Portfolio Updated April 2024, Semester 2, 2023/2024 TEACHING Dr. Sarah Abdulkareem Salih Senior Lecturer/ DS51 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
TEACHING Dr. Sarah Abdulkareem Salih Senior Lecturer/ DS51 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture, UPM Updated: 01.04. 2024 Portfolio
Copyright of Sarah Abdulkareem Salih Universiti Putra Malaysia 2024 All rights reserved. No part of this catalogue may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in a review written for inclusion in magazines or newspapers. All views expressed in this catalogue are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Faculty or the University.
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, Assalamualaikum and Hello “It is my great pleasure to welcome you to my teaching portfolio, which shows selected teaching activities of my journey as a senior lecturer with Universiti Putra Malaysia. In this portfolio, I’m sharing my teaching philosophy, teaching approach and innovation, courses, and experiences. I’m trying to present my teaching experience in a more visual sense, by prsenteing few photographs of my teaching journey each semester.” I hope my teaching portfolio will inspire you somehow... Welcoming note...
iv CONTENTS ABOUT ME VI CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) 4 TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & TEACHING METHODS 10 TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 12 MY TEACHING METHODS 14 SSL: SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL LEARNING METHODOLOGY 16 Lecture & Lecture Notes 20 Formal Social Learning 26 Social Learning 28 Informal Social Learning 30 SSL Outcomes 32 SSL Recognition 34 SAMPLE OF TEACHING COURSES 36 Teaching Courses: List of Courses 38 Architectural Design Studio 4 ARC 3014 40 Course Outline 41 Course Assignment 46 Assignment Grading Rubric 50 Course Assignment 46 Course Materials 54 Learning Assistive Online System 58 Students Activity Applying SSL on ARC 3014 64 Outcome of SSL from ARC 3014: Design Presentations 84 History of Islamic Architecture ARC 3220 90 Course Outline 91
Updated 01.04.2024 v TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH Course Programme 94 Course Assignment 98 Assignment Grading Rubric 100 Course Materials 102 Learning Assistive Online System 104 Students Activity Applying SSL on ARC 3220 108 References 124 Socio-cultural Environment 1 ARC 4610 126 Course Outline 127 Course Programme 130 Assignments 132 Assignment Grading Rubric 136 Student Activity 139 Architectural Design Studio 3 ARC 3013 140 Course Outline 141 Assignments 143 Assignment Grading Rubric 146 Student Activity: Group 2 148 OTHER TEACHING ACTIVITIES 152 PAASWE 2023 Programme 154 Teaching Assessment & Students Feedback 160 Other Activities 168 INSIGHTS FROM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 178 APPENDIX 190
vi About Me... My name is Sarah Abdulakreem Salih; I was born on 04 October 1990 in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, in a middle-income beloved family of my parents and my young brother. Being the oldest and only daughter in the small family contributed to creating my “independent personality” and pushed me to do my best at every step. Since my childhood, I had huge dreams of being someone different, which was reflected in every step of my schooling. I was usually one of the top students in primary, secondary, and high school. In the high school final exams (Baccalaureate Degree, Scientific Section in 2008), I scored as one of the Top students in the school with an A+ Grade (97.66%), allowing me to study in one of the top public universities in the country. I followed my passion and love for art and architecture, so I decided to take an architecture degree. My journey in architecture school was also very challenging and exciting, but it was very successful at the same time. So, I finished my degree in 2013 and ranked second in the Bachelor of Architectural Engineering program at Salahaddin University-Erbil, Iraq. During my degree studies, my interest in teaching increased, and based on my final results, I got the chance to teach (as a teaching assistant/tutor) at the same school immediately after I had completed my degree study. So, teaching architecture and urban design courses was the early career of my life. After two years in this career, I decided to take the next step in my career and life, so together with my fiance (my current husband), we decided to apply for a master’s study abroad. After searching for a suitable university to complete our postgraduate studies, the choice fell to Malaysia, and I particularly chose to apply to the Faculty of Design and Architecture (FRSB), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). So, I enrolled in the Master Of Science in Architectural Studies program at UPM in early 2016. Since then, UPM has become my second or maybe my first home. Again, my experience with UPM as a postgraduate student was exhilarating; I finished my Master’s within three semesters and Graduated on time