We are currently teaching (or shall I say ‘dealing’) with Generation Y students are those born between 1983 and 1997 (Parez, 2008), also known as the Millennials.

Such are the characteristics the current generation of students possess, taken from Skene, Cluett and Hogan(2007).

Positive

Optimism, familiar with technology, multi-tasking, high expectations, diversity, accepts authority

Less Positive

Peer team oriented, poorly developed critical skills, poor understanding of academic ethics, reliance on web for info, lowest satisfaction of all generations with student experience, decision-making without thought of consequences

Notice that I have highlighted 2 points which I strongly agree with the authors. Like it is said, everything is balanced, like the Chinese “Yin and Yang” concept. The good of being familiar with technology, in this case refers mostly to IT (think of the majority of people having MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter accounts), would lead to over reliance on the internet for information.

This post is a research to show what you can get by doing research for internet.

Let’s try to experiment by researching on Theory X (an old and well-known theory on employee management)

First source

• People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible.
• People must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives.
• People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition.
• People seek security above all else.

Second source

• The average person dislikes work and will avoid it he/she can.
• Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organisational objectives.
• The average person prefers to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is relatively unambitious, and wants security above all else.

Third source

Basically McGregor thought that some people who fit Theory X were:

• Lazy
• Unambitious
• Have a Strong dislike of work
• And need to be controlled through punishment

Are excerpts from the three sources similar to each other and any one can be taken to represent correctly McGregor’s Theory X?

Conclusion, if one need to research 10 books to get a theory correct, one must double the amount if websources are used, in addition to being analytical and applying evaluation skills in order to judge the value of material based on personal values and opinions.

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Here’s a look at what a lecturer’s time-table is sometimes like.

The craziest time-table ever! This was the norm 7 or 8 years back. We somehow survived by being young… I guess. Its also due to the close bond among lecturers at that time. We can’t wait to get back to the staffroom to catch-up with each other and to share lunch over gossips and rants.

A more acceptable time-table nowadays. Though teaching quality has improved, enthusiasm has decreased. Not young anymore…I guess. Passion for the hotel industry is still there, however, not the same can be said for the academic situation, full of obstacles from every direction.

My current time-table, which is also my last. The coloured and non-coloured is to differentiate the different programmes having different starting and ending dates. There’s no break for lecturers teaching more than one programme as other programme will still be on even if the other is having break. Imagine having to invigilate and mark papers as well as still teaching.  One just have to organise oneself better.

If you have wondered how a lecturer’s desk looks like, here is an example.

This is the official amount of space allocated per person. However, if the neighbouring seat is not occupied, my files and other material would grow legs and spread themselves out. Below is a shot taken from another angle.

After years of staying in the same job, you tend to start bringing personal equipments into the workplace. One day, you will find that you could set-up an instant office at home should you resign from the job. My home office now is equiped with a laptop, a coloured printer, colour-enhanced quality A4 paper, personal files of all sizes, a rainbow of whyteboard markers, staplers, punch-holer…etc. What I’m lacking now is broadband internet access because problems with the wireless connection. Probably need to get one of those all-in-one machines which photostates, scans and fax.

Here’s a look at what’s in my cupboard…files (one per subject taught), files and more files. I have started clearing my 6 years worth of work today. Will post some after clearing pictures once I get them into boxes.

R.A.G.E visited our college 2 days back for some publicity stunt on Maybank’s new loan package. Students get to play a game and goodie bags were given out.

This is how our college lobby looks like. The students not in uniform are the some of our new students for May intake.

Only in Ipoh do you still get buffet at a low price of RM10.99 per person.  Its in Syuen Hotel, one of the business class hotels in Ipoh town.

Check how crowded it is on a Friday lunch. A simple variety of Malaysian food, with Ice Kacang table being one of the more crowded station.