It has been almost a month since I have written my notes in this blog. And the year has gone! I hope its not too late to wish you lovely people a Happy New Year!! Wishing you love, happiness and good health all the years..
I think this year I will take another approach, try different angle and dig deeper the areas that I am already involved in research. Make lots of friends and spread lots of love and knowledge. So.. we’ll see how this New Year resolution goes..
This year, is a good year!!

This is an interesting online article and project supported by Common Ground Publishing by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education under the Small Business and Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.

What I found interesting is the effort made by some organisation and the government to continue encourage teachers and educators to find ways of learning and teaching. Finding and discovering knowledge has never been a linear process, even though regularly in schools we were asked to learn in specific ways. But it is important to know that there are other ways of learning, the only different is that the teachers might not know the ways and has been taught one on specific ways.

I always like role play in learning, for me I found that method is very helpful. Now, for others they might find one of my method is childish and not interesting. I can understand that each of our personality is varied thus, some people find it difficult to engage in acting or role play. I think its fun and I learn better when it is fun. Although I also noted (having spending 5 years working on a PhD dissertation) that not every learning process end up as fun. Most of the time it is hard, difficult, painful and stressful. Therefore I always add some fun in that process (or at least I believe I did).

What I like about Learning by Design is that its really begins with a conceptualisation – “a place where learners are actively engaged as knowledge producers and in which teachers have assumed a transformed professional role as designers of hybrid online and face-to-face learning environments. The projects leads to articulate the guiding Principles in the Learning by Design project, situating ‘pedagogy’ in the contexts of ‘curriculum’ and ‘education”. (Learning by Design Website 2011).

Now, how many of us understand what design mean? Or the word sounds grand for some? For now, just ignore the terminology. What is important for you to understand at the moment is how can you learn and learn better?

If you go to the link of knowledge process link in Learning by Design website, you will be shock that there are almost hundreds of links that will lead you to understand ways of learning. Most of them are slightly different from the way we been taught at school. For example, Learning by Conceptualisation. I have trouble to see and then understand text and numbers. It doesn’t mean that I cannot count, or cannot read, but my ability to read is a bit slower that others who doesn’t seems to have problem with texts and numbers. What I have discovered in my high school is that when I read or count, I have to start my visulisation process going, otherwise the whole information will be just like a dust or part of the air. It will get better if I have something, an object or two in front of me to act as the numbers of the text (overall content or subject). And I also realised that when I speak my hands and fingers move, to show the content of my conversation. May be you don’t realiased it, but some people don’t do that.

Back to the Knowledge Processes in Learning by Conceptualisation for example, this is how you can learn and there’s plenty more to know. Enjoy!!

(Image copyright and credit is by Learning by Design Website 2011 by Mary Kalantzis and Bill Cope) 

If you think you understand what is means by fasting for Muslim in the month of Ramadhan, think again.
See what fellow Malaysian (Ezad Zaid and friends) think about the fasting month and how it is played by some as an attempt to get out of it.. Enjoy!

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/360/my-one-malaysia/3696114

ABC one Malaysia

This video discuss and show a various angles comparing current and the past education systems. I shown this in the beginning of the semester in my class, to set up a ground for a design student to have a broad ideas of the education system that they’re in and to provide basic understanding of the important of an education and to start a discussion (or breaking the ice term).

I hope it is as useful to you as much as it has been and continue being to me.

‘Flee to God’s Qur’an, take refuge in it
there with the spirits of the prophets merge.
The Book conveys the prophets’ circumstances
those fish of the pure sea of Majesty.’

Rumi qouted in Lewis, 2000, p. 408

Jalal ad-Dīn Muhammad Rumi or known as Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi

“I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels bless’d; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e’er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones,
To Him we shall return.”

از جمادی مُردم و نامی شدم — وز نما مُردم بهحیوان سرزدم

مُردم از حیوانی و آدم شدم — پس چه ترسم؟ کی ز مردن کم شدم؟

حمله دیگر بمیرم از بشر — تا برآرم از ملائک بال و پر

وز ملک هم بایدم جستن ز جو — کل شیء هالک الا وجهه

بار دیگر از ملک پران شوم — آنچه اندر وهم ناید آن شوم

پس عدم گردم عدم چو ارغنون — گویدم کانا الیه راجعون

Rumi quoted in ‘The triumphal sun’. by Annemarie Schimmel, p. 328

I would like to share this stories, or experience (some are mine and some are from friends who have gone through similar path) and thoughts with you and with future PhD’s.

