Web Development with Joomla

(source: https://www.joomla.org/about-joomla.html)

About Joomla!

Joomla! is an award-winning content management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. Many aspects, including its ease-of-use and extensibility, have made Joomla! the most popular Web site software available. Best of all, Joomla is an open source solution that is freely available to everyone.

What's a content management system (CMS)?

A content management system is software that keeps track of every piece of content on your Web site, much like your local public library keeps track of books and stores them. Content can be simple text, photos, music, video, documents, or just about anything you can think of. A major advantage of using a CMS is that it requires almost no technical skill or knowledge to manage. Since the CMS manages all your content, you don't have to.

How can I be sure there will be Joomla! support in the future?

Joomla is the most popular open source CMS currently available as evidenced by a vibrant and growing community of friendly users and talented developers. Joomla's roots go back to 2000 and, with over 200,000 community users and contributors, the future looks bright for the award-winning Joomla Project

What are some advanced ways I can use Joomla?

Many companies and organizations have requirements that go beyond what is available in the basic Joomla package. In those cases, Joomla's powerful application framework makes it easy for developers to create sophisticated add-ons that extend the power of Joomla into virtually unlimited directions.

The core Joomla framework enables developers to quickly and easily build:

• Inventory control systems
• Data reporting tools
• Application bridges
• Custom product catalogs
• Integrated e-commerce systems
• Complex business directories
• Reservation systems
• Communication tools

Since Joomla is based on PHP and MySQL, you're building powerful applications on an open platform anyone can use, share, and support. To find out more information on leveraging the Joomla framework, visit the Joomla Developer Network.

How do I get started?

Joomla is free, open, and available to anyone under the GPL license. Read Getting Started with Joomla to find out the basics. If you're ready to install Joomla, download the latest version here you'll be up and running in no time.

If you don't like to install yourself there are two other easy ways to get started with Joomla:

1.  Free website on Joomla.com

This is the easiest way to start your first Joomla website immediately. You can launch a totally free website in seconds and start publishing your content online immediately. 

Try the Joomla.com service now

2.  Self-hosted Joomla website

You can also start a Joomla website on a web hosting account. Most hosts provide a Joomla auto-installer or you can download Joomla and install it yourself. On a self-hosted Joomla website you can extend the core Joomla functionalities with third-party extensions and templates and built anything from a simple website to a complex system. You can test the self-hosted Joomla experience through the 90-day free Joomla demo. 

Try a self-hosted Joomla now

Install XAMPP

1. Download XAMPP from www.apachefriends.org
2. Install XAMPP (accept all default setting)
3. After downl, double click 
4. Click start Apache and MySQL (Stop - Select - Start)
5. Config Apache

Install Joomla

1. Download Joomla installer
2. Extract installer to C:\xampp - htdocs
3. Rename folder Joomla accordingly to site name
4. Run loacalhost
5. Install Joomla step by step

Summary of PreSTasi Module 3

PreSTasi Module 3:

Leading Learning 

Target:
Lead learning through developing school staff skills and knowledge with the aim of improving instructional quality

Desired impact and measure:

1. Leader: - Leading a school wide culture of student centered learning as indicated by teachers embedding responses to students need in teaching and learning 
2. Professional growth among staff: - measurable shift in teacher engagement and motivation trough varied support structures: coaching and mentoring; PLCs; Learning Walks and CPDs 

Day 1:
Teaching for 21st century Learner

• 21st century learners
• 21st century pedagogies
• Learning style & multiple intelligences – reading/writing, auditory, kinesthetic, visual
• Brain needs to learn best – safety, nourishment, people, meaning, process

Day 2:
Effective Instructional Practices

• Unlocking teacher potential

          o Differentiated instruction
          o Type and form of assessment – sumative, formative, for, of & as
          o Brain needs to learn best
          o HOTS
          o Bloom’s taxonomy
          o Gagne 9 element of learning
          o KPM lesson planning components

