Finally

At the end off all my readings, I realize that professional development is a career long endeavor. To be called ‘professional’, we must develop our professionalism continuously, without relying on the schools or department to provide opportunities for us. Therefore, I should grab the opportunity and search the way to develop my own professionalism. Me myself, should be the sources of renewal and continuance.
Through out developing this e-port folio, I realize that the process that I have gone through designing, developing and maintaining the e portfolio, from the beginning until I manage to complete it, is more less the same as the process that I am going through now- developing myself to be a better teacher, not only to give benefits to my students but also give me the satisfaction of being a teacher. I have learned many things via this assignment- thanks to Dr Edwin for assigning this assignment in the first place. In order to produce this e- portfolio, I discovered many things about myself. However, I am still trying to find other ways to improve myself, and once I discover the way, I will discover myself. I admit that there are still so many weaknesses in myself but there is still room for improvement for me. The choice is mine , either to become a better person and teacher OR remain the same.
I am sure after this I will still continue maintaining my e –portfolio. I plan to upload few other teaching resources and create different pages for other subjects that I am teaching now. I would also want to add a forum and invite my students to join and chat, to be able to see and understand themselves as a student. Through the comments and feedback given from my friends and Dr Nooreen, I got more energy and idea to improve this e –portfolio.

Thanks to all!!

MELTA conference

Few weeks ago I have sent a letter to ILHAM (Institut Latihan MARA) , applying to be sponsored for the next coming (end of May) MELTA conference. However, I still have not received any feedback or reply from ILHAM. Some of my colleagues said that ILHAM will only send participant based on the seniority, where some of them are not interested at all. So, I dont't think they are going to approve my application (if that is the requirement), even though I am really interested and looking forward to attend the conference.

So..I guess I have to check my saving, is it enough for me to attend the conference...Sometimes I don't understand ..why they keep sending people who do not interested at all to attend it??

Losing someone...

Last Monday, one of my colleagues passed away. She is in her early thirties and also an English lecturer. She was admitted to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan on 25 March 2008, Tuesday, I guess because she had a terrible cough and asthma. The next day she was given a medicine that makes her unconscious, and she remained unconscious until her death. She was also admitted to the ICU after she had given the treatment, which is on Wednesday. My friends, Ayu, Dahlia, Jamilah and Aidah and me myself went to visit her few times but she was already unconscious at that moment. She seemed not to response to the medicine and treatment given to her. We always pray for her, hope that she will recover as soon as possible. However, Allah loves her more…She died on Monday, at 8.50 in the morning.

The saddest part is…her baby who is 5 month also died few hours before her last breath.

It is really terrible to have lost someone that you know. I do think a lot since she died. I ask myself – how about me, when is my death?Am I prepared enough?

Only Allah knows the answer..

For the time being I always pray for her, hope she will be treated nicely there, since I also hope others to do the same things if I die to.

What I learnt is, there is nothing much more important when you died except to have people who can pray for you and give you support till the end of your last breath.

Designing my e-portfolio

There are some difficulties and challenges that I faced upon completing the e –portfolio. First among the rest is when I need to learn using the software to be used – Dreamweaver. This software is really complicated and tough to be understood by a novice user like me. Without the supporting help and guidance from the book, internet and people who have use this software before; I don’t think I will be able to use it.

Searching for a free web hosting is tedious. It’s because usually the free web hosting has pop-up advertisement somewhere in the pages. However, Dahlia suggested me the google pages web hosting. For the time being, this web hosting offers free hosting and non pop-up advertisement in the pages. I register an account at www.googlepages.com first before upload the files.

Second challenges is when arranging the layout where sometimes the arrangement that has been made do not appear the way I construct it. Perhaps there is a reason for it but I couldn’t identify the reasons. Therefore, in order to ensure that I have the layout that I desired, I have to arrange the layout and edit few items. I have to do this arrangement for quiet some times coz sometimes it may works, sometimes it won’t.
Next challenges exist when I tried to insert few pictures where by I have to use Adobe Photoshop. Some pictures that I choose were different in the sizes, and there were pictures that need to be edited and adjusted before it can be transferred to the Dreamweaver. Even though I managed to edit some, but there are some pictures which I failed to edit since it has different format and adjustment.

The falling flowers in my e portfolio are attractive and nice (that what I think). However, it is not as easy as what it seems to be. Actually I used Java-script - where I have to download the code in the first place. Then I choose the flower to be used and just copied the coding provided in the software, together with the picture of the flower. The next step, I paste the Java-script coding at the e portfolio coding in Dreamweaver. And finally that what I have – a nice falling flowers.

