Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Research Articles

Spiritualising Communication Technology: The Use of New Media for Da’wah Purpose Among USIM Communication Students

Da’wah is a process of delivering messages on Islam in the form of mercy to targeted audience via various platforms of media with persuasive methods that will lead to the influence of certain effects (Suhaimi, 2012). Serving da’wah’s work is not exclusively for certain Muslim preachers or da’ie only, yet it is the responsibility of every Muslim. As lecturers in Communication Program who are responsible to teach Communication Technology subject, the researchers have assigned students to play a role as da’ie using blogs as part of the subject’s requirement. Thus, this paper aims at 1) identifying the role played by Communication students of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) in developing and producing the blog contents, and 2) analysing the contents of blogs they build as a form of da’wah. A number of blogs produced by USIM Communication students while taking this subject have been collected and analysed. The findings showed that most of the blogs’ contents have achieved the objective of the subject, which is to make the students function as modern da’ie.

Knowledge and Academic Integrity Breach among Malaysian University Students

The objective of this article is to evaluate the knowledge and sources of knowledge of academic integrity and the types of academic integrity breach among university students in Malaysia. A quantitative approach was used to obtain the data. A set of questionnaires was distributed to students from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). A total of 1000 respondents were selected to answer the questionnaires. The data are presented in descriptive statistics using frequency and percentage. Based on the findings, there are different levels of knowledge of academic integrity. Besides, it also revealed that the respondents knew about academic integrity issues such as plagiarism and cheating. Sources of knowledge on academic integrity are family, friends, technology, and mass media. The findings conclude that students need to empower their academic integrity, strengthen their code of conduct so that they know that breach of academic integrity is wrong and should not be performed. If such actions are performed by them, they should know the negative consequences of that violation. Their behaviors could be more serious when they later finish their study and pursue their own career path.

LEARNING TAFSEER OF AL-QURAN DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: STUDENTS SATISFACTION TOWARDS LECTURERS INTERACTION

The implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia during COVID-19 pandemic that disallowed usual face-to-face lectures has affected both public and private higher education institutions. The best alternative to ensure that learning sessions are continuously uninterrupted is by online learning which is the implementation of teaching and learning sessions through technology systems. Lecturers interaction in online learning method is very important in providing understanding to students. Therefore, the aim of this study is to know the students satisfaction towards lecturers interaction in online learning of Tafsir al-Quran course. Method used in this research is quantitative design whereas a semi-structured questionnaire distributed among 2ndyear students of Quran and Multimedia Studies Program, Faculty of Quran and Sunnah Studies, UniversitiSains Islam Malaysia. This questionnaire has to be answered via Microsoft Forms and the data obtained then were analyzed descriptively through computer software namely Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The results of the study found that the level of students satisfaction towards lecturers interaction in online learning of Tafsir al-Quran course were at a high level. In this regard, the interaction of lecturers is very important in providing understanding among students, as well as systematic and easy-to-understand of teaching methods.

E-Learning of Tafsir Al-Quran Course: A Study on Students’ Satisfaction towards Teaching Techniques and Assessment Methods

During COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia had implemented Movement Control Order (MCO) that disallowed usual face-to-face lectures in all education institutions. This compliance has affected both public and private higher education institutions in providing learning sessions to students. Thus, e-learning which is the implementation of teaching and learning sessions through technology systems is the best alternative to ensure that learning sessions are continuously uninterrupted. Part of the successful implementation of this learning method is influenced by teaching techniques and assessment methods. Therefore, the aim of this study is to know the students’ satisfaction towards teaching techniques and assessment methods in e-learning of Tafsir al-Quran course. Method used in this research is quantitative design whereas a semi-structured questionnaire distributed among 2nd year students of Quran and Multimedia Studies Program, Faculty of Quran and Sunnah Studies, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. This questionnaire has to be answered via Microsoft Forms and the data obtained then were analyzed descriptively through computer software namely Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The results of the study found that the level of students’ satisfaction towards teaching techniques and assessment methods in e-learning of Tafsir al-Quran course were at a good and satisfactory level. In this regard, teaching techniques applied by lecturers are very important in providing understanding to students, as well as a systematic assessment methods to identify the level of students’ understanding.

