A Beloved Cosmologist

Do you know Stephen Hawking? His full name is Stephen William Hawking, was born on 8th January in Oxford, England. Stephen went to St. Albans School at the age of 11; and later continued to study Physics in University College, Oxford.

In 1962, Stephen did his research in cosmology. In 1963 Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neurone Disease, shortly after his 21st birthday. In spite of being wheelchair-bound and dependent on a computerised voice system for communication, Stephen continues to combine family life (he has three children and three grandchildren) with his research into theoretical physics, in addition to an extensive programme of travel and public lectures.

But, he managed to get his PhD in 1965 with his thesis titled 'Properties of Expanding Universes' and he became a research fellow, then Fellow for Distinction in Science (1969) at Gonville & Caius College.

Professor Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's general theory of relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes in 1970. Professor Hawking has over a dozen honorary degree and was awarded the CBE in 1982. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the US National Academy of Science. Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein.

His publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G. F. R. Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W. Israel, and 300 years of Gravitation, with W Israel. Among the popular books Stephen Hawking has published are his best seller A Brief History of Time, Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays, The Universe in  Nutshell, The Grand Design and My Brief History. 

However, on 14 March 2018, our world renowned physicist, Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76. He died peacefully at his home in Cambridge. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, paid tribute to Stephen, saying: "We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Prof. Hawking in a BBC drama, said Stephen was "a true inspiration for me and for millions around the world."

Rest in peace, Stephen Hawking.

Prepared by,

Zaty Razali

Course Counsellor

Vision College

Teaching: The Noblest Profession in the World

I believe that teaching is the most important profession in the world. How else can we continue to develop in such a technical world, or in any other way, for that matter? Without the transfer of knowledge to young minds, we will stagnate and wither as a world. Teaching is hope for better, more successful features. Learning is hope for becoming better individuals, for gaining intelligence, and for implementing practical experiences in our future.

Since our parents always tell us that we should plan for our futures and work to realize those goals, the teaching profession should "practice what it preaches" by helping young people to reach those goals.

As we know, teaching is a very important activity on which the base of any nation and culture is established. The word 'teaching' means the work of a teacher to provide knowledge and guidance. It is one of the oldest and noblest services to the society in any culture. 

Teaching not only shows the right path that the students should follow but also prepares the human resource for the further development of the nation. It has the potential to have a great impact in the moulding of the next generation. That is why education should be valued by social institutions like government, the family and civil  society.

For me, teaching is the noblest among all the professions since all professionals underwent education with a teacher. It's also a process to prepare the next generation of skilled professionals and workers like politician, doctors, policemen, engineers, educators, legislators and good citizens. 

Another important thing about the profession of teaching is that it enlightens both sides of the teacher as well as the student. In this noble profession not only, the students learn but the teacher also learns the lessons of life from the innocent students also. So, it is beneficial to both of the sides.

Wise man rightly said, "Those who educate the children are more to be honoured than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well." So, teaching is a profession that provides an art of living. It is not only a duty. It is not a profession but a noble service to the world to create a more beautiful and peaceful world. 

Last but not least, I would like to say here that, "A good education can change anyone, but a good teacher can change everything!".

Prepared by,

Jebid Arif Bin Sengorou

Lecturer, Diploma in Law Enforcement

Vision College

'Me' as an Educator

There are many things in the world that brought joys to my life; and one of it is teaching. Teaching has always been part of my passion. I find that within years of my teaching experiences, there are a lot of things I ought to learn in order to become a better lecturer.

I learned a lot about teaching throughout my days in Vision College. In my view, teaching or lecturing is like performing arts. No amount of reading, attending workshops, or even courses will prepare you for the challenges. You only get better with practice. There's not a day where students will let you off easy without asking questions in the classroom. I always find that rather challenging though. Therefore, I have to do some homework myself and make sure that my brain is full with knowledge before entering the classroom. Early  preparation is vital; especially when it includes sharing of knowledge to other people. 

