Creative Studies: 2015

Logical Mind-map on Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

Logical Mind-map on Leadership.

ESSAY:

MYSELF AS A LEADER

A leader is a person chosen through election or appointment to rule or lead a group of people with a common interest or within a geographical area based on outstanding characters or inheritance. Leadership comes with great expectations and responsibilities which must be carried out diligently. I have been chosen to be a leader in Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Malaysia and as a leader I have my responsibility laid out for me. I would require certain attributes and characteristics to be able to carry out these responsibilities.

Everybody cannot be a leader, some people work better as a team player. Therefore, the question is what are the characteristics of a good leader? A good leader is patient, creative, articulate, confident, optimistic, committed, honest, inspiring and to name a few. After considering these characteristics I know I have what it takes to be a leader.

Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, the institution in which I have been appointed is a global university with students from over 150 countries in the world. This means various cultures and traditions are represented throughout the university. Limkokwing University is a university determined to create a creative and globalized generation. The university’s mission is to shape hearts and minds to empower global transformation and it’s a vision is to create a network of globalized youths. I have been appointed the new senior staff student affairs and academics. My responsibility is very clear as I ensure that each student receives maximum academic attention and their accommodation and day to day activity in the school is up to standard

However, before I was given this position there had already been a system in place to cater to student affairs but I have been asked to update that system without reducing the standard of the school and its student affairs. I have come up with some agendas to help update the system they include; expanding the school, providing more resources both within and abroad, more rigorous and in-depth learning process and admission requirement and affiliation with companies for more career opportunities.

Expanding the school in terms of taking its branches abroad to places with far more pressing need for education. Limkokwing already has a few branches in Africa; Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana. This initiative can be extended to other African countries like Nigeria. Nigeria, also known as the giant of Africa is not only rich in its economy and culture but it is very open to education of its children. In Nigeria, parents do their very best to ensure their children get the best of education to the final level. There are over 300 Nigerian students in Limkokwing University, this alone is proof that a branch of the university in Nigeria will be promoted. It would however, be my place to propose the idea and push for its approval.

Now, with branches of the university both home and abroad, the students need the right resources to learn. Resources include; libraries, computers, accommodation, transportation, etc. The university headquarters here in Malaysia definitely has one of the best resources available to its students, there is internet available round the school, electricity is constant, the libraries are well stocked and the students have access to computer to enable them do their assignments and projects. However, in other branches this may not be the case. It is then my responsibility to travel to each of the branches yearly to ensure that all resources are up to date and available. I would also appoint representative in each of the branches to inform me should there be any lack in resources. My responsibility would be to ensure that there is effective communication between the resources department of the Limkokwing university branches and headquarters and myself. I act as the bridge between the school management and the resources department.

Limkokwing University provides all the academic needs of the student to ensure they study and graduate as the best in their respective fields. However, the university may not be able to ensure individual progress of each student as students learning capabilities are different, this is where I come in. I will initiate a less lax or flexible way of studying. There will be more individual study time and presentations added to the curriculum. A day will be set aside at least once a week for each course where the student is given the topic of the week and asked to research on it and teach the class. This program will be targeted especially to students falling behind on their studies or with slower learning capabilities. Academic counsellors will be appointed in each department, their sole responsibility will be to locate top students that may recently be failing in their school work. Each department at the end of each semester, will present these academic counsellors will the result for that semester for all their students. The counsellors will then go through and locate students who may have fallen behind on their school work or failed courses, a meeting will be set up with these student and the counselor will guide them through passing that course with weekly feedback. For students who do not understand a particular module or have slower learning capabilities, they will be encouraged to visit the counselors. It is then the counselors’ place to advise the student, either to help form study timetables, drop the course or even change program. It is important to note that the school already has counselors but the academic counselors are different as they are within the department and are the eyes of the lecturer and the support system of the student. Courses will be prepared to train and further educate lecturers to be more watchful of student progress and pay attention to students who do not follow up in classwork. This does not mean that lecturers will start babysitting students but they will pay more close attention to students that fall behind but are willing to learn.

