Search

Purpose: The psychological theory of self-determination postulated that gamification enhances learning engagement by intrinsically motivating learners to undertake tasks spontaneously. Gamification has then been integrated into adult learning as part of the initiative of learner-centred pedagogies to curb the low retention rates of adult learners who struggle with heavy work commitments, family obligations and financial pressure. Gamification, being one of the technological mediations, assumes the crucial role of engaging and retaining adult learners. Adult learners have received less attention in research when compared with conventional university students. The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliographic analysis to assess the past, present and future publication trends of gamifying adult learning and to identify the research gap. Design/methodology/approach: This study included publications related to gamification and adult learning from 2014 to 2022, extracted from Dimensions. A total of 79,864 publications were retrieved initially, and 3,469 publications were ultimately selected for final analysis after the refinement of the keyword search. VOSviewer was used for bibliographic coupling, keyword co-occurrence, clustering and co-citation analysis of countries. Findings: The number of publications related to gamification in adult learning has decreased since its peak in 2020. The saturation is mainly concentrated in the USA, the UK and China, with similar levels of national income and technology advancement skills. However, gamification in adult learning remains a popular and growing research area in developing countries like Malaysia, which has huge potential due to government investments in education, technology and lifelong learning. There is also an evident research gap on gamification, adult learning and personality traits, which have not been covered in previous studies. Originality/value: Prior research mostly focused on systematic literature reviews, while the use of bibliometric analysis could be a missing link in this research domain. This paper unveils the evolution of publications on this topic over time by scientifically analysing a large number of publications and rigorously identifying research gaps contributing to future research avenues.

Twice-exceptional individuals experience learning and psychosocial challenges resulting from the discrepancies between their cognitive and social-emotional development. This case report illustrates the learning and psychosocial faced by a child and an adolescent who possess both neurodevelopmental disorders and intellectual giftedness, and the clinical difficulties encountered when assessing them. Psychological and cognitive assessments were instrumental in identifying the unique strengths and learning disabilities of these individuals. The parents received psychoeducation, and a strength-based approach involving them led to improved mood and functioning at home and school. By detailing the clinical challenges in assessment and the effectiveness of strength-based interventions, this study provides valuable insights into addressing the complex learning and educational needs of twice-exceptional children and adolescents in Malaysia. The findings emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive assessments and tailored interventions to support this population, whose potential is often hindered by unaddressed learning challenges. Additionally, the paper calls attention to gaps in current services and policies, advocating for improvements that can better support twice-exceptional learners in achieving their full potential.

Mental health difficulties affect children and adolescents pervasively. School counsellors serve as frontliners to support the students in need, but often face challenges from the complexity of their cases. This study aims to develop a training module named MDAS (Mental Health disorder, Developmental disorders, Attachment and Self-compassionate) program to improve the school counsellors' mental health knowledge and counselling self-efficacy. The Module was adapted from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Training Module for Specialist 2009 (Second Edition). The study adopted a one group pre-test/post-test design to assess 28 school counsellors at 0-month and 4-month after the training. The scales used were Counselling Self-Efficacy scale (COSE), Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) and Self-Compassionate Scale -- Short Form (SCS-SF). Post-training, there were significant increment of COSE and MHLS scores (p < 0.001 and p < 0.046) with Cohen's d of 1.01 and 0.58. Four of the COSE subscales (micro skills, counselling process, cultural competence and dealing with difficult clients' behaviour) significantly increased after MDAS training (p < 0.001, p = 0.006, p = 0.001 and p = 0.01). In addition to increasing the counselling capacity of school counsellors, our training module can serve as a promising platform for mental health professionals and counsellors.

The main aim of this study is to examine the mediating effect of psychological capital (PsyCap) on the relationship between proactive personality and academic performance among undergraduates. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional study was employed. The sample consisted of 390 undergraduate students from Malaysian private universities. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling was used to confirm the proposed research model and test the hypotheses. Results revealed that proactive personality explained a significant proportion of the variance in PsyCap. Further, PsyCap partially mediated the relationship between proactive personality and academic performance. This study concluded that PsyCap could serve as personal resource to improve students' academic performance. The findings of this study offer valuable theoretical and practical implications. The university's management and academic staff need to work together to design effective training interventions and activities that can promote undergraduates' proactive personality and PsyCap.

Virtual reality has been found of great potential to develop intercultural communicative competence and as an effective tool to incorporate intercultural learning principles into engaging lessons in second language education. In this study, Intercultural Communicative Competence Virtual Reality (IC2VR) is a module that employs VR technology to promote ICC among primary school pupils. The study aims to investigate Year 5 pupils' perceptions of the use of VR technology in developing ICC in the Mandarin as a Second Language (MSL) course. A group of 32 pupils who were enrolled in the MSL course were selected from two different national schools to participate in this study. A survey questionnaire was developed to identify the pupils' technology usage and the pupils' learning experiences of the use of VR technology throughout the ICC development effort in the MSL course. Statistical analysis was conducted to analyse the data and presented as frequencies and percentages in tables. Responses from the openended question were gathered, coded and organised into themes. General findings were that majority of the pupils were first-time VR users and they had positive perceptions towards VR technology. The study revealed that the pupils were comfortable with VR technology used in the MSL course. It also indicated that VR technology brings enjoyable lessons to pupils and increases their interest in obtaining new cultural knowledge. This study will benefit policy makers, teachers, instructional designers, and pupils in an effort to understand pupils' perception of VR technology and how it impacts the development of pupils' ICC in MSL classes.

