Learning - The Social Media Way

Time past, things changed.

The other day I encountered the picture on the left in Facebook. Someone was making a joke about how learning alphabet has changed. I would say I grow up with "A" - apple, "B" - ball, "C" - cat ...

Teaching method has also changed a lot within the past decades. The approaches we use, shifted. The techniques we adopt, varied. In my forth year of teaching secondary school, I realized that learning now is definitely not confined to the four walls of a classroom.

In 1999, when the Internet started to bloom, I am already fascinate

d of how I get connected to the world out there. But it was only about 5 years later, that I was exposed to the concept of online learning. Ever since, I have been dreaming to teach via online, and to have online classroom, and to have online students, and ...

Then in 2007, I came to know about social media and it has been growing exponentially over the years.

Social media is interactive. Social media is interesting. Social media changes the way how we communicate with each other. From the snail mail, to email, to chat room, to FB and Twitter. I truly witness the development of technology

in this era. And I have to admit that being an educator, I have to keep up to the pace.

Initially, I learned about Content Management System (CMS) and I was fascinated with the power of how a conducive virtual learning environment it can create. Technology is moving so fast, that now probably the rising star is Social Media.

You may not know what is Social Media, but you do know Facebook and Twitter. Facebook is becoming as famous as it can be in this century. I did an informal survey to have the students tell me how many of them have a Facebook account. It is a whooping 90%.

While I am still learning (I'm constantly learning when comes to technology skills) and enhancing CMS, I think social media application like Facebook may just have achieve a better result if it is used as a tool for learning.

I have seen many blogs written by teachers on different subject matters. However, blogs tend to be less engaging. One of the reasons is that teenagers log in to Facebook almost everyday. And with some telco subscription plan, they are connected 24-7 to Facebook via mobile sms.

I experimented with my own students.

I started a community page in Facebook, and I did not encourage nor inform my students about it. However, some of them did notice and the effects spread like wildfire. This is because their friends can see their online activities of the page when they are on the same social media platform. I have about 67% of my current students visiting the page to get 'tips' from whatever I posted in the page. There are some from other schools, which are my students' friends.

I never give any tips, but I do post sample essays, phrases, sentences, links, videos. I noticed my students liking the posts, and sometimes commenting on them. They posted requests, like essay of a particular topic, and studying tips.

I have encountered one student, who has gone through the trouble to use Google Translation (I taught them how to do it in the classroom) in order for her to be able to post on my wall, in English. I find it interesting, as it is normally very difficult to even get students to flip a dictionary to learn a new word.

Of course, the content of the community page is not done in isolation. Sometimes, I relate to the content in the classroom, to highlight to the students how certain words can be used in context.

Recently, I am working on Ning, a social platform. It is a platform for you to create a social community so that members can interact like what they can do in Facebook. I'm no Mark Zuckerberg, so I am only copying Facebook's template of forming an online community to learn in a social interactive way.

And, this will be my 2012's project. I intend to utilize social media platform, be it a platform or application, to teach, so that my students can learn the social media way. I see how I can immediately attend to my student's request and problem, and how I can engage them in using the language in an authentic manner. They have to 'interact', thus a need to 'communicate', in the target language, of course.

NIE Mag Inc 2011

‎"We pay tribute to your visionary approach in exposing students under your care, to exciting ways they can learn the English language outside of the school syllabus." This is what The Star wrote in the congratulatory letter for our school's participation in the NIE (Newspapers in the Classroom) programme, Mag Inc. 2011.

The Star annually organized NIE programme that offers secondary school students with a chance to participate and learn in a more authentic language learning environment. This year I helped to register 15 teams. I only involve 2 out of 3 classes that I teach. These two classes of students have been working closely with me since 2010. So, they are more familiar with my way of handling language learning.

These students have been doing presentation in slides, for their SPM oral assessment. However, they have learnt the adequate presentation skills since Form 4. For example, how to utilize Powerpoint in assisting them to present their ideas better. They are also more confident in discussing issues and ideas, speaking up and defending their stands, as I normally pose critical questions after their presentation that left them speechless initially.

This year, the theme of Mag Inc. 2011 is "Speak Out". My students were quite excited as they have been discussing some issues, that are normally viewed as taboo in our society, like lesbian, transgender and self-inflict injuries. However, I guess they are just not that creative. Some welcome the idea of participating in shooting media awareness video. Nonetheless, with the tight schedule and extra classes in the afternoon, they chose to withdraw and submit mini magazine instead at the last minute.

