The Yegiora Files

In the game of pool one’s objective is to sink his or her balls and the black ball before their opponent in order to win the game. One uses the white ball to hit all the other balls into the hole. The collision and interaction between the different balls on the pool table determine the outcome of the game. The balls do not move themselves but are moved by people playing the game using a specially made stick. The international system is like a pool table. According to Griffiths, O’Callaghan and Roach (2008); states, non-state actors and individuals are like the different balls. Through their political, economic and social interaction these actors shape the world we live in. States like the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Russia, India, China, Japan, Germany and Australia are very influential because of their economy. How a country manages its economy determine its military capacity and political power. From one of the poorest nation to an economic powerhouse, Chin

Incorporating social media into the teaching and learning process is a new experience for me. Especially, the use of Facebook which is a very popular social media site. Before using Facebook, I began with blogs and then Twitter . Students were asked to read an article related to the topic covered in the unit on the PNG Attitude blog and then share their comment. I went through their comments to grade their understanding of the topic and article.   This year (2016), in the second semester, I made the decision to create Facebook groups and name them after my units. I created 6 groups, 3 for semester 1 units and 3 for semester 2 units. I asked via the instructions in the learning guides for students to open a Facebook account using their real name or the name on their certificates. I made it clear that I did not want them to use any nick names or pseudonym. After creating an account, I asked them to add me as a friend on Facebook. After accepting their friend request, I added them t

Using social media and a learning management system like Moodle in teaching and learning is a tough challenge. One needs to spend a lot of time to read about all these applications in order to be competent users.  Take for instance, in a class of 30 students you have those who are avid users of social media and those who dislike social media for whatever reason. If half of the class is on the dislike side of the spectrum then the social media experience will not be as expected. As a facilitator should you force students who dislike social media to open Facebook and Twitter accounts purposely for the unit or course? Should there be assessment tasks involving social media applications like Facebook and Twitter? For Moodle, you have some students who are interested or competent users, while others who are not that interested or competent. The interested users are deeply engaged in glossary and forum discussions. They tend to read most of the definitions and shared their comparativ

The advent of the internet has revolutionized  teaching and learning. Knowledge is no longer absorbed from reading printed books, journals and newspapers. There are various other online sources that one can use to acquire information. As such, more and more institutions of higher learning are following the trend by using online platforms to facilitate teaching and learning. This shift is also reflected in the language used and the type of learning. I learnt about Moodle when I joined Divine Word University in 2012. The online learning management system was used by the University to provide a blended teaching and learning approach. In a recent workshop at the National University of Samoa , I found out from colleagues at the University of Fiji that they are also using Moodle and Turnitin . From 2012 to today, I have taught myself how to use Moodle. There were no ongoing workshops on Moodle like we had this year (2016). I used the Moodle website and YouTube to educate myself. Aft

Students who apply for a particular program at any higher education institution should know the nature of their program and their rationale for applying. That is the expectation one has of a particular student enrolled in a program. The decision to apply for a particular program is considered rational after students have considered their options, and after much consultation. This process means that one is required to learn more about the program before applying from their respective provincial guidance officers or other sources. It is a bit confusing when you have students enrolled in a program like PNG Studies and International Relations who do not understand the program. One questions whether or not they filled out the application form or school leavers form by themselves? The lack of understanding of this program is reflected in the online student unit evaluation comment segment. One or two students show in the comments they make that they do not understand the overall program t

Being an academic is more then just walking into a classroom to teach and share your experience. There are other processes involved to ensure that what you are saying is understood and measured at the end of the day. One needs to have the right skill set and temperament to survive in academia. For example, you have to grow a thick skin if you are working for an academic institution which conducts anonymous student evaluation every semester. Some feedback from students will challenge greatly your integrity and academic credibility. Students demand quality since they pay so much to access the services and programs an institution offers. This makes what they say on their evaluation forms very important in the quality process. This is imperative since we are trying to move from a teacher centered to a student centered learning style. The student learning experience and understanding of what the particular academic is doing in the unit is a pivotal part of the shift.   In our discussion

1. Read the learning guide for step-by-step instructions. 2. Find below a screenshot of the glossary module: 3. Click and open the glossary to this page: 4. Click the ‘Add a new entry’ button. 5. You will move to this interface: 6. Type ‘international relations’ or ‘international law’ in the concept and tag box and the definition below in the box with references. 7. Tick all boxes and click the orange ‘Save changes’ button. 8. Open glossary to see your definition.