Nurul Wahidah and Noraisah Nurul Fatwa Named Winners of AAU

KUANTAN, 3 October 2023 - Nurul Wahidah Arshad and Noraisah Nurul Fatwa Mohd Razali have been named winners of the 2022 University Academic Award (AAU) at the Scholarly Excellence Awards '22 ceremony held by Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) at the Grand Darul Makmur Hotel, Kuantan recently.

The University Academic Award (AAU), organized by the Centre for Academic Innovation and Competitiveness, Academic and International Affairs Department (JHEAA), is one of UMPSA's prestigious annual awards, encompassing two main awards; the Teaching Award and the Academic Hopeful Award.

According to Nurul Wahidah, a native from the state of Perak, during her time as an educator, she received various feedback and comments from students.

"One of the comments that had a significant impact on me was when a student criticized my teaching technique, saying that I shouldn't rely solely on slides and that they wanted me to write on the whiteboard as well to help them better understand what was being taught.

"Such criticism raised my awareness and motivation to improve my teaching techniques in the classroom over time.

"I integrated technology into my teaching methods and worked hard to create a learning environment that had a positive impact on students," she said.

She also emphasized student involvement, providing them with support and encouragement to achieve academic excellence.

"The effectiveness of the transition in teaching techniques can be seen through the following comments," she said, adding that she continued her studies for a master's degree at Newcastle University, United Kingdom.

She also expressed gratitude to her parents, family, and colleagues who contributed to her victory.

Furthermore, she stated that her success in winning this award was the result of innovative efforts in the field of education that she had undertaken.

"Some of the things I have done include developing modular courses, micro-credential courses, teaching kits that bring laboratory experiences to the classroom, changing from a theoretical approach to a real-world application approach in laboratories and student projects, providing flexible learning through engaging teaching videos, transitioning from written exams to digital exams using KALAM, and being involved in improving the course syllabus structure.

"Recently, the innovations in education I have implemented have been recognized at the International University Carnival on E-Learning 2023 (IUCEL), where I won three gold medals and successfully secured two research grants (teaching and learning) at UMPSA," she said.

She also urged fellow educators to appreciate and make use of the ideas, techniques, and teaching aids available out there that can benefit educators in achieving quality teaching.

"My advice is to choose something that is easy and suitable for your personality, and consistently use it to the best of your ability in your teaching and learning.

"My dream is to continue contributing to the field of education by guiding students to reach their full potential.

"Every group of students in the classroom should be celebrated by providing support that is appropriate to their respective levels," she said.

She hopes to continue to be involved in research and innovation in teaching, bringing a better learning experience to students and contributing to the academic community's development at UMPSA and in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Noraisah Nurul Fatwa, who won the Academic Hopeful Award and has been serving as a language teacher since 2013, is very proud of the recognition, considering it a continuous dedication for her ten years at UMPSA.

"I spent a year preparing my Teaching Portfolio to showcase my journey as an academic.

"The selection of effective topics and techniques in Learning and Teaching (TL)is also very important.

"The first thing I emphasized was my students.

"This is because it is important for me to get to know them and understand them in order to prepare my teaching plan," she said.

Additionally, she mentioned that she needs to be diligent in trying something new, such as using innovative methods in action research and continually improving her teaching methods over time.

She is currently pursuing part-time studies for a master's degree at UMPSA.

The recipient of the Action Research Award in 2022 also conveyed a message to all lecturers not to hesitate to ask senior lecturers for advice because their experience is very valuable.

She hopes to maintain a better work momentum, become a quality academic, and engage directly in research.

This award began in 2009 with the Outstanding Lecturer Award to recognize the contributions of academics who have demonstrated excellence and creativity in the aspect of TL.

It is also seen as a form of recognition by the university for academics who have shown effort and commitment in shaping students into excellence and holistically.

The awards were presented by Pahang State Executive Councillor for Investment, Industry, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dato' Mohamad Nizar Dato' Sri Mohamad Najib.

Present at the event were the Chairman of the University Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, the Vice-Chancellor of UMPSA, Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Ts. Dr. Kamal Zuhairi Zamli, who also served as the Chairman of the Scholarly Excellence Awards Committee 2022.

For the Teaching Award, winners received a cash prize of RM5,000, a certificate of appreciation, and a trophy, while for the Academic Hopeful Award, winners received a cash prize of RM3,000, a certificate of appreciation, and a trophy.

By: Nur Hartini Mohd Hatta, Centre for Corporate Communications

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, UMP Career Centre (UMPCC)