Purpose: Vocational education and training is important to produce skilled and innovative labor to drive the country's development in the 4th industrial revolution (IR 4.0). The employability of vocational college students is crucial to meet the country's demand for 21st-century workers. This study aims to identify the influences of innovative characteristics, work readiness, and vocational self-concept on the employability of vocational college students. The study also examined the moderating role of gender. Methods: A quantitative correlational design was carried out to achieve the objectives of the study. The samples consisted of 395 vocational college students from five vocational colleges located in the states of Kedah and Penang, Malaysia. Data were collected through online questionnaire survey, which is made up of four instruments: Youth Innovation Skills Measurement Tool, the Work Readiness Scale, the Vocational Rational Scale and the Perceived Future Employability Scale. The validity and reliability of these instruments were well established. Descriptive and structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses were carried out. Findings: Innovative characteristics ([beta] = 0.252, t = 5.041, p < 0.001), vocational self-concept ([beta] = 0.386, t = 7.131, p < 0.001) and work readiness ([beta] = 0.219, t = 3.787, p < 0.001) had significant effects on employability of vocational college students. The model explained 53% of the variance in employability. Gender, however, did not moderate any of the three direct significant relationships. Conclusion: This study found that innovative characteristics, work readiness, and vocational self-concept are factors that should be taken into consideration when developing education and career programs, interventions, and support services for vocational students. The graduate employment issues faced by vocational college students can be overcome if factors identified in this study can be enhanced. Similar approaches can be applied for both male and female students since gender is not a significant moderator. Overall, this study sheds light on the employability of vocational graduates and contributes towards improving career guidance and counseling practices for vocational students.

Despite statistics learning becoming more important during this information explosion era, many students still deem the subject complex and challenging. Measures of dispersion, a critical component of statistical knowledge that students often struggle with, have received little attention in research on statistics education. The goal of this study was to uncover students' errors in solving problems involving measures of dispersion by examining students' response in the diagnostic test through the lens of APOS theory. The participants consisted of 85 grade 11 high school students and were then divided into three groups according to their performance to better understand the difficulties and errors made by students from different cognitive levels. The findings revealed that majority of low achievers operate at the action level, as indicated by the numerous conceptual errors discovered during the test. These students have limited conceptual understanding on the topic which required proper remedial from the educators. The study's results are discussed, as well as potential implications for education.

In this study, the levels of knowledge, awareness, and acceptance of research misconduct were investigated among the Pharmacy academics and students in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was carried out. A total of 393 pharmacy academics and students in Malaysia were involved. Perceived research misconduct, as defined in this study as the perception of any research misconduct performed or observed by the respondents at their institution, was captured and further analyzed. The data was analysed using PLS-SEM to assess the hypotheses which were formulated prior to the survey. The findings show that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between the awareness of terminologies regarding research misconduct and perceived research misconduct in the workplace of respondents. However, the acceptance of unethical practices in research demonstrates a negative correlation with perceived research misconduct. Knowledge and awareness regarding research misconduct have no statistically significant relationship with perceived research misconduct in this study. Both awareness of terminologies and acceptance of unethical practices explained a 10.8% variance in perceived research misconduct. Therefore, our study indicates that the awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of research misconduct might not be the main predictors of questionable conduct of research among pharmacy academics and students. Future study on the relationship between other factors which might contribute to research misconduct is highly recommended to investigate the significant contributing factors of irresponsible conduct of research among the Pharmacy academics and students in Malaysia.

The complexities involved in HyFlex teaching and learning prompt us to consider what we know about university students' experiences as they transition into this new pedagogical approach post-pandemic. As part of a larger mixed-methods study, this paper focuses on the qualitative phase, which investigated HyFlex learning (HL) experiences of 17 students from six higher education institutions to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how HL is viewed, the challenges faced and what competencies shaped their engagement with HL. The results show that students' experience is influenced by instructors' HL competence in synchronous and asynchronous aspects of the classroom and students' e-learning self-efficacy. Students' agentic competence, developed and augmented during the pandemic, was illustrated in their reported strategies (i.e., problem-solving, decision-making, self-regulation, and adaptability) engaging within the HL environment. The findings lead to practical implications and identify the need to improve HL delivery. Suggestions for future research are also provided.

Online learning is on the rise, and it is becoming an important mode of learning in higher education. However, there are limited models that explain the link between learners' characteristics, learning processes, and outcomes in an online learning environment. This study aims to examine the influence of online self-regulation on the experiences and engagement of students during online learning processes and their outcomes in terms of satisfaction and academic performance. A quantitative correlational design was used to achieve the objective of this study. Data collection was carried out using an online survey. A total of 609 undergraduates from four public and private universities in Malaysia were sampled. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was run to analyze the obtained data. The results showed that online self-regulation is a presage factor affecting online learning processes. It significantly and positively affects students' experiences and engagement in an online environment. These three factors explained more than two thirds of the variance in satisfaction, a key learning outcome of online learning. However, its predictive value for academic performance was weaker. The developed model can be used as a framework to promote positive online learning outcomes among undergraduate students. The implications of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed in this paper.

Postgraduate students need to be equipped with self-determined learning skills in order to meet the demands of higher degree and employment in the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0) environment. However, the lack of analysis conducted on item level for validating the measurement of postgraduate students' self-determined learning skills prompted the development of The Postgraduate Self-determined Learning Questionnaire (PSLQ) to fill in the research gaps. This paper aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the newly developed 42-item instrument through a mixed method approach as no study has evaluated the psychometric properties of PSLQ at the item level through Rasch model analysis. Quantitatively, 440 postgraduate students were sampled from a higher education institution in Malaysia to answer the questionnaire. Qualitatively, 10 respondents from science and non-science disciplines were interviewed. The paper reports findings on the psychometric properties of PSLQ through Rasch Rating Analysis and participants' perspectives on the item validity. The results revealed that the items in PSLQ demonstrated good psychometric properties for the measurement of self-determined learning skills of postgraduate students. Implications of the study were discussed in this paper. Future studies can further investigate the psychometric properties of PSLQ according to students' discipline of study.