with a (CGPA= 4) A Grade. Immediately, I took the next step and applied for PhD studies with the same supervisor, faculty (FRSB), and University (UPM) in early 2018. During my first semester of my Ph.D., I have been rewarded the IGSS International Graduate Student Scholarship, University Putra Malaysia, allowing me to complete my Ph.D. studies smoothly and again Graduated on time with a (CGPA= 4) A Grade in only five semesters in 2021. After that, I think that I fell in love with the country (Malaysia) and UPM, so I wanted to continue working at the university as a senior lecturer. So I applied to get the position in 2022, and Alhmdullah, here I am. Joining UPM as a senior lecturer (one of the international staff) marks another turning point in my life and career, a Turning Point that represents more achievement, creativity, and endless opportunities. Continuing my journey at UPM allows me to contribute my knowledge and expertise to the academic community while furthering my career in a place I grew to love. My position under FRSB gives me the opportunity to inspire and mentor the next generation of students while also engaging in teaching, research and other academic activities. I believe that my experience as a UPM alumina contributes to undoubtedly bringing valuable insights and perspectives to my students. My First Hari Raya Aidilfitri Celebration with JSB, FRSB, UPM
Updated 01.04.2024 1 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH Everyone here at FRSB and UPM showered me with love, giving, and help. I did not feel for a moment that I was different, that I was from another side of the world, from a different culture. I always felt the kindness and love of people here. I feel that everyone here is part of my family, including my students. So I always feel like I belong to this place to “UPM”. Being here added a lot to myself and my personality; every single day, I learned something new, and I added value to my career in the field of architecture and built evioronment. That’s why my love and thanks to FRSB, UPM, and Malaysia are endless. That’s why I’ll keep doing my best as a Lecturer, as a Teacher, as a Researcher. In terms of my teaching and research, my research interests lie in on-campus development, social learning settings, sustainable campuses, pocket settings in higher education, and social learning community development. Therefore, my research interests also helped me establish and improve my teaching methods. Balancing both teaching and research not only enhances our effectiveness as an educator but also enriches our research endeavours. My experiences and insights gained from teaching can inform my research questions and methodologies, while my research findings can directly influence my teaching content and strategies. So, as a researcher, I can contribute effectively to my teaching as a lecturer in terms of teaching methods and settings. This interdisciplinary approach leads to a more comprehensive and impactful contribution to academia. So, I prefer not to choose between being a “Teacher” or a “Researcher”; instead, I use one to empower and complement the other side of my professional personality to achieve the success I aspire to... Updated 01.04.2024 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH 1
2 My Happy Moments, Holding our PhDs
Updated 01.04.2024 3 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH Achievements Day With My Students
4 CURRICULUM VITAE Name: Sarah Abdulkareem Salih Degree: Doctor Of Philosophy in Architectural Studies Title: Dr./ Grad Ar./ Arch. Eng. Birth Date 04/10/1990 Nationality Iraqi Department/Faculty Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design & Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia Mobile No. +60 11 6379 9233 Email [email protected] Address Savanna Executive Suite, Jalan BBLS2, Bandar Baru Lembah Selatan, Dengkil, 43800 Bangi, Malaysia DOI: 0000-0003-2065-2092 Research Gate https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah-Salih Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=C47LzS0AAAAJ&hl=en Profile with UPM Project Portfolio
Updated 01.04.2024 5 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH WORKING EXPERIENCES: 10/2022-Ongoing Senior Lecturer (DS51) Department of Architecture, FRSB, UPM, Malaysia 04/2021-10/2021 Research assistant (Full-time) Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, UPM, Malaysia 2019-2021 Research & Teaching assistant Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing; Faculty of Design & Architecture, UPM, Malaysia 2016-2021 Postgardute Student (Full-time) Department of Architecture, FRSB, UPM, Malaysia 2013-2016 Teaching Assistant & Architect (Full-time) Architecture Department, College of Engineering, Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq 2013-2014 Architect (Part-time) Art House for Interior Design & Advertising, Erbil, Iraq 06/2013-10/2013 Architect (Full-time) Construction Section, Cihan Group of Companies, Erbil, Iraq 2011-2012 Asst. Architect (Part-time) Cihan Group of Companies, Erbil, Iraq