Tertiary Institutions In Malaysia Research Articles

DEMOTIVATION IN MANDARIN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AMONG MALAYSIAN TERTIARY STUDENTS

Background and Purpose: Demotivation has been acknowledged as a significant factor in the decrease of student enrolment and the increase in student attrition rates within the domain of Mandarin as a foreign language (MFL) learning. This study seeks to identify the causes of demotivation among learners of MFL at a public tertiary institution in Malaysia. Methodology: The study's sample consisted of 72 undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory-level MFL elective course. Data were collected using online questionnaires at the end of the academic semester. The online questionnaire consisted of two sections: the first focused on the demographic information of the participants, and the second contained open-ended questions. Participants were asked to characterize the learning experience that (1) negatively impacted their motivation and (2) caused them to feel frustrated or want to quit their MFL studies. The data was subjected to thematic analysis, and the themes from the responses were identified and categorized. Findings: The factors that contribute to demotivation can be classified into two categories: internal and external. Internal categories include psychological states such as anxiety and boredom. In contrast, external categories include test performance, course content, workload, and significant others (teachers and peers). External factors, particularly test performance, course content, and workload, have a greater impact on the demotivation of MFL learners compared to internal factors. The most frequently cited factor is test performance, primarily due to the difficulty of learning course content, particularly Chinese characters. One-third of the students in this study spent more than three hours per week on MFL learning outside of class. However, many students struggle to manage their Mandarin study time due to other academic or extracurricular obligations. Contributions: The current research offers additional insights into the nature and characteristics of demotivation in foreign language learning, specifically among non-native Mandarin learners with little or no prior knowledge, in the context of MFL as an elective course. Keywords: Demotivation, LOTE, Mandarin as a foreign language, Malaysian tertiary institution, elective. Cite as: Paee, R., Lam, K. C, Kuan, W. L, & Kopli, N. H. (2024). Demotivation in Mandarin as a foreign language among Malaysian tertiary students. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 9(2), 40-56. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol9iss2pp40-56

CONCEPTUALIZING NOUNS: ENHANCING STUDENTS’ COMPREHENSION THROUGH E-MAGAZINES

This study explores the potential of e-magazines as a tool to enhance students' conceptualization of nouns. This research discovers how e-magazines can contribute to students’ conceptualization of nouns, ultimately improving their understanding of this grammatical element through reflective feedback. The study employed a mixed-method approach, emphasizing qualitative method through iREFLECT v1 questionnaires. Participants were first year Diploma students in one of tertiary institutions in Malaysia. The findings revealed positive outcomes as evidenced in the feedback form and highlighted positive impacts of e-magazines in aiding students’ conceptualization of nouns and improving their overall comprehension. These findings contribute to the existing literature on innovative teaching approaches, emphasizing the importance of incorporating digital resources to foster learners in the 21st century classroom.

Relationship between Arabic Reading Skills (ARS) and Arabic Verbal Expression (AVE) as predictors for undergraduate students’ Arabic language achievement

This study investigated the relationship between Arabic reading skills (ARS) and Arabic verbal expression (AVE) for third-year students of a tertiary institution in Malaysia. The study employed a descriptive approach, using a set of questionnaires, with a random sample of n=42. The descriptive findings yielded a high level of students’ (ARS) as well as (AVE). The correlational analyses yielded a significant relationship between (ARS) and (AVE) levels for the population at (r, Sig. 2, n= 42). An (r) (H0) was rejected. An (r) (Ha) suggested that the more the engagement in (ARS) the better the levels of achievements in (AVE).

Factors Associated With Sleeping Quality and Behaviors Among University Students in Malaysia

Background and Objective Sleep is an important physiological process for humans. Students of tertiary institutions, especially those at the university, are often reported to have poor sleep quality due to changing social opportunities and increasing academic demands. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of poor sleeping quality and its relationship with academic performance and psychological distress among university students in Malaysia.Methods An online questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among students of tertiary institutions in Malaysia. The questionnaire consisted of respondents’ demographics, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Horne-Ostberg Morningness-Eveningness Scale (MES) and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scales (DASS-21). Simple and multiple linear regression were used to identify the relationship between the independent and dependent variables (PSQI score and MES score).Results Of the 403 respondents, about three-fourths were poor-quality sleepers. The cumulative grade point average (CGPA) was the only factor with a significant linear and positive relationship with the PSQI score. Only the depression and anxiety scores showed a significant linear and positive relationship between the PSQI score and the MES score.Conclusions Poor sleep quality was prevalent among university students. Poor sleep was associated with better academic performance. Students with depression or anxiety were significantly associated with poor sleep quality and being a morning bird.