Graduate employability post-COVID-19: the case of a Malaysian public university

PurposeThis study presents an effort to identify and understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the graduate employability (GE) of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) final year students. It examines the readiness of USIM's final year students to the internship during the lockdown period, the readiness to join GE programs and also employment prospects in the future.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was employed, and 1,445 USIM final year students participated in this study.FindingsThe findings reveal that USIM final year students are ready to perform their internship even during the lockdown period. Besides, the students are also ready to join GE programs conducted by USIM, even while COVID-19 pandemic still currently occurs. Meanwhile, for the employment prospects in the future, results show that they believed that the employment prospects in the future after COVID-19 is low. In addition, academic background and internship areas exacerbate COVID-19's impact on the perceptions of USIM final year students on the employment prospects in the future.Originality/valueThis study is believed to be a pioneering study in identifying the impact of COVID-19 on the GE. It also contributes by identifying students' readiness to perform their internship during lockdown period via work from home (WFH) approach as well as their perceptions on the employment prospects in the future.

Oral Health Literacy among Public University Undergraduate Students and Associated Factors

Introduction: Oral health literacy is an essential element of an individual to make better oral health decision. Low oral health literacy (OHL) is associated with poor oral health decision and outcome. This study aimed to determine factors associated with oral health literacy among undergraduate students in one of the public universities of Malaysia. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional study which was undertaken among the undergraduate students of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Sample selection was done randomly. A validated oral health literacy index of Malay version was used throughout the study. Ethical approval was obtained from the University Research Ethics Committee and respondents had given their consent prior to the data collection. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software version 24.0 and the significant level was set at p< 0.05. Results: The mean oral health literacy of the university undergraduate students was 77.7 (95% CI= 76.75, 78.71). Multiple linear regression indicated that female has higher OHL (β= 4.19; 95% CI= 1.99, 6.39; p< 0.001), social science stream has lower OHL (β= -9.14; 95% CI= - 11.20, -7.07; p< 0.001) and higher education level of father had higher OHL (β= 1.97; 95% CI= 0.10, 3.83; p= 0.039) than their counterparts. Conclusion: Oral health literacy is higher among the science streams students compared to the social sciences streams. This suggests that science education might play a significant role in health literacy and improving health outcomes.

Guest Editors’ Note: The Roles of Muslim Scholars in Disseminating The Quintessence of Barakah Through Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge

This special issue reflects the focal discourses of 13 articles presented at the International Conference on Islamic Higher Education 2018 (SeIPTI 2018) which was held in Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. All articles convey the equivalent connotation entitled The Roles of Muslim Scholars in Disseminating the Quintessence of Barakah through Multi-Disciplinary Knowledge. The topics presented discussed on multiplicity of angles in knowledge, but shared the same aim in offering benefits for the ummah (community)’s needs.

Integrating 21st Century Skills in an English Language Summer Camp for Upper Secondary School Students: Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia’s Experience

Module development is one of the essential components in planning a course, especially in instilling specific learning objectives into the teaching and learning process. In language learning, the aspect of module development needs to incorporate interesting, creative, interactive and communicative elements, as it should serve as a guideline to navigate courses and programmes in specific contexts. 21st century learning is a new concept that has become widespread globally and aims to produce more flexible learners. This concept is equipped with a myriad of skills that can assist learners in the future job market and beyond. However, there are many perceptions that surround this new mode of learning, as most people seem to dismiss 21st century learning as merely focusing on technology, with a limited scope of variety in relating teaching and learning to incorporate other aspects. This paper aims to present the development of a module based on 21st century learning skills for a group of upper secondary school students, participating in a short duration Language Summer Camp, which entails the usage of ICT skills, creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and leadership skills. Examples of lessons and activities that support the learning of language together with the essential 21st century skills are presented. From garnering new technological skills, to becoming competent communicators and advanced problem solvers, students are hoped to benefit from this dynamic and engaging module, hence, enhancing the connection between traditional learning methods, while expanding teaching modes to become more collaborative for teachers and learners alike.

Preface

This special issue of Journal of Physics: Conference Series contains the Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Recent Advancements in Science and Technology (ICoRAST2019). The conference was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia from 28-30 October 2019. This conference is the biennial event organized by Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Previous meetings were held in Melaka, Malaysia in 2017.The aim of the conference is to bring together a variety of new developments and challenges in the field of science and technology. Its primary mission is to meet the country’s needs through the sharing of technology and dissemination of knowledge through strong relationships with industry researchers, scientists and academics. It aims to bring together leading academics, scientists, researchers, scholars and students to exchange and share knowledge, experience and research on aspects of progress in various disciplines of science and technology of the latest and advanced.The conference had been attended by almost 50 participants from various countries. Out of them, 15 papers were selected to be published as the proceedings. This meeting provided a very useful forum for the exchange of ideas and results among scientist with various applied sciences backgrounds. This conference also provides an opportunity for the establishment of new networks and discuss the practical challenges encountered and the various solutions adopted to date in their fields worldwide.The organizers of the conference are very grateful to the university and faculty for the substantial help received and for sponsoring the conference. Finally, it is a pleasure to acknowledge the work of committee members and colleagues, who helped to run the conference smoothly. Editor

Examining the Development Processes of Learning Spaces in Higher Education

This study reports the developmental steps prior to the development of learning spaces in Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Space issues in higher education were usually considered either as part of space planning (which is aimed at providing adequate space for defined uses and maximizing their use once provided) or as part of campus planning and construction design. The findings report the level of design effectiveness of the learning spaces in USIM. The recommendation from learning space users will be taken into consideration in improving the design of the next learning spaces in USIM.