As an educator, I need to be more creative in enhancing the students to become more productive and interactive. There are times when students seem uninterested in learning and participating in classroom activities - which tends to be disruptive to the classroom environment at times. Therefore, with the help of information highway or the internet, I googled through plenty of studies and educational strategies for improving students' behaviour. 

It is our task as educators to motivate each student to learn and keep them motivated until they succeed. Learning outside of the classroom may come in handy. As for my Diploma in Hotel Management students, they are being exposed to the real-working environment in hotels, events, exhibitions, and others. It definitely places a strong emphasis on the importance of first-hand practical experiences, and the development of a love of learning. 

In a nutshell, I would like to end my post with a quote:

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work. But rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."

                                                                       - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Prepared by,

SIti Solihah bt Ishak

Lecturer, Diploma in Hotel Management

Vision College

Personal Experience in Malaysia

I came to Malaysia in the year 2009 and have been living in Malaysia for the past 7 years; and also happened to found the love of my life. I am truly grateful and would like to share my experience here for those who might be thinking to come to Malaysia for a holiday and maybe expand your horizons a little bit.

I remember one of the first thing that really surprise me was the fact that Malaysians are very relax and not to mention extremely friendly (but not all though, especially the taxi drivers who tries to hustle with you whenever they had the chance to so.. Thank goodness for UBER and GRAB cars).

Coming from a very cold country, the warm weather was a huge welcome...(Phew, no need to think about what to wear for the ever changing seasons every year. It's summer all year long!) Next, when it comes to food, Malaysia has it all and has it in abundance. There's no shortage of variety of food you can find. To top it all off, it is cheap and it is possible to dine-out every single day for 365 days.

Just to name a few MUST TRY local food (Oh, my favourites too!)

1. Dim Sum

Majority of the Malaysian Chinese will have it for breakfast, will an assortment of meat and washing it all down with a pot of finely brewed Chinese Tea.

2. Nasi Lemak

A traditional Malay dish, comes with rice, finely cut cucumbers, fully boiled eggs, nuts and top it off with some anchovies to give it a mix of flavours and wrapped in Pandan leaves. Oh, not to forget the rich, spicy sambal.

3. Wantan Mee

Noodles are a staple amongst the Malaysian-Chinese. Don't be surprise by the immense choices of noodles that can be found in Malaysia. You will also find different styles of noodles made localised to the different race in Malaysia, each adding something unique to the whole Malaysia dining experience.

4. Roti Canai

Indian bread, with a variety of sauces ranges from spicy to sweet. Bread is made to feel light and easy to consume without it feeling too heavy. Great to have in the morning, lunch, dinner, and even supper!

Well there you have it, these are just a few samples of what Malaysia food truly has to offer and I really enjoyed staying in Malaysia.

Prepared by,

Janat Abdurakhmonova

Course Counsellor

Vision College

Victim Mentality

"Victim" that is pointed out here is not the actual victim of a traumatise experience or something of that sort, but "victim" here refers to people who view their lives through the lense of "Other people do it to me and it's not my fault". I'm sure everyone has encountered this type of people throughout our lives or we might even be one of them. 

So, first let's look at the possible reason on why people have the victim mindset.

Firstly, they felt that they are always being taken advantage of or have the feeling of being treated unfairly of which leads them to feel powerless. This reassures them that no matter what, it will never be their fault. In this case, the personality of one also plays a role in feeling "victimised".

Secondly, people fall into this victim mentality as it makes their life easier such as avoiding responsibility, to stay in their comfort zone and also to gain attention. It's a way to save themselves in the midst of problems or any kind of shortcomings they have.

A victim mindset can also be emerged if valid concerns are not addressed properly which causes them feeling helpless. As these types of people are repeatedly being ignored after making a legitimate complaint, they will come to a conclusion that nothing will change. Thus, causes them to feel victimised. 

Thus, the simple ways to avoid having a victim mentality are:

1. To always take responsibility

Whether in your personal life or working life, do take responsibility of your own work and      position. Do not get away with it or ignore as it is not only selfish but also self-destructing.  Avoid blaming others for your own shortcomings but instead acknowledge it and try to strive to be a better individual. 

