Private University In Malaysia Research Articles

Exploring the eHealth literacy and mobile health application utilisation amongst Malaysian pharmacy students

Introduction Pharmacy students should be eHealth literate by being skilful in searching, evaluating and applying online health information. Mobile health applications should be utilised when making clinical decisions to achieve optimal patient care with the ever-changing pharmacy practice. This study aims to explore the eHealth literacy and mobile health application utilisation amongst pharmacy undergraduates. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2021. An online survey, consisting of socio-demographic characteristics, Internet use, eHealth Literacy Scale and mobile health application utilisation, was distributed amongst pharmacy undergraduates in public and private universities in Malaysia. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance test, Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test Results A total of 415 participants completed the survey (response rate = 82.5%). The median eHealth Literacy Scale score (out of 40) was 31.0 ± 3.0 (interquartile range). More than one-third of participants (34.7%) were found to have low eHealth literacy. Many lacked confidence in making health decisions from online information (42.4%) and skills in distinguishing between high-quality and low-quality health resources (35.2%). Only 70.4% of the participants had mobile health applications installed on their smartphones and/or tablets. Some students felt that they were neither knowledgeable nor skilful enough to utilise mobile health applications (24.8%), whereas 23.9% were unaware of the mobile health applications available. Conclusion In summary, the eHealth literacy of Malaysian pharmacy students can be further enhanced by incorporating eHealth literacy-focused programmes into the curriculum. Moreover, pharmacy students’ mobile health application utilisation can be improved through increased awareness and support from universities.

A close-up of the use of weblogs and blogging buddies: A case study in Malaysia

Background – Peer review or evaluation has been seen as a promising approach in helping students to learn from one another instead of relying solely on their overwhelmed teachers for feedback on their written work. However, there have been mixed reviews on the effectiveness of this method. This study aims to examine the effects of peer review on blogging buddies’ writing performance as well as to suggest the groundwork needed for an effective way to pair the blogging buddies to ensure that the peers can bilaterally benefit each other. Methods – A qualitative case study was conducted on eight students from a private university in Malaysia. The writing scores for three different essays (pre and post peer review) were tracked to observe its effects on the respective blogging buddies’ writing performance. Results – The findings have shown that the students’ proficiency levels played an important part in pairing the students as it impacted their writing performance and the effectiveness of the peer review activity. Poor proficiency students who were paired with average proficiency students seemed to make the greatest progress and were the most prominent beneficiaries. Even though these average students benefited from being a reviewer; this pairing was a disadvantage when they reposted their essays after peer review. For high proficiency students who were paired together, they recorded either an increased score or a same score in their post-peer writing. Conclusions – This study has shown that for peer review via weblogs to be effectively implemented in writing classes, proper groundwork needs to be laid for instructors to ensure that adequate training is provided, the peers are properly paired, and sufficient support is provided to these blogging buddies.

HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES AND EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

Academicians represent the key factor in providing education service to students and universities cannot work well without academicians. This study aimed to examine the influence of human resource practices (HR practices) on employee engagement among academicians in Malaysian private universities. This paper examined four HR practices, namely employee compensation, performance appraisal, training, and employee development. The conceptual framework developed for this paper aimed to fully understand the influence of HR practices and employee engagement. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to academicians in Malaysian private universities using the proportional stratified random sampling technique. This study was conducted on 331 respondents. Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis were performed with SPSS to test the hypotheses and secure results. The results indicated that each HR practice (performance appraisal, training, and employee development) has significant impact on employee engagement among academicians in Malaysian private universities. This study could provide useful information for decision-makers in Malaysian private universities in designing more appropriate and effective HR practices to improve employee engagement among academicians and for the government, in improving human resource employment acts, policies or legislation related to Malaysian private universities.

The Impact of Live Lectures and Pre-recorded Videos on Students' Online Learning Satisfaction and Academic Achievement in a Malaysian Private University

This study aims to compare students’ preferences for pre-recorded videos and live lectures, and to establish the relationship between these two types of online lectures on students’ online learning satisfaction and academic achievement during the pandemic. This study is quantitative in nature and involved 552 respondents who are undergraduate students from four faculties in one of the private universities in Malaysia. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyse the proposed hypotheses. The results show that the pre-recorded video lecture has a positive effect on students’ online learning satisfaction in three faculties, i.e., Social Science, Business and Medical Science, whereas, in the faculty of Innovation and Technology, the live online lecture has a significant effect on their students’ online learning satisfaction. However, students from all four faculties responded that both pre-recorded video lectures and live online lectures did not significantly improve their academic achievement. The findings of this study provide a guideline for academics in their online pedagogical consideration, especially in deciding the type of online lecture preferred by their students which has contributed to their online learning satisfaction, thus improving the overall quality of the online learning experience.