Purpose: Gamification is an effective method to boost students' academic achievement and engagement in second language learning. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of the gamification application, Class Dojo, among Year 4 pupils who are learning Mandarin as a Second Language (MSL). It also sought to investigate how the MSL learners became more engaged in learning Mandarin when using Class Dojo. Methodology: A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and a post-test was conducted to collect data among thirty (30) Year 4 pupils enrolled in the MSL course. The pre-test and a post-test were used to determine the effectiveness of Class Dojo in elevating the pupils' achievement in learning MSL. The mean scores of the pre-test and post-test were compared and analyzed using t-tests to determine if they were significantly different. Data from observations, the pupils' self-reflective journal, and the collection of 'Dojo Points' were grouped into five main themes and analyzed in order to investigate how the participants were engaged in learning MSL. Findings: The findings showed that there was a significant improvement in the academic results of the participants. The pupils' high rate of attendance, task completion, frequent Mandarin usage, positive behavior, and favorable perceptions of Class Dojo indicated that they were engaged in learning in the MSL class. Significance: The findings of this study provide MSL educators and instructional designers with information to consider whether gamification applications could be used as an effective teaching tool or virtual class management tool to enhance pupils' engagement and improve learning outcomes.

Introduction: In today's highly demanding health care industry, paediatricians realise the need to focus on what matters to parents as a means to improve their service quality and health care delivery. This study aimed to identify which key choice elements were important for parents when choosing a paediatric general practice service for their children. It also examined the difference of how parental socioeconomic status influenced these key choice elements. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted at two urban paediatric general practice centres in Malaysia, where parents are at liberty to choose their children's health care provider. Parents who brought their child to seek treatment at the clinics were invited to participate following an informed consent. A self-administered questionnaire was devised from the literature and a focus group discussion. A 5-point Likert scale was applied to 25 elements that were organised into 5 major domains: "consultations", "facilities and services", "fees and charges", "social media engagement", and "doctor's appearance". Results: Out of 424 questionnaires administered, 387 were completed (91.3% response rate). Families value the provision of "facilities and services" as well as the interaction with health care professionals during "consultation". Effective communication via social media engagement was highly desired even beyond office visits. In exchange, parents appeared to tolerate some inconvenience and costlier consultations but still appreciate transparent charges. While certain ratings of key elements varied across income level, parents with higher educational level had more desire for shared decision making. Conclusion: The extent to which key elements were important for parents when choosing a paediatric general practice service appeared to be influenced by their educational and income level. Linking the right drivers to best practices is a key component of effective management strategy in the health care practice.

This study aims to examine the mediating effect of teacher self-efficacy on the relationship between collective efficacy and organizational citizenship behaviour among teachers from public secondary schools. A total of 232 valid samples were collected. Partial least square approach was adopted to conduct a comprehensive structural equation modelling. Findings revealed that teacher's self-efficacy and its dimensions: personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy are statistically significant to organizational citizenship behaviour. Additionally, collective efficacy is insignificantly related to organizational citizenship behaviour, but it must influence organizational citizenship behaviour indirectly through teacher's self-efficacy and its dimensions: personal teaching efficacy and general teaching efficacy. Several implications are discussed theoretically and practically.

Effective engagement during online learning is essential for achieving successful student outcomes. This study aims to determine the level of engagement among undergraduate students and its influencing factors during the online learning process. Data were collected from a sample of 609 undergraduate students, taken from four public and private universities in Malaysia. Results showed that undergraduate students have a moderate level of engagement during online learning. Their engagement was significantly influenced by perceptions of online learning, experiences in online learning, and online self-regulation skills, as demonstrated by the results of partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). These factors accounted for 63.7% of the variance in students' engagement (R[superscript 2] = 0.637, p < 0.01). The implications of the study were discussed.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a three-dimensional approach to professional services in which high-quality and current research evidence is integrated with practitioner expertise along with client values to inform assessment and treatment decisions. The primary objective of this study is to promote the importance of EBPs for speech-language-pathologies to their students' clinical practices. A cross-institute collaboration on EBP in-class assignment was conducted at the National University in Malaysia and Rockhurst University in the United States. This assignment required students to choose and explore a research article online and write a synopsis of the article and reflections about its findings for clinical application. The findings show that both groups of students learned how to access EBP, and this assignment helped them better understand EBP in the field of speech language pathology. Students from the United States reported that they had more of a base of knowledge about EBP than their peers in Malaysia. Findings from this study could help the local governance and speech-language pathology associations in Malaysia and the United States and university programs in both countries understand the current practice and professional development needs of speech therapists in both countries.

Purpose: The study explored the barriers and enablers faced by language teachers in teaching 21st century skills at Chinese vernacular schools. It aimed to determine the effects of teachers' attitudes, barriers, and enablers in teaching the skills during language lessons. Method: A mixed-method design was used to achieve the two objectives of this study. Quantitative data were collected from 400 language teachers from Chinese vernacular schools, and semistructured interviews were carried out with nine of the teachers. Barriers and enablers faced by teachers were identified through literature review, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaire surveys. Triangulation was carried out for analysis purposes. The effects among the variables were analysed through partial least squares structural equation modelling via Smart PLS 3.0. Findings: The major barriers and enablers faced by language teachers in teaching 21st century skills at Chinese vernacular schools were uncovered. Direct effects of teachers' attitudes, barriers, and enablers on the teaching of 21st century skills were found. However, there were no significant moderating effects of barriers and enablers on their teaching. Both of these variables had stronger effects on teachers' attitudes. Significance: With the identifications of barriers and enablers faced by language teachers at Chinese vernacular schools, more effective support and interventions can be provided to these teachers. Teacher training and professional development programmes on 21st century language teaching can also be improved by incorporating the influencing factors identified in this study.

Postgraduate students have to play active roles in self-determined learning, as major agent in their own learning and research activities. There is a lack of validated research instruments to measure self-determined learning among postgraduate students. The Postgraduate Self-Determined Learning Questionnaire (PSLQ) was specifically developed to fill in the gaps. This study aims to examine the validity and reliability of the PSLQ through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The original version of PSLQ has 59 items and it was administered to a sample of 201 postgraduate students from a research-intensive university in Malaysia. The results of EFA revealed that PSLQ measures four distinct factors; learner-centered learning, interactive non-linear learning, double-loop reflection, and capacity development, which accounted for 54.22% of the variance in self-determined learning. The total number of items in PSLQ has been reduced to 42, after 17 items were removed. The instrument demonstrated excellent internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha value of [alpha]=0.959. The findings-suggest that PSLQ is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used to measure self-determined learning among postgraduate students. Implications of the research findings are discussed in this paper.