Online Teaching and Learning During Covid-19 Pandemic: Challenges Faced by English Teachers in Islamic Tertiary Institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the education sectors globally. The sudden shift from traditional face to face learning to online teaching and learning brings various challenges to English teachers, particularly in tertiary institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the online teaching and learning challenges faced by teachers teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in Islamic tertiary institutions in Malaysia and teachers teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia during the Covid-19 pandemic. The qualitative research design used in this study was a case study using focus group interviews (FGI), individual open-ended responses via Google Form and a discussion thread via Whatsapp. Purposive sampling was used, and 10 English teachers from Islamic tertiary institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia were chosen as the participants in this study. The data in this study was analysed through NVIVO applications and categorized according to themes. The findings revealed that among the challenges English teachers faced in ESL/EFL online teaching and learning are a lack of technological skills to teach online, constraints in terms of internet accessibility and devices used for teaching and learning, and effective interaction in online teaching and learning. The findings from this study could potentially be utilised to plan strategies and produce practical solutions to overcome the challenges in conducting online teaching and learning among English teachers in any tertiary learning institutions in Malaysia and Indonesia in the future.

A Preliminary Study on Learners’ Perception on Out of Class Autonomous Vocabulary Learning Strategies

The current study tries to explore learners’ perception of out of class autonomous vocabulary learning strategies. The respondents were from one tertiary institution in Malaysia from the Diploma in Plantation and Industrial Management program. Questionnaires were distributed via the google classroom platform to 30 students because of the covid 19 pandemic where classes were conducted online. Data gathered were analysed using descriptive analysis based on percentages. Online distance learning (ODL) has taken place during this pandemic. Findings show the three most preferred ways to find meanings of the unknown words outside of class time are checking the meanings of the words, reviewing the new learnt words and encouraging themselves to speak in English using the words. On the other hand, the least preferred strategy is going to the access center or library or consulting online sources. As the findings show, it is vital for learners to be autonomous since some courses will still be conducted on-line even when the cases of covid 19 reduce later. By being autonomous learners will not depend a lot on lecturers and activities conducted in the classroom as time spent in the classroom is limited.

Adoption of DETB with SRP amongst VIP at Tertiary Institutions in Malaysia

Adoption of DETB with SRP amongst VIP at Tertiary Institutions in Malaysia

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOBILE ADDICTION, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, AND ACADEMIC BEHAVIOR AMONG YOUNG ADULTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS

Purpose – Smartphones have become part and parcel of life in the 21st century. Since there has been limited research exploring the relationship between mobile addiction, interpersonal relationship, and academic behaviour among young adults in tertiary institutions, the present study has embarked on an exploration of the relationship between these three variables in the Malaysian higher education context. Methodology – A descriptive correlational research design was employed to collect and analyse the data, which came from a total of 150 young adults who responded to an online Google form distributed through a WhatsApp link. The items in the questionnaire were adapted from various doctorate studies. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as the mean and standard deviation, correlation, and multiple regression. Findings – The study found that young adults in tertiary institutions in Malaysia experienced a case of moderate mobile addiction. The results also established that the three variables, namely mobile addiction, interpersonal relationship, and academic behaviour, were interrelated. The findings revealed that interpersonal relationship has positively contributed to the variance of academic behaviour, while mobile addiction has negatively impacted young adults’ academic behaviour in tertiary institutions. Significance – The findings have provided valuable insights into how to help facilitate the monitoring of disruptive mobile usage among young adults in tertiary institutions.

