Dr. Norzila Zakaria

Medical Doctor in Education Faculty

It was three years back when I was looking for a topic for my proposal. It was hard and I did not have any idea on what should be my research. (Only now I know that this was not right, I should find the gap first before finding the topic...if you are interested, you can read from drotspss.blogspot.com). Thinking whether my application would be accepted by Monash University was  making me restless. I  am a psychiatrist and my interest is about children. I have been running the child psychiatry clinic for almost 4 years before I decided to do child subspecialty training. I was offered a post in Box Hill Hospital, Victoria, Australia together with my friend Dr Nor Harlina Bahar. However, my two attempts taking IELTS exam were disappointing. I failed to get 7 band in my reading (both was 6.5 and 6 respectively). I have expected this would be difficult for me, as I am quite "slow" in reading but not to the extent of dyslexic. I have to struggle remembering what I read in each reading and more challenging when I have to read a journal...Ohhh..that is too difficult. However, despite the difficulties I have, I managed to pass my undergraduate and postgraduate studies Alhamdulillah. That was the reason why I could not do my subspecialty program. Even during the interview with the university panel, my campus director(Dato' Prof Dr. Mafauzy) suggested me to pursue in PhD study. Thinking that the IELTS result was already adequate to apply for PhD in Monash Uni, I then decided to take this offer.<br />
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Going back to the proposal, I discussed my proposed title with my head of Department (Dr Mohd Jamil Yaacob), who is also a child psychiatrist. It was about developing a questionnaire to help screening children with dyslexia in Malaysia. He was very helpful and this title was then prepared as a proposal for my application to pursue my PHD study. After searching suitable supervisors, I was introduced to Dr Umesh Sharma and Dr John Roodenberg as my supervisors. They are both educational psychologist and based in education....what education???? That was not what I wanted, but since I thought they were the expert I had no objection.<br />
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The pride of being a medical doctor was shaken, however, I believed Allah had planned His best for me and see what happen next. To cut the story short...(you can read how was our preparation to come to Australia in my husband's blog <a href="http://mohdnoormamat.blogspot.com.au/">mohdnoormamat.blogspot.com.au</a>, I am now a higher degree student (research in Psychology) in Monash University, Clayton Campus, Victoria. Working together with my supervisors who are educational psychologists is not easy. The topic kept on changing as I insisted to have a medical approach but they could not fit with their approach.<br />
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I had prepared two modules for teachers on how to handle children with behavioural problem (using medical approach...in other word training more "doctors" in school to help screening dyslexia and other behavioural problems, however it was not accepted finally. All together my efforts for 8 months returned to zero and I had to give in and accepted my supervisors' suggestion. I could still remember what my supervisor said<br />
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 "Norzila, your confirmation panel are educationist, even though this is a very good project, but I don't think they will agree with you unless they are from psychiatry department".<br />
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His statement made me aware..."hello...you are in education world and no more in medical world!!!"<br />
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From that point of time, I prepared a new proposal based on my supervisor's suggestion. Studying teachers perception towards students with disruptive behaviour in Malaysia. Thank Allah, slowly I see that I have a bigger role in this education world as compared if I am in a psychiatry world. InsyaAllah, my understanding and my project will help to link between education and medical people to help children and teachers at school. at least these two department can talk in the same language...<br />
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Medical Doctor in Education Faculty

06 Nov 2012

A wife, a mother, a PHD student tasks...all in one package!

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Time runs very fast, Today my baby Humairah is already 99 days, and she is growing physically and mentally fantastic. She is an easy baby, sleeps well throughout the night leaving some space for me to work for my PHD writing.</div>
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When I recalled the time I spent during the pregnancy, it was a painful memory. Having a very bad morning sickness, with no appetite to eat, I have to continue my PHD work. My appetite only returned after the 19th weeks of pregnancy. You will only appreciate something when you lose it. But I will forget all this painful experience when I see my beautiful princess Nur Humairah</div>
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Nurses at the Frankston Hospital were shocked when I told them that I was in my 6th pregnancy.</div>
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"You are crazy, I have only 2 kids and think I am the busiest mother in the world. How did you manage to have 4 kids, now pregnant and at the same time studying for your PHD?" commented one of the nurses.</div>
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This statement immediately switched my thinking from feeling as a  weak person to a great one.</div>
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..."I am great, being a mother of 4, and at the same time a full time housewife and a higher degree student!"</div>
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Soon after that, my husband and my kids faces come one by one in my thinking. Without them, without their patient and without their support I won't be here. Thanks to the prayers from my parents, my parents in law, siblings as well as in laws and friends. My great appreciation to them, their prayers keep us strong in this "world". The biggest and the first should be my thank to Allah the almighty who gives me the strength to continue this journey Alhamdulillah</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my latest family photo during the Eid Adha prayer at<br />
Monash Sport Center recently  (26 October 2012) </td></tr>
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A wife, a mother, a PHD student tasks...all in one package!

Time runs very fast, Today my baby Humairah is already 99 days, and she is growing physically and mentally fantastic. She is an easy baby, sleeps well throughout the night leaving some space for me t…

06 Nov 2012

PHD writing...tips from my supervisor

This entry was attempted to be posted 3 weeks ago but failed due to my procrastination, and only this morning I manage to share with you. This is the story about my meeting with my supervisor...happy reading and pick the tips :)<br />
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I met with my supervisor last Tuesday, showing him my Zero draft Chapter 3 (methodology). Tips that I got from him was about the expectation of the examiners of your writing. This was what he told me<br />
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When examiners look at your thesis, these three things are the main criteria:<br />
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1. Replicability<br />
This means that your research method can be replicated by others. By reading your methodology section, readers must understand how you did your research and can replicate your study without doing any further reading...that means your methodology section needs to be very detail and clear in each step/stage.<br />
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2. Reliability and validity of your research process/questionnaires used.<br />
Make sure you have prepared all evidences that your questionnaires are validated properly, and you can answer confidently in each step of validation such as content validity....who were your expert panels that validated your content, list their names and expertise in your thesis!<br />
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3. Good organisation of your thesis, easy to understand and clear flow. Just imagine on how your data  collection procedure was done and write it down, using flow chart to get a better overview, and write your methodology based on this. Like mine, with pilot study and final study, with two groups of participants (pre-service and in-service teachers), quite difficult to write this section, but when you recall the procedure/process you have done, it is very easy!<br />
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Thank you Mr Supervisor!! That is why you are called "supervisor". And thank you to my digital recorder which allowed me to replay the discussion between me and my supervisor again and again until I really understand what my supervisor was trying to tell me. No more pen and paper during meeting but a digital recorder. It gives you 100% input to be recalled!<br />
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Good tips.

PHD writing...tips from my supervisor

06 Nov 2012