From all other posts you all may have pretty good idea about the conference. I will mainly focus on the project which we presented in the conference.
We named our project weLearn. Students want project based learning but as of yet we don’t have a collaborative system for sharing and working on our ideas. We are developing the system, so that students can have a formal platform to share the project based learning experience. Students will develop more creative ideas to enhance their learning. In this platform everyone will answer the question “How do you learn?”. After the group presentation we had to face the maximum number of questions as many teachers were excited about this idea. Even one of the teachers judge from Australia mention the need of sharing the learning experience. Even two twins have different way of learning experience. So sharing this experience will help the global community to create wonderful collection of learning ways. Whatever the curriculum is, our main goal is to learn. And the best way of finding suitable learning way is to share our learning ideas.
Our group was the most diversified group. Team members are Anwar (Me from Bangladesh), Marcus(from New Zealand), Sagar(from India/Singapore), Kartini(from Singapore), Matthew (from Malaysia). I should mention that all the team members are very good team player and contributed to generate such a beautiful idea in short span of time. Taking all team members opinion I am working as the project manager of the group. Good news is Microsoft is going to fund the project and we are going to finish this project within next six months. As we are in the final stage of planning we need students worldwide as partners of the project. Please join the project in TIG to share your expectation from a platform where you can share your project based learning experience.
Join Here: http://projects.tigweb.org/weLearn

Finding out that I had been selected to join the 5th Regional Innovative Teachers of the year conference in Kuala Lumpar as a member of the student forum blew me away. It's not every day that I’m selected as 1 of 15 to represent millions of students across the region so I was speechless when I received the phone call from Microsoft, totally and utterly speechless.

I had never Travelled further then Australia before, and coming from New Zealand that’s pretty pathetic really as Aussie and NZ (although we hate to admit it) are relatively the same.
So the length of the flight in itself was even a shock, and the fact that once we had arrived I realised that I had just lost 12 hours of my life, I felt older! I must say the service on the plane was exceptional, much better then Air NZ. The Hostess was happy to pose for a photograph with us tourists and you only just had to snap your finger once to get a Pepsi or juice... Heaven :)

But that service was nothing compared to the 5 star hotel we were placed in. For a teenager coming from a small town it was quite a shock to see how the ‘other half’ live I really got used to the ‘waiting on your every hand’ service from the hotel staff and the endless supply of bottled water was quite call in itself. I looooved the air conditioning especially when it was 30+ degrees outside!!!! The bed with its Egyptian cotton sheets will also be missed along with my rooms amazing view of the train stations dirty roof and a construction site.....and half of the longest pool in the country!

Oh and I suppose I will also miss the people... maybe ;)
But seriously there were some amazing people there, to the whole team you guys are ‘oh so cool’ people and I feel very lucky to have had the chance to meet you and form real friendships which won’t just go away but will stay strong through the help of TIG, our projects and the internet. I would like to thank Mike and Kat for this experience, you put countless hours of work in to a very short space of time in order to not just tell the teachers that student voice is a necessary but to show them a ‘new way’ of doing things which needs to start to be put into place across the region in order for us all to become ‘partners of learning’. This you did extremely well and I am happy to say that it was a life changing experience. Personally to me it was like visiting more than just one country. Having a mix of people with different backgrounds who come from different countries and cultures working together was something new. It was an amazing to see our similarities and differences in black and white. We have the same needs and wants for education, we have the same desires but we have different ways of getting there. Some are working some aren’t so much but if we work together further we could really accomplish something.

I thought it was really cool having a chance to meet 50 local students from a local school in KL. As simple as that sounds it was a highlight for me. It will seem funny to some of you reading this but as I have said I come from a small town in a westernised country. Now KL is a country with its main religion being Muslim, it was so amazing on my behalf to see how down to earth these students are. They were laughing and joking and so friendly, they all wanted photos with me and I felt like a movie star :P

Another highlight of my conference time was how I was being constantly pushed out of my comfort zone. During the conference I was one of three students selected to answer questions on a panel in front of over 150 government officials and teachers. Scary stuff especially as you have no idea what kind of questions you are going to be asked :) And then of course there was our project presentation day and of course being males we left our PowerPoint presentation to the last minute, and just as we finished it found out that actually our idea had already been implemented......uh oh.... we had to come up with another brilliant idea and have it in a state ready to present in less than 2 hours!
I can happily tell you that we did manage this and after presenting our idea we were one of three teams selected by Microsoft to be funded a Micro Grant of US $1000 to help turn our project idea into reality! Also TIG has kindly offered their support to fund the hosting of our project website and the purchase of a domain name!

Luckily while in KL I had the chance for a bit of shopping, I say lucky because I spent the majority of my time in the hotel and although it was a great conference it was nice to see the city sights and the sounds and smells of the local markets and attractions etc. A highlight was visiting china town and buying a couple of fake Rolexes and a Gucci Tie for my Principal by special request :) I also bought a few nick-nacky souvenirs but nothing too extravagant... I also took a tour of the city on the ‘Hop on Hop off’ bus which was great, had a chance to see what KL was made of!

