In addition to knowledge and abilities, the most crucial quality a trainer should possess is confidence because it can positively influence others.
This was conveyed by Dr Nasruddin Yunos, senior lecturer of Study Centre CITRA Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and deputy director of the University Community Transformation Centre (UCTC UKM), at a workshop titled “Training of Trainers” on 27 October 2022. The event was organised by WOU Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS), which was hosted at the main campus and attended by about 60 participants.
The workshop’s objective is to prepare the participating academic lecturers on how to conduct the new Mata Pelajaran Umum (MPU) course or General Studies Subject, “Falsafah dan Isu Semasa”, in a class. “I prepared a number of topics, including philosophy in life, concept of human, epistemology, metaphysics, ideologies on current issues, and decolonisation,” Dr Nasruddin said.
He emphasised that learning about decolonisation is essential for enhancing one’s sense of worth, which will help an individual develop their knowledge and abilities. They must also possess a fundamental understanding of philosophy to increase their degree of confidence.
Moreover, analysing current events is an excellent way to put theoretical concepts into practice rather than merely knowing them. Prior to delving into the present, individuals must first acknowledge their challenges because they are constantly in denial.
“Once we are aware of the problems, we will analyse them and search for solutions,” Dr Nasruddin emphasised. Individuals typically approach current issues from very specific viewpoints, but it is crucial to reflect deeply and philosophically about them.
He continued by saying that although the participants are experienced lecturers, he believes they can still develop personally, and this workshop allows them to build a network with others.
“When we get to know people, we get to share ideas. I like to hold sharing or problem-solving sessions in my class, in which I encourage participation and we jointly resolve the question,” Dr Nasruddin highlighted.
Head of CFS and senior lecturer, Jasmine Emmanuel, saw the need for a face-to-face training for this new course. Although it has been made available online by several institutions, WOU is the first to offer a face-to-face training for this course.
“Since there is not much training available beyond the fundamental courses provided by The Higher Education Department, we aspire to offer more workshops to aid in the teaching and learning process for the MPU courses,” she said.
The academics who attended the workshop were from various public and private institutions, including University Sains Malaysia (USM), UKM, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), University of Reading, Monash University and many more.