. This event is similar, or more or less like what is known as 'viva'. The event took place from 10 until 12 Sept.

For now, I wouldn't be elaborating the outputs of the event, rather I would like to share some experience while handling the seminar-just for my future guideline.

We faced some critical issues in handling the seminar. One was due to insufficient member of assessment panel. We only have a number of doctorates while there were 192 students to be observed in just three days. The solution was to appoint some of the supervisors as the panel member as well and this was uninamously agreed by the committee. One of the advantages of the strategy is that the appointment would let the supervisors to gain some experience in enhancing their research and supervision competence.

Due to the similar issue, some major subjects needed to reschedule their viva. Only a few assessors was available during the dates so the timetable was brought earlier to 6 and 10th of Sept whereby more assessors were still around in the institute. This decision must be made promptly as time was running out and we needed to rearrange the duty session for the assessors. This decision, of course,  needed cooperation, support and understanding from all lecturers to understand the situation we, the committee, were in. Sadly, some, we might say ' arrogant' party just couldn't accept having their classes being used for the viva. So issue was risen up...which is pointless, IF and only IF we understand the meaning of esprit de corp.

'Jika kita mudahkan urusan seseorang, Allah akan mudahkan urusan kita' - My long-held philosophy that gives me strength when faced by multi-tasks and crazy deadlines.

To those who have helped us by being so understanding, jazakallu khairan kathiran.

To those who refused to understand and like to win out their own prejudice, we leave it to Allah, for He is the best assessor. We, the commitee, had nothing to do with 'kepentingan peribadi' as preclaimed. Only Allah knows!

Nevertheless, the event went smoothly. Alhamdulillah. Thanks for JPP and Sem 8 for your tremendous and excellent cooperation. To  friends and colleagues, who acted as assessors and supporters, I just couldn't thank you enough. May Allah ease whatever tasks you are handling, be it now, or in future.