Tag: Kristi Mensen

#AgEd2Malaysia: Kristi Mensen’s Final Reflection

Kristi J MensenAgriculture

Today I left, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and will return home after a 28-hour flight to Dyersville, IA. As the #AgEd2Malaysia team had arrived in Malaysia 27 days ago. Our time has flown by- just as I was told it would. Our study abroad program has been an experience. I have tried to replace or come up with another word or perhaps a better word than experience. Yet, each time I try to come up with a better word I scratch it out. I think this is because there is no adjective to describe my experience in teaching and studying in a foreign country.

Over the course of this trip, I have often heard and found myself saying it is a “life-changing experience.” This may be true for some, but not for me. Every time I have been abroad studying the experience has taught me to bring myself to the world and bring the world to myself. For this typical exchange, it is something very different. I am the same person with additive perspectives. Studying abroad in Malaysia has provided me with teacher enrichment, opportunities that have empowered me to engage globally, and learn the intricacies. Studying abroad has given me a greater sense of the world and my place within it.

During my time in Malaysia I lived in Johor Bahru at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, Malacca, and FELDA Ayer Hitam Kluang with a host family. I was fortunate to interact with so many different nationalities, cultures, and lifestyles; no two people were alike. I am certain after what I have experienced that I have been fortunate enough to receive everything I could ever ask for in my life, and will never take the luxuries in my life for granted.

The month spent in Malaysia was full of knowledge about tropical fruits, religious values, wildlife, and Malaysian secondary schools. I have prepared, instructed, and reflected for forms 2-5. (high school) The teams made up of one student from UTM, one per-service candidate, and one teacher candidate objectives where to always have cooperation, creativity, and innovation for the agricultural topic assigned to the Malay students.

During the classes I wanted to see the students become successful by showing engagement, collaborating with their peers, and the obvious one; excitement. Reflecting post workshop was beneficial to me, questioning myself what did I do to become a better Agriculture Educator? The impact of connection is so crucial for students. I want to be able to relate to the students; knowing the topic was relevant to the scholar. While I am sad to leave my UTM family and friends, I am feeling a lot of mixed emotions right now, but I most strongly feel a sense of appreciation and gratitude. Thank you #AgEd2Malaysia participants,  Jeff Zimpleman Iowa Sister States Scholarship, and UTM for the experience abroad in Malaysia.

Ms. Kristi Mensen (@kristi_mensen) is a
pre-service agriscience educator candidate
at Iowa State University (@AgEds_IaStateU)
who graduated from
Hawkeye Community College
(@GALC_Hawkeye, @HawkeyeCollege)!

 

Bonus Blog! Discovering the Dairy Industry in Malaysian Borneo

Darla Joanne Romberger, tsg5162 and Kristi J MensenAgriculture

Since we arrived in Malaysia 18 days ago, we had not seen a single dairy operation in the state of Johor (bottom left of map), which is the southern-most point of peninsular Malaysia (and Asia). We have recently traveled to the state of Sabah (top right), which is on the island of Borneo and has a climate more suitable for dairy production. The operation we visited is situated at the base of Mount Kinabalu, the highest point in Sabah. Nestled upon nearly 400 acres in the rural town of Kundasang at nearly 6,000 feet above sea level, the farm remains comfortable at a temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.

9,000 miles away from home on the opposite side of the world, dairy enthusiasts from the #AgEd2Malaysia team enjoyed a visit to DESA Dairy, an operation home to 600 head of Holstein-Friesian cows, heifers, and calves. In addition to processing their own milk from 200 lactating cows into gelato, ice cream, cheese, and bottling their own milk. DESA Dairy also expanded its business plan to build an impressive agri-tourism facility. 

Upon arrival to DESA dairy, adjectives such as “innovative, progressive, and model operation” came to mind as we met our tour guide overlooking the parlor. Our guide (who had a B.S. degree in Tourism & Management) was quickly bombarded with questions such as average milk production, reproduction techniques, milking frequency, and nutrition. Here are some quick facts:

  • Biosecurity practices are implemented and enforced. Our vans drove through a tire wash and we stepped in a foot bath prior to accessing the barns 

    Tire wash upon entering DESA Dairy
  • DESA Dairy is a closed-herd as the operation has only purchased cattle twice (from Australia and New Zealand)
  • 3x per day milking (never received a definite Rolling Herd Average (RHA), but the tour guide mentioned that these Holsteins can easily produce 25 liters/day, a progressive 94 lb/day)
  • The operation uses a double 20 Delaval parallel parlor
  • Artificial insemination is utilized with only the top-ranked bulls (our tour guide didn’t know breeding priorities, but we can assume milk production)
2 modern free-stall barns greeted the group upon arrival to DESA Dairy at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu in Kundasang, Sabah.