A Process Approach in the Teaching of Writing: Saving 21st Century Learners from Writer's Block

Writing is described by many cognitive psychologists as one of the most complex intellectual activities undertaken by humans. Therefore, it is not surprising that students find it difficult to deal with writing tasks. They often feel anxious about how to write and reach the targeted words—a situation known as ‘writer's block'. This paper describes how the process approach of writing can be used by teachers to assist students in completing a writing exercise. A case study of the implementation of process writing in English for Academic Purposes course at a tertiary institution in Malaysia is presented to illustrate the positive outcome of the process writing approach. The systematic research-based curriculum used in this course allows the authors to observe the process and progress made by the participants in this study. It includes an in-depth discussion on the non-linear and cyclical features of writing, and how the process writing approach can make writing a more flexible, adaptable and enjoyable operation as it allows ample time for intervention procedures, the writing of multiple drafts, audience feedback and delayed attention to editing—to lower students' writer's block. The ability of students to work through their writer's block in stages, enables the teachers to guide them into a step-by-step production of writing through this process.

Tertiary Students’ Usage of Vocabulary Learning Strategies: A case study

Instructors often lament on students’ limited critical reading skills due to “vocabulary deficit.” Therefore, this study investigated the vocabulary size and vocabulary learning strategies of 120 ESL respondents in a tertiary institution in Malaysia. Data were collected using a vocabulary test, a questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that the most favoured strategies were “determination strategies” which reflected respondents’ usage of shallow thinking while least favoured were “cognitive strategies” that demanded higher-level mental processing. No significant difference was recorded in strategy use based on gender. No relationship was found between the respondents’ vocabulary size and vocabulary learning strategies. Keywords: tertiary students; vocabulary learning strategies; vocabulary size. eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5iSI1.2318

Barriers to Speaking in English Among Maritime Students

This study analyses the contributing factors to problems with regard to speaking in English among maritime students at two tertiary institutions in Malaysia. This study looks at five paradigms: learners’ personality, amount and quality of exposure to English, learners’ attitude, learners’ motivation, and pedagogical management of the English Language courses at the campus. The study also compares the causes of the speaking problems in English between male and female students. Survey questionnaires are distributed to 150 final-year maritime students. Data were analysed descriptively via SPSS. It is found that the main causes of the students’ speaking problems stem from the teachers’ pedagogical management of the English subjects, exposure to English, and personality which contribute moderately to the learners’ predicaments. However, motivation and attitude are identified to have contributed the least to the students’ oral skills inadequacies. Several ensuing implications for initiatives to help enhance students’ speaking proficiency in the English Language are also discussed.

ATTRIBUTES OF ACADEMICIANS' CREDIT CARD USAGE BEHAVIORS IN MALAYSIA

In line with the advance in technology and the increasing demands for better services, the market for credit card has shown tremendous growth performance,. The genuine usage of credit card in the form of convenience has diverged to associate with overspending, irresponsibility, revolving liability and bankruptcy. This infers that the possession of credit cards has brought upon a change in consumers’ usage behaviors. Thus, this study aims to determine the academicians’ credit card usage behaviors in a private tertiary institution in Malaysia. The dependent variable is usage behavior and the independent variables that serve as attributes are personal attitude, spending and repayment patterns. Meanwhile, the moderating variable in this study is gender. Data obtained via questionnaire were keyed into Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 22.0 to generate descriptive statistics such as the demographic profile of respondents and inferential analysis such as independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation and reliability test. The finding revealed that repayment patterns are the most significant attribute of academicians’ credit card usage behaviors. On the other hand, there are no differences in credit card usage behavior between male and female academicians. Outcome from this study enable the government and credit card companies to relook on the requirement of granting credit card by taking into consideration of the holder’s repayment ability. This enables to produce a financially healthier and educated society and also to reach to the younger generations’ positively through the influence of the academicians.

Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Classical Piano Students at Tertiary Institutions in Malaysia: Proportion and Associated Risk Factors.

