Prepared by, Phang Siew Chin (Alexa)
Vice President I of Student Representative Council of UKM
UKM Learning Contract and You
1. What is UKM learning contract? Explanation
UKM learning contract is an agreement between the student and the lecturer or trainer regarding the activity/project that is being planned and will be implemented to complete the 8 credit and achieving the specified 8 learning outcomes. All planning and agreement by the student are upon the learning contract that based on trust and honour.
The process of the learning contract begins when the students and the lecturer/trainer agreed to have the activity/project planned, as a credited co-curriculum activity/project and has to be approved by the Students Service Department (JPPel), until the activity/project is implemented, evaluated and grade is given.
The activities/projects must fulfill total 320 notional hours while achieving 8 learning outcomes. Students need to prepare the learning contract according to JPPel as for the implementation and evaluation too. The faculty, centre, institute, residential college are acting as learning centre to provide supervisors who are committed and with experience. The 8 learning outcomes including social skills and responsibility, communication skills, information management skills & life long learning, values, attitudes, ethics, and professional skills, critical thinking, problem solving & scientific approach skills, leadership & teamwork skills, management & entrepreneur skills, and last but not least, creative & innovative.
2. The significant of Learning Contract to you.
Having entered the tertiary education, we are expected to be generated and created as a holistic graduates through physical emotional, spiritual and intellectual aspect from life experience in many different context and talent generating. How can we be skilled full persons besides receiving the knowledge we gained in specific core subjects? The UKM co-curriculum which is self driven activities, aims to acquiring knowledge and soft skill. As mentioned above, the students themselves are fully in charge and decide the projects and activities based on their interest and inclination and further develop their talent and skills in flexible and enjoyable learning experience.
The students in the university should aware the fact that 3 or 4 years studying in the university is not only about mastering the knowledge required but practicing the learning skill in order to adapt life experience so that you yourself can be competitive in the job marker either regional or international.
3. What you can do in the Learning Contract?
Any activities or projects that can nurture you the 8 criterias above provided that you have applied to PPP and getting approval then it could be the learning contract of you. The examples: Conference, Majlis Makan Malam Kolej, Sports, Visiting, Talks, Students Exchanges Program, Pesta Konvo, Pesta Tanglung, Pesta Angpow.
Questions arises when planning the activities: Do I need to accomplish all these 8 learning outcome ? It would be a excellent project if all criteria is fulfilled but some projects are not able to fulfill all hence students can choose to proceed the project provided the recognition and approval of PPP.
4. What are the challenges of Learning Contract to students, and university
As for students, firstly the entire idea and procedural of learning contact must be well aware of. Your idea and your hard work would not be recognized without the proper procedure and recognition. Finding the right trainer or lecturer to facilitate your project, assist you and evaluate you could be an important task. You should able to predict the continuously contribution to the projects , problem and challenges could be harsh to you but the important is being enjoy and commit into the projects that you are interested to.
For the university, new policy brought to challenge but back to the root of implementation and the core of the policy. The policy need to be comprehended with clearer guideline.
After 3 years involved into the students activities and projects, despite the fact that studying in the law school, I have been actively participated in international, national and local events, I enjoy myself to be part of the committee members, activities, the application of soft skill could not be learn only through papers or books but the action that lead you to mastering it.
