Azmir Yunus

Multiple Intelligences & Learning Styles

2010-06-21T09:05:00.003+08:00

The multiple intelligences theory has been around for quite some time. However, educators still struggle to put the theory into practice especially when trying to develop teaching strategies that take into account the differences in learning styles among students.Howard Gardner wrote the book “Frames of Mind” in 1983. In this book, Gardner explains that there are multiple human intelligences:

Working From Home

2009-12-22T11:54:00.005+08:00

The Ministry of Works is starting a work-from-home program for selected members of its staff. Thirty nine (39) ministry employees, many of them are draftsmen, will begin an experimental work-from-home program for three months starting in January 2010 (read the news here).It makes sense to let people work from home especially if the nature of their work requires minimal face-to-face contact with

New HD Broadcast from Astro

2009-12-12T11:47:00.027+08:00

Astro is launching a new high-definition (HD) broadcast service called Astro B.yond. The first broadcast is starting on December 18. Read about it here and here. Existing Astro subscribers can upgrade to HD service for additional fee of RM20 per month. In order to get HD broadcast, you need a new set of Astro devices including decoder, satellite dish, smart card, remote control, and HDMI cable.

Power Nap at the Office

2009-12-11T09:15:00.015+08:00

While driving my car this morning, I heard a discussion about Power Nap on the radio. Power Nap is basically a short sleep (between 15 to 30 minutes) that is intended to refresh you. Usually people feel sleepy in the afternoon (after lunch) and a short nap can help them recharge. But many people feel guilty about sleeping at the office. So if companies have a policy that allow workers to take

CSL Mobile Phone Survey

2009-12-09T08:02:00.002+08:00

A student at Raffles Design Institute is doing a survey on CSL mobile phone. She left a comment on my blog post CSL Mobile Phone With Two Sim Cards. If you are interested in doing the survey, please go to www.cslmobile.speedsurvey.com.

MAS vs. Air Asia Rivalry Benefits Consumers

2009-10-03T11:58:00.009+08:00

Consumers are benefiting from Malaysia Airlines (MAS) versus Air Asia rivalry. Many years ago, there was no such thing as low cost air travel. Then came Air Asia. With its motto “Now Everyone Can Fly”, Air Asia made airline travel affordable.But MAS is not to be outdone by Air Asia. In recent years, we have seen MAS offering cheap tickets that can certainly compete with Air Asia's price. Take for

Switching from Windows to Linux

2009-09-30T23:37:00.009+08:00

I have switched my operating system from Windows to Linux. I removed Windows XP from my computer and replaced it with Ubuntu. It has been a month now since I installed Ubuntu and I must say that I am quite pleased with it's performance.My computing needs are not too advanced. Like most people, I need a computer to surf the web, check email and do office stuff such as creating documents,

Petrol Prices Will Change in September

2009-05-14T22:38:00.009+08:00

Malaysian consumers will see the following changes in petrol price starting in September 2009:RON97 will increase from RM1.80 per liter to RM2.00 per liter. RON95 will be introduced, selling at RM1.75 per liter.RON92 will no longer be sold.The announcement was made recently by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister. You can read about it here, here and here.Taking out RON92 from the

We Need More Self-Service Restaurants

2009-05-03T11:42:00.010+08:00

These days, if you go to a Mamak restaurant, you are likely to be served by foreign workers, many of whom are Indian nationals. A lot of people fear that these foreigners are “taking jobs away” from the locals. So the government decided to intervene by introducing a policy to impose double levy on foreign workers. Employers will have to pay RM 3,600 per worker, twice more than what they are

Managing Training During Recession

2009-05-01T21:44:00.004+08:00

Last month, I gave a presentation on managing training during challenging economic times. The audience were industry people that came to visit our training facility during our Open Day. My intention was to convince the company representatives that they should continue with training activities even during tough economic time.During recession, companies implement various cost reduction measures in

CUDBAS

2009-04-23T06:41:00.002+08:00

On Monday (April 20th), I attended a one-day introductory workshop on CUDBAS at ADTEC Shah Alam. CUDBAS stands for “Curriculum Development Based on Ability Structure”. It is basically a Japanese approach for developing training curriculum.Directors of training institutes under the Manpower Department were asked to attend the workshop. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Kazuo Mori (the inventor of

My Picture in Berita Harian

2009-04-22T21:03:00.009+08:00

My picture is in the newspaper today. I was in Berita Harian with Mr Marzukhi from Kubang Pasu District Education Office and Mr. Omar from SMK Pulau Nyior. Click on the link below to read about it.http://www.bharian.com.my/Current_News/BH/Wednesday/Pendidikan/20090422065910/Article/