EDUCATION: 2018-2021 Doctor Of Philosophy(CGPA/Grade: 4.00/A) Architectural Studies, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia 2016-2017 Master Of Science (CGPA/Grade: 4.00/A) Architectural Studies, UPM, Malaysia 2008-2013 Bachelor Of Architectural Engineering (CGPA/Grade: 3.75/A-) Five years of B.Arch Eng, LAM Part II Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq 2006-2008 Baccalaureate Degree (CGPA/Grade: 4.00/A) Scientific Section, Zahra Preparatory School, Erbil, Iraq PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP: 2022-Ongoing Graduate Architect: AG/S605 LAM Part II, Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM), Malaysia 2013-Ongoing Registered Architect (12252) Kurdistan Engineering Union, Erbil, Iraq 2009-2013 Architectural Student/ Member Kurdistan Student Union, Erbil, Iraq
6 PREVIOUS TEACHING EXPERIENCE : Part Time: Few Lectures 2018-2020 History of Architecture: ARC3220 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Full-Time Teaching Assistant: Annual: 2014/2015; 2015/2016 Architectural Design Studio Architecture Dep., Salahaddin University, Iraq Annual: 2015/2016 Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Architecture Dep., College of Engineering, Salahaddin University, Iraq 2014-2015 Urban Design Studies Architecture Dep., College of Engineering, Salahaddin University, Iraq AWARD & SCHOLARSHIP: Teaching Award I-PICTL 2023, UPM: Golden Medal Recognition: Best presentation in IAPC 2023, UPM Best presentation in IENNE 2021, MINDWARE PLT Best presentation in T&T IAC and MAQAS 2019 Scholarship & Funding IGSS Scholarship, UPM (2019) Top Ten Graduate 2013, Salahaddin University, Iraq Local Award for Top Undergraduates (2009) Non Academic Award Top Young Architect, Tamayouz International Award, (2013) TEACHING EXPERIENCE: Coordinator: Sem 2, 2023/2024 Socio-Cultural Environment 1: ARC4610 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Sem 1, 2023/2024 History of Islamic Architecture: ARC3220 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Sem 2, 2022/2023; Architecture Design Studio 4: ARC3014 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Teaching: Sem 2, 2023/2024 Architecture Design Studio 4: ARC3014 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Sem 2, 2022/2023 Building Structure Concepts: ARC3421 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Sem 1, 2022/2023; 2023/2024 Architecture Design Studio 3: ARC3013 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Sem 1, 2022/2023 History of Islamic Architecture: ARC3220 Department of Architecture, FRSB, University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Total no of teaching credits with UPM= 36
Updated 01.04.2024 7 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH SUPERVISION: 2022-Ongoing PhD Students SV: (1) Stuent, Status: On-going (3) Students, Status: New Co-SV: (10) Stuent, Status: On-going Masters Students SV: (2) Stuent, Status: On-going (1) Students, Status: New M.Arch Students SV: (4) Stuent, Status: On-going Industaral Traning (B.Sc. Arch (Hons): SV: (2) Stuent, Status: Completed TOTAL NO POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS: N= 13 INDUSTRIAL AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS 2023-2025 Community Project: Member Development of Pocket Park and Landscape at Maahad Tahfiz Imtiaz with Maahad Imtiyaz 2024 Industrial Project: Member EXPORT FURNITURE EXHIBITION (EFE 2024) WITH Malaysia Furniture Council 2023 Industrial Project: Leader Collaboration on Design-ing Architectural Design Studio Catalogue with Ecorizon Services 2023 Community Project: Leader FGDs on Age-Friendly Activities with PAWE@ MyAgeing™ Community with Pertubuhan Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas RESEARCH GRANTS: WITH UPM 2024 (NEW) Role: Leader Source of Funding: Geliga Heritage Sdn. Bhd. Total Amount: RM20,000 2023-Ongoing Role: Leader Source of Funding: GP-IPM-UPM Total Amount: RM30,000 2023-Ongoing Role: Member Source of Funding: GP-IPM-UPM Total Amount: RM40,000 OVERALL TOTAL AMOUNT: RM90,000 PUBLICATIONS: Google Scholar: H= 5, Citation= 76; Scopus: H= 3, Citation= 29 ResearchGate: H= 5, Citation= 74 2022-Ongoing (WITH UPM) JCR: WOS (IF Publications) N= 8 Publications, of which (4) Q1/Q2 MyCite Indexing N= 5 Publications, 3 as main author Book Indexed with UPM Chief Editor: N= 1 BOOK (2023) Chapter in a Books N= 4 Chapters in 2023 2017-2021 (STUDENT UPM) Scopus: N= 7 Publications, of which 2 Q1 MyCite: N= 2 Publications, as main author International Conference Proceeding: N= 4 TOTAL NO PUBLICATION WITH UPM: N= 31