The use of self-correction strategy helps students to detect their own mistakes and self-correct them, thereby students self-regulate their own learning processes. It is still a strategy that is rarely researched in mathematics learning, particularly at the primary level. This study attempts to fill in the gaps by determining the effectiveness self-correction strategy on primary school students' mathematics achievement. It also aims to determine the mediating roles of problem-solving self-efficacy on the relationships between the two variables. To assess the effects of self-correction strategy empirically, a Pretest-Posttest Nonequivalent Control Group design was employed. The study involved 62 primary school students. The experimental group (n=32) applied self-correction strategy during 12 mathematics lessons while the control group (n=30) did not. Achievement of both groups was measured by the mathematics test. Students' problem-solving self-efficacy was measured by the Problem-Solving Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. Results of Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) found that self-correction strategy was effective in improving the experimental group's mathematics achievement [F(1, 59) = 11.00, p < 0.05, eta square = 0.157]. The results of regression analysis showed that self-efficacy was a significant mediator between the use of self-correction strategy and their mathematics achievement [F(1, 61) = 27.60, p = 0.046, [beta] = -0.201]. Implications of the findings from the educational and research standpoints were discussed and suggestions for future research were provided in this paper.

Background: One of the many challenges faced by universities in developing countries is to equip graduates with practical skills and knowledge for the demanding workforce. The traditional textbook-oriented lecture lacks up-to-date industrial practices. Purpose: This study highlights the development of a university-industry collaboration model for producing work-ready engineering graduates. An experienced practising engineer from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman's Industry Advisory Panel representing Techkem Group was invited as a guest lecturer for two undergraduate engineering elective courses. Besides conventional lectures and tutorial sessions, the invited guest lecturer with vast industrial exposure also demonstrated actual engineering equipment working principles to the undergraduate students. Sample: A total of 80 final year students and 10 lecturers took part to provide the feedback. Design and methods: Feedback from students and lecturers was analyzed to determine the acceptance level towards incorporating industrial practice knowledge in these elective courses. Results: The integration of current industrial practices into these courses has shown encouraging response from both students and lecturers with scoring between 80.8 and 93.3 points out of the maximum 100 points. Conclusions: Positive results from the respondents have paved the path for the future development of such collaboration. Corporate social responsibility engagement by the industry as well as initiative to improve the teaching and learning process for elective courses by the university are essential aspects for a mutually beneficial collaboration in this model.

Criticisms on multiple choice questions (MCQs) include the possibility of students answering MCQs correctly by guessing, and MCQs generally are said to fall short in cultivating independent learning skills, such as taking charge of their learning goals. Countering these common concerns, this research used online MCQ exercises with multiple attempts to investigate the experiences that drove students to become self-directed learners. In this research, 60 students completed two sets of online MCQ exercises with multiple attempts outside of classroom time for six weeks consecutively. Both focus group interviews and an online survey were conducted to investigate the experiences of using online MCQ exercise with multiple attempts in relation to the development of self-directed learning (SDL). The findings of the study showed that the criticisms may be unfounded. Data leads to the conclusion that the majority of the students do not just try to guess at the correct answers. Rather, many of them attempted the online MCQ exercises more than once to improve themselves indicating that they were interested in self-learning. Students also reported that they utilised search and inquiry skills that clearly showed motivated initiatives to plan how to overcome their weaknesses by independently looking for relevant resources, determine their own learning goals, and evaluate their own learning performance as a firm indicator of SDL development. Based on the findings, this study is able to refute the claim that MCQs are unable to cultivate independent learning skills.

The rapid technological development and revolution have transformed the education field, promoting the betterment of learning and teaching quality. Augmented Reality (AR) is becoming increasingly popular for its ability to help educators to create an engaging and creative method of teaching. The increasing use of technology has piqued researchers' interests in studying its efficiency. Following this observation, this study aims to explore educators' readiness in embracing AR as an enhancement teaching tool in the future. This study employed a quantitative methodology and collected 223 respondents' data from five private universities in Malaysia. The data was analysed using the Partial Least Squares--Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) software. The results demonstrated that there were significant relationships between educators' innovation towards the intention to adopt AR moderated by perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU). This study provides some insightful AR applications in the education industry, which is in line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0 theme. It successfully identifies the importance of motivating educators and students in embracing AR as an enhancement learning tool, providing a valuable discussion for the government, learning institutions, and educators on the implementation of AR in Malaysia.

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study that has been implemented by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) since 1995. This proposed study is aimed to identify the correlations of science classroom teachings with eighth graders' science achievement in TIMSS among Southeast Asian and East Asian countries. The freely downloadable secondary data were analyzed using IEA's International Database (IDB) Analyzer (version 4.0) for TIMSS, a plug-in for SPSS. TIMSS uses an imputation methodology, involving plausible values, to report student performance. This study found that countries with higher average science achievement allocated higher percentage of educational hours for science teaching, students were taught the TIMSS science topics, students attended schools with science laboratories and have assistance available when conducting experiments, computer availability during science lessons, with science teachings were not limited by student needs, and less frequency of student absences. Based on the research findings, policy recommendations were made to the Malaysian Ministry of Education to boost Malaysian eighth graders' science performance in the forthcoming TIMSS assessments.

