Looking for Anne

Hi it's time to write again. I rarely write about a movie, or rather hardly or never did. But last Saturday I stumbled upon one on Sundance a movie called "Looking for Anne" mid way through. Checked on its summary and decided to sit through till the end. We both (my wife and I)ended teary eyed...which is rare. As the movie was already half way through, so I was trying to know and do some background checking on the story. Things like where is this PEI (Prince Edward Island), who wrote the book "Anne of Green Gables", and Rose of Peace etc.

I initially thought it was somewhere near Vancouver but later to find out its near New Foundland. The scenery was beautifully set, the light house and farmhouses, but best of all is the story. A story of a young Japanese girl Anri who just lost her grandmother before their planned trip to PEI to find a Canadian WW2 POW veteran of Japanese camp. She sets out to find her grandmothers 'first love' bound by the book Anne of Green Gables and the Rose of Peace given to her grandmother at the end of the war by Gilbert.

The whirlwind search ended when the whole island helped to find the missing soldier by playing Anri's parting farewell speech on the local radio. Only to find later that Gilbert the war veteran had died near the Light house with a roses blooming on his grave. A rose hybrid he created and named "Beautiful Shizuka", Anri's grandmothers name. She found him at last.

You simply got to see this, I can't describe it better. After some searches the film had won the best film at Singapore film festival too. A great humanity stuff, of which Sundance is famous for...bravo Testimonials

Fast Facts About Looking For Anne


Starring: Honoka, Daniel Pilon, Rosanna, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Johnny Sa, Mahiru Konno, Ai Takabe Screenplay By: Kikyo Gonpin Directed By: Takako Miyahira Produced By: Yuri Yoshimura-Gagnon, Samuel Gagnon Language: 60 percent English, 40 percent Japanese with subtitles Film Funded By: The Canadian federal government, Quebec and P.E.I.'s provincial governments and Japanese sponsors

"It's a beautifully small film that teeters perfectly on the right side of the line between emotionally true and mushy." ~~ Hour.ca

Hamid

Certiport APAC 2012 - A Learning Experience

Hello again...

A Hanuman welcome

I am penning down what is was supposed to do two months ago. Alas, what the heck...better late than never kind of thingy. The trip to Certiport APAC - Partners Meeting 2012 in Bangkok started with a half hearted effort. The reception from the CEO was lukewarm but later agreed that me (alone) need to be there, when i was pitching that Sales rep. should be there too. In the past partners meeting is where partners meet, get updated on latest info and product, recognized and awarded. APAC has been one of the biggest contributing region for Certiport business. APAC partners are important group. Me being there representing my company, but at a different level in terms of partnership with Certiport. We are there as Product Development partner first and reseller of Certiport product second. So the expectation of treatment from Certiport is a little bit different, we are more than mere making numbers as others do.

Certiport's Update

The partners meeting started with updates from Certiport's CEO and the rest of the management team. Followed by partners by country. Everyone updated on success stories, new deals and future plans. We also talked about expectations, support and ideas how to make things better. My presentation on Prestariang's IC CITIZEN Certification was on the second day in the afternoon. Ray miss big part of it as he joined my session almost to the end. I was urging partners to try out IC CITIZEN...most are quite sceptical...but i think its their lost opportunity. There were also some new on-boarding partners from Korea and Indonesia.

4th GDLC - APAC

Being appointed to the Global Digital Literacy Council (GDLC) is an eye opener. The Global Digital Literacy Council (www.gdlcouncil.org) serves as the preeminent advisory body and as an authoritative voice on issues driving the development and implementation of global digital literacy standards and systems. The GDLC is a leadership and advocacy organization. Council members convene and collaborate online at a community site to review and ratify digital literacy standards, define best practices and develop programs and position papers on global digital literacy.  

The Wat from Cho Phraya

Membership in the GDLC is by invitation only. The Council's community site is hosted by the ICT Literacy Forum (www.ictliteracy.info), and the Council is sponsored by Certiport, an advocate of global digital literacy and provider of the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC3) program. Its a recognition to my work in development Digital Citizenship certification and their need to have certain ethical component included in their IC3 content.



Seriously, the biggest learning experience comes from a personal talk with our partner from Down Under...He really opens up a new twist to my insight of other partners reluctancies in adopting IC CITIZEN...its marketing....While we are expecting Certiport to handhold us, its us that it is expected of by other partners. It has become my mission to just that ...prepare all the marketing kits, and get Certiport to "impose".

Recent developement in MEA market wrt to IC CITIZEN is very encouraging....we had our first 300 orders from Kuwait....with more coming soon from Turkey and the rest.
May the force be with us!


hamid

When Common Sense is not Common

Off white and pink roses

March 11, 2012 was a day "When Common Sense is not Common". A rare case for me, as its my first. My first to be the head of delegation on an 'engagement' mission for my nephew Abdullah Omar, eldest son of Hj Abdul Aziz and Hjh Nor Hamidah, my in-laws.

Its a delegation from Terengganu, in transit in KL en route to Cheng Baru, Melaka. Being the eldest...hmm no no...being the senior most uncle i was unanimously made the head of delegation. As you all know, an engagement delegation to Melaka - the home of 'dondang sayang' and 'pantun' is quite a daunting task. So came all the ideas, suggestions, recommendations of 'pantuns' through email, fb, sms and chat.

iPad - ing a pantun

I ended up with a compilation of pantuns. Even Azhim's majlis on February 7 2012 in Seremban was not as stressful. But then Hai or Hj Mohd Salleh was around to be the spoke person on that day.
Come March 11, 2012 most of our family members were there in Melaka. Stepping out of the car, we were welcomed by smiling faces with open arms, the new extended family to be.

True enough, Melaka is thick in 'adat' and ceremony, and the host had long 'khemah' in front of the house in 'kenduri' mode. Common sense is not common! as all action has to abide the 'adat' or local ceremony.

The celebrities

When all seated and making our selves confortable...but nothing happens. Later we got to know we had to wait for the host 'spoke person' to arrive. Apparently the 'Tok Ketua' of the Qariah will represent the host family in welcoming and all negotiation.

True enough the opening remarks starts with a 'pantun' out of his mouth effortlessly - indicating experience....but my iPad saved the day! All my compilation of pantuns came out smoothly to counter all of his...much to the awe of the crowd...pantuning via iPad...

How i love technology....

hamid

A Case of Arrogance

I know its been a while since i last wrote. Things has been happening at dizzying speed that i can't find time for this common sense site. January 28th. 2012 i was Abu Dhabi to conduct Training of Trainers on Cyber C3 Project. This is my second trip to UAE, the first was in October last year attending a workshop in Dubai.

The TOT started on the wrong footing. We were sending three people, wtih two on content mastery training while another on Technical side of the training support system. While the host thought they just have 4 people tobe trained and wondered why 3 people was needed to train 4. That is the standard package we offered for offsite training of trainers. Trainees could number up to 25 per class. In the end our host decided to add more attendees to 13 people.

Thinking Cyber C3 is easy, they reduced the training days from five to three, saying they just need the training on the systems and little on content. At the end third day they need to sit for an exam, passed and certified as Cyber C3 Certified Trainer. They managed to find a group of IT teachers to train.

 The results shows quite a pleasant passing rate with around 10% failure. The feedback was lack of exposure on content knowledge - which translated to the 'arrogance' of our host to have a full five days workshop.

Personal relation was good, but work ethics is a little let down in this well spoon fed, well oiled economy. Most valuable was the understanding of the way of doing things, role of Emirates as paymaster, their expectation as client, their need for perfection when its not really a business sensible, and their overzealous effort to satisfy every clients comments, that reflected back to us the IP owner and service provider.

Arrogance towards knowledge by committing to shorter training days that blurs their business tasks and judgement. The ignorance became apparent when they start asking and commenting of training courseware....Lesson learned: learn with open heart from whoever as long as its beneficial and minimise prejudgement.

Other than that, Abu Dhabi...is a beautiful city..

hamid

Blended Learning - What is..

I thought i'm done tonight with an entry but alas not. I think i need to have this on my collection. Its on Blended Learning, of which is nothing new to me. Its just feel good to have it on my blog. In my line of job, i've used the concept of blended learning in my first big project back in 2003. My first million dollar project for MOE.

It was new to them, the teachers liked it, all 100K of them. I did put a lot of thoughts into it and make it a reality through the BPPT project. I realized it, internalized it and delivered the concept to teachers thirsty of knowledge in technology and its application for classroom teaching.

This video of which was non existence then brings back the good memories. I still do apply Blended Learning concept till in all of our recent and upcoming projects. From ICMS to IC CITIZEN to VEC to GREEN to HALAL to IF

Enjoy the video...Fundamentals of Blended Learning!


The Fundamentals of Blended Learning from Education Elements on Vimeo.


Animated !

hamid

Howard Gardner on Digital Ethics

Hi, its end of the year again, this time, of 2011. I thought I owe you and myself another posting. I came across this Howard Gardner's (Professor @ Harvard Graduate School of Education) video interview on what American youth thought about being ethical.

A very insightful view of most American Youth feels about ethics, and Howard summarizes it as Ethics is a Luxury! One only need to be ethical when they already successful and rich in life. None sees any of their friends as ethical. They are afraid to be ethical! They are afraid that they will lose out if being ethical in a world of society that 'cut corners'.

Is this results of capitalism, individual rights, broken family values and faithlessness?

Enjoy the video:


Education, Social Media, and Ethics: Howard Gardner, Harvard Graduate School of Education from Education Week on Vimeo.


They sure are needed to be certified in IC CITIZEN

hamid

The Creek and the Burjs of Dubai

Hi again, its time to write. Been busy for the past few months since Eidul Fitr, mostly due to work. I've traveled quite a bit, to Brunei before Ramadhan, Sabah last month and last week to Dubai of the UAE. I'm lucky to have met a group of wonderful people of the same passion and interest in R&D work, training and certification.

I had the luxury of learning from the real world, real people from the industry, experts and professors in various fields from different countries. One thing for sure is being a Malaysian in foreign Muslim land helps. It helps opens up conversation on almost any topic and getting acquaintance. Its very different from an academic discourse which often than most detached from the real business or industry world.

Being the only one from a far at the KirkPatrick Program Evaluation Certification training in Dubai was rewarding. They want to know, to learn and even to explore business opportunities.  They want to hear my story. While i got to meet wonderful Middle Eastern ladies form big corporations (with their ultra modern outlook and fine English) to stately gentlemen from various Emirates government agencies in their fine 'jalabah'.

Me on the other hand learned the mechanics of getting from Level 2 to Level 3 of evaluation, which easier said than done. Multitude of tips on planning and getting towards capturing the necessary data. Jim even indicated survey items of more than 15 would turn off respondents. Again the economics of program evaluation will decide how far one wants to go in evaluating on ROE.

On the hindsight it provides me with the first hand experience on the dynamism of Dubai,  with its Burj Al Khalifa, worlds tallest, beautiful creek and sprawling Jameira Palm that triggers Gulf financial crisis. One thing for sure is the leaderships vision, boosted by the black gold monies propelling the Emirates into a formidable Gulf's economic power, but leaving the common Emiratis gasping to keep up, with glaring gap between knowledge and skills needed and provided by the expatriates.

I'll be back!

Journalism online: Ethics as usual?

Hi! its been a while since my last post.  I am preparing for my next training assignment in Brunei. I came across this write up by Ari Heinonen entitled "Journalism online: Ethics as usual?" which is quite interesting, as it relates to my next training assignment. 

Ari tried to examines the "possible changes" in the ethical attitudes of journalists in the context of new media-dominated communication environment, but found NONE

The study reveals that journalists consider ethical issues constant across old and new media, but indicated that emerging ethical issues that might lead to a redefinition of proper journalistic conduct within new media environment.

Now my question is whether journalism ethics apply to bloggers and twitters especially to individual and personal bloggers or twitters. It would interesting to discuss and find out this at my coming training. Below is some related terms word play on Wordle.

Email 40th Anniversary Infographic

Email has become a big part of our daily routine. Most people feel a lost if they did not get to check their mail inbox for a day. But the availability of access to emails via mobiles have ease the cravings. Social media creates another diversion from the crave of having to access emails. But social media are seen as an informal form of communication, not to be taken as formal nor official.

When email started they too were seen as informal form of communication, not as formal as written mails, typed or hand written. So all official communication still need things in 'black and white'. So must so in early days of email adoptions email still need to be printed to qualify as formal and in 'black and white'.

Now emails are considered formal and official especially properly signed. Email do carry new form of writing ethics..it is speedy, making cc to multiple recipient more efficient  and cheaper. Introduction of emoticons tried to make emails more humane and personal. The technology also make it easy to make personal email become public, sending to wrong person more common, office and work story leaked to wrong people.

But without doubt an important digital technology contribution to businesses, education, social, government, politics, research, journalism, broadcasting and communication ever.

Here is an interesting inforgaphy on email. Enjoy!

Hamid

World Map of Social Networks

A new edition of the World Map of Social Networks, showing the most popular social networks by country, according to Alexa & Google Trends for Websites traffic data* (June 2011).

Below you will find an updated version and an infographic poster of all changes since June 2009. You can also see an animated version of all my maps.

Facebook is slowing gaining users around the world (almost 700 millions) establishing its leadership in 119 out of 134 countries analyzed (in this edition I’ve added Ethiopia and Tanzania).
Since December 2010 Zuck’s creature has conquered Iran and Syria, although struggling against censorship. Europe has now became the largest continent on Facebook with 205 million users (Facebook Ads Platform).

Probably Netherlands and Brazil will be the next countries to surrender. According to Alexa Facebook is already the leader there, but Google Trends shows a different picture (I will change my map when the two sources will say the same).

How interesting!