2. Be grateful

Stop comparing yourself with your peers and instead be grateful and have faith in yourself that something better is coming up.

3. Take a break

However, to try to break out from victim mentality could be hard as this need a strong determination and the correct attitude. It's ok to slip out. Take a break and be nice to yourself and try again. 

So let us all get up and free ourselves from this mindset to see the true potential of ourselves.

Prepared by,

Nur Hannah Abdul Hamid

Lecturer, Diploma of Health Science

Vision College

Where Happiness Fits Into Education?

Happiness is defined as "the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile."

Education is an approach to life, a way to solve problems, a set of tools that can enrich us in more ways than the mere answers to questions on a multiple choice test. Education helps us put things in perspective; it provides us with the drive to start new projects that engage us. As John Dewey, the famous education pioneer said, "Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

If an institution wants their students to become happy adults, research suggests that institution should focus more on students' well-being than academic success. Student success today is defined by getting a job. The common aim of the government of the day is to ensure they are career-qualified and it is in the Private Education mission to equip students for career ready with knowledge enhancement.

But does that brand of success lead to happiness? Several traits such as kind and helpful behaviour affects emotional health positively. These traits are among the major factors that contribute to our happiness which will later bring life satisfaction in adulthood. The importance of helping students develop skills that lead to happy and meaningful lives behooves educators to consider the possibility.

At Vision College, we have considered a solution towards the happiness of our students -Student lounge in Vision College where students incorporate study and play. Our student lounge offers the state of the art games and facilities where both indoor and outdoor games like Pocket Billiard and Table Tennis are available for students to lead an active lifestyle.

Social interaction is a norm to 'Visioners' - a community made up of staff and students of Vision College. The community has envisioned and implemented many  activities like the Street Carnival, Open Day, Vision Games, Prom Night, Christmas Tea Time, Student Outdoor Camp, and Veteran Home Outreach to promote social interaction among Visioners. 

Vision College has established a decade of quality education. The quality has now grown better with time, courses tailored to the need of current economy climate. Vision College has performed throughout the years with alumni from all over Malaysia. Vision is set to be a household name for a pioneer education provider in Health Science and Business courses.

Prepared by,

Adi Bukhari Abdue

Course Counsellor

Vision College

Does Your Mobile Phone Destroying Your Spine?

Text neck or cervical pain or neck pain is the term used to describe the neck pain and damage sustained from looking down at your cell phone, tablet, ipad or other wireless devices too frequently for too long. Cellphones and tablets and a host of other modern mobile devices are changing the way we access information and entertainment. The use of these devices influences our posture and body mechanics in ergonomically dysfunctional ways that contribute to neck, upper back, shoulder and arm pain.

Furthermore, poor posture while sitting, standing, walking or in a static position can lead to more than upper body pain and stiffness which could result in transmission of the poor postures to other parts of the spine such as the middle and low back.

Is your neck producing symptoms like this?

• Neck pain
• Muscles spasm
• Shoulder pain and tightness
• Pinched cervical nerve and radiating towards your shoulder

What treatment options do you have?

• Don't bend your neck to look at the screen - this way you can maintain good posture, relieving your back and shoulders form pain and strain of being hunched over. 
• Hold your mobile device at about your eye level - holding the phone closer to eye level helps maintain a healthy posture and puts less strain on the back.
• Practice exercises that strengthen your posture.

Fortunately, there are several treatment options available for you to deal with this ergonomically dysfunctional habit. First and foremost, consider taking some ergonomically functional habits of proper neck alignment and posture as stated above as your line on preventive measures. Perhaps you can take up these few activities such as massage therapy, yoga, and physiotherapy.   

If I could suggest to you, the best option would be physiotherapy session which will enable you to get rid of noxious fluids that could have built up in your neck and other degenerative changes that could be going on. At Vision Physiotherapy Centre we have been able to put together highly specialised physical rehabilitation programs that could help you alleviate your pains and dysfunctional posture that are making it hard for you to have productive life.

Don't wait till it's too late!

Prepared by,

Keetha Mohan

Lecturer, Diploma of Physiotherapy

Vision College