University Teknologi MARA Research Articles

Student’s acceptance of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

<span lang="EN-US">Electronic learning (e-learning) has become the main method of teaching and learning for many educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to investigate the students’ acceptance of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quantitative research methods were utilized in order to obtain the necessary data. A total of 100 respondents from three science courses, which were Biology (ED247), Chemistry (ED260), and Physics (ED248) in the Faculty of Education, University Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam answered a questionnaire given via Google Forms. The IBM SPSS version 25.0 software was used for data analysis. The results show that the students’ acceptance towards e-learning is low based on research question 1 (mean=3.05, SD=.796), research question 2 (mean=1.18, SD=.386), research question 3 (mean=1.18, SD=.435) and research question 4 (mean=1.44, SD=.608). In conclusion, the student’s acceptance of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic is significant to improve an educational process by creating and sustaining meaningful learning.</span>

Exploratory factor analysis of items for evaluating healthy lifestyles related to mental health among undergraduate students.

A healthy lifestyle is pivotal for improving mental health. As the concept of a healthy lifestyle is comprehensive, there is a need to prioritise components related to mental health in planning proper mental health interventions. In this regard, physical activity, diet, sleep quality, substance abuse and social support have been identified to enhance mental health. It is necessary to develop a valid scale for assessing healthy lifestyles related to mental health. Thus, this study aimed to adapt and validate an existing scale to evaluate healthy lifestyles related to mental health. This study included 177 (men: n=73, women: n=104) participants from University Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam, Selangor. The data were presented using descriptive statistics and subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. The 22 scale items evaluated were valid and reliable in assessing the five components of healthy lifestyles related to mental health. The total variance explained for measuring the construct was 68.610%. The Cronbachs alpha value for the five components ranged from 0.784 to 0.903. The adapted scale is acceptable and reliable in evaluating healthy lifestyles related to mental health within the target population. Thus, it can be used to assess significant components of healthy lifestyles to promote mental health. Accordingly, relevant authorities can formulate the best strategies to enhance mental health.

Speaking Anxiety in Chinese Language Learning Among non-Chinese Learners in Malaysia 马来西亚非华裔生汉语口语焦虑调查

<p>Numerous studies indicate most of the foreign language learners experience certain level of anxiety and usually they experience anxiety in their speaking skills. Hence, this study examines the speaking anxiety in Chinese Language learning among non-Chinese Beginner learners from University Teknologi MARA (Sarawak). The questionnaire which was developed by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986) was used in this study. SPSS 25.0 was used to analyze the scores. The result revealed non-Chinese beginner learners experienced speaking anxiety in Chinese language learning. Majority of them experience a moderate level of speaking anxiety in Chinese language learning. The main factor that contributed to non-Chinese beginner learners’ speaking anxiety was communication apprehension. It was followed by test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation.</p>

Examining the Relationship Between User Interface Preference and Screen Addiction in Video Games

This study investigated the connection between screen addiction and user interface among tertiary students at the University Teknologi MARA Kedah Branch in Malaysia (N=579). The two main elements of video game analysis have been the user interface and screen addiction. According to the investigation results, playing video games has been linked to mental health issues. It has been suggested to be the cause of the current rise in time spent using screen-based technology. The conclusion emphasised the need for devices with a screen addiction-based user interface preference.

Identifying Students’ Misconceptions of Sound Propagation

The Objective of this study is to identify misconceptions of sound propagation which students often encounter when asked. Generally, sound is a form of energy: the branch of physics that is concerned with this form of energy is acoustics. In particular, the study focused on the area of sound and misconceptions held by group of science students. In addition, through the use of interview method, the researchers identify students’ understanding about sound and sound propagation. There are 4 participants of science students Faculty of Education University Teknologi Mara (UiTM). Two of the participants are bachelor of education science in (Chemistry) and another two participants are bachelor of education science in (Physics) as the sample in this research. All of the participants have the basic knowledge on concept of sound. The approach for this study is phenomenography. In general terms, phenomenography is the study of qualitatively different ways in which people conceptualization various aspect of reality and phenomena. The findings showed that the participants have poor understanding and have many misconceptions on the concept of sound propagation. For the conclusion, it is evidences that the participants possessed misconceptions in sound propagation. So that, misconception issue must be called as serious learning obstructions in learning physics and have to be address if the objective of physics education is to be achieved successfully. Research recommended for teaching and learning for sound propagation, teacher need to aware although, student do not necessarily construct the same conceptual relationship for specific phenomena in different contexts.