The free-stall barn was identical to a modern dairy barn in the United States, complete with a rotating cow brush. All cows were equipped with activity monitors around their neck, indicating that DESA values technology and information to help make informed breeding, milking, and health decisions from the data provided by the activity monitors. Automatic scrapers removed manure to a nearby lagoon while cows enjoyed clean cow mattresses covered in sawdust, an acceptable practice in the United States.

Cows received a feed that appeared like a TMR (total mixed ration) and via observations/information from the tour guide, we could conclude that cows received a mixture of dried hay (imported from New Zealand in super-compact bales), corn, bean sprouts, a high moisture green-chop hay, and protein pellets.

DESA Dairy farm has maintained premium quality milk by implementing good farming practices, advanced technology, machine hygiene and maintenances, and dairy monitoring of milk quality. This dairy operation has established food safety assurance management throughout the processing line, which has allowed the company to sell dairy products. DESA Dairy sells nine dairy products consisting of fresh milk, flavored milk, goat’s milk, natural yogurt, fruit yogurt, yogurt gelato, mozzarella cheese, Camembert cheese, and DESA Farm cheese.

Cow comfort was a high priority at DESA Dairy. Note the rotating spin brush, modern free-stall design, and salt block along the gate.
Halal processing of products was very evident at all food facilities in Malaysia. DESA Dairy was no exception and included the words “Fresh, Hygenic, Halal” in all of their marketing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the question you’ve been asking yourself…                what about the milk prices?

This is a question that can’t be answered simply from the tour information (again, we had above-average knowledge compared to the normal tourist groups). The tour guide did tell us that DESA dairy sells 1 liter of milk for 5.7 Malaysian Ringgits ($1.43 per liter, which equates to $5.38 per gallon). However, DESA is unique because they process all of their milk and don’t sell to the market. In an attempt to locate statistics specific to the number of dairy cattle, milk prices, etc. in Agriculture in the Malaysian Region, statistics reference “livestock rearing” with the major species being chicken and broiler production. Cattle for milk production are not mentioned on any data tables, indicating that dairy production is not a major economic driver in Malaysia like it is in Pennsylvania.

Double 20 parallel milking parlor

The value and commitment from DESA food products has established their name in many households throughout Sabah, Malaysia. Their products of consumption are safe and halal status. Their commitment to a halal status is a preferred supplier of choice among people buying their products. The reason being is because 65% of their customers are Islamic. This may bring up the question, “Who or what makes the makes the meat Halal?” There are three certified Halal checkers on duty throughout the process. This is to make sure slaughtering is done according to the Islamic law.  One could find Halal checkers before slaughtering and two checkers after slaughtering.

 

The organization of DESA Dairy was also admirable and very similar to large dairy operations. The tour guide continuously made reference to different “departments” that existed within the business structure. A total of 150 employees are engaged in the operation of the following departments: Finance, Farm Crew, Marketing, Maintenance, Processing, and Transportation. Although this number may seem high for the total number of animals on the operation, we know that 9 cows support 1 job in the dairy industry in Pennsylvania, so a similar sentiment is observed at DESA Dairy as well.

 

 

This team bonus blog entry was authored by:

  • Ms. Kristi Mensen (@Kristi_Mensen), Iowa State Pre-Service Agricultural Education Teacher Candidate

  • Mr. Thomas Gabel (@Gabel_Thomas, Penn State Pre-Service Agricultural Education Candidate

  • Ms. Darla Romberger, @DJR_131), rockstar Pennsylvania secondary Agriscience educator.


SEAS THE DAY! Island Hopping in Kota Kinabalu – Day 16

Kristi J MensenIn-Country Sharing

Tell me, what do you think of when you imagine the perfect island? Turquoise see-through water, diversity of marine life, and snorkeling? Oh yeah, ice-cream and kayaking? If these things are on your ideal island hopping day, you just might enjoy Kota Kinabalu because I know I did.

The capital city Kota Kinabalu known as KK is located in Sabah, Malaysia. The modern city of KK is one of the biggest cities of Malaysia with a population of 600,000 people, which includes 32 different indigenous ethnic groups. This is Malaysia’s most diverse state.