The only minus about the trip though is that I got sick from the change in climate. NZ was in its winter when got back and KL had been entering its summer and was warm... It’s only really been today when I haven’t had a blocked up nose! My mates at school thought I had swine flu!!!!
Thanks again to everyone who I met on this trip or who played a part in organizing it! And most of all thanks to Miss Trisha who I think we all had a soft spot for :P

<br/><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=f57448b8-e04a-424d-bedf-1866b74238bf" target="_new" title="Haka">Video: Haka</a>

I suppose the previous posts by Shobana, Cherrie and Chip have provided an awesome account on what the forum is all about. Therefore, I would like to write more about the People—each and every individual who is an integral element of the forum itself, and also little remnants of thoughts (whatever I'm able to recollect at this hour of fatigue).

I still have a vivid memory of the moment I stepped into Room 1466. The receptionist told me that my roommates have not arrived yet, and thus I do not have much ‘mental preparation’ to meet them. However, lazing around on each bed were Kartini and Johanna. I saw Johanna’s picture on her TIG profile, so I don’t even have to guess who’s who.

Many a time, it’s not about ‘breaking the ice’—that sounds too violent! Ice splinters everywhere! It’s about melting the ice…

Initially, we’re like, “Okay… So we’re the only ones who got triple-sharing room. Hmm… now we have to call the operator for an extra mattress.” But it only makes things better! We have one more roomie! …until there’s a space in Kam’s room and we have to ‘part’ with Johanna.

Some of us were rather flabbergasted (perhaps that’s a bit of an exaggeration) when we were chosen to participate in this cross-cultural opportunity. We did not feel as if we were active enough to deserve the opportunity. Then someone mentioned something about quality over quantity… haha…
For my part, I just thought it would be great to voice out some of my views, from both the positive and negative perspectives. The idea of the use of technology in education is often idealised and perhaps I could add a little more critical elements to the online forum. After a while, I was too engaged in the various activities in school and out of school that I almost forgot about it. Thus I must admit I didn’t do some follow-ups to the threads that I had started. I guess a few others shared similar stories here.

It’s amazing how fate brought us together. For instance, I never would have known Kong Soon though we are from the same school. Sagar and Kartini met previously but it was because of the forum that they had more understanding of each other. Many of us are from the same countries, and we may have passed by each other at some point in the past without knowing. Imagine, Kartini and I might have taken the same MRT in Singapore before, or I may have the chance to visit Bangladesh 10 years from now and not know Anwar. ***Strangers are just friends that you have yet to make. The world is connected by an intangible bond, but it is not uncommon for people to pass one another in a brush of a shoulder and never meet again. Many do not even have a chance to meet.

But here at the Innovative Students’ Forum, we met.

Michael Furdyk-They call him a millionaire. But it’s not about the money, is it? It’s about how millions of opportunities are created! For youth and for social activism!

Katherine Walraven-Most helpful and supportive! And she speaks on stage with so much ease! Very passionate about what she’s doing right now.

Bernise Ang-When I saw her profile, I really really think she has this aura that I perceive as beauty—her character, her smile and all. But with a different hairstyle that day, she looked really cool and full of exuberance. Anyhow, she’s still the Bernise with great personality.

Cherrie Kong-Someone told me that people who take PhD in Science are usually a bit of a science maniac. But I disagree, because that’s Stereotype and Generalisation! She’s crazy enough though—social activism, kind heart, fun, brainy and look at all the things that she has done!

Shaun Koh-See if anyone is ‘innovative’ enough to invent a proper hair wax for him! It’s no way anyone can go through breakfast without staring at his hair. Really hyper and crazy guy here! But he gives constructive comments too. On second thought, perhaps it’s better to let his hair remain that way.

Brian-Our big big friend! He comes every day at the conference though it is not an obligation for him to do so. I especially like his straightforward, quick and sharp and kind personality.

Joel Neoh- One of our speakers from Malaysia. We didn’t have much interaction together, but it’s great to meet the winner of the Malaysian version of the Apprentice-The Firm, and plus, he was a model and studied engineering.

Anh- He forgets a little Vietnamese and dresses in a rather Japanese style. Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter whether he’s more Vietnamese or more Japanese. As an environmentalist, he’s a good citizen of our Earth!

Anwar-His proficiency in software and such is indubitable. But that’s not all; he’s the Global 100 Social Entrepreneur.

Chip-She brought along a small child to a party, and people asked her if that’s her child, and she jokingly says ‘Yes!’ But they took it seriously and gossiped about it, then asked her again, ‘Who’s the father?’ Best answer: WHO CARES??!!

Iman- He’s a self-motivated youth who is part of the generation that’s able to shape the future of Indonesia.

Johanna-She’s one of the best roomies and partners you can find!

Kam- Jackie Chan (US + Thai Style) speaks it all!

Kartini-She invited us to go gym but woke up at 8 am or something… She’s really cute and fun! And she’s able to bear with me…haha. Kartini, we won’t forget THE prawns!!!

Kong Soon-My schoolmate. He’s a citizen reporter who claimed to have written positive and negative things.