Before You Sign Up for Celcom Broadband

2009-04-22T05:48:00.005+08:00

I just want to share my unpleasant experience using Celcom broadband service. In May last year, I bought a CELCOM 3G modem and sign up for a RM98 monthly broadband service. The price of the modem was discounted at RM 499 but I have a 12-month contract with Celcom. I thought that this was a pretty good deal since I got the modem at a cheaper price (regular price is RM699) and I have no problem

Minimum Wage for Malaysian Workers

2009-02-20T09:35:00.000+08:00

Malaysia is one of the countries that do not have a comprehensive law on minimum wage. Although there is an act called the Wages Council Act 1947, it only protects certain categories of workers such as catering and hotel, cinema workers and shop assistants. Only recently that the coverage of this act is broadened to include workers in other sections (read about it here, here, and here.)In

My Resume is Online at VisualCV.com

2009-02-16T21:42:00.012+08:00

I have known about VisualCV since September last year. I actually signed up for an account but never really completed my online resume. Today I finally finished the major portion of the CV i.e. my educational background and work history. I will add more information to the CV soon.Obviously VisualCV is best used to visually demonstrate your previous experience or accomplishment. You can

Don't Prioritize, Just Do It Now

2009-02-15T12:18:00.002+08:00

Everybody has priorities in life. Our actions are usually guided by the priorities we set in our mind. For example, we spend our money on things that what we feel most important (such as food, shelter and clothing) before we use that money on "luxury" items (such as travel, entertainment and electronic gadgets).However, prioritizing tasks at work can be counterproductive. I have always find it

CSL Mobile Phone with Two SIM Cards

2009-02-14T20:56:00.004+08:00

I've been thinking about buying myself a new mobile phone. Now I carry two phones: a personal mobile phone (I pay the bill myself) and an official one (my office pays the bill). It would be easier if I can just carry one mobile phone that has two SIM cards.This morning while shopping at TESCO I came across a CSL phone with dual SIM card slots. The saleslady explained to me that this particular

Employment Partner

2009-01-15T08:57:00.000+08:00

My boss asked me recently if our institute has any employment partner. I believe he is referring to any company that give preference to trainees from our institute when it comes to hiring new workers. I must admit that I received many letters from companies inquiring about recruiting our trainees but I’m not sure if I can call these companies employment partners. I think when the term “partner”

Train More People in Less Time

2009-01-12T20:58:00.000+08:00

I’ve been doing some thinking on how to train more people in less time (and if possible, by using fewer resources). The reason this topic interests me is because I read in the news recently that the government is going to spend money (about RM 100 million) to train retrenched workers. It is estimated that in the first 3 months of 2009 about 5,000 workers will be out of work due to economic

Improving Visual and Creative Thinking

2008-11-01T18:55:00.001+08:00

This is a presentation by Kelsey Ruger on the topic of visual and creative thinking. It has some practical tips on how to improve creativity and visual thinking. Visual and Creative Thinking:What We Learned From Peter Pan and Willy WonkaView SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: kelseyruger sketching)

Handling Incompetent Managers

2008-11-01T16:35:00.001+08:00

I just want to write about a funny story I read in a little book entitled Lay Low and Don't Make the Big Mistake.The book is an office success guide for "lazy people". It is one of my favorite books of all time. The story goes like this:A group of people get shipwrecked on a desert island. It appears they may be stranded for some time. On his deathbed, the captain of the ship interviews his

What is The Future of Biodiesel?

2008-10-31T20:10:00.001+08:00

How does the falling oil price affect the supply and demand of biodiesel? Rationally, if the interest in biodiesel was due to high oil price, then the interest will subside because the driving force was no longer there.But price wasn't the only factor. The push for biodiesel is a conscious effort to reduce dependency on petroleum. So I think biodiesel will continue to be in demand. Furthermore,

Tips for Dealing with Difficult People

2008-10-30T22:12:00.001+08:00

When you work in an organization, there is a good chance that some of your coworkers are difficult people. These people are easy to recognize by the way they act. Usually their actions cause uneasiness to other people around them.I have list of behaviors that I think can be used as indicators of difficult people. The list is based on my own observation. Here is my list:They have difficulties

Organizational Politics Survival Guide

2008-10-29T21:14:00.001+08:00

I found this slideshow on surviving organizational politics by Clint Edmonson. I think it is a really thoughtful presentation and it has some practical tips that everyone could apply in daily life. Check out the presentation. Organizational Politics - A Survival GuideView SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: leadership interpersonal)

Focusing on Your Own Strength

2008-07-07T22:36:00.001+08:00

I have always believed in the idea that people should focus their effort on the thing that they do best. I am convinced that most people are only good at one or two things and it is rare to find someone who is truly multi-talented and able to perform multiple tasks perfectly (Leonardo da Vinci is an exception). Unfortunately, at the workplace we are generally expected to be able to do multiple