8 NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT: August, 2023 Session Chairman International Architecture Postgraduate Conference 2023 (IAPC2023) FRSB, UPM August, 2023 Moderator International Architecture Postgraduate Conference 2023 (IAPC2023), FRSB, UPM July, 2023 Advisor The Local/International Students/ Participants Society Mentoring Event and Workshop with FST, UKM June, 2023 Assessor Final Design Project Presentation: BAAR 3201 Architectural Design 6, KAED, International Islamic University Malaysia March, 2023 Assessor NATURAL SKINCARE PRODUCT Faculty of Science and Technology, UKM February, 2023 Assessor/ Examiner FRSB Postgraduate Seminar 2024, FRSB, UPM February, 2023 Assessor Final Design Project Presentation: BAAR 3201 Architectural Design 6, KAED, International Islamic University Malaysia January, 2023 Evaluation Panel (ARCHITECTURE RESEARCH PROPOSAL), FRSB, UPM INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING: December, 2023 Competition: Internation-al Technical International Inter Varsity Innovation Challenge, Einstein Research Academy (ERA), India & Inti International University, Malaysia August, 2023 Collaboration Research: Member Studies on sustainable urban planning and design between UPM & King Saud University April, 2023 Online seminar (PDSL): Organizer Urban Cultural Heritage in the Middle East with Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq January, 2023 Online seminar (PDSL): Organizer Architectural and Urban Studies of Erbil Citadel with Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq December, 2022 Journal Special Issue: Guest Edi-tor Special Issue - Effat Women’s Architecture, Civil Engineering & Architecture by Horizon Research NATIONAL ENGAGEMENT: January, 2024 Assessor/ Examiner FRSB Postgraduate Seminar 2024, FRSB, UPM October, 2023 UPM Students’ Coordinator and Supervisor PAM Annual Architecture Student Works Exhibition 2023 (PAASWE 2023), PAM PROGRAM, Malaysia
Updated 01.04.2024 9 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH Some of my teaching, research, & community networking, 2023-2024
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Updated 01.04.2024 11 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH Teaching Philosophy & Teaching Methods
12 “The content of most textbooks is perishable, but the tools of self-directedness serve one well over time.” -Albert Bandura
Updated 01.04.2024 13 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH TEACHING PHILOSOPHY My teaching philosophy is centered on the importance of a positive and effective social relationship between me as an educator and my students as learners, as well as the positive interaction between the learners and the surrounding environment in which they learn. My philosophy of learning derives its roots from the social learning theory, the foundations of which were developed by “Albert Bandura” and which emphasizes the role of the social and physical environment in creating ideal and spontaneous learning opportunities through the availability of opportunities for constructive dialogue and daily experiences in the environment surrounding the learners. I think that my philosophy has developed mainly from my personal experience as a former learner. I have always wished to have the opportunity to express myself and my thoughts in an environment that promotes dialogue with my peers and an environment that is less formal and strict. Then, these thoughts were emphasized with a number of research-based best practices drawing from the human learning paradigms of behaviorism with social environmental constructivism to establish my teaching philosophy. As an educator, I seek to implement these theories and research in my teaching courses by providing equal opportunity for my students to gain a meaningful education by enhancing social learning, teamwork, self-expression, informal activities, and more interaction with others and with the surrounding environments, thus providing the opportunity to achieve to their highest potential. Building meaningful relationships with students and creating a safe and less strict environment helps the students explore and expand each other’s knowledge, which is a vital part of a successful and sustainable education. Along with the social aspect of learning, I also employ technology in my courses by encouraging my students to learn and research using modern technologies, exposure to visual material, and digital technologies through various tools and approaches to enhance students’ engagement and modern needs. By integrating these technologies and approaches into my teaching helps me to create a more dynamic and interactive learning experience that caters to the diverse needs of my students in the digital age. I believe that this teaching philosophy through the mentioned approaches contributes to enhancing students’ critical thinking, gaining meaningful knowledge promoted by actual on-field experiences, gaining problem-solving and communication skills, and maybe most importantly, acquiring the necessary skills for a successful and effective personality in society in the long term. Thus contributing to a unique and sustainable educational model. Overall, I believe in a social approach to learning, one that incorporates both interactive learning and informal social learning. Therefore, social learning in less strict environments that depend more on students’ interaction, observation of others and their surroundings, and day-to-day experience is key to my philosophy of teaching and learning.
