Being green is never easy

Magazine Article posted January 11, 2011

Environmental issues are always on the classroom agenda, but now they are joined by green ICT. Of course, we all want to do our bit for the environment, but is ‘green’ being done effectively in ICT? I had to look up quite a few articles to get a grasp of green ICT as it isn’t covered in teacher training. Perhaps it’s assumed we know what it involves, but do teachers even understand the term? I asked a few and none had a good understanding.

What about teachers who don’t use ICT very often? Would they know what to do in a computer suite to save energy? And how do students treat the equipment?
Some green ICT measures recommended shutting down computers after use, but this isn’t practical. I teach in ICT suites where computers are used all day. It would be impossible to turn them off every time they have been used, not to mention expecting students to do this.

As well as practical concerns, green ICT raises funding and responsibility issues, but where will investment come from and where does responsibility lie? Often, not with the ICT department or the technical team. Considering these are the two groups who use ICT equipment the most, you may think they would have considerable influence.

The environment is important to schools, but green ICT will only be an enabler for change if it is included in teacher training.

- Laura Mulholland
Laura Mulholland is a trainee teacher of ICT at south west teacher training

Working towards quality e-community

By Natasha Ilyas
streets@nstp.com.my
2011/02/15

KUALA LUMPUR: The Local Agenda 21 (LA21) Kuala Lumpur programme is gearing towards implementing and achieving e-Bandar Raya status, a quality community.
LA21 KL programme is the result of an agreement signed in 1992 between 179 countries to address environmental, social, development and economy issues.

LA21 emphasises the involvement of three parties, namely, local authorities, public and private sectors to work together to plan and manage their surroundings for sustainable development and a higher quality of life in the 21st century.

The programme was first introduced last year and efforts will continue with the assistance of residents' associations and volunteers as pioneers of the Champion Project.

It will attempt to bridge the digital divide in developing an intellectual community.

In a collaboration between Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing, LA21 Kuala Lumpur was launched at Dataran Jelatek Gemilang, PPR Jelatek.

The programme is targeting over 420 students who will be sitting for the UPSR and SPM this year.

They will have the opportunity to use the ICT-based educational software called Skor A.

Kuala Lumpur City Council director general Datuk Saleh Yusup said LA21 KL has four themes -- Clean and Beautiful, Prosperous, and Safe City and e-City.

"They cover aspects of urban life that we want to realise for a world-class city."

He said the programme aims to teach Kuala Lumpur residents how to use information technology which is growing rapidly in the world today.

"The residents' association will sponsor 10 students who cannot afford to pay for the programme, while the others will only pay a minimum amount," he said.

To ensure commitment, parents of students who participate in this programme must pay a minimum of RM15 per month or RM180 a year. Normal charges for the programme is RM796.

This project will help to increase academic achievement through the use of the comprehensive software.

As many as 120 e-books will be allocated to six residents' associations, namely, PPR Sri Perak, Sri Johor 4A, Sri Penara, Desa Tun Razak, Youth Bandar Bukit Jalil and Kampung Malaysia Tambahan.

These e-books can be accessed on the Internet and Skor A software by the students.

Ministry of Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing chief secretary Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib said parents should be concerned about their children who are sitting for the UPSR and SPM examination, and encourage them to pass with flying colours.

Tech: When feng shui meets ICT

2011/01/31

Lee Cheng Hoe abandoned a promising career in the fast lane to follow his calling in oriental astrology. He is zealously pursuing his passion in feng shui with some tech help, writes ROZANA SANI
ARMED with a First Class Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering after graduating from University of Strathcycle in United Kingdom in 1993, Penangite Lee Cheng Hoe seemed destined to make engineering his career for life.

The offspring of hawker parents, the Chung Ling High School alumnus made all the right moves — gaining employment in a multinational high technology company upon graduation and rising up in the various MNCs he worked for as he progressed.

Although he enjoyed it, his heart was elsewhere: specifically in the area of oriental astrology, which he had already developed a strong interest in since he first started working As he studied and did research on the subject, Lee was intrigued by the relevance of feng shui and metaphysics to daily life and felt compelled to share the ancestral knowledge with others.

So he went on to master feng shui, Bazi (an ancient fortune-reading method) and Chinese Name studies.

Lee has practised oriental astrology part-time for more than 10 years and full-time for the past three.

For Lee, feng shui is the combined study of geography, environment, history and magnetic energy (qi). “Basically, feng shui is divided into the hardware, Luan Tou, and the software, Li Qi.

“Luan Tou (space and location) is the physical influence of the surrounding environment while Li Qi (flow of Qi) is the influence of the magnetic energy which changes regularly.

“Just as we require the hardware and software in order to operate a computer, both concepts are applied in feng shui when it comes to human beings,” he explains.

“The hardware is our physical body and the software is our mind and soul. Missing either one and we will not be able to function properly.

“In ruling a country, a government needs to focus on both hardware and software. The hardware of a country is its infrastructure and the software is the heart of the people,” he allegorises.

Leveraging ICT Now based in Air Hitam, Penang, Lee believes feng shui can be practised by everyone. “Feng shui has become rather commercialised. My purpose in practising feng shui is to help ordinary people to improve their life, career, health and relationships.

“These people may not be able to afford the exorbitant rates charged by many feng shui masters.

“I feel a sense of satisfaction if my clients are indeed able to improve the bad situation they are in prior to consulting me,” he shares.

To be able to realise the vision, Lee leverages on ICT. “I charge a reasonable consultation fee as I do not need to pay expensive rental or hire staff to assist me.” Lee has a blog, a website and a presence on Facebook. The blog (http://penangfengshui.blogspot.com/) is a platform for Lee to share information on astrology and his views on current issues that can be explained through metaphysics. The website, http://www.penangfengshui.com/ , is where his role as an author, speaker and trainer in oriental astrology is showcased.
Here, readers can download electronics books (e-book) and videos that feature topics he covers.

The Facebook account is for interaction with clients and those who are curious or keen to know more about oriental astrology.

“The Internet is an amazing medium. Being borderless, someone from overseas can actually find you via the search engines. “Readers will assess you by first going through what you have done. You have to prove that you are the right person for them. Pictures, video, testimonials and informative articles are the keys to success. Readers from Italy, Australia, Singapore, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, and Dubai and Philippines have approached me.” “I am m glad to see many highly educated people beginning to realise that there is no link between feng shui and religion,” he says.

There are also many sophisticated tools such as the digital compass, hardware and software which ease his work. With all the tech gadgets, Lee is delighted that he no longer needs to conform to the 8 to 5 work schedule.

“I can work anytime, which is convenient to me. I can email my clients in the middle of the night and they can access their Bazi (a fortune reading method) reports when they switch on their computers the next day. Thus, there is more flexibility in time management.” The most memorable incident for him is helping a woman whose marriage had failed. She was contemplating suicide but Lee helped her begin a new chapter in life. “My clients often say: “This is my secret, how can you possibly know?” But it is nothing mysterious. Our ancestors gave us this science thousands of years ago. Predictions LEE has been invited by companies to hold seminars in oriental astrology and metaphysics especially those in housing development and managing finances. Lee believes the Year of the Rabbit will be similar to last year where businesses are concerned.

“2010 was a good year for the gold, fire and plant industries. We anticipate the Year of the Rabbit to be of golden and wood elements again. You can find out more on my free e-book http://www.penangfengshui.com/index.php?pages>book_enjoyyourlife_ebook for the industries of the related elements,” he says As for Lee’s own future, he dreams of learning and sharing more knowledge. “There are requests to write more books. Currently, I have started on my fourth book. This time, I’m going to write it in Mandarin. It is a book about Bazi reading, a fortune-telling book. It is my first Chinese book. I will market it as an e-book once completed.” Lee also wishes to have more classes. “After all, the more you share, the more you will gain.”

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http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Tech_WhenfengshuimeetsICT/Article/

Visually-impaired get ICT training for a better life

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng observing how a visually-impaired man navigate his way on the Internet during the launch of the ‘Workshop on Employment for the Blind’ at the ICT Centre Sarawak. — NST picture by Rozana Latif
KUCHING: For 34 blind men and women here, information and communications technology (ICT) represents a great hope that they can one day seek employment and play a meaningful role in the country's development.
The "special" men and women, comprising mostly young school leavers, including 10 Form Five students, are taking part in a two-day 'Workshop on Employment for the Blind' at the Sarawak Society for the Blind, aimed at exposing them to real-life experiences of job seeking.

The workshop, partly funded by the Women's Development Department, will train them to use ICT such as the Job Access With Speech (Jaws) voice-synthesiser -- a screen-reading software which allows them to hear all text written on the computer monitor and thus equip them with the ability to seek and apply for employment online.

Visually-impaired Barnabas Aling, 24, said ICT went a long way in helping the blind bridge the gap between the able and the disabled.
"With software designed for the blind, we can now access the Internet, fill up forms, pay bills and do everything we need to become independent individuals in society.

"Access to knowledge and information is literally at our fingertips."
Wilson Sejahtera, 22, said he first underwent computer training with the society last year and was now able to read websites, receive and send email, and join social network sites such as Facebook.

"This facility is really helping us to become active members of the society, despite our disabilities."

Wilson, who works with the society as a Braille facilitator, hoped his growing use of ICT would someday open up more employment opportunities for him.
"I would like to one day work in an administrative or managerial position.

"I am also thinking of entering the ICT industry."

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng, who launched the workshop, said vocational training initiatives were key in the government's efforts to achieve its goal of at least 1 per cent employment for the disabled in all public agencies.

"We still have a long way to go to achieve that goal but it can be done with the support for the right programmes which offer the blind and the disabled opportunities for training, learning and more participation in society.

"These programmes are also in line with the government's policy to reduce dependency on foreign workers and to increase training for the local workforce." -- By Rozanna Latiff

Take interest in ICT, school heads told

IT is pertinent for school heads to completely embrace information and communication technology (ICT) in the current information era, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
“The time has come to re-conceptualise the role of the principal in managing schools as learning organisations,” said Muhyiddin who is also Education Minister.
At school level, the school head or principal must be involved in ICT by encouraging continuous innovation and improvement, he said at the 5th roundtable meeting of Asean Educational Leaders and the 3rd Conference of South East Asian School Principals Forum in Brunei recently.
The events were held in conjunction with the 46th Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO) Council Conference (SEAMEC) and 6th Asean Education Ministers Meeting (ASED).
Schools and their principals should not depend on archaic methods, but should move towards keeping up with technology and making decisions and improvements that are current and relevant, he said
For a start, he said school principals being the “implementers and translators of policies”, should be ready to face and resolve problems experienced at all levels .
At the same time, Muhyiddin stressed that they should not expect to implement change if no attempts were made to understand the context of change.
Sharing the Malaysian experience, he said the ministry had launched several initiatives to improve the education standard.
“We have developed clusters of excellent schools under the High Performing School Programme where school leaders are encouraged to share best practices in order to enhance student learning. This programme has brought about positive results,” he said.
He said 20 schools obtained high performing status last year and many more would meet the benchmark this year, including those from remote areas.
“We have also embarked on the School Improvement Programme to accelerate school transformation on a wider scale,” he said adding that since its implementation last year, 40% of schools had demonstrated marked improvements in student performance. — Bernama