About the conference …..
The seminar was organized by Pusat Kajian E-komuniti UKM, Universiti Kebanbsaan Malaysia. It was held on the 18 & 19 March 2009 at PNB Darby Park Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. But, I join the conference only for one day, which is on 18 March 2009 because I got computer test for the next day. The main motive for the seminar is “Merapatkan Jurang Digital: Masyarakat Berpengetahuan, Model Malaysia. From this seminar, I gain a lot of information and knowledge about how to bridge the digital gap between the citizens of Malaysia, especially for the people who from the small town or living in rural areas. Based on the information that I get from the seminar, the people who are living in the rural areas is do not have basics ICT knowledge and skill because their income is lower than the people from big city and they also do not aware the existence of online application. So, from this seminar I’ve chosen two very interesting topic that I want to share with you all are “Bridging the Digital Divide: SKMM perspective”, and “Reducing Writing Apprehension through Blogging Activities”.
Topic: Bridging the Digital Divide: SKMM perspective
Presenter: Dato Jailani Johari’s
The speaker for this topic is Dato Jailani Johari’s who is from SKMM (Suruhanjaya Komunikasi Multimedia Malaysia). Digital divide and USP is a mechanism to bridge the digital gap that exists among the rural community and to create an e-community. They have estimated household broadband penetration by 2010 and the BDD effort are including the 3 main things which are the infrastructure, service, and sustainability. In addition, Dato Jailani Johari’s also talk about the USP. Actually what is USP? USP is Universal Service Provision. The USP is designed to promote the widespread availability and usage of Network services and/or application services throughout Malaysia. The objectives for the USP are to:
- Collective access to basic telephony and public pay phone
- Individual access to basic telephony services
- Collective access to Internet access services, and
- Individual access to Internet access services
- Basic Telephony (2002-2007)
Basic Telephony (2007-2008) which is provides collective and individual telecommunicative and cellular voice communication. In providing access to basic telephony, public payphone services and Internet access, the designated universal service provider is expected to consider the use of alternative transmission technologies such as satellite, fixed wireless, Cellular and fixed wireline, where necessary for the provision of the services. The universal service provider is expected to adopt the best international practice in the telecommunications industry, including compliance to relevant industry standards on network end-to-end performance.
- Community Broadband Library (CBL)
They are target 152 CBL nationwide and (one supervisor among local community, training and promotional practice). Their target Groups is 36 OKU centers. They will provide assistive technology and facilities (consult the center) for people with disabilities.
- Community Broadband Center (CBC) 2007-2008
This project is planning for pilot project and it will provide communication towers along the East-West Highway. They target 1105 mukim with community Broadband Center (CBC) and one mukim for one CBC with 278 CBC nationwide. One manager and assistance also will be chosen for this project.
Besides that, Dato Jailani Johari’s also mention the USP target profiles and service which are about the:
- Underserved area
- Underserved localities
- Underserved group
At the end of the presentation, Dato Jailani Johari’s mention about the Broad Community Functionally and there are many issues about it which are the policy-uniformity of telecenter models, Location- site acquisition (land power etc), site suitability. Critical Infostructure- content development, community involvement and sustainability-local champion, expert, and trainer.
Topic: Reducing Writing Apprehension Through Blogging Activities
Presenter: Madam Azianura Hani Shaari
The topic was presented by Madam Azianura Hani Shaari from UITM Penang. This a very interesting topic because it talk about what are the symptoms for writing apprehension, and some factors that contribute toward a writing apprehension. Actually what is writing apprehension? As I know, such students were more apprehensive about writing, rated their own writing ability lower, were less confident that they could master certain writing skill or genres, and had more negative attitudes toward previous writing.
According to Madam Azianura Hani Shaari, there are 6 symptoms for the writing apprehension:
- Scared to write
- Hand cramp
- Hate writing
- Mental blocking problems
- Produce a shorted essay
- Ideas hardly developed
Besides that, there are some factors contribute towards writing apprehension such as:
- Lack confident
Student who are highly apprehensive (lack confidence) also report weak self-efficacy. The students who are lack confidence are contributing towards writing apprehension. Those students are scared to give any comment and opinion for their writing because they are lack of confident. Besides that, maybe the students will give up for their writing and never improve for their writing skill.
- Teachers’ comments
In addition, the teachers’ comments also contribute towards writing apprehension. According to Madam Azianura, the teachers’ comments are very important for student writing. For example, if the teacher gives the good comment for the student writing, so it will encourage the student to do more writing. But if the students get the bad comment from their teacher, so they will evasively to do more writing. It is because maybe the student cannot accept the bad comment from their teacher and gives up improving their writing.
But for me, sometime we should accept any comment from our teacher because the comments from the teachers are the best way to improve our writing. If we always do not learn how to accept any ideas, any comment from another people, how we can always improve ourselves from the mistake and become a successful person?
- Examination
- Culture- Face saving
- Lack role models
- Audience
- Proficiency Level
- huge audience-native speakers
Especially the native speaker (huge audience) from the different background and other part of the world, they can give the comment for student on weblog. The students maybe can always get the different, fresh comment, and learn something from the huge audience and at the same time they can reduce the writing apprehension.
- face saving
Normally, the blogging activity is providing the space for the blogger to write their comment, opinion, and every interesting thing in their life. So, the people can leave their comment, and share everything on the weblog without losing their face because nobody will know what kind of people that you are.
- boost up confidence and motivation
Blogging is the best way to boost up confidence and motivation. It is because through the blogging activities, the student can get the different comment from another people and learn something from them, and it will boost up the student confidence and encourage them to do more writing on weblog without any negative attitude, such as feel panic, fear, and hate to write.
- students –centered
- increases involvement among passive students
- promote brainstorming and peer review activities
As a result, blogging activities are the best and reasonable way to reduce the writing apprehension. If you have the symptoms of writing apprehension such as scared to write, ideas hardly developed, and hand cramp. Thus, you can start to try the blogging activities and you need to write, and write a lot. “Practice makes perfect” is the key phrase here.
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