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Muhamad Hafiz Bin Ismail Writes Award-winning Blog And Published His First Book

Malaysian University of Hertfordshire graduate, Muhamad Hafiz Bin Ismail, made history after he became the first ever social entrepreneur to win the Prime Minister Best of the Best award at the 2011 MSC Malaysia Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards.

The mathematics teacher received the award in recognition of his blog, ‘Life Through My Eyes’. Muhamad was one of the first students to benefit from the BEd(Hons) Mathematics Programme created specifically for Malaysian students at the University of Hertfordshire. The blog, which showcases the creative teaching methods Muhamad developed during his time at the University, has become an e-learning tool for educators and teachers. The success of his blog has seen Muhamad write and publish his first book. University of Hertfordshire staff and Alumni were there to witness the launch of ‘Life through my eyes: a teachers little steps toward perfection’, based on the Muhamad’s experiences of his first year as a qualified teacher.

How the University of Hertfordshire Helped

In summer 2009, the University of Hertfordshire welcomed Muhamad and twelve of his fellow students from Malaysian University, the Institut Perguruan Kota Bharu (IPKB). The Malaysian students completed a BEd(Hons) Mathematics Programme, delivered by the School of Education at the University. The programme was created in order to aid Malaysia in their future teaching vision of ensuring teaching becomes an all-graduate profession.

The students were provided with the opportunity to witness Primary School education in the UK and experience UK Higher Education. The programme provided Muhamad and his fellow students with unique knowledge and experiences to aid them in the completion of their degree. All of the thirteen students who attended the programme graduated from their Kuala Lumpar based university in March 2010.

The Challenge

In 2010, Muhamad was offered his first teaching role at a rural Primary School in Perek, Malaysia. Muhamad was faced with the challenge of creating interesting and imaginative lessons for his pupils in the remote location.

During this time Muhamad created his own blog, titled ‘Life Through My Eyes’, to inform others of the different methods he had used to make his classes exciting and educational. Muhammad uses the knowledge and experiences he gained from his degree and his time spent at the University of Hertfordshire to create innovative and motivating ways of teaching his students.

The Result

The mathematics teacher was awarded top honours for his blog in the 2011 MSC Malaysia Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards. The award ceremony, themed ‘Stimulating Creativity, Innovation and Excellence in IT’, saw 246 Malaysian companies, individuals and students competing across a total of nineteen categories.

Muhamad’s creative and innovative blog, which provides an e-learning tool for teachers and educators, was named as winner in the ‘Best of E-Learning’ category. Muhamad was then chosen from the nineteen category winners to be awarded the coveted Prime Minister Best of the Best Award.

In September 2011, University of Hertfordshire staff and Alumni were present to witness the launch of Muhamad’s book, ‘Life through my eyes: a teachers little steps toward perfection’. The book, which is based on Muhamad’s blog, chronicles his experiences as a newly qualified teacher posted to a primary school in a remote jungle community.