Basic Information of E-Learning

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

Nowadays, technology takes the important role in every single activity, such as education. The fast growing of computer technology supports the progress of education field. The use of CALL for example became more significance since the emerging of E-Learning. It can be defined as distance learning that maximize the advantage of computer technology, computer networks or the Internet.

 E-Learning allows learners to learn through computers without having to physically attending lectures in the classroom. E-Learning is also known as a form of web-based learning that can be accessed from the intranet or Internet. It usually managed by universities or others related institution. This learning method has been improved and created to make learner easier in accessing the lesson.

  Since E learning considered as distance learning, it allows the course attendances to set up their learning study as their convenience. Then, it will be very helpful for them having tight business. The course can be conveyed either through internet, or offline media, such as ebook, video, etc.

Regarding to the method, E-learning can be set as formal or informal study. Learning informally using syllabus, curriculum and proper instructor with the scheduled meeting may be considered as the formal way. Meanwhile, learner can also have informal learning by joining forum, mailing list, reading tutorial or even ‘blogwalking’ (he…he..he..)

            That’s all my opinion about E-learning. However, if you need further information about E-learning you can start to read some articles from a website or other resources. E-learning can happen in any time, and any where as long as you have higher learning desire.

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Stop Smoking in the School, Please!

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

Just for moments ago, there is a rule prohibiting smoking in the public, especially in Jakarta (PERDA No. 2 Tahun 2005). This rule aims to reduce the number of smokers and make a healthier air to breath. Besides, it also intends to prevent the influence of smoking habit, especially to children.

Smoking is considered as dangerous activities since there are many negative effects that may happen, such as lung cancer, impotence, and pregnancy problems. Tar and nicotine are the example of dangerous substance of cigarette. Because of its dangerous effect, some people avoid and teach their children to keep healthy without smoke.

Not only in the family range, smoking is also written as forbidden matter in the school policy. However, some teachers or school staffs still perform to smoke in front of the students. It seems that it’s just a simple matter that can be ignored. Then, does it have direct impact to students? 

Students not only have psychomotor but also cognitive ability that let them learned directly to the nature/ environment. Teacher may ask students not to smoke the cigarette. But, will students accept that rule if their teacher do that habit? Analogically students need a positive modeling that can be performed by teacher. When teachers want students not to enjoy the cigarette, then they should do it as well.  

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Some tips to enhance your English mastery

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

The Sun Shine

      Today, English is the main need of people to communicate to the universe. It is also listed as the national graduation examination of high school students. Besides, English has many specific purpose, such as business, public communication, etc. The mastery of English becomes the main requirement in reaching our success.

    Since Indonesian do not speak as their first or second language, they may find many difficulties in understanding English. Government has set English to be taught from the elementary school to senior high school. This is one of efforts in improving English mastery of Indonesian.

    English, basically, has different structure and grammar with Bahasa, Indonesian Language. It has more complex structure and pronunciation. In English, people need to consider the time when they want to tell their own activities. They have to speak differently when they want to express the past, present or future activities.

In this blog post, I would like to give several suggestions to learn English well:

1. Make a speaking club. This is very important to enhance your speaking ability. You can make a group of friend and start to practice your English constantly.
2. Watch English Movie. You can learn from a movie while enjoying the story. You need to ignore the translated subtitle and listen to the conversations provide in the movies (or use English subtitle if you do not get the movie story).
3. Write a lot. This is very effective ways of learning English (only in my opinion). You can learn the sentences structure, connective words, vocabulary and many more. Since you need many reference in writing, it is closely related with reading. Then, you'll get more knowledge while learning English.
4. English Day. This will help you mastering English by practicing it to your surrounding. You can simply choose the best day of a week and make it as English speaking day. This will help you in mastering English as the communication purpose.

     I think that's all of my opinion about how to effective English learning. They are very simple and I hope it can help you, especially non-native speaker of English in mastering English. You can read more The Sun Shine articles if you like this one.

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Basic understanding of TOEFL

Azys Syaiful Anwar

TOEFL which stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language held to measure the ability of non-native speaker of English. This test is usually employed as the main requirement to enter a university, getting scholarship or to fulfill the job requirement. People may need to pass the minimum TOEFL score if they want to be accepted to study in a university, especially in America.  

According to Wikipedia, TOEFL score is between 310 (minimum score) and 677 (maximum score) regarding to PBT (paper-based test). However, the minimum TOEFL score is determined by the related institution. Different Universities may set different minimum TOEFL score.

TOEFL accommodate to test the main English Skill, they are reading, speaking, listening and writing. The test may take approximately three hours. So, be wise in using time while doing the test. Here are the detail information about parts of TOEFL:

Reading. In this section, there are twelve to fourteen questions. The duration to finish this test is approximately 60 or 100 minutes. This test provides texts with some topics and you need to answer the text detail, main idea, information whether it is implicitly or explicitly written.

Listening. In this section, there are five to six questions which need to be done in about sixty to ninety minutes. Listening test is about understanding conversation. Then, you need to be more careful in doing the test. Listen and find the keyword is the main success tips for you.

Speaking. This section consists of six tasks and approximately takes twenty minutes. This test may measure your ability in responding to some expression.

Writing. You may get two tasks in this part and have to finish doing this task in 55 minutes. This test will grate your ability in English writing and demand you to be able write academic topics writing or even depend your opinion.

          Since TOEFL is very important in the world wide, especially for them who are not born to speak English as mother tongue, we need complete preparation before attending TOEFL test. You can start to join language course for TOEFL or just teach your self by reading book or internet resources. Moreover, to get more skill in writing you can also try to write something, writing blog post for example..he..he..

Posted on: October 20, 2009

By http://blackkarisma.blogspot.com

Reading: wikipedia.com

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My blog was copied!

     It's really surprising when I try to check my blog progress in Google search engine, i found a blog appearing on the top of the search engine using my article entitled 'textbook vs computer'.

Just check this print screen result!

     Have a look at the article at the top of search result, it is derived from my site although it's clearly published not from my url. In fact, the real The Sun Shine placed on the sixth position of the search engine result. The most shocking of all is that this blog publisher used to publish all of my article published last month (September). Just visit this blog which is also entitled The Sun Shine and have a look to blog label! is it the same articles published by the real The sun shine, isn't it?

     I'm really dislike this blog publisher because he/she completely copy all of my blog content and even the site title and create almost similar url address (you-kharisma.blogspot.com..hah!!).what is that??

Copy Cat Link

http://you-kharisma.blogspot.com/2009/09/textbook-vs-computer-which-one-is-best.html

Please, give comment to help me solving this problem.

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Teach your kids to stay away from drugs

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

       Parents, who are considered as the nearest family member to the kids, take the main control of their children. They may determine the children condition, whether negative or positive. Through some constraint giving to children, parents are able to supervise their children activity. However, it doesn't mean their children will be save from the drugs.

      The parents' role isn't only to physically care to children but also to give their children proper education . Children basically can easily learn many new things they like. If they found something new in their society, they will have desire to follow the trends, for example: fashion, lifestyle, etc. How if children start to know drug? If they think it is interesting, then what can they do?

       This question may answer our doubt of the existence of the big influence of drugs in the society that may bring our children to be trapped by drugs. All kind of drugs, such as marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin, are addictive substance that absolutely endanger our children healthiness.

I have some suggestion for parents in educating their kids to keep away from drug:

1. Increase your communication with your children. Be the open-minded parents who are able to be children friend. However, parents need to give real constraint or rule related to some children activities, for example prohibit children to attend some program that unfamiliar with parents.
   
   
2. Ask children to answer “no” if there is someone offering some suspicious food or drink without any further debate or talk.
   
   
3. Children need some activities that make them busy, then they don't have enough time to think about drugs. Parents may involved children to the extracurricular program of the school, or any other programs, such as computer, sport, or music courses.
   
   
4. Give the knowledge of the dangerous drug effects.
   
   

     Since parents have the main responsibility of their children, they need to teach their children to stay away from drugs. They can lead their children to achieve a better future if they can successfully educate them. Therefore, parents need to work harder to prevent their children consuming drugs.

Picture Source:

http://www.polishhomefoundation.org/events/Olbinski/NoToDrugs.JPG

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Hunting a job to be a state professional teacher through State Teacher Test Examination (CPNS)

Formerly, teacher, in Indonesia, is really a profession which only offers less of financial welfare. Many people choose another job to get a better life. In the contrary, now teacher is a profession which supports the financial condition, even it will be better than becoming an employee in a private institution. Besides, there is also teacher certification program that accommodate the wealth of a certified teacher. Through certification program, a teacher may obtain higher monthly salary with additional profession subsidy. Because of that, many people compete each other to be the state professional teachers and hope to get a better life.

The real and clear example of this competition is can be seen in several universities. There are many students take a concentration in the teaching field. The big number of students in the teaching training and education faculty also expects to be state teacher in the future. Therefore, can you imagine how many people competing to be a state teacher? Since the tight competition in this area, people need to prepare themselves if they want to reach their expectation. They should work harder and let God decide the best for them.

Actually to be a state teacher, people can also take a different ways or without attending CPNS test. They can be practice teaching (Wiyata Bakti) first and wait for the profession elevation to be state professional teacher. It may take a very long time and during that time, the candidate of state teacher may live with some financial troubles. The practice teacher salary earns less money than state teacher. However, they can reach a better future if they patiently wait and loyal to do their job.

Through CPNS test, people need to beat their competitors which may reach hundreds of people. They need extra preparation to get their expectation. Although, I’m not interested enough in attending this test now, I will share some information about CPNS test to you. I use many times to browse and finding some material related to CPNS test. Here there are the results. You can easily download it via Ziddu. Check this out!

Download Gratis Informasi CPNS DEPAG JATENG 2009/2010

Download Gratis Informasi CPNS STAIN Ponorogo

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Introducing Computer to my little brother

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

Computer is one of useful gadget that man has ever made. It is able to helps us solving many problems, for example storing data, designing something, communicating even make money from your comfortable house. Besides, computer also becomes multipurpose tool that can be used in every place, whether it is in the office or school. Since computer literacy is very important, I introduce the basic of operating computer to my little brother, Diaz.

          Firstly, I use simple games containing educative feature, such as learning to read and recognizing alphabet to attract Diaz attention. I do it when he is still kindergarten student or about four or five years old. I also teach him how to use the mouse and operating the software through some shortcuts provided on desktop. He responds well and even he learns to turn on or turn off the computer by seeing the way I do that.

           Growing older, he prefers to play such adventure or entertaining games that may lead him to less of learning motivation. However, I still allow him to use my computer, but he is also need to learn. Through this way, I give him a lesson about how to draw a picture using Corel Draw. I only give him a basic of drawing such as creating boxes, circles and also coloring them. He enjoys it especially when coloring the object.

          Using Corel Draw, I also teach him the kind of colors in English. I think it is more effective rather than asking him to memorize colors and try to tell them in English. Besides, I can also teach him constructing new object by combining circles and boxes. Then, he is able to draw a robot and ship.

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When Television teaches your kids

By Azys Syaiful Anwar

Television is an audio visual media which provides some program, such us entertainments and news. In recent years, there are a lot of TV channels which compete to get the viewers attention by presenting more entertainments rather than informative and educative program.  As a result, it successfully becomes the first choice of free home entertainment and may become your children favorite. Addicted to the television programs, children may become passive and having less spirit to do their activities. They tend to choose to stay watching their favorite TV programs in their house.

Naturally, children have higher desire to play and doing other fun activities to support their development in many aspects, especially for their social, education and mentality development. Children who have amazing ability in learning can be easily influenced by TV. However, in my opinion, TV gives more negatives rather than positive effects for the children. There are some implicit values taught by television that can be discussed here. They are violence and hedonism. Those two negatives values mostly dominate some television program in Indonesia.

Some years ago, there was a full body contact entertainment wrestling broadcasted by a famous TV Channel in Indonesia. Although it was broadcasted on the late night, some children enthusiastically waited that wrestling show. They enjoy watching it and even try to imitate their favorite wrestler action that may result in children violence. Besides, children may learn how to slap their friend from comedy TV program. According to me, there are some comedians who only use rude words even doing rude behavior, such as mocking and slapping their partner. It makes sense if your children often watching such comedy program becoming rude. Violence behavior is not only taught in some adult program, it also can be found in some cartoon programs. The clearest example is a cartoon which employs a cat and a mouse as the actors. This cartoon only tells about the effort of a cat to catch a mouse using many method that may including, hitting, slapping, trapping and many other rude ways. You can also read my former post about violence here Violence in School

The next lesson that children obtain is hedonism. Hedonism is a theory which placed pleasure as the aim of life. As I can see in some teenage series or other TV series, Hedonism is often implicitly conveyed through the story of the TV series. The antagonist cast is the perfect model of hedonism. Most of TV series story tell us about many things related to the fight of getting inheritance. It seems that money here placed as the first priority of live. Moreover, in some teenage TV series, we can see many scenes about parties or wasting money for shopping. Besides, some teenage series also teach children to dress unusual known as fashionable style. In the school scenes, many students wear untidy uniform and they proud of that style. This lifestyle influences children or teenage to do the same. They are demanded to stay update with the recent development. They may divert the school fee money given by their parents only to buy some update body accessories, update gadget or the more serious case is buying drugs.

Violence and hedonism is two example of the negative TV influence. However, it is possible if there are found any other negative value of Television. Since parents have the most important role of educating children, parents need to wisely guide their kids when they watch TV. Parents also have to give support to their children if they have any other activities outside of school program that may reduce their children in consuming the TV program.

  

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