• Potential of learning environment

Day 3:
Effective use of data drive effective teaching and learning

• Type of assessment – formative and summative
• Form of assessment – as, for, of
• Assessment pyramid
• Assessment for learning – peer and self-evaluation, effective feedback, questioning, learning objectives and Success criteria

Day 4:
Leading people 

• Action plan:

1. Task 1 – collect, collate and analyse data on the needs of your students through learning walks and/or student or teacher voice survey 
2. Task 2 – conduct a GROW conversation about responding to student needs 
3. Task 3 – create a CPD action plan for 2016

PreSTasi Module 3

There are five training modules under the School Transformation Program (PreSTasi), which are as below:

Training for Module 1 and Module 2 had been completed in August and September. After training of the two modules, October was the month for school visit cum on-site training.

Training for Module 3 just completed at the end of November. It was a four days training at IAB Genting Highlands Branch. Module 3 consists of four main focus which are: Teaching for the 21st Century Learner; Instructional Practices to meet Student Needs;  Effective use of Data drives Effective Teaching and Learning; and Leaders of Learning drive Effective Teaching and Learning.

By the end of the training, leaders be ready to begin implementing school wide changes to drive positive classroom shift or professional learning in the school. In-school activity Kit provides the guidelines and tools for SLTs to practice new learning and to reflect on their growth in the relation to the learning. The kit include: description of tasks; criteria for success; steps for success; expected timeframes; suggested evidence requirements and support resources.

For Module 3,  there are three tasks to be implementing at school level by mid February 2016: 

• Task 1 - collecting, collating and analysing data from learning walk, and or student and teacher voice survey
• Task 2 - Conducting a GROW conversation about responding to student teaching and learning needs
• Task 3 - CPD Action Plan for 2016

The learning approach is based on the activities known as Co-operative Learning Activities to engage participants in the learning, and then incorporate what had been learnt into our leadership of school. During the four days training, all participants actively taking part in their learning.

Introduction to Multivariate Data Analysis

Thank God that my wish to attend the SPSS course has been granted and cleared my worries of the research method. Finally, I had a chance to attend the two days workshop from 19th to 20th November 2015 at Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

Multivariate Data Analysis (MVA) refers to any statistical technique used to analyze data that arises from more than one variable. The purpose of MVA is to help understand the association between more than one variables. This essentially models reality where each situation, product, or decision involves more than a single variable.

The course content are:

• Multiple Linear Regression
• Discriminant Analysis
• Logistic Regression
• ANOVA & ANCOVA
• MANOVA & MANCOVA
• Repeated Measures
• Factor Analysis
• Cluster Analysis

My special thanks to IAB management for the chance and sponsorship to attend the workshop. Also, thanks to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Karuthan Chinna for his well organised and systematic approach of conducting the workshop. 

The workshop gave me a better understanding of methods for data analysis, as well as interpreting the output of analysis. The type of the variables (qualitative or quantitative) determine method to use for data analysis.

After the two days workshop, I am more confident and will re-examine my previous study. Data of the previous study will be analysed to see the differences of the output. The result of the new analysis will help in improving the instrument for future study.

21st Century Classroom

The 21st century skills are a set of abilities that students need to develop in order to succeed in the information age. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills lists three types:

Learning Skills:	Literacy Skills:	Life Skills:
Critical Thinking Creative Thinking Collaborating Communicating	Information Literacy Media Literacy Technology Literacy	Flexibility Initiative Social Skills Productivity Leadership

Computing devices have become essential tools for 21st century students and greatly assist in teaching and learning to make them more engaging and effective. Therefore, beside the 4Cs, an additional C - Connect was suggested for the learning skills,

Components of 21st Century Classroom

Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom

• Students take responsibility of their learning
• Teacher as facilitator
• Collaborative environment
• Technology Integration
• Inquiry based approach
• Writing for reflection
• Use of a problem solving methodology
• Hands-on learning
• Performance-based assessments
• Active learning
• Justification for answers
• Adaptive learning

21st Century Learning Space
When talking about learning space, the obvious words are: space, flexibility, versatility, connectedness, freedom, innovative, comfortable.

