FCSHD XCube Vol. 2 (2006)

Undergrads Underfire Fakester Anyone?

Morpheus Reloaded

◦ Remember the time when everyone squeezed into that small faculty office to get their matters resolved? And the time when everyone was sharing that small computer lab with many losing their patience? Well, those were the good “old days” in the East Campus. Now FCSHD has a new home, an elegant and futuristic one too. You’re probably amazed with the “design” of the faculty building or even enjoy every second in the fresh-looking loo.

However, one thing’s for sure, moving into new surroundings does not mean we have to forget the old or the past as it is the very foundation of our present and future. FCSHD is still the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, and upholds our Dean, Dr Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce's aspiration for FCSHD to be a signature faculty in UNIMAS. The Dean has constantly reminded us, students, to always strive for excellence and utilise our full capacities to be good role-models for others, not just in terms of academic achievements but also other aspects such as attitude and leadership. It’s about time for students to realise their responsibility and get out of their comfort zone.

The world is changing rapidly, new concepts evolve almost every minute, and so our mindsets have to change as well. As students, we should always bear in mind that our responsibility in university is not solely to get a scroll or degree but it is more of empowering ourselves for present and future needs. The scroll is of less significance now, as many with that scroll are jobless out there (yes, even teachers), craving for the government to “feed” them. We should accept the fact that there is no longer room for a “cukup makan” attitude and only those who are capable and with strong determination will win the race. And those who have won the race should not be easily contented but always find room for personal improvement. That’s the spirit that we should all cultivate. Well, enough said, it’s time to get things done. Before you get started, I wish you all the best! – CKM

A few major students’ activities have been carried out in July and August:

FCSHD Family Day

HRD Glamorous’ Nite

Majlis Meraikan Graduan FSKPM

Majlis Ambang Kemerdekaan Further details and pictures available at XcubeOnline!

Xcube would like to take the opportunity to say:

Congratulations to all FCSHD Graduates.

Happy Merdeka! Happy Birthday Malaysia!

Xpresso is a new column for you all to express your opinions or view-points on current issues.

For this volume, Xcube received a lot of emails from FCSHD students voicing their views on our “new home” in the permanent campus. Below are some extracts: Freshie Obviously, the new building is “futuristic” and impressive.

However, I could see signs of vandalism already. Eg: chairs in Tutorial Rooms are broken. Such third-world mentality should be abandoned!

◦

Jess Well, everything seems impressive to me at first glance.

But when examined closely, it looks more like a corporate building rather than academia.

Another thing is that, why are there more tutorial rooms than lecture halls? I mean looking at the size of the tutorial rooms, we need more lecture halls.

Khai Two words – “First class!”

Hopefully our mentalities are first class as well. To all faculty mates, let’s make a difference!

You may send your view points to xcubefcshd@gmail.com Please include your full name, programme and matric number.

(You may include a pseudonym)

Catch Xcube Online via the FCSHD web page at http://www.fcshd.unimas.my/xcube Check out the New FCSHD Web Page too!

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Recently, I came across the statement made by the Many of our students in public universities Higher Education Minister that universities have 20% are either full or partial scholarship holders, or are to 25% of students who are weak in their language at least eligible for loans, apart from those who and interpersonal skills, thus, affecting their have to pay the full fees. I noticed our university marketability in the market place. This is an alarming students are a very privileged lot as they are well situation. protected and insulated from financial despairs.

Much has been said about the competency and Students have themselves to blame if they preparedness of our university students. We have do not improve, as we have different avenues where been hearing suggestions on how to improve their weak students can improve, and sharpen their (English, and sometimes Malay) language and human language and interpersonal skills. The issue here is relations skills in order to improve their marketability. attitude, and unless they cultivate a good, positive Most recently, the Ministry had suggested making soft attitude of wanting to improve themself, whether skills a compulsory component in public language or skills wise, they will not universities. change their adverse situation and In many countries, students predicament. The question is, “How have to fight for limited places in passionate are they in wanting to universities, coupled with improve as far as their great financial sacrifices from weaknesses are concerned?” …in Malaysia, students with the their parents to see them Their seriousness should barest minimum entrance through. A few would commit be reflected in their qualifications can get entry into suicide or contemplate suicide commitment in wanting to if they fail to make it – not improve themselves. Throw in tertiary education without sweat. that it is a suggestion here, the soft-skills, bring out the my dear friends. faculty’s student development Within the Asian region alone, for example, in programmes, and the only reason why students turn many universities in China, Japan, and India, potential up is because it is ENFORCED, and not from university students have to sit for an entrance or ENTHUSIASM. It’s sad. It’s shameful. And yet, they qualifying examination to determine their eligibility still grumble over not getting a job. Here’s mockery and attitude to undertake an undergraduate for you: ‘An eye for an eye’. programme.

The ultimate test of years of education is the But in Malaysia, students with the barest students’ marketability, competitiveness, minimum entrance qualifications can get an entry into competency, and contribution to the nation. In tertiary education without sweat or fuss. (Yes, I’ve short, their tertiary education must not be a suspect noticed, not all are as lucky as these few.) Thus, the when they enter the job market. So, to begin with, onus on the universities to ensure they produce why don’t you volunteer to present in the next class qualified graduates, as stated by Datuk Mustapa presentation session?

Mohamed, is by all counts, a tall order.

Here are a few “symptoms” of this popular syndrome, affecting our UNIMAS students. See if you have any of these symptoms: 1.

2.

3.

4.

You complain that the lecturer is “crazy” by giving you tonnes of assignments even though those assignments were given weeks earlier.

You insist you are not learning anything from lab sessions when you’re actually busy downloading mp3 or updating your Friendster/MySpace account.

You grumble about not having enough time to study for exams when you spend hours on computer games or surfing the Internet auctioning on Ebay.

You blame the lecturer for not giving you good grades when in reality you don’t even strive hard for the grades.

And the most popular of all: 5. You blame your friends for not lending you notes to copy, for not “helping” you as well as for not stopping you from blaming. ☺ :: STOP BLAMING & START ACTING ::

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It’s been a phenomenon. No, it’s not about Mawi or the newly wedded Siti Nurhaliza.

It’s about Friendster. Just peep at students who are attending lab sessions or lectures in the faculty labs. A majority of them will be trying to “sneak” into their Friendster account and giggle away about their friends’ latest wacky mug shot! But hey, believe it or not, many are creating a rather “ideal’ image of themselves, or FAKESTER. “Do you have Friendster?”

“Remember to add me, ok?”

These are the questions that would pop up whenever I attend a meeting or a gathering. What captures my heart is that some old mates that I haven’t met for ages suddenly send me a request, to be on their Friendster’s list.

The purpose of Friendster is to connect friends, of course, or else it won’t be named Friendster. People can upload and update their pictures and current news on their Blog. Also, we meet people via searching around, looking at people’s interests, photos etc.

However, sometimes people misuse it by sending “dirty” words and pictures or even blackmail others.

Students especially, would spend quite some time on it. Some upload “fake” pictures, claiming they look handsome or pretty, giving false descriptions of age, gender, or even spreading nonsense chain mails through the Friendster bulletin board.

A friend of my cousin told me this story: He met a friend (named A) through Friendster. They shared the same interests, thoughts etc. They exchanged pictures, even diaries. However, after a few months, he received a blackmail from a stranger warning him to stop being friends with A, or else, he would be punched. Later on he realized that A was actually a girl! He was pretty down for being conned. (Well, not that serious, but he was cheated, at least). Why do you want to be “fake”, when the “genuine” you is far more attractive?

Moral of the story? I guess you all know it.

Friendster or Fakester? Just be yourself!

Be a Frank-ster. ☺

No, it’s not a new sequel for the Matrix Trilogy; it’s the new UNIMAS Academic Support System (ASSIST) maintained by the Centre for Applied Learning and Multimedia (CALM). You are probably familiar with the name “Morpheus” when UNIMAS was still using the Lotus powered e-learning system. This time around, the “reloaded” version of Morpheus is powered by the Moodle course management system.

Yes, I know, you want to know what on earth Moodle is.

Moodle is an open-source online course management system which is scripted using the popular PHP web programming language. The key point to the Moodle-powered Morpheus is its user-friendliness (both for students and instructor). Instructors have the freedom to “administer” their course page without depending extensively on the administrator or webmaster. They can organise their notes or weekby-week course content with their own choice of presentation format.

This means students can see a variety of “layouts”. The new system is also more accessible from the outside of our UNIMAS campus as compared to the previous ASSIST systems and it loads faster. Plus, students can get access to several additional functions like messaging and web blogging tool. Well, what are you waiting for? Log on to http://morpheus.calm.unimas.my and explore now!

If you would like to get an overview of the system, simply logon to Morpheus using the username: morpheus and password: password.

You know that Google is the preferred choice when it comes to searching for web pages or resources on the web. What you might not know is that it is more than just a search engine. Here are a few tips for you to try out: #1 – Calculator You can calculate basic arithmetic “+ – * /”, find “% of” or convert units (old units in new units, ie: 300 Euros in USD) #2 – Directory Listing This is famous for mp3 lovers. Simply type in “/index of” something, you will get links to web folders that contain your search item. #3 – Search file type Looking for specific file format like mp3? Add this “filetype:” followed by the format. Eg: “Paris Hilton filetype:mp3” #4 – Dictionary Use “define:” to look for a specific definition or meaning of words, phrases and acronyms. Eg: “define:postmodernism” #5 – Search Searching for author? Use author name.

by Author a specific journal article by an “author:” followed by the Eg: poem author:Wordsworth

More tips available at XcubeOnline!

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“Love is a wonderful thing…” – this is what you’ll be thinking of as you flip over the last page of Nicholas Sparks’ A Walk To Remember. Yes, you’ve probably watched the movie version; in fact, you’ve probably even cried buckets over the film. Right, that’s fine and everything, but seriously, you can’t quite put it down as one of your favourites until you’ve actually read the book.

“If the movie made you cry, the book will make you hysterical.”

So basically, this review is for those of you who don’t have the slightest clue about the book (or the movie, take your pick).

The book centres on the lives of two main characters, Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan. Well, for one thing, this is a love story, so a major (very major!) part of the book actually revolves around the relationship between Landon and Jamie.

Landon’s the stereotypical teen hero – he’s rebellious at first, almost antisocial, with serious issues to deal with, but when he meets Jamie...ah...that’s when things start to change. Jamie, in contrast to Landon’s character, is the sweetest, kindest, most generous girl on the block. Y’know, the girl-next-door that no guy ever seems to notice. Until, of course, she stars in a local play with the controversial Landon Carter as the male lead. Then things start to change, and this is where the plot starts getting really interesting.

I couldn’t put down the book when I first started reading it. I mean, it was like, I had to finish the entire book in one seating. I had to know everything! And I did. As of today, I’ve probably read the entire book three times, and I’ve barely even had the book with me for a year… And I’ll probably read it twice more before the year is up. That’s how much I love the book. And there’s no excuse not to

buy the book – it’s everywhere!

Paperback, hardcover, large print, it comes in every imaginable form the book publishing industry can offer! My last words? This is the book for anyone who has been in love. It’s simply fabulous, and if the movie made you cry, the book will make you hysterical. Okay, that was a joke. But you do get my point…don’t you?

Xtras@XcubeOnline: interesting quotes from this lovely book…

Patron Dr. Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce

Hmm, having problems with your studies? Or you just don’t know what’s haunting your mind? Well, don’t worry, Karla can help you with your problems!

Email your problems to xcubefcshd@gmail.com Dear Karla, I've been really depressed lately. I’m facing a lot of assignments. I don't mind all those assignments, but I am really sad and disappointed with my friends whom I thought are my close friends. They are turning against me. Just because I didn't get good results compared to them, they start to exclude me from group discussions as well as group work. I'm alone now and often I have to seek other "unfamiliar" faces to complete group projects. I tried to talk to them. All they say is that I think too much. Yet, their actions tell everything. I am really tired of all this.

Sometimes, I feel like giving up. I don't know what to do. My study is getting worse. I can't focus. Please help. – Depressed Girl Dear Depressed girl, We understand that every one has the need to make friends and have good friends but that might not be necessarily a good thing if it brings a lot of negative impact and pain to you. Try taking it positively. It could be fun working with new people.

And who knows, you might find better friends and wondered what kept them invisible from you all this while.

If you feel that people are putting you down or underestimating your abilities just because you did not perform to their level, you need to buckle-up girl. Every individual has a great potential inside. Do not make yourself weak. Stand up and say you can. Instil confidence in yourself. Do not show others that you are a nobody without them. Do not let other issues take over the priority that should be given to your studies.

Above all, remember that you are studying for your own good. Do not be weakened by the perception of others. It is good to improve yourself but be yourself and love yourself. Others can shake you, surprise you or disappoint you but they cannot prevent you from moving on. No matter where you are in life, no matter what your situation is, you can always do something. On every turn of life, you will always have a choice as to how you react to that situation AND THAT CHOICE CAN BE YOUR POWER. P/s: If you need someone to talk to, please do not hesitate to meet our university counsellors.

Advisory Panel Elaine Khoo Guat Lien Dr. Chen Chwen Jen Shaziti Aman Editor-in-Chief Chuah Kee Man Associate Editors Mohd Khairul Anuar B. Rahimi Esther Voon Suk Hsien Secretary Puah Yann Yann Content Managers Jenthi Krishna Radha Lavanya a/p Lingan Melissa Chai Yunn Faa Victoria Bong Graphic & Photography Azrol bin Adenan Layout Designer Liew Wai San Webmaster Richard Simon Promotion and Publicity Mananga a/p Sinnathamby Ho Li Von

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Xcube is 100% produced by students of FCSHD, UNIMAS. Views expressed in this newsletter are not the views of the faculty or the university.

They are the sole responsibility of the authors.

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