Encarta on Advanced English

Well, for being late in fiiling out this campus page since yesterday, the lamp went off. Therefore, I just did nothing. Advanced English on the second meeting brought a new issue, namely ENCARTA. Encarta is a digital multimedia encyclopedia published and updated frequently by Microsoft Corporation. As of 2005, the complete English version, Encarta Premium, consists of more than 68,000 articles, numerous images and movies, and homework tools, and is available on the World Wide Web by yearly subscription or by purchase on multiple CD-ROMs or DVD-ROM. Many articles can also be viewed online for free, a service supported by advertisements. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encarta)
Through this virtual means, I can browse everything about the world just on a click. Telling the truth, I am so glad if I posses this virtual means at my own PC; however, it seems impossible since I have to prepare the requirement to have handy internet.
Indeed, this subject urges the students to handle many multiple tasks, ranging from vocabulary, reading, speaking, listening, and presentation. Just info, I have decided SOFT SKILLS: KEYS FOR SUCCESS IN WORKING as my topic of oral presentation. On Monday, July 31, 2006, I am presenting "The differences between American and British English". Are you ready?

Workshop Training

Well, workshop training sounds new for me since I didn't get this subject on my previous study. However, the conductor of this class (Prof. Wuri Soedjatmiko) is not merely new as she was my thesis advisor on my prior study. This class equips the students with the capability of conducting workshop in academic area and it requires some general skills, such as: informational technology (IT), team work, language (english)
Icebreaker was choosen as the first issue on this class since it was helpful to release the tension of tiring students before leading to the new discussion. Basically icebreaker is never a necessity, but always needed. It encourages self disclosure, humor, respect for others and their opinions, thought, and creativity. It provides an escape valve of tension from daily interactions. Most importantly, it allows people to laugh at themselves. (The big book of icebreakers)
To conduct icebreaker, the class were divided into four group of three students. I belonged to second group and d-day of icebreaker is August 4, 2006. Well, we have to prepare it well....so start working now. Indeed, milist were settled on that day to facilitate the class. Through this virtual milist, the students can interact each others and with lecturer based on their pace.

Public Relations (Introductory Session)

Public relations is an elective subject offered at the first semester of MPBI-9. This subject equips the students with the capability of conducting public relations (management of relations among individuals). Public relations is the management function which evaluates public attitude, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest, and plans and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. (....:1999:3)
My first day of this lecture made me bored since the professor only told his life's experiences dealing with the public relations. I really didn't have any idea about this class as the professor's story liked a lullaby that made me fell asleep. I couldn't grasp the essence of this subject. Therefore, I just had a slight space to write in this blog. I wish the next meeting will be more intersting and vivid. I wanna learn something from this class that can enrich my English knowledge even I could imitate his success in conducting public relations.

Research Methodology (Introduction)

Research are from words RE and SEARCH, it means look for, seeking again and again. Therefore, research means a series of activities in analyzing or investigating the phenmenon in seeking for the solution; and the product of the reseach is knowledge. Well, research methodology is quite familiar since when I was studying my bachelor degree, this suject was taught in order to enhance my knowledge before conducting my thesis.
Two methods of researches, QUANTITATIVE and QUALITATIVE, are the basis of conducting the research/ thesis in the applied linguistic area. Both of them are still questionable since they have own characterictics that really contrary.
Qualitative research mostly focuses on the inside perspective subject, more naturalistic and uncontrolled, then the result can not be generalized, and through inductive mode (from the data, the writer make a new theory). While quantitative concerns more on outsider perspective (so more objective) so the data are taken under control and the result can be generalized (multiplicable), and deductive mode.
At the end of this lecture, the student should prepare the draft of thesis proposal, it can be a qualitative or quantitative one. However, the students are allowed to combine both of them in order to press the weaknesses of which both. Well Eko, are you ready to get the challenge? Starting now, prepare yourself to conduct your thesis on the use MILIST, BLOG, PBL, or HOYAR APPLICATION. (July 19, 2006)

Academic Writing (Subject, Topic, and Title)

Writing is a skill that inquire hard work; therefore, to be a writer, someone has to enforce her/himself to practice a lot. It doesn't only happen to the novice writer but also expert one. Well, in this program, the students are trained to master the academic writing since we deal with academic purpose. Handling by a previous lecturer (Dr. Ingnatius Harjanto), this subject helps us to make writing for academic purposes, especially articles in journal, research reports, and thesis one.
Subject, Topic, and Title was the material on the first meeting (July 18, 2006). Subject is described as a general idea of interest, the matter of pieces of writing what it is about. While topic is a subject taht has been narrowed so taht it can be covered thoroughly. The topic must be clear to the writer before begin to write. The last title indicates the content of essay, be catchy in order to help the readers' interest and attention, gives the readers a general understanding of the content of paper.
At the end of lecture, the students are assigned to choose a topic then narrow it down into a title, make some statements or sentences about the title for different audiences (submitted on July 25, 2006)

Advanced English 1 (First day school)

Well, what I have to say-exhausted, sleepy, shocked, interested, or others- for my first day school at MPBI WM. Having several new friends with diverse backgrounds and a very long teaching learning activity (approx 3 hours) are my first impression in taking my master program. Advanced English taught by Prof. E.Sadtono (a calibre professor) teach me how to cope with the authentic English materials. Therefore, at the end of the semester, the students should equip themselves with the ability in understanding the authentic English materials, off course with sort of style.
Assignment...well first day meant getting the schedule of having presentation or assignment. Fortunately, I was not lucky number 1 (I was so lucky when I was studying my undergraduate program, I often got the first round) My lucky fingers took number 9 as my turn. So, September 25th, 2006 will be my d-day. Starting now, I have to prepare an oral and formal speech for that day, and what I have in mind is picking up EDUCATION and ITS INDICATORS (UAN and the result) as my topic. As a teacher, I am so dissapointed looking at our education's problem, especially after having UAS. Well, it's no surprise if most of the students felt depressed when they failed.
My master program class is really significatly different from my previous program. Therefore, I have to work hard if I wanna pass only in 16 months (on time). It means ALL WORK no play. Welcome hard days and bye fun days

A New Phase

Higher education maybe sound unimportant for some Indonesian (personal quotation); however, I myself adore higher education as a core need in my life. I like to learn and learn more to enrich life'd experiences and give hands to others.I have dreamt to learn for the rest of my life without looking at what I am learning and keening on. I wish I could be a great woman that can contribute to the development of eduaction in Indonesia without ignoring my destiny.
Starting next week, I am joining a new class in order to grasp my English knowledge in my previous campus. Some calibre lecturer are teaching me English deeper and a comforatble environment is offered to support teaching learning activities. Abundat tight lectures are on my eyes and it means I have to prepare myself better. Monday to Friday are fully loaded with lecturer in Advanced English, Academic Writing, Research Methodology, Public Relation, and Workshop Training. I know some of my future lecturer since they also taught me when I was taking my bachelor degree in Teacher Training and Pedagogy. Therefore, I am spending 12 hours outside from the dawn till nite. Well, preparing everything before it's too late.