Linh-He changes his English slang easily, and often without realising. He wished to introduce Lara Fabian to me but never had the chance too.

Marcus-He’s the only ‘white’ among us students—a situation which he admitted he hardly had the chance to be in, but he claimed to look like an Asian when he couldn’t keep his eyes open because of the camera flash. A few of us had a long late-night conversation by the poolside on the first day.

Matthew-He’s a smart guy from a smart school. Like the Malay proverb, ‘diam-diam ubi berisi’, I didn’t talk much with him but I believe he has lots of substance inside.

Sagar-I pushed him into the pool. Haha. We still keep in contact but unfortunately he’s back to India when I’m going to Singapore. Many things to say about him but I don’t have the time to do so right now…

Shobana-She looks fabulous in her modernised Sari during the gala dinner.

Vaspol-He has a really cute nickname, Pai. Snored while asleep? (thanks, Linh)haha

Puay San and Gean Oh-the support behind everything!

Trecia-It’s a name made up. But thank you too!!

Of course, special thanks to Microsoft, TakingITGlobal and also teachers from the conference!

To all participants of the online forum, you all will remain as part of our virtual memory! All the best!

As everyone knows, day after the last day of the forum is Johanna’s Birthday. To me, birthday is just a reason to celebrate a person’s being. We didn’t do much for Johanna though—it was spontaneous, just a blow at the decorative candle in the middle of the dinner table, no cakes, but a bundle of wishes. It’s the meaning behind it that matters. ***We should all celebrate the existence of our loved ones at all times, birthday or not, and celebrate each and every moment of our lives…

Photos capture the very moment but memories and images may become vague someday, and my poor words are incapable of preserving the essence of everything. What matters most are how you personally feel, and the notion that we have become ***part of each others’ memory at one point of our lives, though short and temporary.

Regards,
Jin Yun

The 2009 Microsoft Regional Teachers’ Conference had been a great time and experience for me. It was great meeting participants and teachers from other countries who share the same passion in education.

Throughout the conference, we have discussed on various issues including ways to make education more interesting, integrating technology into classroom, dreams for the future school and project ideas. Our mentors and facilitators were helpful in guiding us in our discussion.

Some of the topics discussed that caught my interest were about learning through working experience, enhancing human sense to create a better learning experience, challenges in education system and open minded teachers. (Are teachers less open minded? Perhaps we, students should reflect on ourselves first)

Initially, I thought those topics were a little boring, but when the discussion starts everyone were excited and overwhelmed with ideas. Although we had many discussions throughout the event, I do think that much needs to be done on ground level to improve education.

This conference also had brought me to a better understanding of people with different identity and cultural background. Interacting with teachers from different nations was a great exposure for me. I do realize that small issues raised out in the conference might ignite the sentiments in others.

As I reflect and cherish these moments, I do realize the world is without borders and limitations. Although we may be far apart in person, our hearts of friendship are united.

Wow it has been more than 1 week since the day I came back from Students' Forum. I know I’ve just successfully proved how lazy I am at blogging lol. I was a little bit sick, and I know there were at least 2 other students who also got sick (Thanks God we weren't caught at the airport). But none of us had anything to complain, Students' Forum was great. I miss all you guys.

I arrived there on Tuesday to find out that the hotel was extremely convenient. Le Meridien was quite easy to find, right opposite KL Stesen Sentral (Kuala Lumpur Central Station - that's its name, but actually it's about 15 minutes driving from downtown). My first impression was the windows. This twins building has a very special flattish design so that every room can have a big window (I mean really big). The pool on the 8th floor accounted for my second impression. Ohhhh ok sorry I'm not gonna make this entry a hotel review. (2 pictures below are from Agoda.com)

There were supposed to be 16 of us but one Philippine girl couldn't come so we have 15 from Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand (enough??) together with 3 mentors: Shaun, Bernise, Cherrie and 2 "super heroes" from TakingITGlobal: Katherine Walraven and Michael Furdyk. Believe me, they are the much more friendly than you might think of them. Ah, I can't forget Microsoft & Rhapsodyconcept's staffs - they were very helpful to take care of every single small matter of ours.

The gang

There were so many activities that I don't know where to start. The schedule was mostly about having breakfast, lunch & dinner, workshops, project development, discussing about education & technology, talking to innovative teachers from all over the region. We also learnt about “The journey of a young Entrepreneur” from Joel Neoh, Executive Director, Youth Asia and “Project Management” from our big big friend Brian Lariche, Executive Director of The Liaison Combination.

Joel Neoh

Brian Lariche

To save you from a long boring review, here are some interesting pictures taken during the conference.

First dinner at the private room
With local students
With local students
Michael Furdyk
Our mentor Shaun :D Does he look like the Twilight star??
Dialogue with Students at the Innovative Teachers' opening ceremoney
Anh was presenting his project - eHub
Gala dinner

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P.S For those who are asking WhoTH I am please remember I was the Vietnamese girl with a black & white hat. But I already lost it back home.

P.S.S You can visit my blog here for more details. Muchas gracias!