When you started doing your research, you will get used to hear advice from your supervisors, PhD’s candidates, postgraduate discussion forum, and etc. that you need to discuss and talk about your research topic with others. The question you need to answer when people asked you after knowing that you have dedicated full time to do research, is ‘So, what is your research about?’ Then you go… ‘Hmmm… How do I start?’ Now indeed, this kind of conversation, the more the better according to many researcher, will be able to help you and your research. What will it help? It will help you 1) understand your own research, 2) to learn to articulate your research ground/areas, and 3) to gained new ideas and approached from others.

Well, that is the advice I received when I started my PhD and indeed, I cannot agree more that it does achieved the three goals, plus it help the new researcher (you) to find your own voice, and gained confident in discussion about their research. What they did not tell you, is that you need to be able to construct your conversation, and managed the discussion. You need to be aware that this research is not a short time research, instead it is a long years process, some takes 2 at least for Master’s, 3 and half for PhD’s and the years can go on till 20 years. How do you construct your conversation and managed them till that long? How do you keep your research stories ‘fresh’ and exciting so when you talk to the same people again after 3 years, it will not bore them?

My story:

When I started my PhD, I talk and discuss about the topic and areas that interest me with my husband, and we can talk and talk about this for hours, and almost every weeks. That was the first year I started my research. It was full of excitement, discoveries, exploration and most of all it has gained lots of my confident in talking about it to other people besides my husband. And for him, is the same, he is so interested to know more, we argue, debates, disagree, research and get to some sort of resolution. The research grows with us…

That means, we grow to be part of the whole research process… that happen most of the time and we do brings our family along with it. Anything and almost everything we see, experience and do, somehow we managed to associate or to trigger link to our research topic. For some, it might not go that far or they are smart enough to find line to put stop at it. They did not allow research take over their life and decided to take over the research life. So they discontinue their research. Me, I continue till the end. But there are prices to be paid. Research has taken over me.

It was not that bad, not how it sound like here in this story of mine. Life was good, I feel good, confidence sometimes can be over exited and over confidence, which is normal in this process. Oh yes, another ‘normal’ process would be experiencing a ‘roller-coaster’ life and mood. This process is as much as annoying and upsetting, it can also cause lots of stress. Life is like as a new researcher is like roller coaster. Lost is the words that many would be saying such as ‘Oh! I am lost with this research’. But what you don’t know you also have somehow lost with your own self. You have misplaced yourself. Deep in your thoughts, you deeply belief that this is not hard, come on! You can do this, you have been through harder times than this study, this should not be taking so much impact on your life. Yes, that is what you keep on telling yourself about again and again… that you are not misplace yourself but you have decided to take this challenge. Just for a thought, imagine that this process in your mind right now. Imagine that this process continue for a long long long long years… to be continue.

Unknown graffiti artist. Image photographed by Nurul Rahman, 2011.

Unknown graffiti artist. Image photographed by Nurul Rahman, 2011.

Kita Pengguna, pembeli dan penjual (we are the user, consumer and seller)

An interesting speech by Dr.M reminding Malaysian about the their roles and status as citizen at the World Consumer Day & launching for the Harmonious Family competition on the 4 June 1996. Most of Dr. M speech can be obtained in the online achieve (most of it is in Malay language). The speech is related to the government efforts to  create an awareness among people in understanding the roles they play as consumer in their everyday life. Dr. M reminded the people that their everyday life can affect the country’s economical status, thus, they need to understand how they conduct and managed their everyday life. In his speech he discussed about roles as individual, a seller, and a buyer. He also includes in his discussion about the services that is provided by the government staff, that every services offered have to be acknowledge that it is part of the circle between user, consumer and seller.

Sydney CBD Crossroad-Image NurulRahman2010

For example a person who is a government clerk is also a user (which means he or she still have use the other services provided in everyday life, she or he still will be using the hospital facilities, paying electric and other household bills, etc). The same person is also a consumer, he or she will have to buy products for everyday life, going to the market, buy the household products, and other necessary needs for day to day life. In many ways, the person, is also selling or promoting a service, where he or she as a government staff is providing some sort of services to the others. If the process of productivity work accordingly the level of the inflation will be stable, and everyday life circle will be secured.

There are other point highlighted in his original speech but these are among the significant one.

    6.    Hakikat  asas ini perlu kita ingati  sepanjang
    masa.   Terlalu  ramai daripada kita  hanya  memikir
    diri kita sebagai pengguna dengan tidak sedikit  pun
    sedar bahawa kita semua adalah pembekal.