According to Thornburg (2004), learning takes place in four spaces: campfires (information), watering holes (conversation), caves (concept), and life (context).

• Campfire: a place to learn from experts or storytellers. A place for whole-group discussions.
• Watering Hole: a space for small group discourse, sharing and collaboration. 
• Cave: a space for individual study, reflection, quiet reading and creative flow.

Below are sample of 21st century classroom setting:

References:

Goertz, P. (2015) 10 Signs of a 21st Century Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/discussion/10-signs-21st-century-classroom on 11th Nov. 2015

Pearlman, B. (2010) Designing New Learning Environments to Support 21st Century Skills. Retrieved from http://www.bobpearlman.org/Learning21/New%20Learning%20Environments%20for%2021st%20Century%20Skills.PDF on 11th Nov. 2015

Saxena, S. (2013) Top 10 Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom. Retrieved from http://edtechreview.in/news/862-top-10-characteristics-of-a-21st-century-classroom on 11th Nov. 2015

Thornburg, D. (2004). Campfires in Cyberspace: primordial Metaphors for Learning in the 21st Century. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, Vol.1. No.10. Retrieved from http://homepages.dcc.ufmg.br/~angelo/webquests/metaforas_imagens/Campifires.pdf on 11th Nov. 2015

Thoughtful Learning. (2015). What are 21st century skills. Retrieved from https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-21st-century-skills on 11th Nov. 2015

A climb to Gunung Angsi, Negeri Sembilan @ 29 Oct 2015

Gunung Angsi located in Ulu Bendul Recreational Park, about 20 km from Seremban, the state capital of Negeri Sembilan. It is one of Malaysia's relatively minor mountains with a height of 824 meter. You need to register at the park ranger's office before starting your ascent and pay a nominal fee of RM5.00 per person.

Climbing Gunung Angsi takes most people up to 3 hours to go up and somewhat less coming down making it a do-able half day excursion. The trail is quite relaxing except there is a long, steep and tiring section along a ridge of the hill. No worry, the path is well defined most of the way.

There are 45 of us and all made it to the summit. Hooray!

permit RM5.00 per entry

Briefing from the Ranger

warming up...

the climb starts...

the long and steep path...

fungus

for a break

root in red...

having tea during weekends

the entrance...

 

the summit...

Here I am...

smilE...

Bukit Broga Hike

Bukit Broga hike on 27th Oct 2015 was one of the activity under the Healthy Lifestyle and Fitness Programme for Institut Aminuddin Baki's staff. We started our hike at around 9.30 a.m. and end at around 1.00 p.m.

Bukit Broga, also known as 'Bukit Lalang' - after the local species of grass that grows abundantly here, is a hill in Semenyih, at 400 meters high and 40 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur on the trunk road to Broga. It can be reached a short distance later after University of Nottingham, where the entrance starts at left from an oil palm estate opposite a rabbit park. Famed for its incredibly panoramic views (especially at dawn) along with easy accessibility on foot, the hill is a popular tourist attraction among locals; the estate owner cashes on the glut of visitors during weekends and public holidays by charging MYR2 per vehicle that parks on his grounds.

From the peak, visitors get a spacious view of the plains, coated by a mixture of rainforest, oil palm plantations, villages and towns, along with distant mountains. At dawn, mist rising from the ground from the warmth of the sun envelops the landscape in a carpet of white, evoking a surreal atmosphere. The hike while steep is relatively easy, taking anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes to reach the highest peak depending on one's fitness level, or photo stops. There are three peaks in total, each one ascends above the other through a clear path fringed by tall grass at each side. From the summit, a proper jungle trail leads through primary rainforest to Gunung Tok Wan (675 meters), a roughly one and a half hour hike on meandering slopes

(source: http://www.naturemalaysia.com/broga-hill.htm)

breakfast...

briefing...

warming up....

 

Yeah...!!

my group

Yeah...!!