Musicians are prone to performance injuries due to the nature of musical practice, and classical pianists are among the groups at high risk for playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). With the growing number of classical pianists in Malaysia, this study aimed to investigate the proportion of PRMDs occurring among classical piano students in tertiary institutions in Malaysia. Associations between gender, practice habits, diet, sports involvement, and PRMD were investigated. A survey was conducted among classical piano students (n=192) at tertiary institutions of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Results showed that 35.8% (n=68) students reported having PRMD. The shoulder was the most commonly affected body site, followed by the arm, finger, and wrist. Pain, fatigue, and stiffness were the most cited symptoms by those who suffered from a PRMD. Chi-square analysis showed a significant relationship between the occurrence of PRMD and practice hours (p=0.031), the habit of taking breaks during practice (p=0.045), physical cool-down exercises (p=0.037), and special diet (p=0.007). Multivariate logistic regression analyses confirmed the independent correlation between PRMDs and the lack of taking a break during practice, physical cool-down exercises, and special diet. Because PRMDs are reported at various severity levels, this study should increase awareness of PRMD among classical piano students and encourage injury prevention in musicians in the future to ensure long-lasting music careers.

The Malaysian EFL Education: A Brief Historical Review and Literacy Issues

Hailed as a lingua franca, the English language maintains its significance at the global level and due to such status, ithas been made a mandatory subject at the elementary, secondary and tertiary institutions in Malaysia. This paperpresents the review of English literacy in terms of its historical path and its status as a second language (EFL) issueswithin the Malaysian educational context. Document review was conducted for the study to find out the MalaysianEnglish literacy historical path. A library research on mainstream journals was carried out to find out EFL literacyissues in Malaysia. The historical review reveals that the mandatory inclusion of the English literacy in the schooland higher institutions’ curriculum could be traced back as a linguistic culturalization effect of the Britishcolonization. The review also indicates that the pattern of inclusion of the English literacy in the Malaysianeducational system seems to be developmental in nature but with some patterns of consistency at the initial stage ofits inclusion. With regards to the EFL literacy issues, the review shows that the shifting from the English to theMalay medium in public schools could be inferred as one of the root causes of the emergence of issues in the EFLliteracy amongst Malaysian learners. The outcomes of the review have implications on English literacy policy, futurerevisions of English literacy curriculum to alleviate the current EFL literacy issues and to increase its effectiveness inEFL teaching and learning in the Malaysian context.

An Empirical Investigation on Credit Card Repayment Pattern of Academicians in Malaysia

The credit card market has witnessed tremendous growth resulting from a paradigm shift in technology. The genuine usage of credit cards as a form of convenience has diverged to overspending, irresponsibility, revolving liability and bankruptcy. This implies that possession of credit cards has brought about a change in users’ repayment behavior. Thus, this study aims to determine academicians’ credit card repayment pattern in a private tertiary institution in Malaysia. The dependent variable is the repayment pattern and the independent variables that serve as the attributes include personal attitude and spending pattern, while, gender and parenthood serve as the moderating variables. Findings revealed that personal attitude and spending pattern were important attributes in determining the repayment pattern among the academicians. Gender and parenthood were found to play a moderating role in the repayment pattern. Findings from this study is expected to facilitate the government and credit card companies to work towards nurturing a financially healthier and informed society, and also to each out positively to the younger generations through the influence of the academicians.

The Effects of Movies on the Affective Filter and English Acquisition of Low-Achieving English Learners

This paper reports on the effects of movies on the acquisition of English language among students at a tertiary institution in Malaysia. In this study, “out-of-class” activities are leisure activities that students do outside classroom setting and watching movie is one example. The study aims to examine the effects of movies on the students’ Affective Filter (i.e. motivation, anxiety, and self-confidence). The Affective Filter is a mental block that prevents language learners from being receptive towards comprehensible language input, thereby disrupting their acquisition process. In order for smoother acquisition to occur, the block needs to be lowered and one of the ways in achieving this is through out-of-class activities. The study also aims to examine the influence of movies on the students’ English acquisition process. The participants of this study were low-achieving students. Data were collected through Facebook group discussions, participants’ reflective notes and focus group interviews in this qualitative research. The findings of this study reveal that students’ Affective Filter level is slightly lowered which allowed them to acquire new language skills namely vocabulary and pronunciation knowledge. From the findings, English teachers should consider utilizing movies as a learning tool. Students

Knowledge of Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Classical Piano Students at Tertiary Institutions in Malaysia.