非目的语环境下汉语课堂学习焦虑调查：以马来西亚非华裔生为例

本文采用Horwitz等人（1986）设计的外语学习焦虑量表， 简称FLCAS （Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale）作为研究工具，对非目的语环境下学习汉语的221名非华裔生进行汉语课堂学习焦虑研究。此221名非华裔生均来自马来西亚砂拉越玛拉工艺大学选修《基础华语》课的学习者。在问卷收集完善后，采用SPSS 22.0作为数据统计工具，对非华裔生的汉语学习焦虑程度、汉语学习焦虑三个维度与性别差异进行数据分析。分析结果显示，非华裔生在汉语课堂普遍经历学习焦虑。通过独立样本T检验结果发现，非华裔生汉语课堂学习焦虑与性别差异的相关性并不显著。
 This study adopted Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) designed by Horwitz et al (1986) to determine Mandarin as foreign language learning anxiety among 221 non-native Mandarin learners in non-target language context. These 221 non-native Mandarin learners were those who enrolled in Introductory Mandarin Language course from University Teknologi MARA, Sarawak Branch. SPSS 22.0 was employed to analyze the data such as non-native Mandarin learners’level of anxiety and gender differences. Findings from this study revealed that non-native Mandarin learners are at moderate level of anxiety. Results from independent T-test analysis shows that there were no significant differences between learners’ level of anxiety and gender.

Liver Transplantation in Malaysia: Needs, Obstacles, and Opportunities.

Liver Transplantation in Malaysia: Needs, Obstacles, and Opportunities.

Students' Perception towards Online Distance Learning(ODL) during COVID-19 Pandemic in Undergraduate Students of Faculty of Health Science

The educational system in Malaysia, including schools, colleges, and universities, is based on a traditional system. The outbreak of COVID-19 has an impact on the educational system across the world because it was forced to shut down during pandemics and changed from traditional methods to online and distance learning(ODL) or non-face to face. Due to this nature, COVID-19 tremendously affected the personal interaction of lecturers and students. The absence of traditional classroom teaching and computer-based learning has emerged as the closest replacement for offline teaching and the students' perception and readiness about the online distance learning adopted during the covid -19 pandemic, mainly laboratory-based courses in the Faculty of Health Sciences. In the present study, 265 diploma students of Faculty of Health Science, University Teknologi MARA, Pulau Pinang Branch, Bertam Campus were collected through the online questionnaire from October to November 2020. The findings revealed students' perception of e-learning and how their willingness to accept the e-learning without lab basis in the time of the COVID-19 crisis. E-learning has new emerging to adopted in a pandemic. Many academic institutions were reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approach. However, they have no choice but to shift entirely to online and distance learning (ODL) because of this pandemic. Our findings will facilitate educational institutions and policymakers to take this ODL better to the next level.

Factors Influencing Acceptance Of Home-Based Accounting Services (Hibas) For Micro-Entrepreneurs: UITM Postgraduate Accounting Students Perspectives

This study aims to investigate and identify the main factors that influence the acceptance of the Home-Based Accounting Services (HBAS) concept from the perspective of postgraduate students. A well-structured survey questionnaire was distributed to all postgraduate students from the Faculty of Accountancy, University Teknologi MARA (UiTM) between 1 November 2018 and 30 November 2018. The research findings revealed that factors that influence the acceptance of HBAS, the ability of HBAS to provide comprehensive reporting on performance, and increasing the efficiency of owner-clients to manage accounting information were ranked as top priorities. The respondents also expect that HBAS could save time required for their involvement, from the recording to the reporting stages. Additionally, the owner client‘s convenience at the location while the HBAS team operates on-site and the securing of documents that must not be taken out from the site are other contributing factors. This paper contributes to the existing literature and broadens the provision of accounting services to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), also known as Micro-Entrepreneurs. The concept of HBAS could encourage Micro-Entrepreneurs to be more proactive, and issues related to the low percentage of SME business enterprises that keep proper accounting records could be reduced. HBAS is a new concept that aims to assist Micro-Entrepreneurs to keep proper accounting records. Consequently, this could help improve their financial position, as they would be able to review their business‘s financial statements regularly.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOBILE PHONE USES WITH AN ANXIETY AMONG STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, SEREMBAN

There is sufficient evidence regarding the potential risk of mobile phone use on anxiety. Therefore, the aim of research was to examine the relationship between mobile phone use and anxiety among students from two faculties in University TeknologI Mara (UiTM) