Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Sesi T-Zero @ OUM Perak

Sesi T-Zero merupakan sesi suaikenal antara pelajar baru dan staf OUM Perak. Sesi ini yang diadakan pada hari yang sama dengan bengkel kemahiran belajar, telah djalankan di OUM Perak sebagai salah satu aktiviti wajib untuk pelajar baru.

Salah satu kumpulan sedang membuat perbincangan dan perancangan sebelum memulakan aktiviti mereka

Para pelajar dipecahkan kepada lima kumpulan dan diberikan taska yang merupakan aktiviti berkumpulan yang menguji kreativiti dan kemahiran mereka dalam berbagai bidang.

Salah satu aktiviti T-zero melibatkan aktiviti penyusunan bunga bagi menguji kreativiti mereka

Pelajar menunjukkan semangat juang yang tinggi

Sketsa yang cukup kreatif dari salah satu kumpulan

Persembahan Panca Sitara yang membolehkan kumpulan ini muncul sebagai Johan keseluruhan

Tiap-tiap aktiviti akan diberikan markah dan kumpulan yang berjaya mengumpul markah terbanyak akan dinobatkan sebagai juara. Hadiah berupa hamper dan cenderahati disediakan untuk semua pelajar yang mengambil bahagian sama ada yang menang atau yang kalah. Yang pentingnya ialah, ianya dapat memupuk semangat bekerja sebagai sebuah kumpulan sambil menjalin hubungan silaturahim.

Johan kumpulan bergambar bersama Pengarah OUM Perak









Pelajar juga berpeluang mendekati diri mereka dengan staf OUM Perak yang turut serta menjayakan aktiviti tersebut.

Bengkel Kemahiran Belajar untuk Pelajar Baru Ambilan Januari 2009

Seperti biasa, pelajar baru OUM adalah diwajibkan untuk menghadiri bengkel kemahiran belajar sebelum mereka memulakan sesi tutorial pertama.

Sebahagian dari pelajar yang hadir mengikuti bengkel ini

Turut hadir, pelajar bag program Bachelor of Nursing Science, di barisan hadapan

Objektif bengkel ini adalah untuk mendedahkan pelajar kepada segala cabaran yang bakal ditempuhi mereka sebagai pelajar pendidikan jarak jauh. Mereka dilatih untuk menjinakkan diri dengan sistem pembelajaran "Blended Learning" yang diamalkan oleh OUM. Sistem ini memerlukan pelajar memahirkan diri dengan komputer dan Internet yang merupakan salah satu komponen utama dalam "blended learning" ini.

Pengarah OUM Perak, Richard Ng, sedang memberikan penerangan mengenai pembelajaran jarak jauh dan terbuka (ODL)

Di OUM Perak, bengkel separuh hari ini telah diadakan pada 28 Disember. Seramai 86 orang pelajar telah hadir mengikuti bengkel yang bermula pada jam 8.30 pagi dan tamat pada jam 1.15 tengahari.

Pendaftaran Pelajar Baru OUM Perak Ambilan Jan 2009

Pada 20 Disember yang lepas telah berlangsung dengan jayanya pendaftaran pelajar baru ambilan Januari 2009. Seramai 73 orang pelajar telah hadir untuk mendaftarkan diri. Mereka turut menghadiri sesi taklimat untuk pelajar baru.

Sesi taklimat telah disempurnakan oleh Pengarah OUM Perak, Richard Ng

Pada hari yang sama juga diadakan sesi walk-in dan ujian kemasukan Open Entry bagi mereka yang ingin mendafatar masuk untuk kemasukan semester Januari 2009.

Pelajar baru sedang memberi tumpuan mereka kepada sesi taklimat yang diadakan sempena hari pendaftaran

Kebanyakan pelajar yang hadir adalah warga kerja berusia antara 22 tahun hingga 65 tahun yang telah diberi peluang kedua untuk mendapatkan sekeping ijazah yang amat berharga dan bermakna bagi mereka. Dari pagi lagi mereka datang dari jauh. Ada yang datang dari Teluk Intan, Lumut, Taiping, Manjung, Sitiawan, Cameron Highlands, Kuala Kangsar, Kampar, Bidor dan juga dari persekitaran bandaraya Ipoh.