Entrepreneurship through Multidisciplinary Learning: A Cooperative Procedural Framework for Implementation

Governments and higher education institutions around the world have expressed a strong opinion that entrepreneurship among students must be enhanced to address the concern of graduate employability post-pandemic. Supporting this agenda, the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia has launched a national Entrepreneurship Action Plan and a guide for Entrepreneurship Integrated Curriculum in 2021. While teaching entrepreneurship in higher education has gained great acceptance, transforming a traditional university to nurture student entrepreneurs is still challenging. A key challenge is to transform faculty-centric learning into multidisciplinary learning so that students from different disciplines can work cooperatively to enhance the success of an entrepreneurship venture. Hence, a design-based study has been conducted at a private university in Malaysia, with a cooperative procedural framework developed and improved through two cycles of implementation over one year period. The study was participated by academics and students from more than six disciplines including computing, design, business, bioscience, culinary art, and communication. The proposed framework highlights the importance of intentional alignment among the curriculum of collaborating courses, the mindset of collaborating academics and students, as well as the supporting ecosystem. The framework has expanded the practical knowledge of multidisciplinary learning implementation by detailing the practical steps to ensure its effective implementation. The proposed framework could be extremely helpful for institutions that are struggling to implement multidisciplinary learning across faculties, supporting the entrepreneurship agenda of the institutions.

Evaluation of Smoking Prevalence, Secondhand Smoke Exposure, Attitudes of Tobacco Control, and Smoking Cessation Knowledge among Pharmacy and Medical Students in a Private University, Malaysia.

Background:Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of premature morbidity and mortality globally, causing over eight million deaths per year. One of the best approaches to reduce smoking-related deaths is to encourage future health-care professionals in tobacco control programs.Objectives:To assess the smoking prevalence, secondhand smoke exposure, attitudes toward tobacco control, and smoking cessation knowledge and associated factors among pharmacy and medical students in a private university in Malaysia.Methodology:A cross-sectional study was conducted at two campuses of a private University in Malaysia, and the data were collected online using the Global Health Professionals Students Survey questionnaire and analyzed using IBM-SPSS Version 20.Results:The overall smoking prevalence was 1.6% (P = 0.009). The exposure to secondhand smoke was 21% and 39% at home and in public places, respectively. About 92% of respondents had a good attitude toward tobacco control, whereas 53.4% had good smoking cessation knowledge. However, only 39.4% of the respondents had received formal smoking cessation training. Logistic regression revealed that significant predictors toward tobacco control are the ban of tobacco sales to adolescents, ban on the advertising of tobacco products, ban of smoking in restaurants, and obtaining a specific training on cessation techniques.Conclusions:The prevalence of smoking among pharmacy and medical students was low, but exposure to secondhand smoke was higher. Most of the respondents had a positive attitude and good knowledge of smoking cessation. However, future training needs to be conducted among upcoming health-care professionals to act as a role model for community transformation.

ORAL PRESENTATION ANXIETY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE MALAYSIAN CHINESE STUDENTS IN A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY

This research investigates presentation anxiety among undergraduate Malaysian Chinese students in a private university where English language is used as a medium of instruction in private universities in Malaysia. There is little research on the difficulties in the teaching and learning such as presentation anxiety among ESL (English as a Second Language) Malaysian Chinese students. The objectives of this study are to explore the different levels of presentation anxiety and to identify coping strategies used by the students with English-speaking anxiety among undergraduate Malaysian Chinese students in a private university. Hence, a mixed method approach is used which involves a questionnaire and semi-structured interview. Sixty participants responded to the English Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (ELCAS) questionnaire and six interviewees who took part in the questionnaire were purposively chosen to conduct the interview. ELCAS Quantitative results indicated that ESL Malaysian Chinese students in the private university showed moderate levels of presentation anxiety when doing presentations. As for the qualitative data, the findings revealed that students often rehearse and practice before their presentation to cope with the existing anxiety. We suggest that language instructors are to deliver a more positive learning environment and to provide adequate guidance in class to improve the presentation skills and speaking skills among ESL Malaysian Chinese students as well as other ESL and EFL (English as Foreign Language) students.