All children have the right to a safe and nurturing environment that promotes their holistic development. Accessibility is an important gateway to inclusive education where all children including disadvantaged children such as indigenous children, special needs children and children at risk are given equal access to quality early childhood care and education (ECCE). In ensuring inclusive accessibility to ECCE, many countries including Malaysia have instituted policies in relation to the provision of childcare and preschool education. These policies are expected to make a significant difference to the way practitioners work to achieve the best outcomes. This paper reports on a research study to examine the impact of the existing policies on the accessibility to quality ECCE in Malaysia. As part of a larger research project, this study employs a qualitative methodology that used a purposive sampling method. 54 participants were involved consisting government official and leaders of non-government agencies related to ECCE in Malaysia. A team of researchers conducted individual interviews and focus group interviews for the participants who consented to the research. Data collected were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis method involving three cycles of rigorous analytic coding and review processes. The findings of this study indicated the participants are aware of the accessibility related policies they are directly dealing with, and the major themes expressed were inter-agency cooperation to achieve enrolment target; questioning the status quo of the existing procedures; and challenges in providing support services for children with special needs; and inclusion of children with disabilities. The challenges to accessibility are mostly related to disadvantaged children and weakness in the governance and gaps of implementation. Policy reviews need to be systematized into programme planning to ensure high quality ECCE services are accessible to all children in Malaysia.

Since 1995, the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) implemented the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) as an international comparative study. This article aims at identifying the correlations of science classroom instructions with TIMSS science achievement of eighth graders among countries in Southeast Asia and East Asia. The freely downloadable secondary data were analyzed using a plug-in for SPSS, i.e., the International Database (IDB) Analyzer (version 4.0) of IEA using an imputation methodology involving plausible values so that student's performance can be reported. This study found that Southeast and East Asian countries with high average science achievement adequately emphasized academic success, have teachers with job satisfactions well as facing few challenges, have students with sense of belonging to school. Based on the research findings, policy recommendations were made to the Malaysian Ministry of Education to boost Malaysian eighth graders' science performance in the forthcoming TIMSS studies.

Although recent research looked at the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model among academicians, there is still lacking an adequate account for their technology adoption intentions and behaviors in the face of the COVID-19 virus. This study applies the conservation of resource (COR) theory to ground the statistical results investigating the moderation and moderated mediation effects of COVID-19 anxiety in relation to the UTAUT model. According to the COR theory, anxiety linked with the COVID-19 pandemic endangers resources such as human connections (death of friends and relatives), job security and finances, as well as physical health and psychological well-being. Since resource loss is more salient according to COR theory, academicians are more willing to employ technologies like Zoom, MS Teams, and Google Classroom since the COVID-19 threat is existential and the resource loss is eminent. To test the theory, data was collected through an anonymous survey during the months of December 2020 and January 2021. The resultant data from 215 academicians was analyzed using Hayes Process Macro in SPSS. COVID-19 Anxiety positive moderates both the direct effects of Performance Expectance-Behavior Intention and the mediating Performance Expectance-Behavior Intension-Usage relationships. Similar results were seen for other predictors, albeit the moderated mediations for Effort Expectancy and Facilitating Conditions were not significant. These findings overwhelmingly corroborate the claims that COR theory more comprehensively explains the effects of COVID-19 anxiety among academicians in relation to the UTAUT model.

This article reports research on the implementation of the Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2013-2025, drawing on 49 extended interviews with senior policy makers at federal, state and district levels, and school principals, informed by a systematic review of international and Malaysian literature. The findings show that the reforms are poorly understood by officials and school leaders, leading to partial and unenthusiastic enactment. The paper concludes that such ambitious reforms need to be acceptable, to ensure "ownership" of the reform agenda, and feasible, to avoid disenchantment by officials, school leaders and teachers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way of teaching and learning in medicine. Conventional medical education has been fully transformed to open distance learning that includes the full utilization of various digital platforms. Thus, this study explored the impact of digital learning usage on learning motivation among medical students of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic period. A validated Students Motivation towards Science Learning (SMTSL) tool was used to assess the learning motivation of UKM undergraduate medical students throughout years 1 to 5. Digital learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly higher compared to before the pandemic (p < 0.05) but there was no significant difference (p = 0.872) in learning motivation. The use of digital learning among clinical students was significantly higher during the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to preclinical students (p < 0.05). There was a moderately strong correlation (r = 0.512) between digital learning and learning motivation. Hence, digital learning should be utilized as an additional driving factor to increase learning motivation, especially during this current pandemic.

Creating technological artefacts through hands-on practice has gained traction as a means to rethink educational approaches. This study reports the effectiveness of the maker pedagogy on students' interest in literacy. An evaluation study was conducted involving 112 primary school children, aged 11, in two primary schools in Malaysia with the aim of improving students' reading interest. The study involved an experimental group of participants creating augmented storybooks using paper-based circuitry and programming. Participant results reveal a significant increase in interest while learning by making augmented storybooks in comparison to just reading using augmented storybooks. The study demonstrates how learning by making can be implemented in primary school settings and highlights key challenges and opportunities for applying the approach in everyday teaching and learning contexts.

Purpose: This quantitative study explored willingness to communicate (WTC) across two settings, ESL in Malaysia, and EFL in Indonesia and Thailand. Participants' WTC levels were measured and communicative situations in which participants were almost always willing and almost never willing to communicate in English were identified. Method: Convenience sampling was used to select the three countries, four secondary schools and 42 intact classes from Years 7 to 10. Two schools were in Malaysia, while one school each was in Indonesia and Thailand. A total of 1038 participants, consisting of 291 Malaysians, 325 Indonesians and 422 Thais took part in the study. The instrument used was an adapted questionnaire measuring WTC inside and outside the English classroom. Findings: The major findings were: (1) Situations in which students were almost never willing to communicate in English were mainly found outside the classroom; (2) Students were almost always willing to communicate in English in brief, predictable situations requiring the use of set phrases; (3) ESL students had a higher level of WTC than EFL students; and (4) WTC inside the classroom was significantly higher than WTC outside the classroom. Significance: The findings have implications for ESL/EFL classroom instruction. English teachers remain the main interlocutors in increasing WTC in the classroom. They also need to bridge the gap between the classroom and the outside world by preparing students for real social situations. This is consistent with the situation-specific aspect of WTC in the heuristic model proposed by MacIntyre, Clément, Dörnyei, & Noels (1998).

