Wednesday 14 August 2013

如何读一本书

我跟同事借了一本书《如何阅读一本书》。我是用朗读的方式阅读的,以便日后如果有须要可以听自己的声音作温习:

第一篇:阅读的层次

第一章:阅读的活力与艺术

主动是阅读

阅读的目标:为获得资讯而读,以及为求得理解而读

阅读就是学习:指导型的学习,以及自我发现型的学习之间的差异

老师的出席与缺席

第二章:阅读的层次

第三章:阅读的第一层次:基础阅读

学习阅读的阶段

阅读的阶段与层次

更高层次的阅读与高等教育

阅读与民主教育的理念

第四章:阅读的第二层次:检视阅读

检视阅读一:有系统的略读或粗读
1. 先看书名页,然后如果有序就先看序。
2. 研究目录页,对这本书的基本架构做概括性的理解。
3. 如果书中附有索引,也要检阅一下。
4. 如果那是本包着书衣的新书,不妨读一下出版者的介绍。
5. 从你对一本书的目录很概略,甚至有点模糊的印象当中,开始挑几个看来跟主题息息相关的篇章来看。
6. 把书打开来,东翻翻西翻翻,念个一、两段,有时候连续读几页,但不要太多。

检视阅读二:粗浅的阅读

阅读的速度

逗留与倒退

理解的问题

检视阅读的摘要

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Proxemics 人际距离学

I learned a new concept today: proxemics. 
I found this concept very interesting, as it is related to my lecture on "Effective Presentation". 
Edward T. Hall (1966)
Intimate space (0m) independent self space.
Personal space (0.15m - 0.45m) distance from lover, parents, children, pet.
Social space (1.2m - 2.1m) suitable for business and social interaction
Public space (3.7m - 7.6m) suitable for public speaking.


Source: Jean-Louis Grall posted in Wikipedia

Saturday 10 August 2013

Learning from Monsters University (the movie)

Mike:
I did everything right, I wanted it more than anyone, and I thought if I wanted it enough I can show everybody that Mike is something special. I am just not. 


You know, for the first time in my life I don't really have a plan.


I'm OK with just being OK.


Wednesday 24 July 2013

The Wisdom of Living


活用失败经验,造成成功钥匙。
要避免“赢得不明不白,输得莫名其妙的窘境。

多做多对,少做少对,不做不对。
多做多错,少做少错,不做不错。

会议管理
1.  一般人惧怕开会,因觉得开会会浪费时间。
2.  会议不能随便召开,但它很重要。
3.  它是一个沟通和解决问题的工具,而不是互相责备,推诿责任或迎逢的大会。
4.  从会议中发掘问题的能力,进而提升解决问题的能力及创造团队精神。

小船好调头,大船难翻身。

I’m always alone, but I’m not lonely.

你行,我也行。=〉你行,我更行!

四种人:创造、克服、应付、屈服

凡是紧要的事,都必须马上去做;而重要的事虽可暂时搁下,但日子久了,重要亦成了紧要。

胜败虽在一时,关键却在平时。

当老大最忌是凡是亲力亲为。所有的事情都要找老二来分担。
〉不论是推动什么计划,尤其是具有争论性的计划,老大都必须只是扮演发号施令的角色,而由老二去执行。

每半个月都要开会,检讨半个月来的各种事项。

成功只因准备足:所谓的好运就是机会来临时,你已做好了万全的准备。

马桶的设计不见的需要配合每个人的屁股;但是在紧要关头时,每个屁股都必须配合马桶的设计。

低潮是高潮的开始。

战意:
为成功而战;为理想而战;为未来而战。
没有战意,就没有奋斗的精神;
缺乏战意,人生就显得平平无奇。

把你脑中所储存的与人分享。

一个人跛足而不迷路,必能赶过健不如飞却误入歧途的人。

安排工作给部属,就像吩咐他们到百货公司去一样东西。他们到了百货公司,便可以照看板标示,去购买那样东西。

My Learning Skills

I discovered some notes on learning skills which I practiced during my teenage:

学习的五种秘诀 (Five Secret Tips of Learning)
1.听课时当场了解 ~ 须在上课前预习 (Comprehend learning contents in the lecture~ should have previewed the lesson before attending lecture) 
2.趁还没忘记前时反复练习(Revise repeatedly before forgetting what I have learnt)
            - 当天第一次复习 (same day of the lecture)
            - 一周之内第二次 (revise for the second time within 7 days)
            - 一个月之内第三次 (revise for the third time within the same month)
            - 考试前 (revise before exam)
3.弃安逸;取渐进。(put aside easy and comfortable living; make progress step-by-step)
4.掌握每种学科的学习要领。(master specific skills for learning every subject)
5.运用优越感产生读书兴趣:把课程内容掌握得比老师说讲的更详尽。(apply the sense of elegance to become interested in studying: master the learning content better than the lecturer)

发现成绩下降的原因:
1.  马戏团型
2.  阴晴不定型
3.  破锣破摔型
4.  一手抓型(广而不精)
5.  永不进步型
6.  稍等一会儿型

1.预习:
-          看过课本后,将有关内容的资料,事先查个清楚。
-          遇到不明白的地方做记号 (听课时留心)
1.    听课:当天的疑问当天解决。
2.    复习:
-          抢时间,问题集,周末总复习
-          背诵忘了的内容

让笔记发挥辞典的功能:Super-dictionary
笔记应有的内容:
1.  预习时的疑问
2.  老师讲课的重点
3.  参考书列出的资料
4.  报纸上的剪贴资料
5.  例题、练习问题、自己易错处、同学的另一个解答法

一页式、做目录、索引

多听、多学、多教

看着写 =〉背着写

数学:要思考去学习
化学、物理:如何应用公式去解答各种问题
生物:记忆比重大
巫、英文:背单字、片语,文法 〉应用到各种文章

七分预习,三分复习。

通宵用功法:
-          不可用在出应用能力、推理能力的学科上。
-          以记忆为主。

小睡:
1.在前一天黄昏时
2.夜间12点睡,23点起。
3.用功到34点,后睡到早餐时间。
4.不可超过2小时。
5.起来或马上用冷水洗脸,坐到椅子上,整理桌上的东西。

驱逐睡意法:
1.  故意打一个打哈欠。
2.  上一趟厕所。
3.  在房内踱方步。

参考书种类:
1.  补充型:单元与课本相同,内容较详尽。
2.  专门型:跟课本没直接关系,极尽详尽一事。
3.  读物型:浅显为旨的读物。
4.  综合型:集药店、试题趋向,标题醒目。
5.  重点式:考试重点,以扼要列出。
6.  问题型:由考试用、课本补充用。

好的参考书
坏的参考书
1.  例题多,解答详尽。
2.  整理有致,一目了然。
3.  作者是此中行家。
4.  图、表特多,附索引、分类表、解说图。
5.  印刷好,字迹清楚。
6.  出版社;出版次数。
7.  练习问题的编排方式。(浅 -> 深)
1.  错误多。
2.  目的不同。



买了参考书就要用。
不好高鹜远。
向老师、前辈请教。


Sunday 14 July 2013

The Importance of Team-building after Restructuring Faculties


Time to wake up

When I first returned to Malaysia in March 2011, I was highly motivated to do something significant for my university in Tanjong Malim. I still remember that I was in tears when I was invited by Warwick Graduate School to give a motivational speech to new doctoral students in October 2009. I told the audiences that pursuing a degree in top ranked oversea university was always my dream, and every second of mine in the UK is part of the dream-fulfilling journey. Having completed my PhD means I should have woken up.

Change for Good?

Despite being away from Malaysia, I always keep abreast with the development of the country when I was studying in the UK, especially the change in UPSI. When I read the Amanat VC in early 2010, I was very excited with the change--a new faculty called Faculty of Art, Computing and Creative Industry was formed, because marrying arts and computing technology should be the way forward. It is like revitalizing the cold, rigid information technology with the humane soul; while enriching the warm, vibrant arts with the armor of cutting edge technology. What a wonderful marriage! Besides, having the chair of Malaysia Design Council, Prof Dato' Ahmad Zainuddin to lead the newly formed faculty is a brilliant decision, because the Dean could directly link all the faculty members and students with the creative industry. In fact, a new form of creative industry could be created right here in Tanjong Malim! I regard this new creative industry as "Educational Creative Content Industry".

Importance of Physical Building as the Faculty

However, when I stepped into the then new E-Learning Building on 07 March 2011, I was welcomed by many unexpected challenges. Colleagues from the Art and Design Department expressed their disappointment with the merging of Faculty of Art and Music and Faculty of ICT. In fact, they felt they had been removed from the former Art and Music Faculty to join the Faculty of ICT, as another new faculty was formed (Faculty of Music and Performing Arts) and occupied the original faculty building. What was worse, they have to “tumpang” or physically stay in the faculty building where they formerly led.

In the eyes of some academics of the original Art Department, those who completed PhD from oversea were in fact gained support by the original leaders in the Department—through the endorsement and defense in securing places for further studies oversea. However, when they have completed PhD studies, they were pulled into the IT side, instead of returning to the Art side--a form of perceived betrayal. In fact, as the university of in the middle of reshuffling staff and restructuring faculties, there were very little options available those who returned from their study.

Importance of Team Building after Restructuring Faculties 

Two years passed and I am still waiting for a faculty-wide team building activity. It's a pity that I know more colleagues from other faculties than those who work under the same roof. Malay has a saying: tak kena maka tak cinta. I strongly believe that team building is essential to ensure success in a newly formed organization. I learned this technique in Millton Keyne and I experienced the danger of not having it done and the benefits of having it done. Some may argue that it is rather late to carry out one at this stage, since the faculty is no longer new. To me, it is never too late to mend. 

Source: www.pentaeder.de



Thursday 11 July 2013

Leading by Example - Reflection of a workshop I attended

I had attended a two-day workshop titled "Communication, Leadership and Public Speaking Skills", which was conducted by TNC(PI) or the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation). The theme of the workshop is instructional leadership, in which TNC(PI) shared her knowledge and experience in research grant application and evaluation, book and journal article writing and publication, administration and management in universities, postgraduate students supervision, and collaboration with external bodies. Herewith the lessons I learned from the workshop:

1. Research grant application and evaluation

After completed my PhD and returned to Malaysia, I have tried applying for FRGS two times but both failed due to the fact that I should not propose to invent product, e.g. games, applications, etc. I also failed to secure the PRGS, LRGS, and IDR grant. The application of PRGS is only valid if the applicant has completed either a relevant GPU, FRGS or ERGS. ERGS must be exploring what and where a particular theory, principles or model can be used, e.g. what and where to use GBL. However, I am grateful that I understand the reasons the failure now--it's never too late to mend.

1.1 Title

In terms of technicality of writing proposal, the research title must be specific in nature, reflecting fundamental issues to be resolved. Novelty is an important criteria in the title. The title must be brief (12 - 15 words) and reflect the content of the proposal.

1.2 Executive Summary

The Problem Statement should begin with fundamental issues, i.e. issues that have impacts on the national development when resolved. There are eight types of such impact in total:
  • Environmental
  • Economic
  • Social
  • Public policy and service
  • Health
  • Cultural
  • Quality of life
  • International
For FRGS, I must indicate explicitly what is the positive impacts on the following three dimensions of national development:
  • Environmental
  • Economical
  • Social 
For international grants, I should hit more types of impact, e.g. UNESCO grant that promote "Education for All".

The content of the proposal should clearly indicate the following flow:

Inputs > Activities > Output > Outcomes > Impact

The Consortium of Asia-Pacific Universities, the Australian National Research Flagships and the Malaysian Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) was mentioned in the workshop, in which I must relate my proposal to the ETP and Flagships. I must include solid authoritative statistical figures and informative research-based facts in the proposal to reflect the depth of my knowledge mastery in my field of expertise.

With maximum 300 words, the executive summary should be written creatively (e.g. using different colours for different sections) to capture the attention of the grant assessor. The methodology must be as specific as possible, i.e. mentioning the use of a particular instrument that was constructed based on established theory.
Also, the expected output / outcome / implication should be linked to GDP in relevant sense.

1.3 Research Background

Unless it is a classical work, all references must be the most recent (last 5 years) related references.

1.4 Methodology

While the Methodology in Executive Summary should be as specific as possible, the Methodology section itself should be as detailed as possible.

2. Book and journal article writing and publication

Some award-winning colleagues shared their experience in writing and publishing journal articles which are indexed in Thomson Reuters (formerly ISI) Web of Knowledge. Working with colleauges in oversea, e.g. friends or doctoral course mates in world leading universities would be a good channel to get articles published in indexed journals. An established scholar must have his or her researcher ID, Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID, Inc.), H-Index. In China, the required H-Index is 7 to be a lecturer--I think in a renown university. For proofreading, American Journal Experts (AJE) provides professional service which costs around RM600 per manuscript.

Inspired by the successful colleagues, I have created my ResearcherID (H-3569-2013) under Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge and I will start to write actively for indexed journals. My current H-Index is 3--still a long way to go to get 7...

3. Administration and management in universities

I asked TNC(PI) to share her experience of overcoming cultural shock when she first completed PhD and returned to Malaysia from US. Her story is really motivating, especially when she talked about how she conducted research with her students despite having no grant and no support from superior. I am grateful to have support from my colleagues and superiors who are keen to help me to become an established scholar, I promise not to let them down!



4. Postgraduate students supervision

5. Collaboration with external bodies.

Friday 12 April 2013

Why should I learn Modern Mathematics and Additional Mathematics concurrently for SPM?


I have been reading Robert’s thesis on adult learners who choose to re-learn Math.
This actually touches the wound that I have been hiding deep in my heart—I used to fail Add-Math during my high school study. Until now, despite having a PhD in Education, I still cannot accept the arrangement which force students learning both Modern Mathematics and Additional Mathematics concurrently. To me, this is cognitively misaligned. I loved Math since I was in primary school, and I even won the first prize in school annual Math contest at the age of 9. All were fine until I reached the age of 17, when I had to learn Modern Math and Add Math concurrently, taught by two different teachers. I always scored in Modern Math, but I hardly score higher than 50 over 100 in Add Math. Looking back this painful experience of getting demotivating results, I believe it was the misalignment that caused the problem. Why not just speed up the teaching of Modern Math and then continue it with Add Math? Please do not tell me that both subjects are different. Come on, they are both Mathematics. I agree that they are different—in the sense of difficulty level. So it should be taught sequentially instead of concurrently. 

Saturday 26 January 2013

Reading Notes: The Five People You Meet in Heaven


The End

It might seem strange to start a story with an ending. But all endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time. (p.1)

Every life has one true-love snapshot. For Eddie, it came on a warm September night after a thunderstorm, when the boardwalk was spongy with water. (p.10)

No story sits by itself. Sometimes stories meet at corners and sometimes they cover one another completely, like stones beneath a river. (p.11)

How do people choose their final words? Do they realize their gravity? Are they fated to be wise? (p.14)

The First Person Eddie Meets in Heaven

People think of heaven as a paradise garden, a place where they can float on clouds and laze in rivers and mountains. But scenery without solace is meaningless. (p.37)

The First Lesson

That there are no random acts. That we are all connected. That you can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind. (p.50)

Fairness does not govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young. (p.50)