Explaining the influence behind Malaysia’s pharmacy students’ career choices within the pharmaceutical industry

Objective: The pharmaceutical industry has been portrayed as a promising sector for pharmacy graduates. Nonetheless, little is known about pharmacy students’ preferences, knowledge, and attitudes toward careers in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the factors that may influence them. Method: A self-developed questionnaire was administered to pharmacy students in public and private universities in Malaysia from October to November 2018 via online platforms. Results: Only 38.8% out of 433 students who completed the survey stated their preference for working in the pharmaceutical industry. The mean (SD) of knowledge, perceived syllabus, and attitudes related to pharmaceutical industry career preferences were 8.73 (1.77) (full score of 12), 28.50 (5.83) (full score of 40), and 30.59 (4.32) (full score of 50), respectively. Students from private universities, those in years one and three of study, and those with higher attitude scores were more likely to choose the pharmaceutical industry as their career option. Conclusion: Increasing exposure to pharmaceutical industry careers that involve patient contact and clinical knowledge application is needed to improve students’ attitudes toward pursuing a career in this field.

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AMONG MALAYSIAN ACADEMICS

The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) reported the number of mental health cases among Malaysian aged 16 years and above has shown an increment trend - 10.7% (1996), 11.2% (2006) and 29.2% (2015). In the year 2015 only, 1 in 3 Malaysians have mental health problems. NHMS report in 2019 showed that the occurrence of depression among Malaysian adults is about half a million people. These statistics obviously hinted that something is missing when dealing with mental health issues in Malaysia. Though many studies have been conducted in the past, most are focusing on the causes, and little attention has been given on the aspect of helpseeking in addressing mental health issues. Therefore, this study was done to explore factors that influence individuals to seek help when having mental health problem. To uncover these issues, input from 3 participants were gathered through an online semi-structured interview. Through snowball sampling technique, the participants were invited and willingly to participate in this study. Specifically, 2 participants are the academics from private universities in Malaysia and 1 participant is an academic from a public university in Malaysia. As shared by the participants, the main factor that forces them to seek help is due to not able cope with the problems any longer. On the other hand, stigma from the society, job insecurity, and lack of management support and preservation of profession credibility were found to be among the factors that hinder a person to go and seek helps. Based on the findings, several suggestions and recommendations were put forward to encourage more people to go and seek professional help.

Determinants of Satisfaction and Deep Structure Usage of Post-acceptance Learning Management Systems by Malaysian Higher Education Lecturers

This study investigates factors influencing satisfaction and deep structure usage of Learning Management Systems (LMS) using a revised expectation-confirmation model of information system continuance. It addresses the gaps in the existing literature that primarily focused on behavioral intention in the acceptance stage instead of deep structure usage in the post-acceptance stage. Deep structure usage refers to using LMS features to support an underlying teaching task. The study population consists of 54 lecturers in Malaysian private universities in the post-acceptance stage of LMS implementation. Data was gathered using a web-based survey questionnaire. Various variables were analyzed through statistical correlation and regression using a statistical package for social science software. This study concludes that confirmation of expectation and perceived usefulness positively impacted satisfaction; confirmation of expectation was the strongest predictor of satisfaction. Additionally, the combined effects of satisfaction, confirmation of expectation, and perceived usefulness positively correlated with deep structure usage of LMS. This study investigates whether lecturers would use the system to its full capacity if they found the LMS features useful to a specific teaching task and if the system provides satisfaction and fulfills the lecturers’ expectations. Future research recommends extending the model to investigate determinants of satisfaction and confirmation of expectations of specific LMS features in terms of technical, design, capability, and experiential aspects. This extension would enable a more detailed understanding of aspects that determine satisfaction and confirmation of expectation, directly influencing deep structure usage.

Evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions on halal pharmaceuticals among pharmacy students from Malaysian private universities

Religious beliefs may affect medicine use and patient adherence. Therefore, consideration should be given to the patient's religious beliefs before prescribing drugs or treatment. The Muslim population around the world is becoming more aware of their options and requesting pharmaceutical products containing only halal ingredients. Thus, education on halal pharmaceuticals, especially for pharmacy students, is fundamental to ensure the right information is communicated effectively to patients.

CARING VALUES AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO SHARIAH-BASED QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (MS 1900) IMPLEMENTATION AMONG MALAYSIA’S UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES

This study examines employee’s perceptions at a Private University in Malaysia on applying employee caring values in compliance with the Shariah-Based Quality Management System (MS 1900). In this study, 297 respondents were involved, encompassing two primary campuses in Putrajaya and Pahang employing quantitative methods. This study’s data collection is through a survey study with questionnaires distribution developed based on relevant literature. The research findings indicate that caring values application has a significant relationship (r =.758 and p = .000) in Shariah-Based Quality Management System implementation in the university, generating job satisfaction. Furthermore, the study’s findings may guide other higher education institutions to obtain MS 1900 certification. Through MS 1900 certification, the organisational management system can improve its performance and excellence, ultimately contributing to employee’s contentment and satisfaction.

CARING VALUES AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO SHARIAH-BASED QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (MS 1900) IMPLEMENTATION AMONG MALAYSIA’S UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES

This study examines employee’s perceptions at a Private University in Malaysia on applying employee caring values in compliance with the Shariah-Based Quality Management System (MS 1900). In this study, 297 respondents were involved, encompassing two primary campuses in Putrajaya and Pahang employing quantitative methods. This study’s data collection is through a survey study with questionnaires distribution developed based on relevant literature. The research findings indicate that caring values application has a significant relationship (r =.758 and p = .000) in Shariah-Based Quality Management System implementation in the university, generating job satisfaction. Furthermore, the study’s findings may guide other higher education institutions to obtain MS 1900 certification. Through MS 1900 certification, the organisational management system can improve its performance and excellence, ultimately contributing to employee’s contentment and satisfaction.

Audit on Clinical Competency of Fresh Medical Graduates in a Malaysian Private University Using Kirkpatrick Level-1 Evaluation Model

Clinical competency is the core of the medical curriculum. Careful ongoing evaluation of clinical competency is required to ensure continuous reviewing for curriculum development. The objective of this study was to investigate self-perceptions of clinical competency of fresh medical graduates using the Kirkpatrick framework – the most convenient and widely used model for measuring clinical competency. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 fresh medical graduates of Widad University College, Malaysia in 2019 using a standardised questionnaire containing 43-items of competency. Respondents were asked to rate self-perceptions of his/her competency in these attributes using a five-point Likert scale against each attribute, where 5 = always competent and 1 = never competent. The response rate was 92%. Out of 43 items, graduates were always competent in taking clinical history and examining a patient thoroughly; frequently competent in eight attributes; sometimes competent in 29; and occasionally competent in four. The graduates have not yet started their houseman-training; and thus, got fewer chances to practice all the procedures. It is expected that graduates’ competency will improve during their houseman training. There is scope for improvement, as faculty need to pay more attention to improving student competency by arranging additional training. The teaching of clinical competency also needs integration with the pre-clinical phase for early exposure. The findings have direct implications for faculty development towards competency-based education that would bridge the gap between education and practice. This study offers other medical schools a window towards comprehensive use of competency tools to assess the competency of their graduates.

Employee engagement as a mediating variable on the relationship between employee relation practice and employee performance in a developing economy

PurposeThe aim of this research is to investigate the mediating effect of employee engagement (EE) on the relationship between employee relation practice and employee performance in Malaysian private universities (MPUs).Design/methodology/approachThis paper used a survey research design, and the study unit of the analysis consists of the academic staff of MPU. A sample of 314 teaching staff was used out of the target population (10,473) of the research, while simple random and stratified sampling techniques were used in order to determine the research sample. Data for the research were collected from the target participants via questionnaires, and partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to evaluate the research hypotheses.FindingsThe outcome of the research revealed that employee relation practice (ERP) has a substantial effect on employee performance (EP), and EE partially mediates the relationship between ERP and EP.Practical implicationsThe outcome of this study has urged the universities' management to focus on building effective and sustainable ERP that will ensure academic engagement that can result to sound academic performance and university growth.Originality/valueThis research has contributed significantly to the body of knowledge by operationalizing EP, ERP and EE literature. In extension, this research contributes to develop the literature of leaders, acknowledging the ERP as an important tool for leadership growth.

Determination of pharmacy students’ patient safety approach using the theory of planned behaviour: a mixed-method study

ObjectivesTo investigate pharmacy students’ attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, intentions and their behaviour towards patient safety using a theory of planned behaviour framework.DesignMixed-methods research.SettingPrivate university in Malaysia.ParticipantsPharmacy undergraduate students...