Today, academics are under high pressure to equip themselves to satisfy various demands. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between job burnout, occupational commitment, and organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among academics at a private university in Malaysia. The present study was applied on the basis of PLS-SEM analysis. A total of 620 academics from two campuses of a private university participated in the study. The results indicate that emotional exhaustion is the most stressful indicator of job burnout. Secondly, job burnout was found to exert a significant negative influence on OCB as well as occupational commitment. Finally, occupational commitment was found to be a mediator between job burnout and OCB. In summary, this study aims to improve the professional commitment and OCB of academic staff by addressing job burnout.

While there are research studies into students' affective perspectives revolving around science and science education over the last five decades, there are few studies on students' attitudes and beliefs in these areas in developing countries in South East Asia, particularly those that do not participate in international assessment programs. This quantitative study investigated the affective profiles of Year 9/10 students in science/science learning from seven South East Asian countries and Australia to understand the similarities and differences in students' attitudes and the implications in advancing the STEM education agenda in these countries. Comparative studies perform several important functions that are closely interlinked and this study heightens our awareness of the impact of systems and cultures on students' emotional views in the areas of science/science education, allowing country coordinators and policy makers to compare and review teaching practices to enhance student engagement and performance. The implications of the study are discussed.

Throughout the last decade in Malaysia, participation of students with disabilities in higher education has seen minimal growth. This paper investigates the policies and practices regulating disability in Malaysia's higher education. Three aspects -- legislation, funding, and governance -- are analysed. To reveal the gaps in policy and practice, comparison is carried out with the cases of England and Australia. The research involved examining government documents such as disability acts, action plans, and research and statistics reports, combined with interviewing university administrators. It was found that Malaysian legislation requires more supporting details and that disability funding for universities should be considered. For governance, systematic legislation review and specific university monitoring are recommended. Establishing an independent national entity to conciliate grievances is proposed to address the inadequate redress mechanism available for students with disabilities. Overall, the government and universities could ensure that disability information is available in the public domain, especially online. Such practice would enhance disability awareness and knowledge for all. Although this paper mainly takes on the perspective of a developing nation, it attains an international orientation as it also depicts the workings of the developed world in governing disability in higher education.

This study measured validity and reliability of an adapted motivation scale used in second language learning. The Integrative and Instrumental motivation (IIM) was developed based on two orientations of motivation, which were integrative motivation and instrumental motivation. IIM was used to identify students' level of motivation towards learning Chinese language as a second language (CLSL) in national school. The study presented empirical evidence of validity and reliability using the Rasch Model. Pilot study was conducted in a national school which has students enrolled for the CLSL class. There were 29 students in this pilot study. Data was analyzed using WINSTEPS version 3.72.3. The result showed the reliability of the motivation scale is 0.87 based on Cronbach's alpha. The construct validity was determined by PT-measure correlation value (PMC) range from 0.71 to 0.86, infit and outfit MNSQ between 0.53 to 1.43 and ZSTD range from -1.1 to 1.2. In unidimensional measure, raw variance explained was at 66.4% with the unexplanined variance in the first factor was at 13.6%. Finally the fit statistics showed that person separation index, 2.79 was considered good and item separation index, 1.81 was in acceptable range. Person and item reliability were at 0.89 and 0.77 respectively. The result indicated that the new instrument with 15 items-IIM after eliminated unfit items was a reliable and valid instrument to measure the motivation in learning CLSL in the context of national school.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to formulate a curriculum design framework, to test it and learn through pilot implementation, in order to systematically embed the graduate capabilities in the curricula, leveraging on Biggs' constructive alignment framework. This paper aims to report the outcome of a study lasts for one year supporting a university's curriculum transformation project. Methodology: Guided by the research objectives of this study, the research approach is action research. More specifically, benchmarking visit was used for the first phase, the design phase, to propose a suitable curriculum design framework. Pilot implementation was used during the second phase. Two programmes from two faculties were selected. Data was collected through observation, interview and document analysis. Data was analysed through on-going analysis and final reflection. Findings: This study presents a more detailed and practical curriculum design framework to support the development of graduate capabilities leveraging on Biggs' constructive alignment framework. The key challenges faced and proposed strategies are consistent with existing studies. However, this paper argues for stronger emphasis on communicating compelling reason for change. This study reinforces that the process of constructive alignment remains challenging due to the iterative process of alignment at programme and module levels. Significance: This paper has expanded Biggs' constructive alignment operational framework by offering more detailed and practical steps to ensure curriculum design effectively supports the development of graduate capabilities. The insights are especially useful for young universities with limited experience and yet have the ambition to transform its curriculum to develop institution-wide graduate capabilities leveraging on Biggs' constructive alignment framework. The insights are useful for improving countries' policy and implementation strategies too.

Purpose: The globalisation of higher education has created new challenges for educators to remain dynamic in teaching science undergraduates with diverse cultural backgrounds. The current study explores this challenge by evaluating the different personal factors among biosciences and pharmacy undergraduates that affect their learning approaches as well as to identify course-specific teaching approaches in order to determine their impacts on students' learning. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional survey design based on study process questionnaire (SPQ), and approaches and study skills inventory for students (ASSIST) was utilised to collect quantitative data from 129 biosciences and pharmacy undergraduates. Findings: Biosciences undergraduates adopted deep and achieving learning approaches as they progressed through the curriculum, whilst surface learners dominated the pharmacy course. Ethnicity was shown to affect the learning approaches among the undergraduates. Although male undergraduates from both courses were more competitive than the female, elder female undergraduates tend to adopt deep learning approach. Pre-university qualifications did not significantly influence the undergraduate's learning approach. The contrasting finding on the preferred teaching approaches between biosciences and pharmacy undergraduates has highlighted the importance of providing tailored teaching and learning strategies to cater different students' learning needs. Originality/value: This study has demonstrated the combinational use of SPQ and ASSIST instruments to compare undergraduate's learning approaches with preferred teaching approaches. The current finding could support the development of teaching and learning practice among the biosciences and pharmacy undergraduates with multicultural background.