Why? Did you ever wonder? Why people gather when others die? Why people feel they should? It is because the human spirit knows, deep down, that all lives intersect. That death doesn’t just take someone, it misses someone else, and in the small distance between being taken and being missed, lives are changed. (p.50)

There is a balance to it all. One withers, another grows. Birth and death are part of a whole. It is why we are drawn to babies and to funerals. (p.51)

Strangers are just family you have yet to come to know. (p.51)

No life is a waste. The only time we waste is the time we spend thinking we are alone. (p.52)

The Second Person Eddie Meets in Heaven

Young men go to war. Sometimes because they have to, sometimes because they want to. Always, they feel they are supposed to. This comes from the sad, layered stories of life, which over the centuries have seen courage confused with picking up arms, and cowardice with laying them down. (p.59)

War is no game. If there’s a shot to be made, you make it, you hear? No guilt. No hesitation. You fire and you fire and you don’t think about who you’re shootin’ or killin’ or why, y’hear me? You want to come home again, you just fire, you don’t think. It’s the thinking that gets you killed. (p.62)

The Second Lesson

Time is not what you think. Dying? Not the end of everything. We think it is. But what happens on earth is only the beginning…The way I see it, that’s what we’re getting here, soldier. That’s what heaven is. You get to make sense of your yesterdays. (p.96)

Sacrifice. You made one. I made one. We all make them. But you were angry over yours. You kept thinking about what you lost. You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to. Little sacrifices. Big sacrifices. A mother works so her son can go to school. A daughter movers home to take care of her sick father. (p.97)

Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you’re not really losing it. You’re just passing it on to someone else. (p.98)

“My wish was to see what the world looked like without a war. Before we started killing each other.”
“But this is war.”
“To you. But our eyes are different. What you see ain’t what I see.” (p.99)

The Third Person Eddie Meets in Heaven

All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair. (p.109)

The damage done by Eddie’s father was, at the beginning, the damage of neglect. (p.109)

This was the second damage done, the one after neglect. The damage of violence. (p.111)

This was the final handprint on Eddie’s glass. Silence. It haunted their remaining years. (p.115)

All parents damage their children. This was their life together. Neglect. Violence. Silence. And now, someplace beyond death, Eddie slumped against a stainless steel wall and dropped into a snowbank, stung again by the denial of a man whose love, almost inexplicably, he still coveted, a man ignoring him, even in heaven. His father. The damage done. (p.115)

Things that happen before you are born still affect you. And people who come before your time affect you as well. We move through places every day that would never have been if not for those who came before us. Our workplaces, where we spend so much time—we often think they began with our arrival. That’s not true. (p.130)

Parents rarely let go of their children, so children let go of them. They move on. They move away. The moments that used to define them—a mother’s approval, a father’s nod—are covered by moments of their on accomplishments. It is not until much later, as the skin sags and the heart weakens, that children understand; their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit atop the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives. (p.134)

The Third Lesson

Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves. (p.149)

The Fourth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven

People say they “find” love, as if it were an object hidden by a rock. But love takes many forms, and it is never the same for any man and woman. What people find then is a certain love. And Eddie found a certain love with Marguerite, a grateful love, a deep but quiet love, one that he knew, above all else, was irreplaceable. Once she’d gone, he’d let the days go stale. He put his heart to sleep. (pp. 164-165)

Love, like rain, can nourish from above, drenching couples with a soaking joy. But sometimes, under the angry heat of life, love dries on the surface and must nourish from below, tending to its roots, keeping itself alive. (p.174)

The Fourth Lesson

Lost love is still love, Eddie. It takes a different form, that’s all. You can’t see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or more them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken, another heightens. Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it. You hold it. You dance with it. (p.184)

Life has to end. Love doesn’t. (p.185)

The Fifth Person Eddie Meets in Heaven

Silence is worse when you know it won't be broken, and Eddie knew. (p.191)

In human accounting, his body was near its end. (p.192)