If you notice the background that I use in the e portfolio is the ‘butterflies in blue’. That background is gained from internet (I can’t remember the address coz I go into many free background web). What I did was I choose the background that I like to and then set it as the background in Dreamweaver.

Another sub in my e- portfolio is the guest book. It is quite easy actually where by I just have to create an account at www.shoutmix.com and then they provided me the coding. So I just copy and paste the guest book coding into Dreamweaver.


Despite of the difficulties and challenges upon completing this e portfolio, there are also some parts where I did enjoy doing it. First was when I link the content to the internet. It is quiet straight forward because there was‘tutorial’ software that helped me to do this. I learnt few times before I link them by my own to the internet. Thankfully this software is provided for free. However there’s one little problem exist when I tried to link my e- portfolio with ELT links using google pages. For example I need to type the full address as http://www.melta.org.my- otherwise it won’t be recognized and unidentified. The same goes to my e portfolio full address. Since I am using the Dreamweaver software, and just upload it through google pages, thus the address that is attached consist of ‘index.htm’. That is why my e portfolio is http://umi0779.googlespages.com/index.htm

As a whole, the experience that I gained to design and create this e-portfolio is valuable and precious. I might not been able to experienced this if we are not given the task in the first place. However, I would like to recommend others to use the google pages because it is easier compared to others.

Teaching notes under construction

Dear students,
I'm sorry that I'm not able to put my notes and exercises yet. It is still under construction, due to some problems. I'll try to put everything next week.

Why e portfolio?

The first time my lecturer told that we must develop our own e portfolio, I tried to think of a reason "why"?. Later on, through out the semester, I understand why. First, it is a mirror to see my development as an English teacher. It is as a reflection of the process that I have gone trough or what have I done so far since I became an English teacher. It also enable me to see a clearer picturer of myself by giving opportunity to my friend and students to write on their comments freely. Second, it also helps my students to get the notes and exercises that relates to the subject I teach. In other words, it may serve as my teaching tools to provide link to the teaching materials. Third, this e portfolio will be helpful for my future development where it could develop my future career.

Stage 2 : Developing process

The next step is to link the front page with the sub categories, which is not as much difficult as the previous steps. It is like doing a 'magic' where after all the efforts that you took, finally everything appears. All the pictures,colours, backgrounds and theme that I chose seem to be very nice and attractive (or maybe I'm the one who get too excited). And after completing doing the link and button for every sub, I just upload the e portfolio to the web hosting.

My friends told me that it is really difficult to use this DreamWeaver software but finally I managed to learn and use it after quite a long time. Even though I realized that some of my friends have actually used the free webs that are able, and which is much easier than my steps, I did learnt a lot. Now, I can just concentrate on maintaning my e- portfolio. I'm sure there will be changes in my current e portfolio, maybe something that I would like to add on or delete. A part from it, based on the articles an research papers that Dr Edwin gave us, I realized that this e portfolio is very important to see my development as an English teacher. The gap that I can see when comparing mine with other professional and expert lecturers will motivate me to try harder to reduce the gap.

Stage 1: Designing an e-portfolio

It's quite difficult to get a free web to host the e-portfolio (or perhaps I couldn't find one). Therefore I decided to use an alternative , rather than keep on searching for it. I bought a book on " Create Your Own Website" by Scott Mitchell. Fortunately, eventually I got the idea on how to create an e portfolio since it is more less the same as creating a website.

Firts, I prepare the content of the e portfolio and devide it according to a sub topic. I did refer to Harold Poong e portfolio in order to give me a picture and idea. Therefore, I decided to devide the sub into: personal details, teacher experiences, personal development, co-curricular activities, lesson plans and notes, elt links, forum and link to this blog.

After decide on the content and categorized it, I started to design the frontpage. To be able to this, I use the Macromedia DreamWeaver MX. It is a very challeging task since I am not particularly expose and involve in using that software. However, I am able to learn and design the front page. I also managed to design every single page for each sub category, even though it took a very long time to complete it. I nearly frustrated during the designing process coz it took a lot of efforts and very time consuming. I always tell myself that this is for my own development and satisfaction. At the same time I set in my mind that this is only the beginning to develop my own professionalism.

Assignment

This semester we were asked to create our own e-portfolio, as part of our professional development course. I'm sure this gonna be a very interesting and challenging task to be done!! Wish me luck!