Salah seorang pelajar yang dilantik sebagai wakil untuk membaca ikrar

Pelajar baru sedang berikrar

Berbagai jenis kursus menjadi tarikan mereka. Antara yang popular adalah kursus Bachelor of Nursing Science dan Bachelor of Management. Tidak kurang juga yang mengambil kursus Bachelor of Business Administration dan Human Resources Management.

Selamat Hari Lahir - Zura dan Shah

Bagi warga OUM Perak, saya ucapkan "Selamat Hari Lahir" kepada staf OUM Perak iaitu Puan Zura (Penolong Pengarah - IPIP/Tg. Malim) dan Sdra Sharizal (Penolong Eksekutif) PP Perak. Mudah-mudahan dimurahkan rezeki dan dipanjangkan usia. Semoga beroleh kejayaan dalam segala lapangan.

Ulang tahun ke berapa tu Zura? Rahsia?

Sharizal ... masih muda dan single

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Selamat Tahun Baru 2009

Kepada semua pelajar, tutor serta staf OUM, saya bagi pihak OUM Perak untuk mengucapkan "Selamat Tahun Baru 2009". Semoga kejayaan sentiasa mengiringi anda sekeluarga.



Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Wishing all our tutors, staffs and learners and family members:

"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year"



From:

Staff and Management of OUM Perak

Bengkel Kemahiran Belajar Untuk Pelajar Ambilan Jan 2009

Pada setiap semester, pelajar baru OUM diwajibkan untuk menghadiri satu bengkel bagi mendedahkan mereka kepada pembelajaran secara jarak jauh (PJJ). Sebagai pelajar PJJ, sudah tentu sentiasa terdedah kepada berbagai cabaran dan dugaan sebelum dapat merasai kejayaan.

Salah satu sesi bengkel kemahiran belajar yang lepas

OUM amat prihatin terhadap masalah pelajar-pelajar barunya, justeru mewajibkan semua pelajar baru mengikuti bengkel ini. Dalam bengkel ini, para pelajar akan didedahkan dengan berbagai kemahiran yang diperlukan seperti kemahiran mengurus masa, mendisiplinkan diri, kemahiran membaca dan memahami modul, menggunakan komputer dan internet untuk mencari maklumat yang dikehendaki serta kemahiran menyediakan tugasan.

Sebahagian dari pelajar ambilan Sept 2008 semasa bengkel kemahiran belajar

Butiran lanjut mengenai bengkel adalah seperti berikut:

Tarikh: 28 Disember 2008
Hari: Ahad
Masa: 8.00pg hingga 4.30ptg
Tempat: OUM Perak, Jln Lim Bo Seng, Ipoh, Perak


Bahan bengkel, makanan dan minuman adalah ditaja sepenuhnya oleh OUM. Kehadiran adalah wajib bagi semua pelajar baru ambilan Jan 2008.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Pendafataran Pelajar Baru Ambilan Jan 2009 @ OUM Perak

Posted by Richard Ng

Tanggal 20 Disember 2008 bakal menyaksikan sesi taklimat dan pendaftaran pelajar baru OUM ambilan semester Januari 2009 diseluruh negara bagi program peringkat diploma dan sarjana muda. Pada hari yang sama juga akan diadakan Ujian Open Entry bagi mereka-mereka yang berumur 21 tahun ke atas dan mempunyai kelulusan PMR atau SPM tetapi ingin mengambil program ijazah sarjana muda yang ditawarkan oleh OUM.

Orang ramai yang berminat dijemput hadir untuk mengikuti satu prebiu khas serta taklimat ujian Open Entry. Sila bawa bersama anda, semua sijil asal beserta yuran permohonan sbanyak RM25 dan yuran ujian sebanyak RM160. Pemohon yang berjaya akan diberikan surat tawaran dengan serta merta.

Sejak OUM dibuka untuk pendaftaran pada bulan Ogos 2001, lebih dari 80,000 pelajar telah berjaya ditawarkan berbagai program dari peringkat diploma hinggalah ke peringkat kedoktoran dalam pelbagai bidang seperti pengurusan, pentadbiran, pemasaran, teknologi maklumat, pendidikan, kejuruteraan, kejururawatan, sains sukan dan yang terbaru pengajian Islam, saikologi, komunikasi, keselamatan dan kesihatan.


Sesi taklimat di OUM Perak akan diadakan dari jam 8.30pg hingga jam 12.30tgh di alamat No. 71, Jalan Lim Bo Seng, Ipoh (Tel: 05-2546006). Bagi memudahkan anda mencari lokasi OUM Perak, disertakan di sini peta lokasi OUM Perak sebagai panduan:

Sila klik pada gambar untuk melihat imej yang besar

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Eye check - The Star

Sunday December 7, 2008: By LIM WEY WEN

There is much more to eye health than the ability to see clearly.

WHAT qualities define a healthy eye? “The ability to see clearly, of course,” many would say.

As most of us equate visual acuity to good vision, that, is certainly the best guess. And it could be observed in the way most visits to the local optometrists are prompted by poor eyesight such as the inability to read tiny prints on the blackboard or signboards far away.

A good optometrist should be able to properly assess an eye and prescribe eye care solutions according to an individual's vision needs.

In fact, visual acuity is just a small part of eye health. There are many other aspects to it, including the ability to identify colours (colour vision), the ability to focus on objects near or far with both eyes (binocular vision) and the ability to see in low lights (night vision).

Many of us fail to realise that good vision is more than just good eyesight, says Better Vision retail operations manager Richard Loh, who is an optometrist by training.

More worrying is the trend where commercialised eye care providers engage in price wars as the Malaysian optical market targets a more product and brand-conscious consumer base, marketing eye care products as fashion accessories.

One of the observations General Manager Benjamin Pwee made was the increasing trend of brand-centric customers.

He notes, “Many of our customers are only looking at the brand (of eyewear)... but there is little concern about the quality of the lens that goes with (it). They spend a lot of time looking for a brand, but because the lens is transparent, and there isn’t a brand on the lens, they are not aware of the quality of the lens that they are buying.

“Very few customers demand the quality in terms of professional services that they should get.”

In a media briefing that is part of their patient education programme, Loh and Pwee sets out to shed some light on what constitutes a complete eye test, and what an optometrist can do to help you meet your vision needs.

First of all, it is important to remember that vision needs vary according to the age, health condition, occupation and lifestyle of a person, says Pwee.

For instance, a footballer or badminton player needs sharper vision to see far objects and a frequent driver needs good binocular vision to judge spatial distances to overtake or park his/her car properly.

As every eye is unique and visual needs vary, a good optometrist should be able to properly assess an eye and prescribe eye care solutions according to an individual’s vision needs, says Loh.

In a series of eye tests in its 12-step assessment called the BVAX accuracy system assessment test, Better Vision seeks to provide its customers with an accurate diagnosis using all or some of the tests mentioned below.

Step 1: Patient evaluation

A complete patient evaluation will tell the optometrist the patient’s main reason for the visit, history of previous eye examination, current spectacle/contact lens prescription and optical needs for occupation and hobbies. With the right questions answered, half the story of your eye has already been told, and the optometrist will be able to focus on suitable tests and provide appropriate solutions.

Step 2: Objective refraction test

This test is done to assess if your current spectacle or contact lens prescription has changed. However, as this is only a rough estimation, the results from this test alone is not enough to be used to prescribe spectacles or contact lenses. A subsequent subjective refraction test will be required for a more accurate assessment.

Step 3: Subjective refraction test

This is a more accurate assessment for short (myopia) or long (hyperopia) sightedness. The results from this test will be compared to your current prescription to determine whether you need to wear glasses or change your existing pair.

Step 4: Fan chart and cross cylinder

This test is to evaluate the presence or power and angle of astigmatism a person has. Astigmatism occurs when the transparent front layer of the eye, the cornea, is not evenly curved. According to Mayoclinic.com, symptoms of astigmatism include distortion in portions of your visual field, blurring of vertical, horizontal or diagonal lines, eyestrain or fatigue and headaches.

Step 5: Visual acuity test

The visual acuity test assess a person’s best possible vision performance. According to Loh, a best vision performance may not necessary mean the sharpest vision, but a vision that will cater best to your vision needs.

Step 6: Duo-chrome test

The duo-chrome test checks whether your prescription lenses overcorrects or undercorrects your short- or long-sightedness.

Step 7: Binocular balancing

This test ensures that both eyes are equally balanced in clarity or sharpness so that you can have a comfortable vision. If each eye sees with different clarity and the binocular balancing is not done, the brain will have difficulty in fusing the images together.

Step 8: Near vision test

This is a test to assess if a person (usually 38 years and above) needs a reading (long vision) prescription. Generally this will be tested at a distance where you normally do your reading. For example, a person who plays a piano and a person who needs to read books constantly has different near vision needs.

Step 9: Colour vision test

As its name implies, this test determines if a person can discern one colour from the other (the most common colour vision deficiency is the inability to differentiate red from green).

Step 10: Binocular vision assessment

This is where the optometrist assesses if there are any abnormalities with the eye muscles. These abnormalities can cause, among others, double vision, headaches or dizziness, difficulty in reading and lack of depth perception.

Step 11: Vision analysis

After all the steps are carried out, the optometrist will review and analyse the data obtained and make final adjustments to the prescription, if necessary.

Step 12: Patient management

The optometrist will provide customised solutions for their vision needs. Should a patient be diagnosed with signs of eye diseases or has symptoms of another underlying disease, he/she will be referred to an eye doctor or a specialist.

Besides these 12 steps, other customised tests, such as the Amsler chart or visual field test (for age-related macular degeneration problems, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy) and Pelli Robson contrast sensitivity test (how well we see large, faint objects around us) can be done to cater for special vision needs of the elderly, young, contact lens wearers, drivers and professional golfers.

Usually, you will be able to get the objective refraction, subjective refraction, the fan chart and cross cylinder, visual acuity , duo-chrome, binocular balancing and colour vision tests in other optical stores.

The trick is to find an optometrist who is able to analyse the results of the test accurately and prescribe eye care solutions suited to your lifestyle and vision needs.

“There is no, and there should be no, one-size-fits-all approach to eye testing and assessment,” says Pwee.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

INNOVATION MAKES MATH APPROACHABLE – Sun

Dec 2, 2008

Silver Medalist Richard Ng with his certificate and medal won at the AAOU 2008 International Conference in Tian Jin, China

MATHEMATICS might not be most people’s cup of tea but for Richard Ng of Open University Malaysia (OUM), it is his passion. Ng, who is the director of Perak Learning Centre, initiated a math project, which culminated in a research paper entitled E-Mathematics: Pre-instructional and Supplemental Instruction and their Impact on Students’ Online Participation and Final Exam Score.”

This paper was presented at an international conference recently and won a silver medal. He said the paper was conceived out of his love for math and the accolade was something that he had not anticipated. The conference which was organised by the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) in Tianjin, China, from Oct 14 to 16, attracted over 200 participants from Asian open and distance learning institutions. The highlight was the project paper presentation. This year, the gold medal went to China while the bronze medal went to South Korea. Calling it his pet project (which he started in August 2007), he said: “Math is not a complicated subject as perceived by many. I strongly feel that learners will be inspired when math is taught in a correct way.”

The silver medal won

“To put it in easier terms, this is all about learning and discussing math online. The learners go through two stages – T-Zero and Online Supplemental Instructions. “The first stage sees the usage of a special software to key in mathematical symbols to derive answers. “In the second stage, a method called Supplemental Instructions (SI) is teamed up with online learning.”

The certificate awarded to members of the project team

“SI which was pioneered by Deanna Martin in 1973 at the University of Missouri in Kansas City, applied to conventional learning through a coaching system. “Senior learners who are good at math, teach junior learners through specially arranged extra classes.