Purpose: This paper presents an educational virtual reality (VR) game and experiments with different methods of including it into the teaching process. The purpose of this research study is to discover if immersive VR games can be used as an effective pedagogical tool if blended with traditional lectures by assisting learning gain, memory and knowledge retention while increasing edutainment value. Design/methodology/approach: This research design comprises three different methods of learning: lecture-based involving lecture slides, infographics, and a video, game-based involving an immersive VR game of oil rig exploration, and the combination of lecture and game-based. Participants of each method filled up a questionnaire before and after participation to measure the learning gain, memory, and knowledge retention. Findings: From the predominant findings of the study, the combined method demonstrated a significant increase in learning gain, memory, and knowledge retention and maybe a potentially suitable pedagogical tool. Research limitations/implications: Limitations of the study include findings based on one VR game with a specific educational topic, additionally, it is suspected that having different participants for each of the three methods may have slightly affected the results, albeit to a limited extent. Practical implications: Findings of this study will provide evidence that VR games can be used alongside traditional lectures to aid in the learning process. Educators can choose to include VR games into their curriculums to improve the educational delivery process. Originality/value: This research contributes to ways of incorporating VR games into educational curriculums through findings of this study highlighting the combination of VR games with lectures.

This study explored the perceptions of students from different types of schools in Malaysia towards their online learning engagement during COVID-19's movement control order using Fredricks et al.'s framework of behavioural, cognitive, and emotional engagement. In addition to these variables, external support provided to the students was also considered. To this end, a questionnaire that examined the students' general online practices and online learning engagement was administered. Seven hundred sixty-eight students from four different types of secondary schools (national, Chinese, international, and high performing schools) responded to the questionnaire. The findings from the ANOVA analysis indicated that generally the respondents demonstrated positive online learning practices. However, the amount of time spent interacting with teachers online should be much improved. The findings also indicated significant differences in perceptions towards online learning engagement and external support based on school types.

Purpose: It is still unclear how Asian universities incorporate the theory or practice of sustainable development (SD) in their research and education programmes. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to report on a study that has examined how universities in Asian countries handle and address matters related to SD. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a bibliometric analysis and an online survey-method. The online survey data were analysed through descriptive analysis and one-sample student's "t"-test. Findings: The study indicates that there is considerable variation among the Asian countries regarding sustainability practices in higher education institutions (HEIs). The HEIs in far eastern countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are perceived to demonstrate more sustainability practices. Research limitations/implications: Even though a substantial number of participants participated in the survey, it did not cover all Asian countries. The online survey was carried out over a limited period of time, and not all HEIs in the field may have received information about the study. Practical implications: Asia is the largest continent facing a number of sustainability challenges. In this context, the contribution of HEIs is very important. The findings of the current study may serve as a baseline for Asian HEIs to take more initiatives towards SD goals, as HEIs are responsible for the education and training of hundreds of thousands of students who will be occupying key positions in industry, government or education in the coming years. Originality/value: The study contributes to the existing literature in two distinct ways. First, it was possible to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure sustainability practices in HEIs. Second, this study has filled the gap of the scarcity of studies regarding sustainability practices in HEIs in Asia.

Although international research has accumulated significant evidence on inclusive practices and their benefits for children, how this translates into early childhood settings is often unsatisfactory within and across countries. Against the background of general acceptance of the principles incorporated in the Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, we examine how 3 countries who are signatories to this convention, Australia, Greece, and Malaysia, are making progress towards inclusion in early childhood. Using an implementation science framework, the key components of enabling contexts, research-based practices, and effective implementation supports are explored. In this framework, each of these components is essential for achieving the desired outcomes of inclusion. The country profiles of Australia, Greece, and Malaysia are examined (including similarities and differences in legislation, policies, early childhood services, and practices) in an effort to support understanding of factors facilitating and challenging early childhood inclusion.

Multicultural education is crucial in promoting cross-cultural understanding, recognition, and celebration of diversity in Malaysia-one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world. Preschool teachers play central roles in laying the foundation for cultural acceptance and positive racial interaction during early childhood. This study aims to explore Malaysian preschool teachers' training and attitudes towards multicultural education. A quantitative questionnaire survey approach was used to gather the required data. The participants consisted of 1,067 preschool teachers from 267 private and government preschools providers in the country. Two validated instruments were employed to measure the variables in this study. The trainings received by the preschool teachers were measured by the Teachers' Training Multicultural Education Scale (TTMES) while their attitudes towards multicultural education were gauged by the Multicultural Teaching Scale (MTS). Findings showed that preschool teachers were positive about the trainings that they received in relation to multicultural education. However, the extent to which they actually understood the concept of multiculturalism was doubtful in view that two thirds of the teachers demonstrated misconception about the fundamental principles of multicultural education when their attitudes towards multicultural education were examined. Significant differences were found in teachers' training and attitudes according to the categories of preschools; teachers from mono-cultural preschools displayed the least positive attitudes towards multicultural education. Implications of the study were discussed in the paper.

This study examined the extent to which students in one Malaysian university use smartphones to support their school-related learning and how these activities relate to CGPA. For seven consecutive days, 176 students from three academic programs recorded their daily smartphone use for learning. Significant differences were found in uses of smartphones depending on academic program. Further, it was found that the more students utilized their smartphone for university learning activities, the lower their CGPA. The outcome of this study suggests a need to evaluate and better understand the instructional uses of smartphones for tertiary students.