Development of Arabic Language Lifelong Learning (A3L) Tutorial Platform Using WhatsApp Mobile Application

This study examined the use of WhatsApp mobile application as a tutorial platform for Arabic language lifelong learning (A3L) at the Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). An exploratory research design was adopted and the purposive sampling technique was used in selecting participants for the study. Specifically, the study comprises 40 USIM A3L learners. The WhatsApp mobile application was used as a tutorial delivery tool for the learners. Two research questions were raised and analyzed qualitatively. The result of the analysis indicated that WhatsApp mobile application could be used as tutorial delivery tool for A3L following the prescribed steps and procedures. Twelve Arabic lessons were learned which include contents for learners, quizzes, feedbacks and learner supports. Based on the findings, it was recommended that researchers need to extensively respond to the growing need of a body of research in this area, especially building models and strategies that work for the use of social media for the improvement of A3L delivery. Additionally, the A3L facilitators should be equipped with the skills of using mobile technologies, particularly the social media for A3L enhancement.

An Evaluation on Full Coverage Crown Preparation: An Institutional Analysis

Introduction: Undergraduate (UG) dental students are trained for fixed prosthodontics course clinically in teaching institutions during the clinical years. However, there is a lack of objective data on the quality of fixed prostheses preparations done by UG students on their patients for academic and clinical staff. Aim: To evaluate the full-coverage crown preparations performed by UG dental students in the university clinical teaching programme. Materials and Methods: This study was a clinical audit done in the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Sains Islam, Malaysia (USIM) from April to July 2018. The demographic and clinical data were collected from the patients’ notes and included relevant information of patients such as age, gender and others. Full-coverage crowns were analysed and crown preparation assessments were done using specific criteria and standards. The descriptive data were measured in frequency and percentage for categorical variables and mean and standard deviation for continuous data. Results: A total of 31 patients fitted with 45 units of full-coverage crowns were analysed. The mean age of patients treated by fifth year dental students was 40.5 (±14.16) years. A 51% Porcelain Fused to Metal (PFM) crown provided to the patients. On the whole, UG undergoing the dentistry programme in the institution scored the lowest (51%) on proximal reduction and the highest (97.7%) on producing smooth and continuous preparation. Conclusion: Majority of the crowns prepared by students have acceptable preparation except in proximal reduction and cervical margin preparation that can be improved upon and emphasised further during the teaching and learning sessions.

Guest Editors: Counseling Psychology, Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation Issues

This special issue is a selection of seven articles that are research-based. The articles were extracted from the Master of Counseling (Substance Abuse), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia students’ research reports. The students were assisted by their respective supervisors to produce the articles as a form of academic training to disseminate their research findings through journal publication.

Clinical Legal Education at the Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia

Clinical Legal Education (CLE) is based on the idea that lawpractice requires thinking and doing. It is founded on thenotion of learning by doing in which law students gainlawyering skills by performing lawyering tasks andresponsibilities. This method gives students the opportunity towork on actual and simulated cases and solve legal problemssystematically. This paper discusses the implementation andapplication of CLE at the Faculty of Syariah And Law, UniversitiSains Islam Malaysia with emphasis on Problem-basedlearning, specifically relating to its process, model of PBLactivities, targeted skills, student assessment and studentfeedback. Discussion also covers benefit and challenges ofapplying CLE and PBL at the faculty. It discusses the experienceof the instructor in applying PBL in two courses. This papercomes up with suggestion on the application andimplementation of the method in a law school so that lawstudents can master practical legal skills in order to be moreemployable.

Bloom's Taxonomy and It’s Application in USIM's iNaQ Model

The integration of religious sciences (Naqli) with social and physical sciences (Aqli) manifests the uniqueness of education system in Universiti Sains IslamMalaysia (USIM). This model of teaching and learning, known as iNaQ, is however is still incomplete, thus leaving rooms for improvisation. The aspect of a standardised measurement and method of evaluation have become one of the vital impediment that ought to be enhanced. Thus, this study aims to improve the iNaQ model by applying and integrating Bloom's taxonomy of learning that will establish and produce a domain-based learning outcome. The present research utilises a qualitative approach in which textual analysis is applied as the main instruments of examination. The samples used are extracted from related documents. As a result, the application of Bloom's learning taxonomy in USIM's iNaQ Model creates clear learning outcomes for each levels of process. This finding provides a solution to the non-uniformity in the implementation and evaluation of courses in USIM due to the lack of clear iNaQ learning outcomes.