The ultimate motivation for them to submit more than 1 entry is - Pizza. :D

Of course, I also promoted the Grand Prize of trip to Hong Kong and scholarship. Overall, it was really an exciting experience. The Star mentioned that this year's participation has increased a tremendous 42%. There are only 2 schools participating in the place I teach. The other school won a Merit Award and they had 6 - 7 teachers helping out.

I joined the programme all alone, because teachers in my school are somehow sceptical with the enrolment. When I received the Facilitator letter and some pizza vouchers, I did a promotion again in the staffroom as usual. I gave away the vouchers and tried to persuade the authority in charge to promote subscription among students in the coming year for the certificates. And I think some of them are giving the idea a second thought.

Well, I have achieved what I intended to do in the first place. My participation in the programme is not for the pizza voucher, though I really won't mind to have 3 pizzas all to myself, but to show the teachers that we can actually make English language learning more authentic. My idea is always to expose students to the authentic use of the language, for only then students 'see' the significance in learning the language. This kind of awareness among students is the best motivation. Once they are aware of this, my job is half done. Students will not 'study' English in order for them to sit for the exam, but rather to enable them to be connected to the real world.

And even though I have this belief, I sometimes feel discourage too because not all will see my objective and my real intention. Thus, when The Star acknowledged my effort (well, it's just complimentary, but it means a lot to me), I am in cloud nine, and it gives me more reasons to hang on to my belief.

I hope that next year more teachers will accept the challenge and participate actively in the programme. NIE is not a waste of time.

The Cop and The Stamp

The other day I was visiting a local exhibition centre. I was wandering aimlessly through the booths, trying to hunt for some worthwhile deals. And then I came across a printing company. They set up their booth using really nice designs and colours. They posted their portfolios and showcase their products. On top of the booth was a row of A4 printed with different services they offer.

One of it said: "Customized Cops"

First of all, I was quite impressed as they are concious with their grammar, minding their language carefully. This is reflected through the word "customized" and the plural form of noun. However, I was not quite satisfied. So I approached the booth owner and told him that, look you should use the word "stamp" instead of the word "cop". The owner said, well, there are arguments. It seems that "cop" is acceptable.

I decided not to 'debate' with him. So I left.

For you to refer to that seal, imprint, brand, or mark, it is termed as "stamp" in English. "Cop" is never the correct word to use. "Cop" is really a Malay word, "cop mohor", "cop jari", "cop syarikat", "cop tarikh" and so on. In English, "cop" is pronounced as, /käp/, meaning ~ POLICE.

What puzzles me is that people sometimes can be so 'fossilized' that change is almost impossible. I once tried to correct my girls from using the word "handphone" by acting to talk into my hand whenever they say the word instead of "mobile phone" or "cell phone". It triggered a good laugh, but I find that whenever I forget to 'act', the mistake lingers on...

Maybe what we really need is the skill to unlearn. And maybe it is very difficult to unlearn, because it also means giving up so form of authority, relinquish some power, that essentially evokes the feeling of insecure. Well, I guess until we know how to unlearn, we can never relearn.

Just like the case of "Cop" and "handphone".

The Blessing Ceremony

We all like to be blessed. The annual blessing ceremony is part of the exam students' motivation programme. It is something new to me, being a co-ed student. I never went through any blessing ceremony before my examination, be it school-based or public examinations. What I had was my mother's 'blessing' in the form of chicken essence and the prayer I learned from the church. Sometimes, I get the blessing from my pastor in the church during Sunday service, but never the one like I experienced a while ago in my current school and the previous religious school (SMK Agama).

The motivation programme is run by the Counselling Unit of the school. In the past we have it stretched out the whole day. There are different slots, mostly encouragements and advises from teachers - form teachers and subject teachers, the Principal and Senior Assistants. The students listen to advises, ranging from personal experiences to result analysis, all aiming to keep them focus in doing well in the public examination. At the end of the programme, we usually hold a blessing ceremony, where students are engaged in a prayer (Christian or non-Christian, Muslim students say their prayers too) followed by a 1-t0-1 blessing from each of the teachers to each of the students. And usually this is the time where most students will cry into a river. The teachers are stronger, they seldom shed a tear, maybe they have gotten used to it. I think this is the slot that inject some meaning to the public exam where the students are going to face. It is not just about studying hard for the glory of the school's name, for the excellent result, but because they are blessed.