14 MY TEACHING METHODS Intro... The first day of my appointment as a senior lecturer with FRSB, UPM, and particularly as a coordinate for some courses (such as Architectural Design Studio 4 (ARC3014) 2022-2023, History of Islamic Architecture (ARC3220) 2023-2024, and Sociocultural Environment 1 (ARC3610) 2023-2024), I felt that it was a perfect opportunity to apply the theoretical philosophies that I had always believed regarding resilient social learning and student-centred learning. I believe that modern education, especially in architecture, needs more resilient and sustainable methods that do not focus only on inevitable academic achievement but, in essence, on developing the student’s skills and critical thinking through dialogue and on-field activities by putting students at the centre of the learning process. I have adapted these philosophies from my personal experience, as we used to study architectural design topics using very formal and systematic teaching methods. I have always hoped to change these educational realities to become less strict and systematic and to transform into a flexible atmosphere and a life in which the learner lives with more social and human details, in which he learns through daily practices, dialogue, and experiences. At this point, ideas and philosophies that captured my research and scientific and architectural interests came to mind over the last few years. Yes, I need a resilient social learning methodology in teaching... Core of My Methodology... Here, I design every course outline and class framework based on three core axes: social, human, and sustainable. What does this mean? For example, providing more social interaction among the students and group activities with each other in a less formal context within the class through utilizing social learning theory, student-centered learning, and projectoriented problem-based learning. However, the course framework must be purposeful to achieve the course objectives and outcomes recognized by our institution. This is to ensure that the students gain enjoyable, valuable knowledge by implementing approaches that simulate students’ daily reality and enhance their social learning. I have always believed that successful education, in its abstract concept, must stem from individuals’ voluntary desire to achieve themselves and explore their interests. Therefore, the most important questions that I ask myself before any course are: 1. Why can’t education be fun and a journey of selfexploration and development instead of being treated as a hardship and a path full of tension? 2. Why isn’t the path to learning a challenging path for excitement, success, happiness, and self-development psychologically and socially?
Updated 01.04.2024 15 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH How?? To mainly answer these questions, I think it is important for me as an educator to think outside the box and the formal context by implementing unconventional concepts in my education methods, such as sustainable (resilient) social learning approaches. At the same time, I need to apply the official course objectives and outcomes. Therefore, by looking into all these elements, I design the framework of my teaching outline for each course and class. Every course must include site visits, field trips, informal activities, formal learning, practical activities, and teamwork assignments. Besides, every class could be different from the next, including active learning, digital materials, student participation and activities, group discussion, game assignments, etc. This is in order to achieve the targeted course objective in a more resilient approach while gaining maximum value for students and the class. Overall, I usually try to make my methodology also concentrate on three aspects, including: 1. Students’ behaviour: The course and class must enhance students’ social interaction, participation in class activities, teamwork, and group discussions, and present a solution to a clearly defined and authentic problem. This is done by emphasizing students’ positive attitudes and using the proper tools of sustainable social learning. 2. physical environment: Physical environment: The course must be designed to involve a variety of learning settings and tools, including both formal and informal learning settings, as well as virtual and physical tools, to ensure the positive attitudes and behavior of students. 3. Motivation: may be the most essential part of the course framework is my role as a teacher. There is no doubt that the role that the teacher plays in the classroom represents a fundamental pillar in the way the student learns and gains the desired benefits from the course by providing a positive and respectful relationship between my students and me, giving equal opportunities to all my students to participate, dialogue, and learn within the classroom without any considerations, raising more With discussion with all students in the classroom, giving the student the opportunity to express his ideas and ask different questions. The tools used by the teacher are also essential and crucial aspects to stimulate critical thinking and effective learning in the student, for example, through the use of different and varied tools in each class. I also try to receive students and be with them outside the formal confinement of the classroom, and thus, the student feels himself as the center of the teacher’s attention to encourage him to solve his problems and provide the best. In general, I believe that an excellent teacher must go beyond formal teaching within the classroom. An ideal teacher must create a human relationship and a unique social experience with his students. “However, as an educator, you should apply different teaching methods for different courses depending on the teaching outcomes and the context. Besides, educators must update their teaching methods over time to meet modern teaching needs”
16 What is SSL? The main approach I have developed and used in my teaching is the Sustainable Social Learning (SSL) Approach. SSL focuses more on students’ interaction and social learning participation in less strict environments. It also integrates a few social learning theories, including active learning, student-centred learning, and project-oriented problem-based learning. The sustainable Social Learning (SSL) approach refers to a resilient learning process of gaining knowledge and experience through flexible social learning activities that could happen in the nearby informal or semi-formal learning areas, such as pocket settings, etc. It depends more on group discussions, some outdoor activities, and academic trips. So that’s why it could refer to learning through personal experience or watching other people’s experiences. Therefore, I have applied the SSL approaches in my design subjects, such as Architectural Design Studio 4 , History of Islamic Architecture, and Sociocultural Environment 1, with different strategies and steps depending on the course outline and the general context of each course. Objective of SSL 1. To explore the Sustainable Social Learning (SSL) approach through the mentioned subjects. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of the SSL approach in enhancing students’ performance and learning process in the mentioned subjects. 3. To increase the student’s social and academic performance through applying the new (SSL) SSL Application... SSL was applied to the selected subject based on the three key aspects: students’ behaviour (students participation in the activities), physical environment (learning space/ place of the teaching activities), and motivation (material and teaching style), and included several activities and settings (depending of the subject and course outline), such as: • Formal learning, such as lectures, usually takes place in the lecture space/seminar room. • Formal social learning with the tutor, such as data searches and presentations, takes place in resource space, project space, or presentation space. • Formal social learning with experts, such as formal presentation of the assignments, takes place in the studio presentation space. • Social learning, such as casual learning activities, informal learning, games, and group discussions, takes place in resource space, pocket space, or breakout space. • Informal social learning, such as trips and site visits, occurs in activity spaces outside the school. These strategies and steps of the SSL approach must be applied throughout the course period, depending on the context and the course outline. Besides, each subject can apply the steps in different ways and times. Educators should apply different teaching methods and strategies for different courses depending on the teaching outcomes and the context. SSL: SUSTAINABLE SOCIAL LEARNING METHODOLOGY
Updated 01.04.2024 17 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH Sustainable Social Learning Framework. (Source: Author Records, 2023) Added Value of SSL “Why SSL”... SSL allow the students: • To understand the existing environmental, social, and technological issues, as well as the local community’s needs for future design. This contributes to students’ in-depth understanding of design-related issues by observing the existing context through site visits and lectures. • To be more confident exposing their design ideas as they improved their social communication skills. This contributes to improving students’ critical thinking, design presentation skills, and self-confidence through group discussion and criticism sessions. • To be more receptive and professional to improve design ideas. This contributes to improving students’ self-confidence and development through group discussion and criticism sessions. • To upgrade design grades to (min) one level higher. This contributes to improving students’ academic performance through the “whole SSL”. “I believe that SSL approach is providing a sound learning approach in design and architecture subjects to gain a comprehensive understanding of design knowledge through flexible social (formal or informal) learning activities”
18 Therefore, SSL is a contribution developed from my five years of research on social learning settings, that identifies: “A novel learning approach in design studio subjects, which is the SSL, to improve students’ design learning and academic performance. It also overall contributes to students’ innovation in architecture and design.”
Updated 01.04.2024 19 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH W1, UPM Campus W1, Rekascape W8, Putrajaya WWW
20 LECTURES & LECTURE NOTES In general, through the SSL, I usually utilize three forms of lectures: • Formal lectures using visually presented lecture notes. I usually use visually presented materials such as slides, PowerPoint presentations, PDF materials, or handouts. Formal lectures using visually presented lecture notes are structured and follow a predetermined course outline. The visual aids help to reinforce key points, illustrate complex concepts, and keep the audience engaged. • Social lectures by using video games, digital simulations, and activity lectures. This lecture form incorporates interactive elements and technology to engage the students more dynamically. I usually apply video games (such as Kahoot) and digital simulations (such as movies) in my courses to create immersive learning experiences where students actively participate in problem-solving or decision-making scenarios related to the lecture topic. Besides, activity lectures can involve hands-on exercises, group discussions, or real-life demonstrations to reinforce learning and encourage active participation. Therefore, social lectures aim to create a collaborative learning environment where students can interact with each other and with the content in meaningful ways. By utilizing these three forms of lectures, I can cater to different learning styles and preferences among my students, making the learning experience more engaging and effective. Each approach has its own advantages and may be more suitable depending on the topic, audience, and learning objectives. A lecture is a spoken presentation given by an expert; it is a critical component of higher education to deliver the target knowledge. The purpose of a lecture is usually to impart knowledge, explain concepts, or discuss ideas on a particular topic. Lectures can vary in length and format, ranging from informal talks to structured presentations with visual aids like slides or demonstrations. Therefore, different forms of lectures are also a critical component of my SSL approach. The number of lectures in the SSL could vary depending on the subject.