Dietary Habits, Shopping Behavior and Weight Gain during Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown among Students in a Private University in Selangor, Malaysia.

BackgroundDue to the global surge in COVID-19 cases, numerous countries have enforced lockdowns of varying stringency. Social isolation and stay-at-home orders have detrimental effects on one's lifestyle and dietary habits. This study aimed to assess the dietary patterns, food preferences, shopping behavior and weight gain during the lockdown among students in a private university in Malaysia.Design and MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study among 426 students using convenience sampling method one-month after initiating the Conditional Movement Control Order (November 15-30, 2020), using a validated self-administered web-based survey. Chi-square test with post-hoc and planned comparison procedures were performed.ResultsOf the 426 participants, more than half were females (55.9%). Over half of the surveyed students reported increased eating (51.2%), snacking (55.2%) and online food ordering (71.1%) during the lockdown. Meat products and sweet drinks (both >90%) were the most consumed food among individuals with higher BMI. 45.5% of the participants reported weight gain (mean 3.36, SD 1.61kg) one month after the lockdown. Female, youth (aged 19-24), working remotely, increased eating, snacking, cooking, and online food ordering were positively associated with weight gain.ConclusionsFindings suggested that unintended consequences of lockdown have negative impacts on dietary habits and food preferences among university students. Advocacy and public health measures for nutritional support amidst the pandemic are crucial, especially for at-risk groups such as overweight and obese individuals.

New Business Venture into Private Higher Education in Malaysia through Dynamic Capabilities

Abstract: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are traditionally seen as society's robust institutions but are currently experiencing new difficulties as a result of shifts in both government and society's expectations of their roles as education providers. There is a global call for new models and practices which need HEIs in the private sector to develop what was once business-oriented management competencies. Hence this study addressed the global call for HEIs in Malaysia to be more entrepreneurial and explored the experiences of entrepreneurs who had ventured into the education industry with the aims of business diversification, capacity building, lifelong education and nation-building. The qualitative study explored the context of private universities in Malaysia which included the socio-historical background and experience of seven founders, and their management approaches in establishing their HEIs as successful, sustainable and respectable education providers. A grounded theory approach was adopted to gather data through in-depth interviews with the participants. Their emic perspectives of the challenges and opportunities experienced while managing their respective universities was analysed thematically. The findings revealed that new ventures into private higher education must be spearheaded by individuals with entrepreneurial leadership who would be able to develop and enhance the dynamic capabilities necessary for successfully managing a university. These leaders must also capitalize on the opportunities available and form a team of agile and resilient staff who can withstand and manage changes in the environment. The study also provides a guideline for managing private universities in a more cost-effective manner.
 
 Keywords: Dynamic Capability, Entrepreneurial Universities, Higher Education Institutions, Leadership

Motivating Factors Influencing Online Learning Among University Students: A Study of a Private University in Malaysia

The purpose of this study is to examine the motivating factors that influence online learning among university students during the Covid-19 pandemic era. Due to sudden transformation from traditional face-to-face learning approach to remotely digital learning, some present studies revealed that students’ motivation in online learning is probably the most important factor that educators can target to improve learning. There are four chosen independent variables in this study which are student’s participation, role of instructors, online learning environment and technical infrastructure affect online learning. This research uses a survey method where 150 questionnaires are distributed online. Then, the collected data are tabulated to analyze the findings and results.

Antecedents of Student Satisfaction: The Role of Student Perceived Service Quality

There is a lack of attention from past studies on the role of antecedents in the private higher education in Malaysia. Thus, this paper aim to examine the roles of reliable information and past experience on student’s perceived service quality and satisfaction among the undergraduate students of private universities in Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire was adopted and collected 388 valid data from the 9 private universities in Malaysia. The SERVPERF instrument was adopted to evaluate the perceived service quality among the undergraduate students. The PLS-SEM was applied to analyze the students’ responses in determining the role of antecedents in improving student satisfaction by providing quality tertiary education in the private universities. The findings depicted that reliable information is significantly related with student perceived service quality. However, there is no relationships between past experience and student perceived service quality. Student perceived service quality is found significantly related to student satisfaction. This paper provides a valuable contribution in the body of knowledge of the antecedent and consequence of perceived service quality. The findings of the study help the management of the universities to improve the student satisfaction through the focus on the role of antecedents, particularly reliable information. Several implications are offered which would benefits Malaysia private universities and Ministry of Higher Education.