Category: PreTrip Observations

Observations made prior to departure!

You Get What You Work For

Kaitlin LiszkaPreTrip Observations

“Four weeks over the summer, I have time for that!”

Those are my naive thoughts from this fall as I filled out my application to be a part of #AgEd2Malaysia. I severely underestimated all the time it would take to prep for this exciting journey. It is not the first international trip that I have taken, but I forgot to tack on a little extra work per week compared to my mission trip to the Dominican Republic, and most importantly, I forgot to multiple that amount of work by four. A month of travel takes a lot more time to prepare for compared to only 7 days!

Even as I sit here tonight writing this with only about half of my classwork done and a paper to write with only about a month to go (Oops… I keep hoping that someday I’ll figure out how to not procrastinate), I am thankful for the prep work that has been done. The amount of work that I’ve been asked to put in is so minimal compared to what others have to do, like write the grant for the trips funding, finalize the itinerary, make contacts, book the flights, and I could probably keep going for a whole post just listing all the tasks involved in going on a unique trip like this one. All this work in not in vain though and will definitely help dispel some discomforts of being in a new culture.

Here in the United States, wearing a normal short sleeve shirt or a pair of sandals to school is an everyday occurrence, but in Malaysia that doesn’t hold true. Thankfully through some prep work done with our partners, I  now know that and can plan accordingly, so I don’t have to add to the stress of a new situation the discomfort of feeling out of place because of my outfit. I think that most of us can say that we’ve been there and understand that feeling. You missed the memo and wore business causal to the informal banquet or didn’t realize that everyone was going to dress nicely for the picnic you decided to wear athletic shorts and a cut-off t-shirt too.

Most of us can probably also relate to those situations when you’ve sat through a lecture, the teacher asks for questions, and the response is a silence where you could hear a pin drop because no one understands the class content well enough to even begin to form a question about it. I’ve been in those situations on industry tours as well, and they can be awkward. I’m thankful for the research that we’ve been doing ahead of time that can help mitigate those situations. We now have enough background information on things like the Palm Oil Industry, or the Malaysian Government Structure, or FELDA, that they aren’t completely foreign concepts, and we can ask questions to be able to learn even more, making it a more enjoyable situation for everyone involved.

I’m thankful for the work that we have been doing now that will help make the traveling aspect of the experience that more beneficial and enjoyable. Even with my gratitude toward the prep being done now, I am sure that as we are in the country I will appreciate what we’ve done now even more, as well as find things that I’ll wish I had made more time to learn more about before departing from the US. But hindsight is 20/20, and the small amount of research we will have done now before we leave, is better than not learning anything at all!

Taste of Malaysia

Melanie Miller FosterFood!

One of the best things about visiting a new country is trying new foods.  Whether it is brand new ingredients or new combinations, I like to use my sense of taste to get to know another culture.  Part of my preparation for the upcoming Malaysia trip is to try a few Malaysian recipes.

I think that it can be difficult to try cooking a new cuisine because some of the ingredients might be unfamiliar or difficult to find.  To get around this problem, I selected The Malaysian Kitchen as my guide because the ingredient lists have been adapted to a North American context.  After you identify a few key ingredients, the rest you should be able to find at any well stocked grocery store.

Back when it was still cold outside, I started with simple Malaysian chicken soup, which turned out not to be so simple.  It required me to refer to another recipe to make the soup base made from garlic, cilantro and ginger. After grinding these ingredients together in the food processor, the wonderful smell made me forget my annoyance at the extra step.  The rest of the recipe truly was simple, and in short order I knew that I would never go back to my old chicken soup recipe.

Other recipes were great excuses to get out my wok.  I tried a few different fried rice recipes, with pineapple cashew fried rice being my favorite.  One thing that I’m really going to watch for in Malaysia is the technique for adding the eggs to the fried rice.  At what point do they stir and incorporate them into the rice?  At least I know in advance a technique I want to learn more about!

One thing that I know a lot of folks are worried about is the spiciness of the food.  Both Daniel and I have a pretty high tolerance for spice, so we aren’t too worried about it.  The good thing is that when you’re cooking for yourself you get to control the spice level.  Tonight I made another version of nasi goreng, or fried rice.  I added two whole serrano peppers (seeds included), but to our taste buds we couldn’t taste even a hint of spice.

While it is fun to taste new things, cooking is a way of bonding with new people.  In many places the kitchen is still women’s territory, and I’ve found working on a shared task is a great way to fit in.  Even if I can’t understand the chatter of the women around me, it usually isn’t hard to mimic their actions or understand their motions.  If nothing else, everyone gets a good laugh out of watching the newcomer stumble while trying something that comes so easily to them.  I can’t wait to get in the kitchen and pick up a few tips!

 

How Do Malaysian Government and Policies Impact Agriculture Education?

Darla Joanne RombergerPreTrip Observations

Prior to departing for Malaysia in July, #AgEd2Malaysia participants developed teams consisting of a pre-service and in-service Agricultural Science teacher to develop a pre-trip learning experience for their fellow participants. Each team determined a topic to research and method of presentation. This post will provide a summary of the content presented by Kristi Mensen (Hawkeye Community College, Iowa) and Darla Romberger (Cumberland Valley High School, Pennsylvania).

