the lilypad - issue #1

28
NOVEMBER 2014 THE LILYPAD #1 WWW.FROGASIA.COM AND Senathi Rajah, Tan Shin Yee, Pathmalosini Arnasalam FEATURING HARIS ABBAS THE Lilypad EDUCATE. INSPIRE. LEARN. DISCOVER. Changemakers In Education

Upload: frogasia

Post on 06-Apr-2016

213 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

A magazine for teachers, parents and changemakers in education. Welcome to our first issue!

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Lilypad - Issue #1

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4 T H E L I LY PA D # 1 W W W. F R O G A S I A . C O M

A N D S e n at h i R a j a h , Ta n S h i n Y e e ,P at h m a l o s i n i A r n a s a l a m

F E A T U R I N G H A R I S A B B A S

THELilypadE D U C AT E . I N S P I R E . L E A R N . D I S C O V E R .

C h a n g e m a k e r sI n E d u c at i o n

Page 2: The Lilypad - Issue #1

C O M I N G T O A C

Presented by In partnership with

Page 3: The Lilypad - Issue #1

3 D D O C U M E N T A R I E S

I N E M A N E A R Y O U

JOIN US ON A WILD JOURNEYOF DISCOVERYSubscribe to our mailing list to stay updated: bit.ly/FrogMail

Leaps of Knowledge IMAX 3D Documentaries is a series of 45 minute adventures into different worlds and exciting new adventures! Perfect for family outings or school trips, these 3D films will open your eyes to the wonders and beauty of our planet Earth.

Page 4: The Lilypad - Issue #1

CO

NT

EN

TS

Credits

We welcome article contributors!

5

6

N o t e f r o m t h e D i r e c t o r

D e a r F r o g A s i A . . .

19W h a t d o e s i t t a k et o b e a c h a n g e m a k e r ?

8U p c l o s e a n d p e r s o n a l :C h a n g e m a k e r s i n e d u c a t i o n

21 F r o g A s i a a t a g l a n c e

We speak to Haris Abbas, Pathmalosini Arnasalam, Senathi Rajah and Tan Shin Yee to hear their thoughts and insights on what it means to make a difference in education

Our Leaps of Knowledge Conference speakers share their thoughts

26H o w t o t r a n s f o r m y o u r c l a s s r o o m i n t o a F r o g C l a s s r o o m

P o w e r e d b y

E d i t o r i a l

Not every school can renovate their classroom, but every teacher can use these simple ideas to make their classroom a more conducive place for learning and collaboration

Crystal Cha | Joseph Wong | Sarah Lim | Victor Lau | Zafrin Nordin

C o v e r p h o t o Sarah Lim

D E S I G N A N D A R T Vinnie Sze Mun | Nor Zamillia Zainal | Kelvin Ng

F e a t u r e d Dr. Alice Wilder | Alistair Smith | Julia Immonen | Jaul Bunyau | Haris Abbas | Pathmalosini Arnasalam Senathi Rajah Tan Shin Yee | Normahani Jamaluddin | Azura bt Yusof | George Aveling | Damian Tate

Love to write and share your knowledge with others?Write to us at [email protected] if you have an article you would like us to feature in this magazine.

25W h a t ’ s i n s t o r e : T h e L e a p s o f K n o w l e d g e C o n f e r e n c e E x h i b i t i o nA classroom of the future, Google Streetview Car and many more exciting discoveries await participants at the Leaps of Knowledge Conference

22 A C h r i s t m a s s h o p p i n g g u i d eOur picks for the season!

24 R e c i p e : H o m e m a d e S p i n a c h Q u i c h e

Fastest 4G Mobile Internet with Voice

Page 5: The Lilypad - Issue #1

5

Director’s NoteW e l c o m e t o o u r f i r s t e v e r i s s u e o f

T h e L i l y p a d m a g a z i n e !

It is with great excitement that I introduce to you our first ever edition of The Lilypad, FrogAsia’s brand new magazine. What a privilege it is to be able to launch this magazine in conjunction with our annual Leaps of Knowledge Conference, a conference designed to inspire, spark fresh perspectives and spur people into action. In line with the theme of this year’s conference, “Inspiring Changemakers in Education”, you will find within this issue articles written to provoke thought about what it means to be a changemaker. There’s never been a more important time to talk about change. With the rise of social media, calls for change can now reach more people very quickly. We hear people calling out for change in matters that are close to their hearts, including of course the subject of education. There are many things that can be improved if only things were done differently.

At FrogAsia, we have the privilege of working with a large community of students, teachers and parents in Malaysia. We meet many people whose lives have been changed because they are embracing change. We meet individuals who are now making a huge impact in their schools and communities because of change. The Lilypad exists to tell the stories of these individuals, to serve as an inspiration and a reminder to us all that instead of waiting for change to happen, we should “be the change that we wish to see in the world (Ghandi).” Stories of hope. In this first issue, we’ve interviewed three inspiring changemakers who decided to use whatever they had in their hands to make a difference. You will read about the challenges they faced and the impact they were able to make, just by being willing. On the surface, Haris Abbas, Pathmalosini Arnasalam, Senathi Rajah and Tan Shin Yee may look like three ordinary teachers, but in the eyes of their students, they are superheroes. We hope their stories will not only open your eyes to the change that is happening in education today but also inspire you to play your part in making the ripples of change multiply.

“Is anything actually changing in the field of education?”

God bless,

Lou YeohExecutive Director

Page 6: The Lilypad - Issue #1

Dear FrogAsia...Our second annual Leaps of Knowledge Conference is just around the corner and it’s

set to be another exciting one! But first, we travel back in time to take a look at what

people said about 2013’s conference!

Shahrun Sofian @ayuns My key takeaway for the day is that, more than a teacher's need to teach, is the need to learn. #Leaps13

Teach For Malaysia @TeachForMsia "I don't want to just TALK about the problems of education. I hope we're all here to DO something." - Alvin Ung at #Leaps13 #DoMoreThanDream

In our mailboxThe best ever conference on educationLeaps of Knowledge 2013 was well organized and truly inspiring. I will implement and utilize the Frog VLE in my learning and teaching activities. I will definitely motivate and encourage my fellow teachers to engage themselves with Frog to provide quality education for all Malaysians // Jothi

Reminded why I do what I doI’m a teacher with six years of experience. Sometimes along the way, I lose my focus on what I really want to do and why I chose to be a teacher. This conference really inspired me on the possibilities and difference that I can make with my pupils and the people around me. I really feel like I can take over and rock the Malaysian education system! Woot Woot! // Cath

A real eye opener into the future of educationThis conference has definitely changed my approach to teaching in the classroom. The future of education is all about collaboration, learning in the cloud and recognizing that a child is capable of much more than we ever imagined. I am glad that I attended the conference, otherwise I would have continued the style of teaching that I’ve been using since being trained as a teacher 25 years ago. // Zabeen

Via Twitter

OTHER GREAT FEEDBACKWE’VE HEARD...Word Mania telah mencambah minat pelajar kami untuk belajar Bahasa Inggeris. Tahniah kerana menganjurkan Pertandingan Word Mania. Pertandingan tersebut telah mencambah minat pelajar kami untuk belajar Bahasa Inggeris dan Word Mania membuatkan mereka begitu teruja. Tahniah juga kepada Cik Denise, Cik Nadiah dan Encik Yusri kerana melayan kami dengan baik semasa kami berada di Hotel Majestic dan sewaktu menjawab panggilan telefon. Generasi muda Malaysia sememangnya berkaliber!// Cikgu Suryati Baharin

Learning about the world through Google HangoutsI would like to thank the teachers and my school, SJK(C)Choong Wen, for giving me this lifetime opportunity to participate in the twinning programme. It’s given me a wider perspective of the world as I had the chance to communicate with the students of Clatford Primary School, UK. I learnt about the unique culture and lifestyle of people living overseas, and we also did some fun projects together such as Hour of Code. This made learning so much fun! // Samual Chau

We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email or a Tweet!

[email protected] | @FrogAsia

Kok Hin @ckhin Rare gathering of teachers, students, corporates & entrepreneurs - to share ideas & hopes for M’sian education. Good job @FrogAsia #Leaps13

wai kei @yani_khalid #Leaps13 has unlocked so many doors of inspiration and ideas!!! Thanks @FrogAsia

Wai Khong Fong @waikhong Technology itself can't transform education. Great teachers required. #leaps13

6

Page 7: The Lilypad - Issue #1

7

Each time a person completes Steps 1 - 3,

FrogAsia will donate RM1 to Running to Stop the Traffik.

We aim to raise RM10,000 in total!

Do your part today! Download the app, take the quiz and

share the message!

Download the app Search for Run For Freedom RTST on the Google Play Store

Complete the quizAnswer 10 questions on human-trafficking

Share the appSpread the word - share with your friends!

TAKE THREE STEPS FORWARD and help to end international human trafficking

Want to do more?

H O W T O H E L P

Spread the word

Volunteer

Watch a video by Julia Immonen, anti-human trafficking activist

Click here to post on your social media networks with our stopthetraffik hashtag

Help out and do your part with the SUKA society

Watch

H O M E

My Impact > >

Help End Human Trafficking

Are we making an impact?

When you take this quiz, RM1will be donated towards effortsto end human trafficking.

Check out the amount donated so far and see how it helps a victim pick themselves up.

Takethequiz

Did you know that there are two million documented and undocumented migrant workers* in Malaysia? These workers come willingly but then are stripped of their documents and put up for sale by human traffickers.

Malaysian authorities are taking steps to stop human trafficking, and now you can do your part as well. With the Run For Freedom app, you can educate yourself about this issue and help in the fight against human trafficking. It just takes three simple steps:

Page 8: The Lilypad - Issue #1

“I NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULDGET THIS FAR”

[ INTERVIEW BY SARAH LIM ]

For a small estate school of only twenty-nine students, SJK(T) Ladang Bute made it big earlier this year with its win at Malaysia’s first-ever national online spelling competition - The Word Mania Challenge! The school beat hundreds of other primary schools to win 3rd place as national school champion and surprisedeveryone, including themselves, in the process.

To find out the secret to their success, I had a chat with the school’s ICT teacher, Senathi Rajah, an enthusiastic individual whose passion for improving education in the Tamil community led him to pioneer change in his school.

So Mr Senathi, how did this all begin?

I was inspired at FrogAsia’s Leaps of Knowledge Conference last year. When Professor Sugata Mitra [Editor’s note: 2013 TED Prize Winner] shared about how students can learn on their own with technology, I thought, ‘This can also happen in my school!’

What did you do next?

I was very excited. I started to travel to other Tamil schools in Selangor, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur to talk about the use of technology with Frog. I didn’t want them to miss out! Tell us about your school’s involvement in the Word

Mania Challenge.

When I heard about WordMania I thought, “My students must join this!” It would be a fun way for my students to learn English. At first it was difficult... English is not their first language. But together with the other teachers, we managed to get them to try something new.

...And you faced lots of challenges along the way.

Yes... We did not feel motivated because with only twenty-nine students in our school, how can we compete against bigger schools? Also, one of our [top scoring] students fell sick, and we had computer problems along the way. But my students really enjoyed it, so we persevered.

F e at u r e d c h a n g e m a k e r :

S e n at h i R a j a h

“With some help from my fellow school teachers, we also translated the Frog Training Guide into Tamil and uploaded it online. We started to see an increase of Tamil schools using Frog.”

8

Page 9: The Lilypad - Issue #1

How did you overcome these challenges?

We kept the school open in the evenings. Parents were so supportive! They prepared dinner for students to bring to school so they could keep playing. One of the sweetest memories was during the Pongal celebration [Editor’s note: Pongal is a festival celebrated by Tamilians during harvest season]. It was a school holiday but parents asked me to open the school computer lab so their children could keep playing. These parents saw that it was a valuable opportunity for their children and did not want them to be left behind in the world of IT and English.

Did you ever think your school would make it to the top three primary champions nationwide?

Actually, we participated for the experience only. I never thought we would get this far. Then we decided we wanted to become an example to inspire all Tamil schools. This spirit brought us to the top 10 and somehow we ended up in third place.

“There are no words to describe how I felt when we won. I was almost in tears.”

What advice can you give to other teachers who want to bring change to their school too?

Just keep trying. Whether you fail or succeed, it will be a learning experience. Do not underestimate yourself by comparing yourself with others because it is our differences that make us unique and beautiful.

Keep a look out for the upcoming Word Mania Challenge 2015!

9

Page 10: The Lilypad - Issue #1

F e at u r e d c h a n g e m a k e r :

TA N S H I N Y E E

“SEEING MY STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER MAKES EVERYTHING WORTH IT”

[ INTERVIEW BY VICTOR LAU ]

Page 11: The Lilypad - Issue #1

11

Since becoming one of the first schools in Malaysia to receive a Chromelab in 2013, SJK(C) Choong Wen’s use of technology in education has exceeded all expectations. The school is a great example of what happens when you combine the technology with dedicated teachers.

Located just off a bustling Old Klang Road, this Chinese national school has participated in four international Twinning Programmes, fifteen Mystery Hangouts and nineteen Frog Connected Classroom Sessions. Such is their passion, they’ve even hosted twelve Mystery Hangouts of their own! To find out what worked and why, I had a chat with the school’s ICT teacher, the ever-cheer-ful and smiling Tan Shin Yee.

Wow! Clearly your students are having plenty of fun! What else have they done?

Four students banded together and started calling themselves “Hangout Warriors” (laughs). Not only have they participated in many of the Hangout sessions that we host ourselves, they have also started helping other students in subjects such as English! They’ve learnt lots from our Mystery Hangout sessions.

Sounds like the Mystery Hangouts have certainly had an impact on your students. I have to ask, what was your most memorable Hangout?

Well… one time we planned a Hangout with a school in the United States. Because of the time difference, the students had to come back in the evening to a dark and quiet school. I was worried that many couldn’t make it, but when I stepped into the Chromelab… tadaaaah! The students were accompanied by their parents, who came to show their support. It made me feel warm and very happy inside!

LEARNING TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

[Editor’s note: Mystery Hangouts is a guessing game played between two schools over Google Hangouts. Schools take turns asking questions to find clues that will help them identify the school on the other end.]

Hello Ms Tan! You’ve been a great supporter of our Mystery Hangouts. What inspired you to partici-pate?

Hello! I first found out about Mystery Hangouts from one of your FrogAsia team members, Arafeh Karimi. The more I talked with her, the more I was convinced that my school would benefit from this.

After witnessing my students working and learning together, bringing each other forwards, I feel like it’s all worth it. It’s not something you can teach! For them, it’s not about winning or losing, it’s about learning exciting new things and useful skills!

“My students have become my “little teachers”, making me realise how much they’ve learned from all our sessions.”

“They have started using Question Words, such as “Who”, “What”, and “Where” to get the answers that they need.”

Page 12: The Lilypad - Issue #1

Clearly you’ve learned a lot from this programme. What about your students - how have they benefited?

Often, when we’re talking with Clatford and they ask a question that stumps me, my students step in and guide the conversation back. They have become my “little teachers”, making me realise how much they’ve learned from all our sessions.

After the Twinning Programme, my students seemed to have grown in their confidence by leaps and bounds! Everyone started creating amazing group projects and presenting it to the entire class. It’s obvious that they have learned great teamwork and the confidence to speak in public.

You’ve been invited to speak for a workshop at our Leaps of Knowledge Conference 2014! How do you feel about that?

I’m extremely excited to share with my fellow teachers in Malaysia on how fun and exciting these programmes have been for our students! I’d like them to join the Frog Family and see the knowledge they and their students can gain from all the programmes, as well as learn to use the many tools that will reduce their daily burdens! Work smart and have fun teaching!

For more info on our Mystery Hangouts and Frog Twinning Programmes, please email [email protected].

CULTURAL EXCHANGE

[Editor’s note: The Frog Twinning Programme involves two schools interacting over Google Hangouts on a weekly basis to learn more about each other’s country and culture.]

Let’s talk about your school’s participation in our Twinning Programme. How did the first one go?

Hmm, a bit of both actually! Our Twinning Programme was with Clatford Primary School in the UK. Since we’re mainly a Chinese-speaking school, I was really worried about speaking in English and understanding their accents. My first thoughts were, “Oh no! There are no Chinese subtitles to help us!” (laughs)

Thankfully, I had my colleagues and the team from FrogAsia to help me every step of the way. We’ve learned about the different cultures in the UK, celebrated Chinese New Year and Christmas together, learned to code a simple game and got to know each other better. My advice is to find partners that you can believe and always trust in!

“I was really worried about understanding their English accents. I thought, “Oh no! There are no Chinesesubtitles to help us!”

12

Page 13: The Lilypad - Issue #1

13

EDUCATIONis the most powerful weapon which you can use to CHANGE THE WORLD.

// Nelson Mandela

Page 14: The Lilypad - Issue #1

“GIVING THE GIFT OF LANGUAGETO THE HEARING IMPAIRED”

[ BY CRYSTAL CHA ]

Can one person make a difference, especially in the face of problems and challenges that seem to be impossibly huge? For an ordinary person like Haris Abbas, who had never been trained in sign language or special education before, taking on a whole class of hearing impaired students may have seemed quite daunting at the beginning.

Yet he not only persevered in giving his students the best education possible, but he also went beyond by conducting Google Hangouts between his students and other schools, to spread greater awareness about sign language and the challeng-es faced by those with hearing impediments. Read on for the inspiring story of Haris Abbas and SK Pendidikan Khas, Kota Kinabalu!

SK Pendidikan Khas is a primary school for the hearing impaired located in Tuaran, 18 km away from Kota Kinabalu. This school is the only one in Sabah providing education to hearing-impaired children. Many of its students come from low-income groups in rural areas from all over Sabah. The school offers full boarding and 80% of the students reside in the school during the school year.

Some of the challenges that the school faces includes the fact that many of the students sent to the school have not received special education from a young age, causing them to be delayed academically. In addition, being away from their families at such a young age and also struggling to cope with a hearing disability is tough on the kids. The kids are sent to board at the school from as young as seven.

14

“Being away from their families at such a young age and also struggling to cope with a hearing disability is tough on the kids.”

F e at u r e d c h a n g e m a k e r :

H A R I S A B B A S

“GIVING THE GIFT OF LANGUAGETO THE HEARING IMPAIRED”

[ BY CRYSTAL CHA ]

Can one person make a difference, especially in the face of problems and challenges that seem to be impossibly huge? For an ordinary person like Haris Abbas, who had never been trained in sign language or special education before, taking on a whole class of hearing impaired students may have seemed quite daunting at the beginning.

Yet he not only persevered in giving his students the best education possible, but he also went beyond by conducting Google Hangouts between his students and other schools, to spread greater awareness about sign language and the challeng-es faced by those with hearing impediments. Read on for the inspiring story of Haris Abbas and SK Pendidikan Khas, Kota Kinabalu!

SK Pendidikan Khas is a primary school for the hearing impaired located in Tuaran, 18 km away from Kota Kinabalu. This school is the only one in Sabah providing education to hearing-impaired children. Many of its students come from low-income groups in rural areas from all over Sabah. The school offers full boarding and 80% of the students reside in the school during the school year.

Some of the challenges that the school faces includes the fact that many of the students sent to the school have not received special education from a young age, causing them to be delayed academically. In addition, being away from their families at such a young age and also struggling to cope with a hearing disability is tough on the kids. The kids are sent to board at the school from as young as seven.

14

“Being away from their families at such a young age and also struggling to cope with a hearing disability is tough on the kids.”

F e at u r e d c h a n g e m a k e r :

H A R I S A B B A S

Page 15: The Lilypad - Issue #1

“GIVING THE GIFT OF LANGUAGETO THE HEARING IMPAIRED”

[ BY CRYSTAL CHA ]

( front L-R) En Madjaie Lantas, Headmaster of SK Pendidikan Khas, Datin Kathleen Chew, Project Director of YTL Foundation, Pn Mariam Tuah, Sr Assistant of SK Pendidkan Khas, Lou Yeoh, Executive Director of FrogAsia (back L-R) Haris Abbas, Norliah Ashkar Hasbollah, Implementation Consultant at FrogAsia, Gareth Davies, Founder and Director of Frog Education, Aizat Izyani, Product Manager at FrogAsia, and students of SK Pendidikan Khas

With the full support of the school leadership, Abbas and his fellow teachers are keen to explore any means to engage their students better and help them catch up with their fully able peers, and technology seems to them to be one of the ways to do so. They use Frog to teach Maths and English, and the school dashboard to upload reports that can be shared among all the teachers. “We are looking forward to more content developed specially for special education needs, such as sign language-based material for the hearing impaired,” says Abbas.

Google Hangouts to teach sign languageBesides using Frog in his lessons, Abbas has used technology to promote greater understanding and awareness of hearing impairments. Together with his colleague, Dzulkifli Rotis, Abbas organised a Google Hangout with two other schools in Sabah, SK Pekan Semporna and SM Sains Sabah, to teach students in the two schools how to express basic mathematical terms in sign language.

When asked about plans for 2015, both Dzulkifli Rotis and Harris Abbas said they planned to hold more Google Hangout sign language sessions and involve more students as well. We are inspired by SK Pendidikan Khas’ determination and commitment to giving these less-fortunate students the chance at a quality education and we hope you are too!

To watch SK Pendidikan Khas’ sign language Google Hangout, visit www.bit.ly/signlanguagefcc.

The school is led by Headmaster Madjaie Lantas and his Senior Assistant Mariam Tuah, and they shared with us that the teachers posted to this school are normal teachers who are not specially trained to teach to hearing-impaired children and have had to pick up specialised teaching techniques on their own.

“I had to pick up sign language from scratch”One of these teachers is Haris Abbas, the Frog Admin of the school and also a Maths teacher. This was his first posting and he had to pick up sign language from scratch when he was posted to the school. Nonetheless, he is now able to confidently control a class using sign language, and has even introduced technology in his lessons.

“(Translated to English) Since I introduced lessons and quizzes on the Frog VLE, my students are much more engaged,” he says. “Despite the students’ challenges in understanding academic concepts purely through sign language and visuals, they have no problem finding their way around computers easily, and visual diagrams, videos and animations help them.”

15

“Despite the students’ challenges in understanding academic concepts purely through sign language and visuals, they have no problem finding their way around computers easily.”

“GIVING THE GIFT OF LANGUAGETO THE HEARING IMPAIRED”

[ BY CRYSTAL CHA ]

( front L-R) En Madjaie Lantas, Headmaster of SK Pendidikan Khas, Datin Kathleen Chew, Project Director of YTL Foundation, Pn Mariam Tuah, Sr Assistant of SK Pendidkan Khas, Lou Yeoh, Executive Director of FrogAsia (back L-R) Haris Abbas, Norliah Ashkar Hasbollah, Implementation Consultant at FrogAsia, Gareth Davies, Founder and Director of Frog Education, Aizat Izyani, Product Manager at FrogAsia, and students of SK Pendidikan Khas

With the full support of the school leadership, Abbas and his fellow teachers are keen to explore any means to engage their students better and help them catch up with their fully able peers, and technology seems to them to be one of the ways to do so. They use Frog to teach Maths and English, and the school dashboard to upload reports that can be shared among all the teachers. “We are looking forward to more content developed specially for special education needs, such as sign language-based material for the hearing impaired,” says Abbas.

Google Hangouts to teach sign languageBesides using Frog in his lessons, Abbas has used technology to promote greater understanding and awareness of hearing impairments. Together with his colleague, Dzulkifli Rotis, Abbas organised a Google Hangout with two other schools in Sabah, SK Pekan Semporna and SM Sains Sabah, to teach students in the two schools how to express basic mathematical terms in sign language.

When asked about plans for 2015, both Dzulkifli Rotis and Harris Abbas said they planned to hold more Google Hangout sign language sessions and involve more students as well. We are inspired by SK Pendidikan Khas’ determination and commitment to giving these less-fortunate students the chance at a quality education and we hope you are too!

To watch SK Pendidikan Khas’ sign language Google Hangout, visit www.bit.ly/signlanguagefcc.

The school is led by Headmaster Madjaie Lantas and his Senior Assistant Mariam Tuah, and they shared with us that the teachers posted to this school are normal teachers who are not specially trained to teach to hearing-impaired children and have had to pick up specialised teaching techniques on their own.

“I had to pick up sign language from scratch”One of these teachers is Haris Abbas, the Frog Admin of the school and also a Maths teacher. This was his first posting and he had to pick up sign language from scratch when he was posted to the school. Nonetheless, he is now able to confidently control a class using sign language, and has even introduced technology in his lessons.

“(Translated to English) Since I introduced lessons and quizzes on the Frog VLE, my students are much more engaged,” he says. “Despite the students’ challenges in understanding academic concepts purely through sign language and visuals, they have no problem finding their way around computers easily, and visual diagrams, videos and animations help them.”

15

“Despite the students’ challenges in understanding academic concepts purely through sign language and visuals, they have no problem finding their way around computers easily.”

Page 16: The Lilypad - Issue #1

16

Be the CHANGE that you wish to see in the world.

// Mahatma Ghandi

Page 17: The Lilypad - Issue #1

“EVERYTHING IS DIFFICULT BEFORE IT IS EASY”

[ INTERVIEW BY CRYSTAL CHA ]

Pathmalosini Arnasalam is warm, friendly and down-to-earth. She has a calm, quiet presence about her, but her eyes light up when she talks about her students and the joy she felt when she saw her students’ grades improve after she started teaching them Mathematics through game-based learning.

Pathma, as she is affectionately known, has been a teacher at SK Jalan Selangor 1 for eight years now, but it wasn’t until she was approached to take up the challenge of implementing technology in her class that she realised what a difference technology can make. To find out how she went from being a beginner to a strong advocate of technology, I met her in person when she visited the FrogAsia office for this issue’s cover shoot.

How did you feel when you started?

I knew we had to start using Frog and technology eventually, but I didn’t know where to start. I thought this would be a good way for me to learn more about using technology in the classroom. Even though I had no idea how the app worked, I saw that my students would have fun and learn at the same time through playing games.

What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

The first class we had using the [game-based quiz] app, we tried it out with five quiz questions. The students finished the five questions in no time, and I had nothing else prepared! Also, at first, some students forgot their ID and could not log in. What we did was get everyone to use their date of birth as their own password, so it would be easier to remember. We found the faster students started helping the slower students. Everything started running more smoothly.

Thanks for your time, Pn Pathma! Could you tell us how you first stumbled across game-based learning?

It was my school administrator, Pn Khoo Poh Eng, who asked me if I would be willing to do a pilot using a game-based learning app [introduced by FrogAsia] in my class. I said yes, so we started the eight-week project in Feb 2014. We spent two periods, an hour each, twice a week, using this app in a Maths class.

F e at u r e d c h a n g e m a k e r :PATH MALOSI N I AR NASALAM

17

“By the fourth week,we had no problems at all!”

Page 18: The Lilypad - Issue #1

18

“One of my students who used to ponteng (skip) school a lot messaged me out of the blue and said, “Cikgu, sekarang saya suka Maths.”

What were some of the results you saw after implementing this in your class?

One of my girls usually scores Cs in her exams, but for the recent mid-year exams, she scored A in Mathematics. Also, in the app, students can communicate with me directly through the messaging system. I felt a lot closer to the students as they started to message me just to share what they were feeling. They even started asking at night, “Teacher, have you eaten?”

Why do you think game based learning can make a difference to education?

The students are more engaged when games are used during class. They aren’t wasting their time being distracted or distracting others. Points and rewards motivates students too. One of my students even attempted an exercise 49 times during the school holidays as she was trying to get a perfect score, which she eventually achieved!

I’m sure there are teachers out there who want to use technology, but have no idea where to start. Do you have any advice for them?

I always remember my favourite quote: “Everything is difficult before it’s easy.” A lot of times, we fear change because it is unfamiliar. For example, when we go for our first driving test, it’s scary. After we pass, driving becomes normal. It’s something I kept in mind as I tried implementing technology in class.

To experience our game-based learning app, FrogAcademy, hop in atwww.frogasia.com/frogacademy.

Page 19: The Lilypad - Issue #1

What does it take to be a changemaker? We asked several prominent individuals who are making waves of change in their various spheres of

influence one simple question: “What does it take to be a changemaker?” Here’s what they shared with

us, to inspire you to make a difference in your own way!

“Change requires the energy which comes from wanting something which is bigger and beyond the immediate and individual experience. Changemakers trade in hope!” // Alistair Smith, Education Director at Frog Education and one of the UK’s leading thinkers in modern learning methods

“To be a changemaker you have to adopt the qualities of a lifelong learner: Passionate, Bold, Troublemaker, Experimental, Fearless, Curious, Joyful - all along living your message and knowing your audience.”// Dr Alice Wilder, Educational advisor, producer and writer for Amazon Kids, Nick Jr., Cartoon Network Project

“Passion, a ‘whatever it takes’ attitude and grit.” // Julia Immonen, Founder of Sport For Freedom and world-record athlete

19

Page 20: The Lilypad - Issue #1

( front L-R) En Madjaie Lantas, Headmaster of SK Pendidikan Khas, Datin Kathleen Chew, Project Director of YTL Foundation, Pn Mariam Tuah, Sr Assistant of SK Pendidkan Khas, Lou Yeoh, Executive Director of FrogAsia (back L-R) Haris Abbas, Norliah Ashkar Hasbollah, Implementation Consultant at FrogAsia, Gareth Davies, Founder and Director of Frog Education, Aizat Izyani, Product Manager at FrogAsia, and students of SK Pendidikan Khas

(front L-R) En Madjaie Lantas, Headmaster of SK Pendidikan Khas, Datin Kathleen Chew, Project Director of YTL Foundation, Pn Mariam Tuah, Sr Assistant of SK Pendidkan Khas, Lou Yeoh, Executive Director of FrogAsia (back L-R) Haris Abbas, Norliah Ashkar Hasbollah, Implementation Consultant at FrogAsia, Gareth Davies, Founder and Director of Frog Education, Aizat Izyani, Product Manager at FrogAsia, and students of SK Pendidikan Khas

“A good Changemaker is someone who can change paradigms and move walls with just a smile and a few good words.” // Normahani Jamaluddin, Frog Admin Teacher of SMK Majakir

“Consistent drive, creativity, passion, and enduring patience. A Changemaker should also have the ability to customise and localise.”// Azura bt Yusof, Counseling Teacher of Sekolah Seri Puteri Selangor

“Ask what has worked in your organisation – and focus on doing more of that."

// George Aveling, Owner of TMI Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a company that focuses on solutions to implementing change in organisations

“A Changemaker is anyone that refuses to accept the current status. Changemakers are progressive, radical, stubborn and blessed with an abundance of curiosity.” // Damian Tate, Head of Training at FrogAsia

20

Page 21: The Lilypad - Issue #1

At A G lanc e . . .

F i r s t i n t h e w o r l dt o c o n n e c t a n at i o n o no n e p l at f o r m

C r e at i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e sf o r n at i o n a l a n d

i n t e r n at i o n a ll e a r n i n g e x p e r i e n c e s

S p r e a d i n g i n s p i r at i o n t h r o u g hw o r l d - c l a s s t h o u g h t

l e a d e r s

I n s p i r i n g M a l ay s i a n s

t o c a r e a b o u t s o c i a l

i s s u e s a n d c o m m u n i t y

C e l e b r at i n g a n d

i n v e s t i n g i n t e a c h e r s

P r o v i d i n g a c c e s s t o

q u a l i t y l e a r n i n g

m at e r i a l o n o n e p l at f o r m

P a r t n e r i n g w i t h o t h e r s

t o d r i v ee d u c at i o n f o r w a r d s

21

Page 22: The Lilypad - Issue #1

This Christmas

Need some holiday gift ideas? We’ve got you covered!

Give the gift of learning

FrogAcademy Question Banks - RM 3+2015 is just around the corner. Why not get your child someFrogAcademy question banks from Malaysia’s leadingpublishers including Pelangi, Oxford Fajar and Focus A,just in time for school next year?

Literacy Planet yearly membership - RM 90Help your children or students improve their English while havingfun! This game-based learning app is the best of both worlds inone package.

Frog Avatar Motivational Stickers - RM 3These colourful, encouraging stickers are sure to make a student’sday brighter and keep them on the path of learning.

Frog Avatar thumbdrives (4GB) - RM 40These limited-edition, Frog Avatar thumbdriveswill make unique gifts for unique people.

FrogAcademy

Perfect!

22

Page 23: The Lilypad - Issue #1

Instructions: Cut out and attachto your presents.

Smile as you give them away!

GIFtTAGS!

From:

Merry Christmas!

You’re gonna go farand travel places!

Shooting starstudent!

From:

Thanks for notgiving up!

You’re a futuresuperhero!

Merry Christmas!

From:From:

Merry Christmas!

You’re like myMini me!

Smart, hardworking andfunny, like me!

From:

Merry Christmas!

From:

I just thought…That you deserved a gift!

Enjoy

Merry Christmas!

You get an A…plus! :)

Thanks for putting inextra effort!

From:

A+

Merry Christmas!

You are such atop performer!

You’ve been amazing this year!

Good job!

From:

Samsung 4G Chromebook - RM 1,299 (device only) orRM 988 (device + plan)Get a Samsung 4G Chromebook, the lightweight, portable mobile computingdevice, for maximum squeals of delight!

Yes Go 4G Dongle - RM 99With the Yes Go 4G Dongle, you can connect to the speedy4G network to learn, anytime, anywhere!

Available on the Hop in at www.frogasia.com

23

Page 24: The Lilypad - Issue #1

PREP20 mins

READY IN1 hr 20 mins

COOK1 hr

Homemade

spinach

quiche

IngredientsMakes one 9-inch quiche

1/2 cup1/2 cup 4 230gm

280gm

1/4 cup1 (9-inch)

Light mayonnaiseMilkEggs, lightly beatenCheddar cheese, grated(grate your own or buy ready-grated from the supermarket)Chopped fresh spinach (about 6 cups) or 10 oz frozen spinachChopped onionUnbaked pastry or pie shell (found in supermarkets)

Make this tasty treat at home by following the simple steps below:

Directions1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). 2. Line a baking tray with foil. Place the pastry shell on the tray.3. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and milk until smooth. 4. Whisk in eggs. 5. Mix in spinach, cheese, and onion.6. Pour the mixture into the pastry shell. 7. Cover the whole quiche with foil.8. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove the foil cover, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until top is golden brown and filling is set. 9. Enjoy!

For more delicious bites, visit the Unwind Café at the Leaps of Knowledge Conference! Proceeds from the Unwind Café

go to charity

Unwind Café

24

Page 25: The Lilypad - Issue #1

“Keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths,” said the famous dream-builder and changemaker, Walt Disney. So to help you on your journey of discovery and satisfy your hunger for more knowledge, we’ve compiled six of the best places that a curious learner like you would love to explore!

DON’T MISS OUT - EXPERIENCE ALL THESE AND MORE, ONLY AT THE LEAPS OF KNOWLEDGE CONFERENCE 2014.

The online education store, the FrogStore, is brought to life as a pop-up store at our conference! For one day only, visit our store to explore content from our world-class partners such as Oxford Fajar, IMAX, WWF, Pelangi, Prudential and many more.

Come and browse, read and listen to our library of audiobooks and eBooks at the Discover Corner! Get the latest digital teaching resources and education packs that are set to equip any 21st century teacher for the classroom and beyond at the Teacher’s Desk. Finally, experience Anytime, Anywhere Learning with game-based approaches such as Word Mania, proven to excite students and improve their vocabulary, and FrogAcademy, our new game-based revision app which helps parents and educators monitor students’ performance, while helping students perform better!

The Frog PadNeed some help with Frog? Curious to know how other schools have been implementing technology? The Frog Pad is the place where you can ask any and all the questions you have. Don’t forget to leave a handwritten sticky note on the Frog Pad wall telling us what you love about Frog!

#ForFreedom BoothsAfter attending our Leaps of Knowledge Talk with Julia Immonen earlier this year, several schools were inspired to run their own

#ForFreedom projects designed to raise awareness about inequality and

injustice that take place in various forms. Here, you have the opportunity to find out how

schools are making a difference #ForFreedom.

The Google Street View car Never misses a prime location, and this includes the Leaps of Knowledge Conference! Here’s the chance for all you technophiles to see, touch and take selfies with this hi-tech car right here at the Majestic Hotel.

Unwind Café

Step into the classroom of the future, designed to stimulate curiosity, wonder and a desire to learn, modelled after a real-life Frog Classroom in SMK Puchong! Catch a 15-minute lesson by SMK Puchong teachers and speak to them and their students to hear firsthand what a difference a great learning environment makes.

Google Street View Car

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E : What you can experience at the Leaps of Knowledge Conference 2014

6 MUST-VISIT PLACES FOR THE CURIOUS LEARNER

Frog Classroom

1 FrogStore

FROG CLASSROOM 2

3

6

5

4

We know how hungry you might get with all this traveling and discovering new places! The Unwind Café is the perfect place to fuel up and recharge. Proceeds from food and drinks bought here are be channelled towards charity (in support of Sport For Freedom). Have a great journey!

25

[ BY SARAH LIM ]

Page 26: The Lilypad - Issue #1

Students that have their Frog VLE accounts can have a dashboard where they can curate their own study materials and personalise their own learning space. Cultivating these habits can create self-motivated learners.

Personalized Learning Environments

5

3 Section areas off in your class where your students can store and display project that they’re proud of. When students get a chance to show off their work, it can give them the sense of validation and support that’s so important in education.

Project Displays

Voicing out personal opinions in a large classroom can be daunting or scary for some students. Create a board where students can pin or stick their thoughts about the day! It’s helpful for teacher feedback and gives a space for student self-expression.

Voice Out Zone

4

Fill up empty white walls with valuable messages and posters! This classroom ‘Pinterest’ wall can work wonders for brightening classrooms and creating warm, encouraging spaces for students.

Story Wall

2

Classroom seating arrangements have not changed for hundreds of years. Break this tradition by gathering tables together to let students collaborate! This creates an engaging, horizontal learning environment where students can work out lesson problems together.

F R O G F U T U R E C L A S S R O O M S !

Collaborate and Learn 1Say goodbye to blank faces and yawning

students! The future of the Malaysian classroom

is closer than you think! Here are five things

that you can try out in your own classroom.

[ BY JOSEPH WONG ]

26

Page 27: The Lilypad - Issue #1

FrogAcademy

D I S C O V E R T H E N E W

Discover the newFrogAcademy

What are youwaiting for?

Who knew learning could be this fun and rewarding?

Experience the benefits of digital learning

A fun way for students to express themselves. Unlock more parts by using FrogAcademy!

Keep learners engaged when revising with in-between mini-games! Games are optional and can be turned off by teachers and parents.

Questions are marked automatically, saving teachers and parents time and effort while giving quick feedback to students as well!

Our question banks are sourced from local publishers including Pelangi, Oxford Fajar and Focus A, and are mapped to the local syllabus.

Hop in atwww.frogasia.com/frogacademy

to find out more!

Unique Avatars!

Motivational Mini-Games

Automatic Self-Marking System

Mapped to the NationalCurriculum

27

Page 28: The Lilypad - Issue #1

#LEAPS15SEE YOU AT

Pre-register now for a

5 0 % d i s c o u n t c o d ebit.ly/leaps15