In my past years of service in this missionary all girls school, I used to escape the session. Pardon me, because I know I am a cry baby. My colleagues know me well so they never force me to join, even my Principal. Another reason that enables me to go MIA is that I am not a form teacher, thus allowing me to slightly hold up a wall in between, so that things don't get too personal. Of course, I must admit I broke a lot of my students' heart, because they would like to hug me and say thanks to me (according to them). I responded to that by asking them to do it some other time.

This year, unfortunately, I am a form teacher and I have no excuse to not say a few words to encourage the students - they are from the last class. I have never had cold feet when speaking in front of public, but I was nervous that day. The ideas played in my mind, but I just can't address them properly during my speech. It is the first time that I actually experienced stage fright. And then, when some students hugged me tightly and said "Sorry Miss, I did not do well in the trial", my heart just went shattered into pieces. And when they wiped off my tears, I was so touched that I couldn't even say a word. It also saddened me when some expressed how stressed they are, telling me they really can't do it. I don't know what we have expected of them is right after all...

Here are the things that I actually wanted to tell my girls:

When you are discouraged by the comments or critics of the teachers, never think that your teachers have regretted by being your teachers or to encounter you in their lives. When your teachers have not given up hope on you, you have no rights at all in giving up yourself. The road to success is never easy, it often comes with sacrifice and pains. When you toil through it, and finally come to rest under the shade of success, you will find that all your hard work have actually paid off.

We crossed path in this life for a purpose. There is a reason why you attended my class and I, being your teacher. If you are stressed, don't forget that I have also been given a task by my Father, a great responsibility to guide you and to be your teacher. There is not one time that I have thought of giving up on you. To me, you are all great students.

Every student is supposed to graduate from this school doing better than me, because our time is evolving. Every generation is always better than the one before. When we keep on telling you to put in more effort, it doesn't mean we don't acknowledge the amount of hard work you have put in. It is our job to keep you aiming high. However, at the end of the day, if you have tried your best, whatever you receive is what you deserve. There should not be a question that you have failed us or anyone beside yourself.

Go with peace and strive hard for your exam, as this is your one and only priority in life for now. You have all my blessings and my prayer will always be for you.

All the best and God bless.

The Standard of Assessment

And it is the time of the year ~ trial exam. I'm referring to SPM first trial. The whole school, in a months time, is seen to go into 'battle' mode, both teachers and students. For teachers, that's the awful moment of having the principal pushing and pressing for results. For students, that's their 'trials' before the education system, being grilled and baked, and steamed and fried, you name it.

Our assessment system, has been criticized, similarly of those adopted in Taiwan or Singapore for being result centred. We want to see results, better results, excellent results. I have colleagues from other school (the cluster material) reporting to have target as high as 97%. I sometimes wonder, after we hit the perfect 100% where do we go?

Everything is measurable. We grade our students on their written papers, their aural-oral skills, their masteries in conducting experiments. After we grade them, we stream them. We analyse them, we devise plan to make them score even higher in the next exam. The process is ongoing. Meanwhile, the proposal to abolish public examination created an uproar among the society, voices are heard from the educators. In the end, back to the basic, what about evaluation?

In my opinion, it is crucial for us to know why do we assess our learners in the first place. Let's strip the fact bare. The evaluation is basically to find out how effective what we have planned and executed so far. Public examinations are there to reflect how successful our education system is. If the public examination results are showing improvements year after the other, why do we need to abolish certain policies and adopt newly drafted ones?

Let us be honest, school based assessment may just be the solution. Because we know our learners the best. We know what we have been teaching them and whether or not we have been trying to help them to learn. If we can't perform school based assessment, something is seriously wrong with us, yes, us as the educators. We are supposed to be able to reflect in our assessments that we have been doing our job. School based assessment is not solely devised to 'test' the learners. It is our portfolio as an educator. It shows us our strengths and weaknesses as an educator. It is a REPORT that tells us what we should do next.

I welcome the idea of school based assessment. If the teachers are complaining there will be too much work, think again. Whenever there's new policies being introduced, please make an effort not to say 'No' before taking a cold hard look at what is being presented.