Updated 01.04.2024 21 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH
22 Lecture Notes... Samples of the title page of my lecture notes are shown as follows:
Updated 01.04.2024 23 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH
24 PowerPoint & PDF... The PowerPoint and PDF tools are highly used in my courses and help me to prepare a proper presentation. Usually, I summarise the information driven from books, journal articles, online sources, and the thesis into presentable PowerPoint slides. Therefore, SSL also depends more on PowerPont and PDF tools.
Updated 01.04.2024 25 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH
26 FORMAL SOCIAL LEARNING Formal social learning is an important domain of SSL. It reflects students’ social learning activities, such as presentations and project-based learning, that usually occur in resource spaces, project spaces, or presentation spaces. It helps students to develop personal and social skills and selfconfidence.
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28 SOCIAL LEARNING Social learning is another important domain of SSL. It reflects students’ resilient social learning activities, such as casual learning activities, informal learning, games, and group discussions, that usually take place in resource space, pocket space, or breakout space. It helps students to develop social and communication skills and well-being.
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Updated 01.04.2024 31 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH INFORMAL SOCIAL LEARNING Informal social learning represents a critical type of teaching in every architecture school, which includes site visits, academic trips, and informal on-field activities that usually take place outside the classrooms. It also reflects students’ resilient informal social learning outside the formal learning settings. It contributes to students’ indepth understanding of design-related issues by observing the existing context and local community needs. Updated 01.04.2024 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH 31
32 SSL OUTCOMES SSL proved its efficient contribution to the design and architecture subjects’ outcomes. It offers a dynamic and interactive approach to teaching design and architecture subjects, allowing students to engage with course material more meaningfully and effectively. By incorporating elements such as video games, digital simulations, and collaborative activities, educators can enhance student learning outcomes and better prepare them for success in the field. Overall, the key contributions of SSL are: • It contributes to students’ in-depth understanding of design-related issues by observing the existing context through site visits and lectures. • It contributes to improving students’ critical thinking, design presentation skills, and self-confidence through group discussion and criticism sessions. • It contributes to improving students’ self-confidence and development through group discussion and criticism sessions. • It contributes to upgrading design grades to (min) one level higher. This contributes to improving students’ academic performance through the “whole SSL”. In conclusion, SSL contributes significantly to students’ selfconfidence, academic performance, and overall development in design subjects. By fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment, SSL helped me to enable students to enhance their design skills, elevate the quality of their work, and achieve higher grades.
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34 SSL RECOGNITION Award: Golden Medal in The International Putra Innocreative Carnival in Teaching and Learning (I-PICTL 2023) International Journal Publication: • Factors Affecting Social Learning in Nearby Pockets on Tropical Campus Grounds: Towards a Sustainable Campus. Sustainability, 2023. (High impact Q2 JIF WOS; Q1 Scopus) • Pocket Settings for Enhancing Social Learning Experience on Campus Ground: a Verbal-Visual Preference Survey. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 2023. (High impact Q1 JIF WOS; Q1 Scopus) • Pocket Settings for Promoting On-campus Social Learning: FGD. IJ-ARBSS, 2023. • Nearby Pockets for Promoting Students’ Social Interaction on Malaysian Campus Ground. IJ-ARBSS, 2021. • On-Campus Pocket Parks for Enhancing Outdoor Learning Experience in Malaysian Universities. IJ-ARBSS, 2021 Book & Book Chapter: • ARCHI+2: Sustainable Social Learning Architecture. Malaysia: UPM Press. 2023. • Sustainable Social Learning. In S.A. Salih, S. Ismail, & A. Athira (Eds.), ARCHI+2: Sustainable Social Learning Architecture (pp. 1 - 3). Malaysia: UPM Press. 2023. International Confrence: • Pocket Settings for Promoting On-campus Social Learning: FGD, In IAPC 2023. • Pocket Parks for Promoting Students’ Social Interaction on Malaysian Campus Ground. ICRIS 2021. • On-Campus Pocket Parks for Enhancing Outdoor Learning Experience in Malaysian Universities. IENNE 2021 Research Grant: Developing a Pocket Settings Model for Promoting Students’ Informal Learning on Malaysian Campus Grounds: 2023, UPM: GP-IPM.