Malaysian Government, Agricultural Policy, and Agriculture Education

The objectives of this session were:

  1. Describe the system of government in Malaysia.
  2. Compare the priorities of Malaysian Agricultural Policy Pre- and Post-Independence
  3. Discuss the development of Technical & Vocational Education Training in secondary schools from 1957 to the present.
  4. Identify relevant agricultural organizations that support secondary Agriculture Education in Malaysia.

These objectives were created to inform the #AgEd2Malaysia team about the basic tenants and organization of the Malaysian government and how policies surrounding education and agriculture are developed and implemented.

Malaysian Government

The Federation of Malaya (now Malaysia) was formed in 1957 upon gaining independence from the United Kingdom. Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected monarch as the head of state. The official term for the Malaysian monarch is Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or “He who was made Lord.” The monarch is elected to a 5-year term by the rulers of the 9 Malay states (of 13) that have hereditary rulers. 

Aside from the monarch, there are 3 branches of government (legislative, judiciary, and executive) that function similarly to that of the United Kingdom. A Prime Minister is the head of the Executive Branch and is directly appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. Individual states have their own respective legislative and executive authorities.

Malaysian Agricultural Policy

The involvement of British colonizers beginning in the early 1900s had a long-lasting impact on the Malaysian agricultural sector. Prior to 1957, all decisions regarding agricultural development were made to benefit British interests in exporting raw commodities, especially rubber, palm oil, and cocoa during WWI and WWII. This perpetuated the development of infrastructure in Malaysia while defining the racial identification of workers in respective commodities (Malay in subsistence paddy farms, Indian in commercial plantations, and Chinese in vegetable production).

Post-independence agricultural policies varied greatly due to Malaysia’s newfound position as a global leader in rubber and palm oil production. From 1957-1984, nearly 250,000 hectares of forests were cleared so palm and rubber trees could be planted. Although these actions created jobs, it created a further divide in small farms and large corporate plantations. From 1984-1992, agricultural policy made strides to eradicate poverty of small farmers and increase the value of agriculture products for exports. The 1990s and early 2000s continued to be a time of revelation for the Malaysian government as the agriculture sector’s GDP began to steadily decline and manufacturing soared. The current policy (developed in 2010) aims to diversify the agriculture sector to include agrotourism, aquaculture, small scale livestock, and forestry products in an effort to revitalize the agriculture sector and recruit new individuals into agriculture research & development.

Technical & Vocational Education Training (TVET) in Malaysia

 

When Malaysia gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, the education system was lacking any type of organization or consistency across the 13 Malay states. Early attempts in reorganizing the education system aimed to focus on providing 6 years of free education to all students, focusing on skill attainment necessary for economic development, and establishing teacher training colleges. It should be noted that agriculture was mentioned and considered in numerous reports when addressing technical education needs. (Note: TVET is the equivalent of Career & Technical Education in the United States.)

The most notable education reform impacted TVET occurred in 2011. Prior to this reform, TVET was implemented in 2 methods: (1) an elective course in secondary academic schools and (2) technical secondary schools. This is a similar method to what we are accustomed to in the United States.

The reform will bring the establishment of Vocational Colleges (VCs) by transforming the current technical secondary schools into these desired VCs for upper-secondary enrollment. The VCs will offer 2 tracks: (1) certificate programs at the upper secondary level and (2) diplomas at the secondary level. Additionally, TVET electives in academic secondary schools will be discontinued due to the limitations in providing “practical skills” to students who intend to enter the labor market after graduation.

Malaysian Agriculture Organizations

As agriculture educators and students in the United States, we are encouraged to become involved in numerous agricultural groups and organizations within our communities to develop an understanding of our local agricultural industry. Such groups include Farm Bureau, Grange, commodity groups, and breed associations. What are the key organizations that are providing support to Agriculture Education programs in Malaysia?

The #AgEd2Malaysia team compiled a directory of 10 relevant Malaysian Agriculture Organizations that can be viewed at the link below. Examples of groups include the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry (MOA), Farmers Organization Authority Malaysia (FOA), and the Malaysia Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

Malaysia Agriculture Organizations

 

 

Setting Context: Why a Blog for #AgEd2Malaysia?

Melanie Miller FosterPreTrip Observations

Thank you for checking out some of our thoughts/feelings and reflections as learning adventurers who are constructing a framework to increase our capacity as positive change agents by stretching our global learning! I encourage you to “subscribe” to receive emails when cool things are posted! Don’t forget to see the in-time conversation occurring on Twitter at the hashtag #AgEd2Malaysia.

As you know, our #AgEd2Malaysia experience has 12 bold learners. Six are pre-service teacher candidates from Iowa and Pennsylvania) and six are current secondary agricultural sciences teachers from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin! Each participant was provided a “grand challenge” of that involved sitting S.M.A.R.T. goals to accomplish in three phases: pre-departure, in-country, and post-travel. As they created their individual learning plans, they also went through an external review process where a team of four individuals read, reviewed, and provided feedback on their learning plans. The review teams included:

  • a student teacher from a different state,
  • an agriscience teacher from a different state,
  • a local school administrator and
  • a member of the project team (Ie Melanie, Daniel and/or Brad).

Participants will use this space to share thoughts/ideas/inspirations they have as they complete their personal learning journey! I think you are really going to like it. The video below talks through some of the inspiration behind this particular transformational learning instruction design.

Check back soon to see the thoughts and perspectives of the #AgEd2Malaysia participants!