Toyohashi University of Technology,
Institute for Global Network Innovation in Technology
Education

News from Penang（Vol.12 2017/3/29）

Reports

Lecture Practice in Penang and Kedah
Masayoshi Sekiguchi, National Institute of Technology, Kisarazu College
1. Overview of our training in Penang

PTSB is located in Kulim where we can see someWe give lectures in English as a practice at two

industrial areas.

polytechnics and a university with staying in the stateof Penang under the support of the TUT-USM

3. Activities at PSP in the peninsular Penang

Technology Collaboration Centre at Penang (TUP, forPSP and PTSB are national polytechnics, whichshort), January 16–March 5, 2017. We prepare

some graduates of 5-years secondary schools learn

lectures at TUP until February 3, give lectures atengineering. It is like a Japanese vocational training

Politeknik Seberang Perai （PSP） in February 6–10,

school containing some of Mathematics. Students

at Politeknik Tuanku Sultanah Bahiyah （PTSB） in

already learned basic Mathematics in secondary

February 12–16, and at Universiti Sains Malaysia

school; therefore, they want to learn useful techniques(USM), in February 20–March 3. We didn’t know therather than Mathematics.

details of audience, dates, and timetables before

We visited PSP for clarifying details on January 25.

coming Penang.

We enjoyed their welcome reception with regional
dance and cuisine by dominant Indian students. We

2. The states of Penang and Kedah

spent an hour for the discussion.

Penang consists of the island and a part of thepeninsula where PSP is located. We can see a lot offactories of Japan’s companies everywhere. There aremany Japanese people living there.
The island with a half of the area in Awaji-island ispopulated with a bit less than 740 thousand in which
45.8% is Chinese, and 36.8% is Malay (survey byUSM in 2010). The ratio is quite different from thewhole Malaysia’s (the half is Malay and the quarter isChinese).
George Town, a downtown of Penang, is famous

Photo 1: With students at PSP

with its World Heritage.
Kedah touches Penang and Thailand. They have

I gave my lectures in the morning of February 7 andtwo weekends on Friday and Saturday because of10. Students looked absolutely passive still beforeIslam. Kulim is a beautiful town surrounded by soft

starting it, some chatting or napping appeared during

skylines and mountains. They are easier to live than inthe session. I should say my first one in failure. ThePenang, due to reasonable prices and a few traffic

number of participants decreased from 41 to 26, whichjams. Frankly speaking, it is just a rural area withproved their low interest. Actually, their feedbacks tonothing especial, but they are not poor, with many

my questionnaire were full of negative comments, forgoods in high quality. Mild residents are impressive.

instance, “Math is boring,” “we need videos,” “we1

need games,” “we need BGM” which surprised me thebreaks. I was really impressed with their serious

most. I was really tired. However, I felt at ease when I

attitude to concentrate on my talk. In the afternoon offound some positive comments and appreciation.

the day, we visited a factory of Pak Ali, a company
growing up by their major products, fruit pickles.

4. Activities at PTSB in Kedah

We enjoyed cultural events in the evening on 15, forSome teachers of PTSB visited us at TUP on January

instance, regional sports, dances and music. Finally,

23. Ms. Rahmah repeated that their students were low

JMSK teachers invited me a farewell breakfast withat Mathematics, so I carefully prepared my lectures,

their home-made cake decorated with my name. How

which were scheduled on February 13 and 14.

impressive!

We arrived at PTSB on February 11. The nextmorning, we attended a general meeting, andparticipated in different events by departments, which
was for me a monthly meeting of the department ofmathematics, science and computer (JMSK for shortin Malay).

Photo 3: A cake decorated with my name
5. Activities at USM
USM is a top science university in Malaysia locatedon the east side of the island, with 70% of students
being
Photo 2: With students and teachers at PTSB

female.

Apparently,

girls

dominateinclassrooms.
Dr. Amirah, permitted me to use three slots on

My first slot was at 9:00 on 13 entitled with

February 21–23 of her course Introduction toAcademic Research Methodology for JMSK teachers

Modeling. I lectured Kepler Problem as an example ofwhich was related to a regular subject at Kisarazu

modeling, just after the decision on the previous

College. Consultation hour started at 11:00, in which

Friday. This was my first lecture on this topic. I didn’t

teachers of JMSK asked me various kinds ofhave enough time to prepare for it, which was hard forpedagogy in Mathematics. In fact, they have problems

me, and thy showed negative responses. I found themon the pedagogy because they are not proper

to be a difficult audience because they were not at amathematicians. After this slot, I had several times tosame level, which I noticed after checking theirgive them advices. Through these opportunities, I wasfeedbacks. Some students looked boring, but many ofvery glad to have contributed to their education.

them were satisfied with my lectures.

In my second slot on 14, I lectured Quaternion

I plan to give a talk on my study on March 3.
(Feb 25 2017)

Algebra for students majoring Mechanical, Electrical,
and Civil engineering for two hours without any2

Photo 4: Dr. Amirah, students, and me

What I have learned this year
Masayoshi Sekiguchi, National Institute of Technology, Kisarazu CollegeI aimed to have many experiences of lecturing inscholars in Celestial Mechanics is quite small even in

English before the program because I can improve

the world. I might contribute to this field byteaching skills by such occasions. Fortunately, I got

publishing a book. Now I finished only 50 pages

chances of two lectures, one colloquium at Queens

though I planned to complete the first draft with 300

College, and almost same chances as my colleagues’

pages until the end of the program. I told people myin Malaysia. I felt them insufficient. It would be fine ifplan in order not to give it up.

I had 2 slots a week through year. Anyway, I should

I was impressed to know the Common Core State

say I’m happy because few ordinary institutions

Standards Initiative because I engage with the project

accept foreigners speaking poor English to giveof the Model Core Curriculum by NIT. Thelectures.

background idea would affect my teaching style. I

Still, I think reading and writing are important inshared the value in giving proofs of mathematicallearning English while oral communication skills aretheorems at lectures, with only a few students whostressed in recent Japan. There are some foreigners

love mathematics. Many students want to know how

speaking poor Japanese who look a kind of

to apply the theorems to real problems. It is significant

sophisticated. In fact, I am not good at conversation

to tell students its applications and attainment levels.

even in Japanese but I could become thoughtful by

My future works are the improvement in my pedagogy,

simple efforts. So, I decided to write a book in English.

practices of lecturing in English, and the completion

There is another reasoning: a contribution to theof my book. I would like to thank everything because

academy. Due to Celestial Mechanics, I got a job andI got a lifelong purpose as a scholar.

my family despite my poor social skills. Population ofToyohashi University of Technology
Institute for Global Network Innovation in Technology Education
Center for International Education
1-1, Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
Tel: +81-532-81-5161
Mail:unireform@office.tut.ac.jp

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