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Updated 01.04.2024 37 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH SAMPLES OF TEACHING COURSES
38 Teaching Courses: List of Courses
Updated 01.04.2024 39 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH No. Subject/Course Semester Position Credit Hours No of Students 1 Architecture Design Studio 4 ARC 3014 (Group 2) Semester 2, 2023/2024 Assistant Coordinator 6 (0+6) 12 2 Socio-Cultural Environment 1 ARC4610 (Group 1) Semester 2, 2023/2024 Course Coordinator 3 (3+0) 32 3 Architecture Design Studio 3 ARC3013 (Group 2) Semester 1, 2023/2024 Assistant Coordinator 6 (0+6) 16 4.a History of Islamic Architecture ARC3220 (Group 1) Semester 1, 2023/2024 Course Coordinator 3 (3+0) 37 4.b Summer Class: History of Islamic Architecture ARC3220 (Group 1) Semester 1, 2023/2024 Assistant Coordinator / 12 (Mobility students) 5 Architecture Design Studio 4 ARC 3014 Semester 2, 2022/2023 Course Coordinator 6 (0+6) 42 6 Building Structure Concepts ARC 3421 (Group 2) Semester 2, 2022/2023 Assistant Coordinator 3 (0+3) 49 7 Architecture Design Studio 3 ARC3013 (Group 2) Semester 1, 2022/2023 Assistant Coordinator 6 (0+6) 11 8 History of Islamic Architecture ARC3220 (Group 2) Semester 1, 2022/2023 Assistant Coordinator 3 (3+0) 40 TOTAL 4 Semesters / 36 251 List of the teaching courses from semester 1, 2022-2023 to semester 2, 2023-2024 under FRSB, UPM
40 Architectural Design Studio 4 ARC 3014
Updated 01.04.2024 41 TEACHING PORTFOLIO BY SARAH ABDULKAREEM SALIH COURSE OUTLINE Credit Hours Contact Hours Day Time Venue No. of Groups No. of Students Studio Coordinator Other Lecturers Project Learning Outcome 1. Able to interpret the architectural design ideas and theories that cover environmental and technological issues in the creation. (C6, CTPS) - [A02, A03] 2. Able to link technology and design in producing architectural design projects. (P5) - [A05] 3. Able to produce alternative designs of architectural projects manually or digitally in presenting design ideas. (A4, CS, LL) - [A01, A04] Synopsis The course covers designing a (maximum) three-story environmentally friendly public building with a built-up of 1,000 sqm maximum and nearby green pocket space, with a capacity for 50 – 80 pax. The project introduces several social community and environmental issues. It also considers the basic structure, building materials, construction, and environmental factors such as passive design strategy, daylight, solar shading and natural ventilation. : 6 (0+6) : 12 hours per week : Monday and Thursday : 09:00am – 03.00pm : Year 2 Studio, FRSB, UPM : (4) Groups : (48) Students : Dr. Sarah Abdulkareem Salih : PM. Dr. Sumarni Ismail Ar. Dr. Athira Azmi PM. Dr. Nur Dalilah Dahlan : Student Life Centre
42 Project Theme... “Participation in the social activity plays a critical role in enhancing learning process through the active influence of environment and community” The built environment and architectural design are magical tools to create better living conditions and friendly environments, bring people together, and promote the future of education in Malaysia. The aim of ARC3014 Architectural Design Studio 4 project is to design multi-story buildings with attached pocket parks for daily activities, socialization, social learning, and communication that meets the requirement of universal and sustainable design. This studio also aims to achieve an environmentally friendly design project that indicates four main aspects, universal design, community activity, social learning, and sustainable development. The project aims to offer the following benefits: • Promote the students’ social and informal learning activities on campus ground. • Enhance the collaborative recreational activities among the students and academic community. • Promote sustainable development through the enhancement of social participation and passive design approach. • Increase the understanding and awareness for modern academic community needs from different backgrounds. • Contribute to meeting the need for the community wellbeing that Malaysian university seeks.