July 10, 2008 - Katie Goes to College in Malaysia

Classes on UPSI campus defined today. Starting at 9am after breakfast, our sessions began with a presentation called “Local Customs in Tanjung Malim and a Brief History about SITC-UPSI.” At 10am we were given our coffee time (just another excuse to eat here) and the session I had been most looking forward to, began. “Computer Usage in the Classroom in Malaysia” presented by Ms. Amily Shafila Bt Shariff really engaged me since I have such a strong interest in technology in schools. I learned the Malaysian government is really pushing schools to become “smart schools,” or schools that develop future generations who are technologically literate, can critically think, as well as manage and apply knowledge. The similarities between Malaysian computer usage at schools and in the US were so strikingly similar.

Malaysian schools desire to incorporate ICT (Information Communication Technology) for these main reasons:
*Information processing and productivity tools
*Enhance professional development
*Enhance teaching practices

Also amazingly similar are the challenges faced by this incorporation:
*Infrastructure
*Connectivity
*Technological support
*Stability of the systems
*Teacher skill and aptitude

This lesson was one of the first we have had that really drew a discussion between the professor and us. We discussed the similarities as well as some differences that face both Malaysian schools and the US. It felt great to really be engaging in intelligent conversation about something I find so important and interesting. The most amazing finding though is the fact the Malaysian government has a national goal to bring technology to as many schools as possible (computers, technology is paid for by the government and Ministry of Ed) while every single district in the US is left on its own. While the gap between have and have-nots in the US is widening, the Malaysian government seems to have the right idea about how to produce a more adaptable and technologically able citizen. While this session was my favorite by far, it brought out a lot of frustrations I feel for the way education is looked at in our home. Clearly, the Malaysians have it together on this aspect.
Our next lesson at 11 dealt with the teacher training in Malaysian and more specifically at UPSI. Again, there were so many similarities, right down to the classes we take and how many hours are required for practical teaching time. Not surprisingly though, Malaysian teachers are required to graduate with at least 130 credits (usually students have more) while at MSU we only have to complete 120. But again, I found myself being incredibly frustrated with the priority of education in the US compared to the way it is viewed here. By the year 2010, the Ministry of Education paired with the Malaysian government has a goal to have 50% of all working teachers to have completed graduate level (Masters) work. Do they have to pay for this? OH NO. Teachers willing to complete graduate work have fully paid tuition as well as paid leave from their jobs at school. So instead of taking classes on top of teaching all day, the teachers are able to give full effort towards bettering themselves and their teaching practices. And if they want to go out the country to do so? Also paid, plus scholarships are available for living costs. As soon as we learned this I quickly began calculating how I could become a Malaysian citizen. Needless to say, this session also sparked at heated and serious discussion amongst the professor and us.
Our final class before lunch was called “Malaysian Customs and Etiquette.” All of us found this extremely helpful and informational since we will be moving in with our families on Saturday. The teacher of this lesson did a really great job of sharing customs for all 3 main cultures living here in Malaysia: Muslim, Chinese, and Indian. The most useful things I took away from this were the way to greet family members and meet new people, how to eat without looking like a complete moron, as well as how to sit/stand/behave in the Muslim household.
Lunch was served at 12:45 (the 3rd time we were eating for today). We had, of course, a tasty spread of mild chicken curry with rice, fresh fruit, and a small bowl of soup similar to chicken noodle. From lunch our group headed over (we actually walked this time!) to the building we have been holding our MSU classes in. Here we discussed an article we had read and compared/contrasted what poverty or being poor means in both MI as well as in Tanjung Malim. What we came up with in our small groups was pretty different for each; results of this will be posted later when I write an official paper.
The day closed with a similar ending to others: dinner at 8pm and then time for homework, reading, or writing daily journals. But I go to bed with a feeling of frustration and an inability to make changes in the country I live in. For once, I wish the US could take the lead of other countries and reset priorities and ways of thinking in regards to education, healthcare, and general welfare of US citizens.