1

Name : Mr Foo Chuat Meng

HP : 014-3012873

Email- cmfoo2988@yahoo.com

Time to call – MON, WED, FRI, SUN - 11pm to 12

MIDNIGHT

2
ID :17846502
PW : April2018

3
Name : Ms. Jasmine

HP : 012 – 473 – 6961

Email :jasmineemmanuel@wou.edu.my

4
Dear students,
For most of you, this will be the first course at WOU. It
is important that you start your student life with this
course because it will show you how you can study
effectively in an open university. Some of the strategies
that you will need to use for your study will be very
different from what you did in high school.

This may make you feel anxious but do not worry. Your
tutors and I are here to help you so do keep in touch
with us. We care about your academic welfare.
Take care and happy studying.
Warm regards,

Jasmine 5
JASMINE SELVARANI A/P K EMMANUEL - (WUC131/03)
LHL221/05 Selections of Asian Literature, LHL331/05 Creative
Writing , LLS204/05 Psychology of Creativity, LPS301/05
International Organisations, LSP101/05 Introduction to
Psychology, LSP102/05 Understanding Personality
Types, LSP201/05 Adolescent Psychology, LSP204/05 Social
Psychology, LSP301/05 Psychology of Adult
Development, LSP303/05 Cognitive Psychology, LSP305/05
Psychology and the Workplace, LSS312/05 Principles of Social
Research, LSS313/05 Research Paper,MPU3113/03 Hubungan
Etnik, MPU3213/03 Bahasa Kebangsaan A / WLA101/03 Bahasa
Kebangsaan A, MPU3313/03 Comparative
Religions, MPU3412/02 Co-Curriculum, WLA103/03 Malaysian
Studies, WLA105/03 Pendidikan Moral,WUC106/05
Communication Skills for the Workplace, ...

6
7
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this unit, you should be able
To:-

1. Explain the background and set-up of WOU.

2. Explain the objectives of setting up WOU.
3. Describe the characteristic of traditional learners.
4. Describe the characteristic of open distance learners.
5. Explain the benefits of ODL.
6. Make a comparison between distance and traditional
learning.
7. Explain the mental attitudes which an ODL student should
have.
8. Apply the various modes of learning for ODLers.

8
• To develop and enhance a set of attitudes leading to successful and
independent lifelong learning in ODL environment.

• To learn effectively

• Manage stress and time

• prepare for tutorial sessions

• Write assignments

• Make short oral presentations

• Prepare various types of assessments

• Manage WawasanLearn in WOU

• Use electronic library

9
• Search for information via various sources, resources

• Use evaluation criteria to select the most accurate, relevant

and credible data.

10
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
1.Develop strategies for utilising WOU’s website,
learning management system and the digital library.

2. Explain the various modes of open distance learning (ODL)

3. Apply effective learning and stress management

styles to manage their studies & personal lives

4. Demonstrate skills and strategies they can use

to handle various types of exam questions &
test anxiety.

5. Use appropriate academic writing and oral presentation

(OP) techniques.

11
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to:

1.Describe how to access the WOU website.

2. Identify the main features available on the WOU

website.

12
• Access WOU website via Internet.

• Internet = a network of networks, linking computer to

computers.

• Internet = also the transport vehicle for the info stored in

files or documents on another computer.

• Services used by computers – WWW or Web

• Web created in 1989 by European Particle Lab in Geneva,

Switzerland.

13
• To access website need a client program – Browser

• Common Browser – Mozilla, Internet Explorer (IE) and

Netscape.

• Main purpose of Web = to organise and make available

widely scattered resources within easy reach of the
computer user.

• Info on Web organised into web pages

• Web pages – different kinds of info

• Some web pages contain text (chracters) others

graphics ( text & pix or illustrations0

14
• More sophiscated web pages – multimedia based, have
animation, sound and video images.

• Website = a collection of related web pages, just like a book

that has many pages.

• The most outstanding element of Web = have links to other

resources. Called hyperlinks

• When hyperlinks are clicked the browser jumped from one

page to another web page or doc in a completely different
website.

• Web = library
• Millions of websites = the books in a library
• You can only visit one website at a time.
15
• Today website disseminate info on just about anything-
making info freely available to anyone and everyone.

• Info can be on education, art, music, history or culture.

• Even website on jokes – www.danggoodjokes.com

16
• Via Mozilla Firefox – click on it

• Or click on the start icon, locate All Programs & search for
Mozilla Firefox.

• Type http://www.wou.edu.my

• This will take you to WOU Web Portal

• Another way is IE & type the WOU url

17
1. Look at the main page
2. Look at all the icons, links and texts displayed here.
3. Click on My WOU Portal ( bottom right) – is the WOU
student Portal – the WOU learner.
4. What is a Portal ?
5. Portal = the door to a website to online library, web
search facilities, email, chat rooms, news updates and
links to other websites.
6. Portal= door to a new world of lifelong learning.

18
1. On the right, there is a short description of
WOU. What can you gather about the role of
WOU from the description?

It says that WOU offers working people a

chance to study further. WOU is not a profit
making organisation. It emphasises quality
education and is also actively involved in open
distance education at the international level.

19
2. Which of the features in the WOU website tells
you about :

a.the benefit of being an open distance learner:

ODL – What’s That ?

b. the grading system used by WOU for your

tests and examinations:

FAQ – Examination

C. semester structure used by WOU :

Study with us – All you need to know

20
d. What the WOU logo means:

News Room – Logo rationale

e. Accreditation of the WOU courses:

FAQ – Degree programmes

Web reference
•http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides.Int
ernet/InvisibleWeb.html

21
In this section, you learnt how to access the
WOU website. Websites provide access to
various services and resources and they are
available round-the-clock. Similarly, the WOU
website, as described in this section, is equipped
with various resources and services to enable
you to become a more efficient and successful
learner.

22
Objectives:
By the end of this section, you should be able to:

1.Identify the role of the LMS in ODL.

2.Use the main functions in the WOU LMS.

23
•As an ODL you need the support of various
resources to help you progress.

• That is the LMS.

24
• ODL = a learning process or system in which the
teacher is separated geographically or in time
from his or her student.

• Learning achieved via the implementation of

computer and electronic technology to connect
teacher and learner as when required, in either
real time (synchronous) or delayed time (
asynchronous)

• The LMS = a software package that allows the

management and delivery of content and
resources to students.

25
• The LMS technology – an integral part of teaching
and learning in ODL cos’ it is extremely flexible
in its customisation and its ability to support
multiple learning environments.

• Most LMS are web-based and learners able to

access “anytime” and “ anywhere”

• LMS allow students self-service – facilitating

registration for courses & providing access to
course materials.

• Even can find virtual live classes and resources-

books & instructors.

26
• Via LMS, learners able to read course materials,
complete assessments, quizzes and tests from
the convenience of their PC while contributing to
live discussion forums and chat sessions.

• In ODL, the LMS provides a place:-

1. For learner’s expression.

2. To connect with other learners.

3. To dialogue with the tutor and Course Coordinator.

4. To seek mentoring and live help.

5. For content interaction among learners and/or tutor and Course

Coordinator. (CC)

27
 The function of the WOU LMS - Wawas anLearn
• LMS in WOU = WawasanLearn

• It stores your course website where all the info

concerning your course is located.

• It guides your learning & complements your tutorial

sessions by making available varied and additional
learning opportunities.

• wawasanLearn also provides a platform to connect to

the teaching ( tutors & cc) & learning community ( learners
from all over the country) at WawasanLearn

28
29
WawasanLearn:
• help enrich and accelerate your learning experience at
WOU.

• made available forum where you interact with tutors, CC

& course mates . ( not only from your centre but also
from
other centres as well)

• where you have the opportunity to discus s , collaborate,

and brainstorm with all of them.

• provides you with info & resources to help you complete

and/ or submit as s ignments & quizzes.

30
31
• There are 2 main types of forum:-
(a) Learning Forum

(b) General Forum

1. Announcement from CC – This forum on latest

course announcements, course materials &
course related info & updated by CC.-very
essential to your learning.

2. Announcement from Tutor :- This forum on

latest tutorial annoucement updated by tutor.
Course related info for tutorial classes
announced here.

32
3. Tutor Contact Details – This forum updated by
tutor. Each tutor posts his/her contact number &
available time for tutoring here.

4. Public Forum – This forum can be posted by

anyone enrolled in the course for discussion on
general issues. Not to use to ask for specific
details about TMA or course content. Use class
tutorial forum.

5. Tutorial Forum – A forum that students & tutor

can use to post/communicate with each other to
discuss tutorial specific issues such as queries on
TMA. It also for seekinganswers or clarification to
issues, doubts or any questions related to course
content as well.
33
As a new learner, you may have questions or
doubts that you would like to share with your
tutorial mates. Write down questions or doubts on
the areas which you would like feedback on in the
learning forum.

Sample question : Some of you may even work on

Saturdays and Sundays, so how are you going to
find time to study?

34
There may be questions or issues that you may want to
get more info on or discuss with your course mates from
the other Regional Office. Write down one question or
topic that you would like feedback on.

Sample question : Do you think 21 weeks is enough to

cover all the materials?

35
• You are required to complete 2 tutor-marked
assignments (TMAs)

• WawasanLearn is one avenue to submit these

TMAs.

• You must submit TMAs online.

•Feedback on grades or comments will be given

later.

• If you have any questions or comments on the

TMAs, you can always post on the class tutorial
forum.

36
• There is always a deadline for submitting TMAs
& will be stated in the course website.

• You can answer quizzes directly on the course

website once or more.

RESOURCES
• WawasanLearn also provides you support in
terms of resources you need to easily view the
course materials. E.g Acrobat reader
• Another resource are the links to external web
references.

37
In this section, you learnt about the
functions of the LMS. At WOU, the LMS
which is known as WawasanLearn makes
available various resources that allow you
to further supplement and improve your
ODL experience. It also hosts your course
websites through which you can get info
on everything related to your course.

38
1. In your own words, explain what a
learning management system or
LMS is

It is a software that helps to

manage various learning resources
and distribute information to
students

39
2. Describe three ways the LMScan help
you as an open distance learner.

a. Communicate with tutorial/course mates,

tutors and Course Coordinators.

b. Submit assignments.

c. Get the latest course related information.

40
3. Name one difference between the
discussion board and the public forum.

a. Discussion board – communicate with

tutorial mates.

b. Public forum – communicate with

course mates from other Regional
Offices.

41
4. You have a doubt concerning one of the
self-test questions in a Learning Skills unit.
Describe how you can use the LMS to help
you to clear this doubt.

You can post your doubt either in the

Discussion Board or Public Forum. Email
the tutor or Course Coordinator to
clarify the question.

42
Objectives:
By the end of this section, you should be able to:

1.Discuss the importance of digital libraries in

open distance learning.

2. Apply various strategies for using the WOU

Digital Library.

43
1. Traditional libraries – buildings – books, journals &
printed materials & you need to move from shelves to
shelves.
2. Digital Libraries( DL) = the libraries “in” the
computers.
3. DL – defined as a collection of texts, images etc
encoded to enable it to be stored, retrieved & read by
you thru’ your computer.

4. Within WOU’s portal you will gain access to several

DL opened round-the-clock.

44
1. You can access it whenever you are

2. Everyone has access to the DLs.

3. The resources are available all the time.

4. Resources are available synchronously or

asynchronously.

5. It provides a structured approach to locating

info.

45
6. It enables easy retrieval of info.

7. The books are always well-preserved.

8. You can create your own virtual bookshelf.

9. You can network.

46
• The WOU DL – MyDigitaLibrary –contains vaious
electronic resources e.g. electronic databases,
journals and books subcribed by the library &
electronic resources in the Internet.

•MyDigitaLibrary provides links to:

1.Electronic resources

2. Virtual reference resources

3. Digital content

4. Library research guide

5. Subject guides
47
6. Plagiarism and using Turnitin.com

7. Citation guides – Chicago Manual of Style

8. Patron record section of the Library catalogue

enable registered WOU students & staff to check
their borrowing & files record.

• What do we mean by electronic resources ?

- Internet-based or online versions of printed
journals, newspapers, books & other materials.
- a lot of advantages – be read anywhere, no
missing or torn pages.
- Disadvantages? – Comprehensiveness –
electronic resources do not date as far back as
printed materials. 48
 - To make e-resources work for you, you need to
know the best way to use them.

- Should explore other Internet resources &

traditional collections at WOU Library to
supplement your search.

MyDigitaLibrary – can access from any computer

with Internet – 24 X 7 regardless of your location.

49
1. ACM Digital Library (e-journal)

2. Books 24 x 7 ( e-book)

3. Ebrary (e-book)

4. Ebcohost (e-book and e-journal)

5. Emerald Management (e-journal)\

6. JSTOR Art & Sciences Collections (e-journal)

7. NSTP News & Image Bank

50
8. Oxford Education Dictionary (e-reference)

9. Oxford Reference Online (e-reference)

10. ProQuest Education Journals (e-journal)

11. ProQuest Theses & Dissertations (e-theses)

(For more-
http://woulibrary.wou.edu.my/library/finding_mydi
gitallibrary.aspx )

51
MyDigitaLibrary – makes available e-journals.

• Journals = periodicals presenting articles on a particular

subject such as Mathematics, business studies or info
technology.

• You need to go to A-Z listing of electronic journals to find

the list subscribed by the Library.

• You gain access you need WOU authentication.

• Some articles in PDF format.

52
Now that you are an open distance learner, describe how you plan
to use the DL for:

1.doing your TMAs

Getting additional information from reference materials.

Checking information that I already have.

2. Preparing for your tutorials

Reading up on the topic or getting additional reading

materials on the topic.

53
3. doing your revision

Trying exercises or self-tests that may be found in the

reference books in the library.

Summary
This section discussed the role of DLs in ODL. As a learner
pursuing a university degree via ODL, you need various
resources and these are made available via DL. To help you
further, this section also explained the strategies for using the
WOU DL.

54
Objectives:
By the end of this section, you should be able to:

1.Define what a search strategy is.

2. Describe the three main search strategies.

55
When you ask others for info to
find what you need, you are
actually employing a very simple
form of search strategy.

56
• A strategy = a plan of action to be used to achieve a
certain goal

• An important goal = to search for info.

• You make use of search strategy which are techniques or

methods for getting the info you want as fast as possible.

There are three main sources of info available online:

1.OPAC
2.DLs
3. Internet

57
What is a library catalogue?
• a search & discovery tool that helps you locate
the Library’s online & print collections in a single
search.

• also provides links to a full-text of books &

other e-resources purchased by the library.

• can be used to check your borrowing record or

to reserve books which are out on loan.

• WOU Library catalogue is known as

MyCatalogue . Where is it located?

58
59
Using Mycatalogue to locate libarary materials

To know the exact location of library materials,

you will need to know the following:

• how to use MyCatalogue effectively

• how to manipulate the results

• how to interpret the records

60
Remember that finding the right materials will be easy once
you know how.
Below a sample of a WOU library book record after a
search.

You searched WOU Library Catalogue –Title:business law

Total Requests 0 Unsatisfied Request 0
Call Number KD1629 K26 2005
ISBN 0582893976
Author Keenan, Denis J
Title Business law/Dennis J keenan and Sarah
Riches
Publication Harlow : Pearson/ Longman, 2005
Edition 7th edn
Material Information xxx,604p:III: 25cm
Added Author Sara Riches
Subject Business law
Subject Business law- Wales
61
When searching the MyCatalogue , there are
three search methods.

The basic search is shown on the WOU Library

web page (look to the right of the web page).

To access the Advanced Search and Expert, click

on MyCatalogue ( look to the left of the web
page)

62
63
The first search we will look at is Basic
search. An example of Basic search for the
author ‘Ronald W. Fry.’

Key in the word ‘Fry, Ronald’ in the Search

Terms column. Select the library location.
If you wish to filter by location, Then click
the word Search.

64
65
The following is the results for the above search.

66
Using the basic search method, locate titles for :

1.Study skills

Study Skill Strategies by Uelaine Langefeld

2. Word processing

Details! Details! Tailoring Mac ( and other) Word

Processing Output by Becky Wright

67
The second method is Expert Search. In the
second column, key in the word
“management drury” as follows:

68
69
1. Here you learn how to conduct an advanced search using
boolean operators.

2. Operators are commands used to combine keywords to

broaden or narrow the results of a search.

3. Combining terms using operators is sometimes called

Boolean searching.

4. A Boolean operators broadens a search by synonyms or

alternate terms

5. Boolean operators are words AND, OR, NOT , which are

used to connect search terms
70
AND : narrows a search by requiring that both
terms be present.

OR : broadens a search by incorporating

synonyms or alternate terms

NOT: narrows a search by excluding terms.

Question mark: Use a question mark (?) to

designate a single character. Use two question
marks to designate two characters, and so forth.
• Ho? Will retrieve hop, hog, hot, etc
•P?st - past, pest, post etc
•W??en – women, woven, widen, etc

71
Asterisk : Use an asterisk (*) to designate a single
character. Use two question marks to designate
two characters.

• If you type Mar with an asterisk like this Mar* you

will retrieve market, marketing, marketplace,
margin, marathon, etc.

• If you type St*s will retrieve statistics, states,

statements, etc

72
1. Do a Boolean search on the following
topics and write down the results of your
search in the space provided.

a. Writing and skill

College Writing with readings by John

Langan

73
b. study skills or learning skills

Study Skills for Open Distance Learning by

Open University of Hong Kong

c. Research methods not statistics

Business Research Methods by Donald R.

Cooper and Pamela S. Schindler

74
2. Now try doing a search for the following:

a.Co?t
Cost – Cost Accounting

b. Psy *

Psychology – Educational Psychology

c. G?ion

Globalisation- Ethics of Globalisation

75
Apart from the DL, there are also two additional
libraries you can use as a learner at WOU.

• The first is the main library located at WOU

headquarters.

• The second is in your Regional Centres.

76
When viewing individual records in the library catalogue, you will find a
BARCODE/CALL NUMBER/LOCATION/ITEM CLASS/STATUS as shown below:

Location Call number Barcode Status

HQ Library HD30.28.D245 2003 0000004135 Available
RC Ipoh KPG856L477 0000011464 Due 9/12/2014
RCJB KPG856 A135 2005 0000013656 Available
RCKL HD70 M4 8976 2012 0000021322 Available
RCKC HF5415.12AB L38 2007 0000006146 Due 4/28/2014

To locate the displayed item in the library:

1. Check whether the item status is available.

2. Copy the Call Number information.

3. Locate the book on the shelf. The call number is generally

taped to the bottom of the spine of each book or in the case of
“thin” book, at the bottom left hand corner of the book.

77
The library uses the Library of
Congress Classification Scheme to
assign call number to all books and
other library materials. Except for
WOU course materials and vertical
file collection.

78
A call number is a sequence of letters and
numbers used to identify the subject matter of a
particular item.

It is used to determine the location of an item on

the shelves.

How to read call numbers?

When reading Call Numbers, take note of the
following:

79
Book Title: Linear algebra; a modern introductio
Author : David Poole
Call Number: QA184.2.P821 2006

QA ---- The first line consists of letters that

represent the general subject of the item

184.2– The second line is always a whole number

from 1-9,999 and these numbers represent the
specific topic of the item. The numbers 184.2
represent algebra, linear.

P821 – The third line represents the cutter number

assigned to the author of the book.

2006 – The fourth line may be a year of publication

or volume number. In this case 2006 represent
the year the book was published.

80
• Books are shelved alphabetically according to the
letter on the first line

• When books have more than one letter, the single

lettered books are first on the shelf (to the left)
followed by those with double letters. E.g. in the H
section, the order would be H, HB, HF, HV etc.

81
The Library of Congress (LC) classification
system organises books and other
materials by subject, to make it easier for
you to browse the shelves for materials on
a specific topic.

For more info:

1.http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco.html

2.http://ww.loc.gov.catdir/cpso/lcc.html

82
A DL houses electronic books – e-books

•You can download & save them on your

computer

• You need strategies to locate them.

• You must learn the correct way of searching the

electronic resources to improve the efficiency of
your searches.

83
Some points to bear in mind

Computers searches best when you have very specific

topics.

Remember a successful computer search of databases

depends on your familiarity with the:

• search topic

• contents and format of the database.

• search and display commands

84
Internet search startegies differs from OPAC search
strategies and DL search techniques.

OPAC and DL search strategies are more strictured since

we searching for the specific titles.

There are two important steps in a successful search

strategies:

1.Know your topic

2.Know your Internet Search Tools – the various search

tools you need. There are search engines, meta search
engines and subject directories.
85
If you know the web address you go
directly there.

Just type the URL address, press enter,

and you are directly linked to the site.

86
Browse thru’ the various pages of the
website. Select the links, click on them &
you are taken to other pages and topics.

87
 Some of the most popular search engines are
Google (www.google.com), Yahoo, Exalead, etc.

In a meta-search engine, you submit keywords in its search

box, and it transmit your search simultaneously to several
individual search engines and their data bases of web pages.
Within a few seconds, you get back results. E,g – kartoo
(www . Kartoo.com) and Dogpile (www.dogpile.com)

88
• are organised into categories with each
category containing links to various other sub-
categories

89
• An invaluable strategy in open distance
learning to source for information.

90
• is a collection of data arranged for ease
and speed of search and retrieval.

• There are lots of free databases of

reference material on specialised topics.

91
• A newsgroup is an area on a computer
network, especially topic, for example :
read messages posted on newsgroup that
discuss latest mobile phones.

92
Some search engines provide a service
called “ Ask a Question.’

Yahoo for e.g. has “Ask Yahoo” service

93
The Oxford Dictionary of English, 2nd edn
(revised) 2005 defines a blog as a personal
website on which an individual records
opinion, links to other sites, etc.

Blogs offer alternative viewpoints on news

and other subjects.

94
Now go back to the topic you chose earlier.
Choose any three tools (meta search engine, DLs
or blogs) discussed above and locate info on the
topic “Open Distance Education.” Write down the
tools you used in the left-handed column and the
info in the right-hand column. Once you have
cmpleted your search, compare the results you
obtained with your course mates who used the
same tools.

95
Tools Information

96
For further info on the topic you have just read,
you may refer to the following websites:

1.http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/?TeachingLib/Guid
es/Internet/MetaSearch.html

2.http://www.lib.berkely.edu/?teachingLib/Guides
/Internet/SubjDirectories.html

97
The three main sources of info online
are OPAC, DLs & the Internet. Each of
these sources requires different search
strategies. This section discussed the
search strategies related to these three
online info sources.

98
99
100
In this unit of Learning Skills, you learnt all about
the WOU website, where important resources to
assist you in this distance learning programme
are housed.

These include WawasanLearn and

MyDigitaLibrary.

Apart from knowing what resources there are, you

also learnt appropriate strategies such as OPAC
and internet search that will enable you to retrieve
info or materials more easily for your learning.
101
As an open distance learner, it is important
that you learn how to carry out the different
types of search discussed in this unit.

They will be very useful especially when you

read up for tutorials, complete assignments or
do your revision.

102