I like to share some thought and ideas from what i have learned during my 5 days of courses recently at UiTM Shah Alam. Although the major concept of this courses is to cover up on the methodology of teaching, i found that Academician has slowly abandoned mountains of teaching principle back during those days where it was called baby boomer.
See the reality. During these days, seeing kid playing ipad and gadgets is normal. They went to Starbucks or mamak stall, ordering some drinks and start playing ipad and begun to lough by their own self. Dont ask me what happen to the mouth. I probably accuse that speaking was illegal while they are playing those things. In reality, every things is on your fingertips now days. Student went to class, listen to the lecturer, get back home, copy paste some facts in the internet and suddenly their assignments is ready to submit. In this what we called generation Y, they don't deserved to be blame. It is the transition that educator must changed parallel to the axis of generation Y learning styles.
Moral Value. Take a brood time to think. Students are getting great grades. They have all the information from the Google. Teaching is absurd. They really don't care about the class. What matters is their grade. 80% of their assessment is based on exam oriented. Learning is not about passion and humbleness. Learning has become a ticket to get better job and better paid. In this particular scenario we ought have to change back to square one. Indeed, they are getting good grades. But what about moral values and intrinsic values? How many of you could see students bought their teacher present or even say hello when they meet somewhere. Likewise, i don't quite agree on the methods of celebrating students when they are in final year. Hotel being booked, reservations being made. Lecturer and teacher invited to celebrate the students in this gala-dinner event in 5 stars hotel. What ridiculous is this? I think student should celebrate their teacher and lecturer. 3 years dealing with various types of personality and in the end you expecting them to celebrate you. Kids becoming to have excellent academic background but yet they downgraded moral values and intrinsic values in their own.
Don't lost hope. The only main reason why you should be an educator is you have patience more than anyone in this hectic world. So if you are saying, your hope is gone, go find something else to do beside teaching. Learning is an issue. Deal with it. God create Visual, Audio and kinesthetic individual differently so that educator can have different approaches. If plan A was not succeed change to B. And if C doesn't workout try D or E. If there is things can.t really satisfy us, it means something is wrong somewhere in your approaches. Back in those baby boomer's, the lecturer went to classes and give 2 hours of non-stop lecture. Without any powerpoint and without writing on the board. Read the text books and talk for 2 hours. During these generation Y, this kind of methods is woebegone. People start to realize that fun must be added in classes. Since student having lacks of motivation to go to class, educator plays the role to get the student ass back in the right track. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. If you know what i mean.
Academician itself. Many academician crestfallen by things happen eventually and non eventually in Malaysia. Not many people listen to them. They are just fringe outside the field. Political concern lead them to silent. They are afraid of giving thought. Some of them afraid of the students. Universities change the role from giving better education to a place where people need scholar to get a job. Professor and bachelorette following the direction of the student. Money become the major topic and so does being promoted in University. Those days, the terms 'factory making workers' are suits for local Universities.
Medium and student itself. When some Professor told me " Ohh demn, look what Facebook has done to our society, for the next 20 years we probably being mutated by Facebook". I couldn't agree more. At first we started it from the TV. The Jew quoted that TV is the worst and bad invention for the sake of the civilization. It diverts and brainwash you. Today, we have our very own Facebook. Simple, trillions of people unrealized each day Facebook becames God to them. You could see teenagers express their problem and insulting each other there. It is like religion. Or i would call Facebookism. 4 friends went out to drink coffee, each one having their ipad. Sitting and laughing to the screen making interaction with the screen. So why do they go out at the first place? Dont get me wrong, i am not saying Facebook and other social network is not essential at all. But at least you should have time to divert else thing in life besides facing the screen 24-7. Student are all in the same boat. I miss how my student life arguing and sharing theory for what would we like to become. Giving thoughts on music and somebody who can influence. Staying up late and burn the midnight oil study or engaging ourself with the environment. Get a life. That what most people forgot.
The ball is in your court. Remember 'Time of your life' by Green day? You decide the parts of life what you wanted it to be. Don't wasted your remembrance in something you would regret. At the peak of learning, give something to ponder. Always feel uncomfortable in the comfort zone. We are what we are.