Homeschooling in Malaysia is a form of alternative education that emphasizes quality education based on moral values and beliefs while strengthening family bonds. This alternative form of education is being practiced by a growing number of families in Malaysia. As such, the Ministry of Education has given the green light for intending parents who wish to homeschool their children to do so with prior permission from the Ministry. Local parents homeschool their children for various reasons. This study was undertaken to foresight the trends of parents who homeschool their children in Malaysia. A mixed approach was used in this study. The data collected was analyzed by using impact uncertainty analysis to foresight homeschool in Malaysia. Data was collected from 30 parents who homeschool in Malaysia and 4 of them were also interviewed. Parent left mainstream schooling is mainly due to inadequate curriculum or syllabus, social issues among students, an adverse school environment and conflicting values in the mainstream's schools. The key drivers of homeschool in Malaysia are social issues among students and the education syllabus offered. This research work foresighted the drivers of homeschooling and provided possible scenarios of future of homeschool in Malaysia. Discussion and recommendations were provided.

A nomogram provides a novel solution for assessing the risks of type 2 diabetes among teachers. This is particularly effective when the nomogram incorporates the Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI) and relevant predictors. In this study, we followed up with a group of teachers from the CLUSTer cohort using RedCap and linked it with the Malaysian National Diabetes Registry. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the predictors associated with T2DM risk in teachers during the follow-up period. We translated our findings into an online interactive nomogram. A total of 3477 teachers were included in the study, of whom 697 (20.0%) were ultimately diagnosed with T2DM. The Cox regression model revealed that HLI and 11 other predictors were significantly associated with diabetes risks among teachers. A nomogram that predicted the risks of T2DM at five, seven, and nine years was developed. Of the 12 predictors, age, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and HLI contributed the most to the total score. Combining the HLI with other predictors in a nomogram allows teachers to assess their T2DM risks and take action to prevent the development of T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The barriers that indigenous students face in pursuing higher education are substantial and far-reaching. This study seeks to understand the impact of institutional support on engagement of "Orang Asli" students and its effects on their learning outcomes and academic achievement. Quantitative data were collected from 160 "Orang Asli" students from three tribal groups through an online survey. Indigenous students from 11 selected public universities in Malaysia have responded to the survey, with a response rate of 89%. The partial least squares (PLS) approach was used to analyse the data. Results of the structural model showed that despite the absence of dedicated indigenous support centres at public universities in Malaysia, institutional support still have significant impact on engagement of "Orang Asli" students, which in turn affects their learning outcomes and academic achievement positively. The implications of the research findings and recommendations for future research are discussed in this paper.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of proactive personality (PP), entrepreneurship education (EE) and entrepreneurial opportunities (EO) on shaping entrepreneurial intentions (EI) among university students through attitude toward entrepreneurship (ATE) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) according to Ajzen's (1985) theory of planned behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: The study used questionnaires to collect data from university students enroled in undergraduate programmes. A total of 209 surveys were successfully collected. SPSS and SmartPLS 3.0 software were used to analyse and test nine hypotheses derived from the intentions-centred model. Findings: The results supported seven hypotheses. There were positive relationships between PP and ATE; PP and PBC; EE and ATE; EO and ATE; EO and PBC; ATE and EI; and PBC and EI. However, there were no relationships between EE and PBC, and subjective norms and EI. Research limitations/implications: This study used a cross-sectional survey and self-report data which hinder conclusively making correlational inferences. In addition, the various developmental stages of students may influence perceptions of EI. Practical implications: The empirical findings provide new insights for policymakers, educators and academics about the antecedents governing EI. This study also enhances the understanding of the preconditions for EI, which can be utilised by practitioners to encourage and manage graduate entrepreneurship. Originality/value: This study advances an intentions-based model which suggests a simultaneous presence of the three core factors, PP, EE and EO for an effective formation of EI. By doing so, the study addresses the issue of the scarcity of investigations on the combined effects, thus closing the research gap and bringing new perspective to the antecedents-intentions nexus of graduate entrepreneurship.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the interaction effects of gender and motivational beliefs on students' self-regulated learning. Specifically, three types of motivational beliefs under the Expectancy-Value Model were examined, namely self-efficacy, control beliefs and anxiety. Methodology: A quantitative correlational research design was used to achieve the research objectives. Data were collected through the questionnaire survey method from 322 secondary school students (166 males; 156 females). The samples were taken from two ICT-integrated schools located in Peninsular Malaysia. The learning environment in these schools was conducive for self-regulated learning. The Learning Strategies Scale and the Motivation Scale, taken from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) were used to measure the variables of the study. Findings: The findings showed that self-efficacy and control beliefs were positively related to students' self-regulated learning. Anxiety, however, was found to be negatively related to self-regulated learning. The interactions between gender and levels of motivational beliefs on self-regulated learning were also explored in this study. The relationships between self-efficacy and self-regulated learning differed according to gender. However, there were no significant interaction effects between gender and internal control beliefs on self-regulated learning. This implies that gender differences in self-regulated learning were not due to the differences in control beliefs and anxiety. Significance: This study offers insights on the interaction effects between motivational beliefs, and gender and self-regulated learning. It may help to develop effective instructional strategies to enhance students' self-regulated learning skill in ICT-related learning environments.

This study aims to examine Malaysia's involvement in the Polar Regions, in the context of education, outreach, and communication (EOC), and consequently, to determine the effectiveness of these initiatives. Using qualitative and quantitative research analyses, this study found that Malaysia's experiences in EOC can be used to increase public knowledge and awareness towards the Polar Regions. In 2015, an exploratory study was conducted to survey the general knowledge, understanding and opinions of young Malaysians with regard to environmental citizenship on polar-related issues. Moving from there, Malaysia became actively engaged in EOC programmes to increase awareness among its young citizens and to develop national interest on the Polar Regions. Hence, knowledge and concerns of Malaysia's young citizens about Polar Regions have been well developed, especially on issues related to climate change. The survey conducted was important for evaluating the effectiveness of Malaysia's initiatives on the Polar Regions in the context of EOC. Consequently, these initiatives have made it possible for Malaysia to establish the scenario of the nation's agenda on Polar Regions, with the support of the Malaysian public. Following that, Malaysia took the initiatives to map out the future landscape of Malaysia's involvement in the Polar Regions. To develop future strategies for the national polar governance, information on Malaysia's activities in the Polar Regions is important in coordinating stakeholder's initiatives with the available funds for EOC initiatives during the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP).