Creativity and Innovation

My aim is to relay the knowledge and skills for the subject I teach to my students with creativity and innovation, in the following dimensions of teaching, supervision and assessment:

(1) Teaching

In undertaking my tasks of teaching the students in my classrooms, I always make it a point that the appropriate teaching aids and tools must be engaged to enhance the learning experience of my students. Hence, I decide that each semester, I will adopt the following strategies and approaches:

(a) Teaching notes in various formats

Innovation in teaching and learning is engaged by using various formats such as PowerPoint, mindmaps, and videos (using screenshare software such as Screencast-o-matic).

(b) Diversified teaching medium

I also make sure that learning experiences of the students may be achieved in various mediums such as face-to-face, live streams and webclass (remote learning) - using various tools such as Google Meet, Zoom, Youtube Live as well as WEBEX.

(c) Web 2.0 Teaching tools

I also resort to various innovative and creative modes involving Web 2.0 applications such as Quizziz, Padlet, Kahoot games and other Web 2.0 applications.

(d) Presentation in the form of posters

Last but not least, I also engaged in innovative presentation by the students in the forms of poster presentations and open to entire UUM COLGIS community to become their audience.

Research skills workshops (Target audience: Postgraduate students and academicians)

Apart from teaching Law students of UUM, I also share my knowledge and skills on research methodology with UUM postgraduate students and lecturers. One of my sharing organised by UUM’s Graduate School of Government and School of Law is on qualitative research and analysis.

(b) Augmented reality

Augmented reality involves teaching and learning by way of video lessons/instructions embedded inside trigger images. Students are instructed to flash their smartphones over the trigger images in order to reveal the video lessons. While doing so, they are also instructed to answer in the activity sheets provided by me. At the end of the lessons, the students are required to provide reflections of their learning experiences for the day.

To find out more about this learning strategy, please visit my paper at this LINK.

(e) Service Learning Malaysia University for Society (SULAM and e-SULAM)

Being one of the High Impact Educational Practices (HIEPS), my friends and I engage in SULAM and e-SULAM, particularly for providing experiential learning for the students. Not only they engage in theoretical lectures, but also they are able to serve the community using the knowledge they have gathered during lectures. One of the pages developed for our e-SULAM project may be reached at this PAGE.

(2) Supervision

Lecturers involve in various supervision exercises. At the moment, I supervise practicum reports by undergraduate students, and research report for postgraduate students. In this context, I always make it a point that I keep in touch with my supervisees so that I can follow through their progress, and be available when they need me. For this purpose, we create WhatsApp group for the purpose of updating their progress, and at the same time, the students can also message me privately for more personalized advice.

During undergraduate practicum programs at the courts, and being part of the Students’ Development and Alumni Office of UUM PPA COLGIS (2017-2019), I also visited the students undergoing practicum at the Courts.

(3) Assessment

Pre and post-reflection exercises are very crucial in assessing the student’s understanding of the lessons taught. Among the strategies that I normally engage in are:

• Two-minute paper exercises: Prior to beginning the class, I gave out sheets of paper to be filled in by the students in under two minutes – so that I can gauge their expectations of the learning outcome for the topic.

• Observation: I observed the students’ body language, how they respond to global issues discussed in class, and their participation level.

• Questioning: I asked questions in relation to real-world cases such as murder, kidnapping and rape cases to illustrate the topic for the day

• Discussion: I encouraged discussion on the legal provisions under the law and decided cases, and how to further improve the current legal framework

• Poster presentation: I encouraged the students to participate in class presentation using poster format, and assessed by fellow lecturers of UUM School of Law.

An example of the two-minute paper exercises I conducted in class is produced below.