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Wednesday 18 March 2015
Monday 13 January 2014
The Traits of a Person Committed to Education and lifelong learning
1. True democrat
A person commited to education must practice inclusiveness. Contrarian views should be welcomed. Healthy debate and vigorous discussions should be promoted to ensure that the best decisions can be reached.
2. Empathy
As keepers of knowledge educators can be perceived as snobbish and even arrogant. Be empathatic towards a a learner. Imparting knowledge would be a lot smoother if learners did not have to be made to look stupid.
3. Leads by example
Can't tell a learner to do something if we are not prepared to do it ourselves.
4. Motivated
If a person wants to improve, they must want to improve. For others to follow our example, we must be sufficiently motivated to improve.
5. Patience and Perseverance
Learning a new skill takes time and effort. At first we may not be successful but we must learn, reflect and try again.
6. Welcome mistakes
Be more tolerant and understanding of mistakes.
7. Cultivate a healthy sense of humour
Sunday 12 January 2014
Effective Facilitator's Guide
A facilitator’s guide is an important document. It is a reference document that gives the facilitator enough information and direction to conduct a successful training session.
Upon reflection, an effective facilitator's guide that can be used by all facilitators would contain:
- Standardised format.
- Ability to update content with ease.
- Accurate links.
- Simple and effective language.
Standardised format, accurate links & ability to update content with ease:
Formatting can be learned and understood. It can be taught and with time and practice people will eventually understand the nooks and crannies. Being well versed with the formatting rules takes time. How quickly one understands the formatting rules depend on how many rules there is to be aware off. Logic would dictate the lesser the rules the quicker the understanding process will be.
The results indicate there is sufficient dissatisfaction with the facilitators guide, specifically regarding the formatting but there has to be acceptance that there will never be a facilitators guide that will meet the needs of every facilitator.
Simple and effective language:
However, the biggest challenge is around the effective use of language. Because language is shaped for our own purpose, we need to be careful when drafting a sentence. Simplifying a sentence for the sake of simplifying may actually be more detrimental to a facilitator that has to read the guide and comprehend it. Likewise, overcomplicating a sentence that can be written in just a few words is just as bad. A poorly selected word can have different meanings to different people. A poorly drafted sentence will inflict the same outcome.
This is achieved because we are impatient and tired and we assume that our target audience which is other facilitators has more than just superficial knowledge of a subject hence the reason why little thought goes to appropriate choice of words or sentence construction.
Suggestions:
It is my contention, that the best way to get the most out of the facilitators guide is to have regular face-to-face meetings. Using Microsoft Lync is an option. If possible, succession people should be included as well. This approach achieves four purposes:
- The instructional designer can explain the reasons behind the changes made to a topic.
- Integrity of the formatting is maintained.
- Succession people can test the usability of the guide.
- The burden of ensuring the quality of the guide is shared by all.
Other things to consider:
- A sub-editor to update the guide based on the current formatting criterion that was agreed upon.
- Making time for face-to-face meetings.
Upon reflection, an effective facilitator's guide that can be used by all facilitators would contain:
- Standardised format.
- Ability to update content with ease.
- Accurate links.
- Simple and effective language.
Standardised format, accurate links & ability to update content with ease:
Formatting can be learned and understood. It can be taught and with time and practice people will eventually understand the nooks and crannies. Being well versed with the formatting rules takes time. How quickly one understands the formatting rules depend on how many rules there is to be aware off. Logic would dictate the lesser the rules the quicker the understanding process will be.
The results indicate there is sufficient dissatisfaction with the facilitators guide, specifically regarding the formatting but there has to be acceptance that there will never be a facilitators guide that will meet the needs of every facilitator.
Simple and effective language:
However, the biggest challenge is around the effective use of language. Because language is shaped for our own purpose, we need to be careful when drafting a sentence. Simplifying a sentence for the sake of simplifying may actually be more detrimental to a facilitator that has to read the guide and comprehend it. Likewise, overcomplicating a sentence that can be written in just a few words is just as bad. A poorly selected word can have different meanings to different people. A poorly drafted sentence will inflict the same outcome.