The variety of activities to do on this island is never-ending. After an educational morning at SMK Taman Tun Fuad School, we had the afternoon free. Having the opportunity to challenge myself with unlimited activities to do, we chose to go island hopping. Looking forward to the boat tour we also came across an exertion of parasailing.

Ironic how Agriculture Education is centered around the youth, everywhere in the world. As a Fulbright Scholar, I have the opportunity to teach in Malaysia; nevertheless, I have learned that the young students are also teaching me more about compassion, motivation, and patience. This relates back to the moment I got on the boat to go parasailing: the minute I got nervous, the second I thought I cannot do this.

The youth gave me hope. A little girl about 6 years old was on the boat. I thought to myself: if a fearless young girl can parasail, I can too! Mind you, I was on a boat with people who spoke three different languages, still, a smile is universal. The adorable girl instilled confidence within myself with no words.

Shortly I was up, up, and away gliding through the peaceful breeze wearing an open parachute while being lugged by a boat. The time in the air was so relaxing, and capturing a selfie or two with @tessa_c_meyer was priceless.

After our journey through the sky, being dipped into the South China Sea, back up in the sky, and completed landing, we finished our day on the islands of Manukan and Mamutiks. We experienced the rest of the day on the beautiful islands below water. I snorkeled in turquoise waters, discovered marine ecosystems, and enjoyed time on the amazing white sandy beach.

 

Ms. Kristi Mensen (@kristi_mensen) is a
pre-service agriscience educator candidate
at Iowa State University (@AgEds_IaStateU)
who graduated from
Hawkeye Community College
(@GALC_Hawkeye, @HawkeyeCollege)!

 

Teaching to Learn: My First Malaysian Teaching Experience

Kristi J MensenIn-Country Sharing

“Knowledge is the most powerful tool a student can obtain.” Today was the first time I lead a class in another country (whose first language was not English) with the goal of sharing knowledge about aquaponics. Aquaponics is a system of aquaculture in which waste produced by fish will supply nutrients for plants grown hydroponically.

5 Steps to Building a Simple Aquaponics System

My team’s objectives for the class were:

  • Explain a simple aquaponic system
  • List six components of an aquaponic system
  • Build a sample of an aquaponic system using recycled plastics.

I would know the lesson was successful if questions were being asked, students were engaged in the activity, and the students were having fun.

The reason our #AgEd2Malaysia team taught this lesson is because Malaysia does not have large amounts of available land to use for growing vegetables or raising fish as a source of protein. This lesson has allowed students to gain knowledge and skills in identifying the components of an aquaponics system and build a simple model.

At the start of class we had students in small groups creating a mind map of the components of an aquaponics system. They considered why each component was important,  sketched pictures, and described how the plant and fish need to survive in the system. Teaching alongside a student teacher from UTM (Ain and Suhana) and a teacher from the USA (Darla, @djr_131), we had to gather materials to make a simple aquaponic system. This system is made out of an empty 2 liter bottle, shower loofa, aluminum foil, tape, mini pots with plant and growing media, and a goldfish.

Since this was my first experience teaching in a classroom (ever), reflection was very important because I want to become a better teacher and student. The #AgEd2Mayalsia experience has helped me become just that. This group of people are unique because we not only get the chance to teach in front of class, but also the opportunity to reflect as a group at the end of everyday. These are five questions and answers I challenge myself and the #TeachAg crew at the end of the day:

 

1.What went went well in the lesson today?

-Teamwork

-Students were engaged in  the lesson

-We heard laughter and it showed they were having fun

-Asking questions

2. What problems did you experience?

-Ability level of students

-Teaching pace because of the language barrier

-Students needed more confidence in their english

-Students were very shy

3. What could I have done differently?

-Ice breaker to get to know the students better so they felt more comfortable

-Improve teaching roles in team teaching

-Add more hands-on activity

-Making the activity more flexible for time

4. Was it “student centered’? Should it have been?

-As as whole we all came to the census that the class was facilitated with conversation more than lecture.

5. What did you learn from this experience that will help you in the future?

-Empathy towards ESL learners

-Be clear, concise, slow & deliberate with instructions

-Confidence & communication

-Knowing when to keep it simple and in depth

I could not have been more proud of the students in Form 2 (age 14) at SMK Seri Pulai Perdana. To some people we

hear a foreign accent, but today I saw a sign of bravery. Asking a 14 year old to speak another language is not an easy task and I was very impressed with all the students. The people that made up the school were all welcoming and so happy to see Americans. This is a memory and feeling everyone on this trip will remember and hold a special place in our hearts.