GUEST EDITORS: ISLAMIC EDUCATION AS THE CORE FOR THE FORMATION OF BARAKAH CAMPUS

This special edition compiles a collection of papers presented at International Conference on Islamic Higher Education (SeIPTI) 2018 organised by Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) on 25 to 26 November 2018. SeIPTI is a conference that groups scholars to discuss issues pertaining to Islamic higher education. The fifth conference this year brings about the theme of “Barakah Campus”. Under this theme, various issues have been discussed including the concept of barakah in universities and wider topics that are not confined to merely discussions on Islamic higher education but also broader debates on developments related to Islam in various fields in different kinds of organisations. Hence, this special edition highlights the theme, “Developments in Potential Fields in Achieving Barakah”.

Guest Editors: Islamic Education as The Core for The Formation of Barakah Campus

This special issue of Islamic Education as the Core for Formation of Barakah Campus brings together 10 selected articles presented at 2018 International Conference on Islamic Higher Education (SeIPTI) which was held on 25 & 26 November. The conference was organized by Faculty of Leadership and Management, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). The topics presented discussed on knowledge integration and learning process among Malaysian University graduates, including a special discussion on Muslim gifted and talented students. This special issue also highlighted topics on academics’ working satisfaction towards co-worker, as well as the relationship between Muslim and the non-Muslim according to the perspective of Maqasid Syariah in Malaysia, as well as the importance of barakah (Allah’s blessings) in building a nation. In addition, an article on measuring the effectiveness of University programs gave emphasis to the use of meta-analysis and systematic review of various evaluation models.

ANALISIS KEPERLUAN KOMUNIKASI ARAB KERJAYA UNTUK STAF PERPUSTAKAAN

The purpose of this research is to analyze the needs of communication in the Arabic language for the career of library staff at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). This analysis was adapted from the theory of Needs Analysis of Language for Specific Purpose by Hutchinson & Waters (1987), which comprises of three elements: Needs, Lacks and Wants. Based on this theory, a questionnaire is designed into two parts, the first part is related to the respondents’ background and the second part is related to the situations in need of Arabic communication, the lack of Arabic communication in a real situation, and what the respondents want from a course in Arabic communication. The survey respondents (N28) consist of USIM library staffs that are serving at two main counters, the Customer Service counter, and Circulation counter. The findings show that their level of needs in Arabic Communication skills is very high and positive, with four main functions in various situations, i.e. queries, application, explanations, and general conversation. Meanwhile, the lack of Arabic Communication skills is quite significant. This implies that the preparation of an Arab Communication course module will be able to narrow the gap by emphasizing what they have yet to master and need to master for their careers. This is also to fulfill their needs in the aspects of module preparation and their psychology by providing an easy and interesting teaching approach.

Deep convolutional neural network designed for age assessment based on orthopantomography data

In this paper, we proposed an age assessment method evaluated on Malaysian children aged between 1 and 17. The approach is based on global fuzzy segmentation, local feature extraction using a projection-based feature transform and a designed deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) model. In the first step, a global labelling process was achieved based on fuzzy segmentation, and then, the first-to-third molar teeth were segmented. The deformation invariant features were next extracted based on an intensity projection technique. This technique provided high-order features which were invariant to rotation and partial deformation changes. Finally, the designed DCNN model extracts a large set of features in the hierarchical layers which provided scale, rotation and deformation invariance. The method using this approach was evaluated using a comprehensive and labelled orthopantomographs of 456 patients, which were captured in the Department of Dentistry and Research at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. The results from the analysis have suggested that the method can classify the images with high performance, which enabled automated age estimation with high accuracy.

Creative Spirituality from the Islamic Perspective: Practices Amongst Students of a Product Development Competition

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the state of creative spirituality on product development among students who participated in the Islamic Innovation Student Competition (i-REKA) 2017 at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). The study employed the quantitative approach through a survey instrument design. Data were collected using questionnaires, and the constructs used were developed from prior research and previously-tested for reliability. A total of 147 questionnaires were analysed from the respondents in this study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the characteristics of the respondents, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while the multivariate technique which was employed was regression. The findings revealed that significant relationships exist in the state of creative spirituality among students of the products development competition. These findings may provide a distinctive perspective on the concept of creative spirituality and product development, and its necessity in the Islamic educational system for the contemporary modern era.