Performance injuries among musicians have been widely discussed for decades. However, despite the growing number of classical pianists, this is still a new issue in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the level of knowledge of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) among tertiary music students in Malaysia. A survey was conducted among classical piano students at tertiary institutions of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Out of 192 respondents, 76% knew that piano playing can cause PRMDs. Slightly over three-quarters of respondents (77.1%) learned about PRMDs from music educators. The survey revealed that the belief in "no pain, no gain" was still ingrained in their minds, as 50.5% respondents believed that pain experienced while playing the piano was normal and 51.6% of them considered that pain must be experienced to improve their piano skill. The respondents were also scored on questions on terminologies of pianist injury and specific PRMD examples: 7.8% of respondents scored high in the questions on the general terminology, while 99.5% of them scored low in the questions on the specific examples of PRMDs. This finding indicated a lack of knowledge of specific musicians' injuries among classical piano students. The attitudes to pain and the level of understanding of the significance of potential injuries indicate that increasing PRMD awareness and introducing courses on PRMD prevention at tertiary institutions are warranted.

A Survey on Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Classical Piano Students of Tertiary Institutions in Malaysia

Musicians are at risk of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) with incidence ranging from approximately 30% to 90% in the shoulder-arm-hand region and within the spine. Pianists are one of the high risk groups of PRMD due to the nature of playing posture and practice habits. The number of pianists in Malaysia has increased significantly due to the growth of music programmes in tertiary institutions. Although extensive research has been carried out into PRMD for decades, investigation of PRMD among pianists in Malaysia is very limited. This paper aimed to identify the extent of PRMD occurring among classical piano students in tertiary institutions in Malaysia. A survey was conducted and 192 set of data collected through administration of a questionnaire. Results showed that 35.8% (68) students reported having PRMD, of whom 17.6% were male (12) and 82.4% (56) were female. There is a great necessity to introduce ways to prevent PRMD which was reported at various levels among classical piano students. Keywords: Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders, classical piano students, music

Analysing ESL Students’ Perceptions towards Oral Communication for Social and Occupational Purposes

Fundamental principles of public speaking and appropriate organisational structure of ideas for occupational and social communication are vital aspects for undergraduates as a pathway to overcome employers’ grievances on graduates’ lack of communication skills (Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2015). This study was undertaken to explore the perceptions of a group of ten students at a tertiary institution in Malaysia to see how they utlise the theories and practice of effective communication skills beyond their course entitled “Oral Communication for Social and Occupational Purposes”. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. The study found that these students gained knowledge about effective communication for social and occupational purposes. The findings also indicate that students have benefitted in relation to communication in a formal way especially to higher authorities, and sharpening their communication and presentation skills. However, there were shortcomings that need to be addressed, particularly related to methods of teaching Oral Communication for Social and Occupational Purposes, time constraint in preparing for the tutorial sessions and producing a good quality video. Keywords: Social and Occupational , Communication, Oral skills, Theories and Practice

English

The ability in making meaning of learning through opportunities is seen as a pathway to autonomous learning behaviour. This study is undertaken to explore the behaviours of a group of nine learners at a tertiary institution in Malaysia to see how they utilise both receptive as well as productive vocabulary learning opportunities meaningfully beyond their English language course. The theory of constructivism appertains, as the learning activity is active, constructive, cumulative and goal-directed. The participants’ journal entries of one month were perused to enquire the various aspects of their learning experiences and what they did before, during and after English language class. Weekly retrospective in depth interviews were conducted with the participants, as well as their class lecturer. The study found that these learners lacked proactive attitude in seizing learning opportunities and were poor readers of English language materials. The study also found that the extent learners take learning opportunities is not solely dependent on their language proficiency, but more than that on learner confidence and their preferred learning style of non-verbal learning, hence dispelling the widely accepted belief that high proficiency learners are more proactive in their learning pursuits. In seizing learning opportunities at opportune moments, the major stumbling blocks are lack of transfer in learning as well as limited and untapped communication opportunities with the lecturer beyond class hours. This study shows that average and low ability learners can also embrace learning opportunities meaningfully with other moderating variables, such as a confident personality and adequate risk taking initiatives.