“I have tweaked the idea to enable online SI coordination. Though the fundamentals are the same, this is more flexible as the learners need not have face-to-face interaction,” he said.

For a start, the pilot project involves learners from the OUM Perak Learning Centre. The response has been encouraging. “We have roped in learners with math proficiency to be mentors to their junior course mates.

“A significant outcome is that the barriers caused by inferiority complex have been greatly reduced.

“I am glad to see an increase in learners’ online involvement and activities,” said Ng who specialises in Math, E-Commerce and Marketing.

“I believe this format will help learners comprehend math in a fun way. Learners will be trained on software usage, ways of typing mathematical symbols and how to post and answer questions online. “They can turn to their mentors and tutors for guidance along the way. Research has it that collaborative learning has a significant impact on study excellence.

The Sun write-up as appeared in the paper on Dec 2, 2008 pg 20

“This will prevent learners from dropping out of their programme, thus helping OUM to increase its retention rate.”

Ng feels OUM needs to continuously enhance its online capacity to make learning attractive to learners.

“OUM is a viable option for many working people who want to further their studies while working. “OUM shoulders a huge responsibility to make learning less stressful in a creative way.”

Details, call 03- 2773 2002, e-mail enquiries@oum.edu.my or log on to www.oum.edu.my

Lawatan Naib Presiden OUM ke PP Perak

Pada tanggal 21 November 2008, Pusat Pembelajaran (PP) Perak telah dikunjungi oleh Naib Presiden OUM, Prof. Ir. Dr. Rosli Bin Hamir. Lawatan ini merupakan lawatan sulongnya setelah dilantik sebagai Naib Presiden baru OUM.Kehadiran beliau sememangya amat dinanti-nantikan oleh pihak OUM Perak kerana banyak keputusan dapat dibuat dengan cepat.

Prof. Rosli sedang menandatangani buku pelawat

Sejak perlantikan Prof Rosli sebagai Naib Presiden, beliau telah banyak membantu menaiktarafkan kemudahan OUM Perak. Di antaranya termasuk melengkapkan semua bilik kuliah di PP Perak dengan alat projektor LCD dan komputer serta penukaran semua unit alat hawa dingin kepada yang baru. Kos perbelanjaan penambahbaikian ini mencecah sehingga RM150,000. Dengan penambahbaikian ini diharap pelajar-pelajar PP Perak akan merasa lebih selesa belajar di pusat pembelajaran ini.

Dalam masa terdekat ini, PP Perak akan memasang WIFI pada semua tingkat bangunan ini. Dengan adanya WIFI, pelajar OUM Perak boleh membawa laptop mereka ke kelas untuk melayari laman web.

Kelihatan di atas LCD baru yang telah dipasangkan di semua bilik kuliah PP Perak bagi kemudahan dan keselesaan pelajar

Semasa lawatan beliau ini, pengarah PP Perak, Richard Ng telah membangkitkan masalah berkaitan dengan kekangan akibat kekurangan bilik kuliah serta pusat peperiksaan memandangkan bilangan pelajar di Perak yang semakin meningkat. Beliau prihatin dengan masalah ini dan berjanji akan memajukan perkara ini dalam mesyuarat lembaga pengarah. Antara cadangan yang dibangkitkan ialah untuk membina bangunan 3 tingkat bersebelahan dengan bangunan PP Perak di atas tanah kosong 3 lot kepunyaan OUM Perak yang kini digunakan sebagai kafeteria.

Alat hawa dingin yang lama telah diturunkan dan diganti dengan yang baru

Pada tapak kafeteria kepunyaan OUM Perak inilah telah dicadangakan supaya membina bangunan tambahan bagi menampung bilangan pelajar yang semakin meningkat

Prof Rosli menasihatkan PP Perak supaya sentiasa membuat pemantauan ke atas kemudahan yang ada dan memastikan kebersihan pada tahap yang membanggakan. Beliau juga ingin melihat operasi OUM Perak berjalan dengan licin dan kemas.