Myth Buster: TOV and ETR

What is the current hot issue in school, secondary school in particular? It's the 'newly' developed data application system named SAPS. For a moment, I am greatly touched with the MOE's effort in trying to create standardized platform for educators in Malaysia to store, retrieve and manipulate relevant data. However the 'introduction' to the terms TOV and ETR only created an uproar among the teachers.

First of all, TOV stands for Take Off Value, and ETR, Expected Target Value. What we need to bear in mind is that educators from award winning, prestige, high achieving schools may be familiar with these terms. But there are also educators that show that they have no idea about what these things are referring to.

I find it a bit absurd. Because in order for you to conduct effective teaching in the classroom, these two are the essential components that ensure your success. When you take over a new class, you know none of the students. You need to remember their names in the shortest time possible, possibly in 2 days time, to create the kind of rapport and earn respect. Right after this, what you need to know is your students' current proficiency level in order for you to generate the forever popular i+1 classroom instructions. And the best practice is through TOV. TOV simply means your students' initial score in the subject that you are teaching.

So, how or where do you get your TOV? Easier way, their previous exam marks. More precise indicator, a placement test or a diagnostic test. Either way, TOV meant to give you a clearer picture of how your students are performing at this particular period of time, what they know, what they not know, so that you can construct a useful instruction to help them to improve.

As students follow your lessons day in day out, ideally, they are supposed to improve, meaning learning some new skills everyday, making them better with time. And this is where ETR comes in - Expected Target Value. ETR is just like your teaching objectives, where do you want your students to be at the end of the day? Do you want them to be an 'A' student? 'B'? or just a pass? So you set your ETR. Some schools do this collectively, meaning to say every student needs to have at least 10% increment. But some schools allow a more tailored expectation, that each teacher can set their own target for each of their students based on their abilities and capacities to learn.

Then, how do you get ETR? (Well, this is the question I get so though the answer is pretty obvious I think I just need to 'spell it out'.) Depending on the degree of increment (5%, 10%, 15% etc), the formula (don't worry, it's simple Maths calculation) is:

ETR = TOV X (degree of increment)

Though the majority may be fearful of their name, referring to them as the 'unknown', fear not as it is only the simplest concept in teaching. TOV and ETR are not for GEMs or MACS alone, or a new term created for SAPS. It's a tool useful to individuals, departments, schools, and even district offices in general. It's a guideline of how should you plan your teaching instructions.

Project Based Learning

Have you ever heard of Project Based Learning (PBL)? Or, how much do you know about PBL?

Before I went for my formal ESL training, I was trained to teach Mathematics (7-12 years old). I had a very good lecturer, who adopted collaborative learning. It was 1997 then. Coperative and collaborative learning are the in-thing. Malaysian learners were bound to KBSM, which essentially stressed the importance of learning together, with a lot of collaborative values, to learn how to be able to work with others in harmony, how to complement our weaknesses with other's strengths.

I followed the collaborative pedagogy for 3 years, and I like the idea. Mainly because personally I never believe in one man show and that no man is an island. Besides, I think we are all social animals, we need to be connected, we need to talk to each other.

However, managing learners in collaborative learning can be a mundane task. That is me speaking from experience. First of all, there will always be learners that do nothing. Worst still, group learning (be it coperative or collaborative) can be VERY boring if the objective and aim are not made clear to the learners.

Teaching can be a boring job, especially you are repeating what you teach year in year out. I am a person that gets bored easily. To counter this problem, I need to give my students different tasks, even though they are of different cohorts. This is because I can't change the theme or the topics spelt out in the Curriculum Specification. The only way that I can figure out that time is to ask my students to do different projects.

For all the projects I involved my students with, I never realize that I am actually doing PBL, until I attended the Sarawak Zone Education Seminar in 2009. It was only then I came across this pedagogy. Coincidently, in 2011, Intel is promoting PBL to K12 teachers. They dedicated a free online course on PBL. The online course is very comprehensive, providing theoretical knowledge of PBL and also the practical execution of such pedagogy in real classroom settings with the help of experienced PBL advocates.

Thus, like what Paul Otellini said, "...quality education is the foundation for opportunity and innovation". After all, it is 21st century, and it is always good to learn something new.