In addition to that, the admission process will be stricter for incoming students. This is to ensure they can keep up with the school curriculum and system. An interview will be set up once admission process has been finalized. This is analyze the students’ strengths or weaknesses and guide them through their course and get them familiar with their academic counselors. The interviews will be handled by the academic counselors.

Furthermore, I will propose for the school to be partnered with more companies. This is to ensure that students upon graduation are exposed to various career opportunities and choice. This encourages the student to work hard to enable them meet requirements for these companies.

With this said, the academic system of Limkokwing University will be appropriately updated without reducing the quality of the business or academic brand of the university. As a matter of fact, expansion, improved resources, in-depth learning process and rigorous admission requirement and affiliation with more companies for career opportunities will only serve as a means to boost the University’s quality and brand.

In conclusion, it can be seen that my job has been cut out for me but my vision is clear and I have full reign on my responsibility. My tenure as senior staff student’s affairs and academics will be one not easily forgotten.

RANDOM WORDS ASSOCIATION

Random Words Association

Initial word: School

Words derived are:

1. Car park: Paid area for parking vehicles.

2. School Wi-Fi: A network to connect electronic devices and internet.

3. Computer Virus: A piece of code that is capable of copying it has a detrimental effect such as destroying data.

4. Gym: LUCT official gym with reasonable fees for student.

5. Hostel: an accommodation for students provided by the school.

6. Print Shop: Limkokwing stationary for printing and school equipment

7. Toilets: a fixed receptacle into which a person may urinate or defecate consisting of a large bowl connected to a system for flushing away the waste into a sewer.

8. Plaza: the center of the school where students meet, eat and study for group assignment.

9. Smoking: It is the inhalation of smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes to relieve stress.

10. Students: A person formally engaged in learning and enrolled in a school.

11. Lecturers: A person who gives lecturers especially as a profession.

12. Lift: To move something from a higher to a lower position and vice versa

13. Directory: Signboard with clear statements

14. Library: A place to do your assignments, discussion and studying

15. Football court: A place for playing football games.

16. Medical: it is the treatment of illness and injuries

17. Assignments: Task for the students to accomplish at home.

18. Seats: A thing made or used for sitting on such as a chair.

19. Ten-ten shop: LUCT mini shop that sells a range of everyday items

20. Cats: A small sophisticated mammal with soft fur and retractile claws.

Links:

1. Car park: When entering the car park a person has to pay per entry. If you go out five times and still come back to school you still have to pay the parking ticket again. As a leader the car park money should be paid per day not per entry.

2. School Wi-Fi: The poor connection to the internet. Wi-Fi is one of the most important in a school because of assignments. The connection is usually slow. Provide more public internet access, improve the speed of the connection especially in classrooms to enhance teaching and learning qualities.

3. Computer virus: Most of the school computers are invested with virus, if a person wants to copy his work to a flash drive, the computers transfer the virus to your drive. Install more antivirus to the school computers and update the antivirus regularly.

4. Gym: The gym in the school is affordable but they have less equipment’s for body building. As a leader I would provide more equipment’s for the gym so that the students can exercise properly.

5. Hostel: The hostel accommodation is not sufficient enough, the hostel internet is bad and the hostel electricy bills is high. As a leader I would make everything affordable for the students and make their life comfortable.

6. Print Shop: The Limkokwing print shop is always congested with people, if you have an assignment that you want to print you have to wait for the long line. As a new leader I would get another print shop for the school.

7. Toilets: Cleaning is the major issue when it comes to toilets, the toilets always have wet floor instead of it to be dry. I would provide janitors to constantly clean the toilet regularly and post a paper on the wall of the toilets telling the students on how to use the toilets appropriately.

8. Plaza: the plaza has insufficient place to sit, noise due to how open it is and the roof is leaking which will make it not conducive to eat or study when it is raining. I would provide more tables and chairs, repair the roof during the holidays.