This is achieved because we are impatient and tired and we assume that our target audience which is other facilitators has more than just superficial knowledge of a subject hence the reason why little thought goes to appropriate choice of words or sentence construction.
Suggestions:
It is my contention, that the best way to get the most out of the facilitators guide is to have regular face-to-face meetings. Using Microsoft Lync is an option. If possible, succession people should be included as well. This approach achieves four purposes:
- The instructional designer can explain the reasons behind the changes made to a topic.
- Integrity of the formatting is maintained.
- Succession people can test the usability of the guide.
- The burden of ensuring the quality of the guide is shared by all.
Other things to consider:
- A sub-editor to update the guide based on the current formatting criterion that was agreed upon.
- Making time for face-to-face meetings.
Saturday 4 January 2014
Finding the right motivation is the key to success
In 2010 Malaysia's Department of Statistics reported Malaysia has 65,000 unemployed graduates.
In 2013, the Barisan Nasional led government allocates RM54.6 billion for education excellence which is the equivalent of 21% of the total 2014 budget.
Malaysian universities drop in world rankings.
Poor show in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)rankings.
These are just some of the things Malaysians have had to read over the past few years in regards to education. As a person who has been involved in the corporate sector for the last 10 years and five of those in Learning & Development (L&D) I have a strong belief in the philosophy of continuous improvement. Being in the corporate sector, I have also been exposed to the concept of Return on Investment (ROI)and Return on Expectations (ROE).
From a L&D perspective, any initiative that is taken by L&D needs to meet the objectives of the corporation. If those objectives are not met, L&D needs to reflect and identify what areas of employee training need to be evaluated and scrutinised. Malaysia is fortunate that over the years, the government has recognised the importance of education and has invested heavily in it.
But has that investment met with the expected returns?
Has the investment met the the country's expectations?
Has that investment developed holistic citizens who are not just educated and capable for the job market but also proactive participants in a multicultural society thus contributing towards national unity?
Has that investment created citizens that can think critically?
I believe that the country needs to emphasise developing the right kind of motivation for students to think for themselves. That way the student can decide the type of education they require to be a useful member of society. Not everyone can be doctors or university professors but we can all contribute in our own way.
Telling a 17-year-old that he needs to work hard so he can be admitted to a good university and then a good job is hardly inspiring stuff. The motivation behind earning a degree is a good one but I am inclined to think that the motivation behind getting an education is more important than the degree itself. This is because when an individual inculcates the right motivation he will acquire education as a means for preparing himself to be a useful and functioning member of society and not just focus on getting a job.
Acquiring that knowledge does not necessarily have to be in a university. Other institutes of learning such as polytechnics can be just as effective. Having the strength to determine that a course that is right for you is in a vocational institute over a university can be a tough one. We have been raised in a society to believe that a degree from a university is the be all and end all of education. But not everyone of us is cut out for academia. Thousands of dollars is raised via savings and bank loans by parents or the individual themselves for an education.
However, if the motivation is not the right one then the student could very well be motivating himself to an unsatisfying outcome.
In 2013, the Barisan Nasional led government allocates RM54.6 billion for education excellence which is the equivalent of 21% of the total 2014 budget.
Malaysian universities drop in world rankings.
Poor show in Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)rankings.
These are just some of the things Malaysians have had to read over the past few years in regards to education. As a person who has been involved in the corporate sector for the last 10 years and five of those in Learning & Development (L&D) I have a strong belief in the philosophy of continuous improvement. Being in the corporate sector, I have also been exposed to the concept of Return on Investment (ROI)and Return on Expectations (ROE).
From a L&D perspective, any initiative that is taken by L&D needs to meet the objectives of the corporation. If those objectives are not met, L&D needs to reflect and identify what areas of employee training need to be evaluated and scrutinised. Malaysia is fortunate that over the years, the government has recognised the importance of education and has invested heavily in it.
But has that investment met with the expected returns?
Has the investment met the the country's expectations?
Has that investment developed holistic citizens who are not just educated and capable for the job market but also proactive participants in a multicultural society thus contributing towards national unity?
Has that investment created citizens that can think critically?
I believe that the country needs to emphasise developing the right kind of motivation for students to think for themselves. That way the student can decide the type of education they require to be a useful member of society. Not everyone can be doctors or university professors but we can all contribute in our own way.
Telling a 17-year-old that he needs to work hard so he can be admitted to a good university and then a good job is hardly inspiring stuff. The motivation behind earning a degree is a good one but I am inclined to think that the motivation behind getting an education is more important than the degree itself. This is because when an individual inculcates the right motivation he will acquire education as a means for preparing himself to be a useful and functioning member of society and not just focus on getting a job.
Acquiring that knowledge does not necessarily have to be in a university. Other institutes of learning such as polytechnics can be just as effective. Having the strength to determine that a course that is right for you is in a vocational institute over a university can be a tough one. We have been raised in a society to believe that a degree from a university is the be all and end all of education. But not everyone of us is cut out for academia. Thousands of dollars is raised via savings and bank loans by parents or the individual themselves for an education.
However, if the motivation is not the right one then the student could very well be motivating himself to an unsatisfying outcome.
Thursday 2 January 2014
Malaysians everywhere need to tell our politicians to grow up!
Malaysians everywhere must to raise their voices and let our politicians know loud and clearl that they should stop behaving like infants for political mileage.
I am an avid reader of world affairs, especially Malaysia's political and social scene. I have lived overseas for 10 years now but Malaysia is and will always be home to me.
I don't blog and I am not a member of any politicial party but recent developments in Malaysia has prompted me to express my concerns with the hope that sound reason and understanding can prevail.
To our wakil rakyat I welcome robust discussions and debates on various matters but you must step up and act like leaders especially when there are major issues that is threatening Malaysian society. I hate playing the blame game but to UMNO-BN, you won the elections so you need to take decisive action not for political expediency but for national unity. As for Pakatan rakyat, you may not have won Putrajaya but I'm sure you can do something in Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.
Something must be done. Action must be taken. Put aside your petty and childish differences for the good of the country. Stop using the rakyat as pawn for your political games.
What I am writing here is not rocket science and it is not unique but if our political leaders really want to make things work they can. Some leaders like Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Saifuddin Abdullah are doing just that.
They are examples of how you can be from different political parties but you can still come together for the good of the country. More students, politicians and representatives from NGO's need to step up. I believe there are many out there working together but they are just not being loud enough.
The UMNO-BN government has set up the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) which is an excellent initiative but will be irrelevant if there is no political will from them. Since there is no political will, we have to make it clear that they must act! So to all Malaysians in cyberspace, let's be loud and clear, tell our politicians they need to step up and be the leaders Malaysians deserve!
I am an avid reader of world affairs, especially Malaysia's political and social scene. I have lived overseas for 10 years now but Malaysia is and will always be home to me.
I don't blog and I am not a member of any politicial party but recent developments in Malaysia has prompted me to express my concerns with the hope that sound reason and understanding can prevail.
To our wakil rakyat I welcome robust discussions and debates on various matters but you must step up and act like leaders especially when there are major issues that is threatening Malaysian society. I hate playing the blame game but to UMNO-BN, you won the elections so you need to take decisive action not for political expediency but for national unity. As for Pakatan rakyat, you may not have won Putrajaya but I'm sure you can do something in Penang, Selangor and Kelantan.
Something must be done. Action must be taken. Put aside your petty and childish differences for the good of the country. Stop using the rakyat as pawn for your political games.
What I am writing here is not rocket science and it is not unique but if our political leaders really want to make things work they can. Some leaders like Mujahid Yusof Rawa and Saifuddin Abdullah are doing just that.
They are examples of how you can be from different political parties but you can still come together for the good of the country. More students, politicians and representatives from NGO's need to step up. I believe there are many out there working together but they are just not being loud enough.
The UMNO-BN government has set up the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC) which is an excellent initiative but will be irrelevant if there is no political will from them. Since there is no political will, we have to make it clear that they must act! So to all Malaysians in cyberspace, let's be loud and clear, tell our politicians they need to step up and be the leaders Malaysians deserve!
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