 

Kristi Mensen (@kristi_mensen)

Hawkeye Community College (@GALC_Hawkeye, @HawkeyeCollege)

Iowa State University (@AgEds_IaStateU)

 

No Traveler Left Behind: Airport Adventures

Kristi J MensenIn-Country Sharing

Travel was already off to an exciting start. I arrived at the airport about an hour early. I am flying with two other girls from Iowa. We have have been communicating back and forth the past few months about our trip to Malaysia. After I got myself checked in, got my boarding pass, and sent my luggage off, I sat and relaxed for 20 minutes. Little did I know, the next 45 minutes were about to put us three girls in a rush.

We got in a pickle when one of the girls got held up in traffic. She arrived 15 minutes before our plane took off. I started to worry about her. She had to get her bags checked in, her boarding pass, and luggage sent off yet before we all could leave as a team. Oh yeah…. and get through customs. {This is quite the joy, let me tell ya!}

Thank goodness for Snap Map. We found our third traveler, and time was crunching. This girl was not familiar with the airport so we helped her out. We got to the check-in station, and that is when all hell broke loose. The kind lady who checked everyone in informed the 3rd traveler she could not send her checked bag to Malaysia. Keep in mind we have about ten minutes to get on the plane.

Panic mode was in full force. With a few kind words and determination, the kind lady let her get a boarding pass, but no checked bag. As time was crunching, we started going through customs. We were all so nervous the plane was going to leave without us. While waiting in line, the girl who was not able to bring her checked bag shoved clothes on her carry-on while her mom tossed us clothes over several gates to shove in our luggage. We made it through customs with a minute to spare.

Amsterdam Airport

From Cedar Rapids, Iowa, we flew to Detroit, Michigan with an eight-hour flight to Amsterdam. Right now, it is 3:30 PM here (Iowa folks, it is 8:30 AM for you guys). We’re all sitting in the Amsterdam airport, a little bored out of our mind, so I’d like to give a shoutout to Netflix, YouTube, and FaceTime.

Keep following for future blog posts, I’m so excited to share this adventure with all of you.

5 Unique Species in Malaysia: Wild about Animals!

Kristi J MensenPreTrip Observations

Today is the day, we are leaving for Malaysia! Our flights are soon to be up up up in the air. Our #AgEd2Malaysia students and teachers are not the only ones up in air today. A unique species soaring in Malaysia, known as the Malayan

Image result for Malayan peacock-pheasant (Polyplectron malacense)

 

-pheasant is that they prefer to live within it territorial ranges; which typically means they live near their place of hatching.peacock-pheasant. This animal may be hard to spot out because of its shy nature. A interesting fact about the Malayan peacock

 

 

Next,  Malaysia’s Rhinoceros hornbill, known as a Hornbill. Eastern Malaysian citizen value this divine species as a symbol of traditional tribe beliefs.  Representing the “Land of the Hornbill” is a great honor. The Hornbill has numerous other species native to East Malaysia wildlife such as the great hornbill, the Oriental pied hornbill, the black hornbill, and the Malabar pied hornbill.

Image result for rhinoceros hornbill

 A FLYING FROG……say what…. the Malayan flying frog is NOT able to fly. The frog is able to jump high and glide far. For all amphibian lovers out there you can find these creatures in rivers and freshwater lands mainly located on the Peninsular of Malaysia.

Image result for malayan flying frog

Also found in the Peninsular of Malaysia is the Gaur species.  This is a large cattle breed is found in the wild or on domesticated farms. Something interesting about the Gaur; is they are one of the largest bovine species on earth! If you were to see a Gaur in Malaysia they would have large horns, very massive muscling, and would be located in dense jungles, wild open land, or even along highways.

Image result for malayan gaur

 

A project that has been very successful for the Malaysian government is and still working on restoring the country’s Leatherback Sea Turtle. A great place to see these turtles would be on the beach of Rantau Abang in the state of Terengganu. At this beach, it is common for Leatherback sea turtle’s to lay eggs.

Image result for Leatherback Sea Turtle

Never the less, for all the people who love nature, this would be a great place to explore. I am excited to see new species that live near the equator in a hot and humid climate.

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