Identifying Problems

Given the task of identifying problems on topic given, we have to project the first impression of the problem. Understanding the overview of the problem and instruction is essential before exploring the problems critically.

My First perceptions of the problem
Understand that a task was given to UMLIC (University of Malaya Learning Improvement Center), on 5 January 2006 by the university management to enable UM to meet the Ministry of Higher Education mandate. Which is the order is … that by the 12th week of Semester 2, 2006/2007, all final year undergraduate students must be certified “soft skills” competent by the university, as their graduation requirement. Lecturers are expected to start assessing the students from the 8th week of the semester.

Given a problem surely raise questionable statements such as what, why, when, how and do. What’s the issue here?

Questions

• Do the lecturers know that they have to assess final year undergraduate students’ competency in 7 soft skills? -> Creating awareness --> Go to Issue #1
• Do the final year undergraduate students know that they are being assessed? Do the students are given enough time to prepare and equipped themselves with any competency in soft skills? --> Go to Issue #1
• Back to the basic: What are the soft skills? How do we (or lecturers or students) know that we are equipped with competency in any soft skills? -> Defining and implementing soft skills in oneself --> Go to Issue #2
• Do the lecturers know how to assess the final year undergraduate students’ competency in 7 soft skills? Do the lecturers will give fair judgments when assessing their students? -> understanding soft skills --> Go to Issue #2
• In what way (methods or parameter) to assess? -> Guideline books are circulating around universities involved (sample from UPM) --> Go to Issue #3
• How a lecturer can identifies students’ individual skills if the lecturer has to look after more than 50 students in a lecture hall? Do the lecturers know well enough each of their students? --> Go to Issue #3
• How can the lecturers assess the final year undergraduate students in a short time? -> time constraint --> Go to Issue #4
• Who will be the champion / key person / steering committee to ensure the exercise are running? --> Go to Issue #4

Big Q!
How to implement this exercise in UM environment and the continuation of this exercise for a longer term? -->
Go to Issue #3 and #4