9. Smoking: Limkokwing is a very free university where smoking is allowed and the students take advantage of that and smoke everywhere which is not good for the non-smokers, you will be eating in the plaza and be inhaling the smoke from the person next to you, which is disturbing. I would provide a smoking area and restrict smoking in some areas of the school.

10. Students: majority of the students don’t come to school, they just submit their assignment and come for exams. As a leader any students not attending the course by week 7 will be asked to drop the module and any assignment he submitted will be rejected immediately.

11. Lecturers: All the lecturers are excellent but some of the lecturers are not patient, some have no empathy towards students, some do favoritism. As a leader I would organize constant student reviews to know the good and understanding lecturers and to know the lecturers that needs improving.

12. Lift: most of the students don’t know about the lifts because they are in a corner, well hidden, and are at the end of the building. As a new leader I would talk to an architect and see if I could provide more lifts for the students or an escalator because of students with disabilities so it is difficult for them to be taking the long steps every day.

13. Directory: the school directory is very confusing and not direct, it is difficult to understand for a new student, visitor. I would get a new designer to create a new directory or prepare signboards with clear statement.

14. Library: the library is good but water should be allowed because when you thirsty you have to get water from the food center which is a bit far and it would distract your studies. I would provide a dispenser of water for the students. Majority of the charging ports are broken, I will get a technician to fix them and provide more charging ports in the library.

15. Football court: the school should be more creative in terms of game activities. We have swimming pools, basketball courts but we lack the football court. Our students are always going out of school to play football. I would provide a football court for the students which will help them refresh their brains after the class or exams etc.

16. Assignments: Majority of assignments given is a group work. Students have difficulty in finding a group or leave 1 person to do the whole work. I would suggest more individual project with less group projects.

17. Seats: The seats in the plaza are mostly destroyed and they are not sufficient. I would provide new seats and replace the destroyed chairs.

18. Ten-ten shop: The shop don’t have enough basic everyday items and it is always populated with people I would suggest more varieties product in the shop and provide more counters for the long queues or make space for another convenience store.

19. Cats: Cats are loving creatures but some people are allergic to them. Cats should be banned from the school because the make many students who are eating or studying uncomfortable. No pets should be allowed in Limkokwing university.

JUXTAPOSITION

Keywords:Commitment and Leadership.

This picture shows a man pushing up a heavy rock on a mountain. It displays how committed and persistence the man is and how fearlessly he’s loyal to achieve success regardless of the risks. As a leader your job is to never give up on anything, you have to reach the goal, you have to be morally and legally bound to your followers. As a leader you might not be comfortable doing certain things but you have to sacrifice for your people, you have to train your people to follow rules if not they would be consequences. To achieve your goal you have to organize your work in an orderly way.

Keywords:leadership and Qualities.

Imagine a world without leaders. How would the world be? In my opinion, it will be a world filled with chaos because there won't be someone to lead us to the right direction. This picture shows a leader on top with red and his group of people with blue. It displays that the leader is a good leader because of how the group are cheering. One of the qualities of a good leader is making decisions in service of long-time benefit. Making decisions that would respect the rights and dignity of others. To listen actively and understand others point of views, learn from his followers. To use the basis of trust and collaboration to inspire and empower his people. To guide others without forcing them into a decision.

Keywords: Determination, Courage and Time management.

The first step towards getting somewhere is deciding that you are not going to stay where you are. This picture shows a woman climbing a rock. This displays a person going where he/she don’t have the strength. The lack of rock climbers shows her determination and courage. As a leader you have to be determined to achieve success and you have to lead by example, you have to take the first step, you have to make the decisions and be prepared to take the blame if anything goes wrong. You have to learn how to manage time because time is important in any decision you make. You have to meet deadlines and be positive always.

THE END
INIOBONG ETOK 110040064.
ASMAU DASUKI 110040114.