    7.    Mungkin  kita percaya kita tidak  mengeluarkan
    apa-apa untuk dijual kepada sesiapa.  Mungkin secara
    langsung   tidak.   Tetapi  secara  tidak  langsung,
    dengan  kesan  yang  tidak sedikit,  kita  `menjual'
    khidmat  atau  barangan  sekurang-kurangnya   kepada
    majikan yang membayar upah kepada kita.

    8.     Kerani   dalam   pejabat   Kerajaan   menjual
    khidmatnya  kepada  Kerajaan  dan  khidmat  Kerajaan
    kepada orang ramai.  Jika ia tidak cergas dan  cekap
    dalam  memproses  atau menaip surat,  kelewatan  itu
    mempunyai   kesan  kepada  bekalan  khidmat   kepada
    pengguna.     Budak    pejabat   yang    melambatkan
    penghantaran  surat  pun boleh  merugikan  pelanggan
    khidmat  Kerajaan.  Jika kerana ini Kerajaan menjadi
    tidak   efisien   maka   kos   segala-galanya   akan
    meningkat.

    9.    Dalam syarikat pembekal khidmat atau barangan,
    tiap  seorang kakitangan menyumbang kepada  kejayaan
    membekal   apa  sahaja  kepada  pengguna.   Daripada
    kerani   dan  pemandu  kereta  hingga  ke  eksekutif
    tertinggi, semuanya bertanggungjawab dalam  membekal
    keluaran syarikat.  Kelewatan atau mutu yang  rendah
    barangan yang dihasilkan bermakna kos meningkat  dan
    pengguna  tidak  mendapat haknya.  Kemajuan  ekonomi
    negara juga akan terjejas.

    10.   Jika  kita dapat ingat sepanjang  masa  bahawa
    kita  semua  adalah  pembekal  dan  bertanggungjawab
    kepada diri kita sendiri sebagai pengguna, maka  hak
    kita  sebagai  pengguna  akan terpelihara  sepanjang
    masa. Jika hari ini pengguna berasa hak mereka tidak
    diberi pertimbangan yang sewajarnya, sebabnya  ialah
    kerana kita hanya melihat diri kita sebagai pengguna
    dan lupa akan tanggungjawab kita sebagai pembekal.

    11.   Pengguna  dan gerakan pengguna memanglah  baik
    untuk  memelihara kualiti khidmat dan barangan  yang
    dipasarkan.   Tanpa  gerakan  pengguna  khidmat  dan
    barangan   akan   jatuh  mutunya  dan   harga   akan
    meningkat.  Dengan itu bermacam-macam  masalah  akan
    dihadapi oleh masyarakat dan negara.

    12.   Barangan yang bermutu rendah atau/dan harganya
    yang  tinggi tidak akan berdayasaing dalam  pasaran,
    baik di dalam mahupun di luar negeri.  Untuk pasaran
    dalam   negeri  Kerajaan  akan  diminta   melindungi
    barangan   tempatan.   Perlindungan  oleh   Kerajaan
    sebenarnya   bermakna  memaksa   pengguna   tempatan
    membayar harga yang lebih atau menerima kualiti yang
    rendah.   Dengan perkataan lain bukan Kerajaan  yang
    melindung  pembekal tetapi pengguna  yang  melindung
    pembekal  dan memikul beban.  Ini sudah tentu  tidak
    adil kepada pengguna.

    13.   Sebaliknya  barangan yang  kos  pengeluarannya
    mahal  atau kualitinya rendah tidak dapat dieksport.
    Dengan  itu jumlah keluaran tidak tinggi  dan  tidak
    dapat menolong mengurangkan kos pengeluaran.  Sekali
    lagi pengguna tempatan terpaksa menanggung beban.

Yes, it is difficult and most of the time, you think that it will waste your precious research time. Well, the answer is you don’t have to spend time trying to understand what is the core of the thesis content in your first attempt. It will definitely put you off. But somehow you have to read it because it might have some interesting discussion that you might be able to use or refer to in your research. For sure you don’t want to missed out some important literature. But at the same time you don’t want to end up feeling ‘what a waste of time’.
Skim Reading is the answer so far. It help you to gather the core ideas in the thesis so that you are able to understand, not to missed out, and then to make decision whether you should spend a bit more time reading the thesis thoroughly. On the other hand you will be able to say to our supervisor that ‘Yes, I have read the thesis. It is interesting research but it is not relevant to what I am researching at the moment’. There are plenty of different websites that teaches skim reading. But I have tried this one in particular and found that the methods here and the exercise they offers is very easy to learn on how to skim read.

Reading thick thesis is not that difficult after all. Good luck!

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/570/pulp/hemp1.htm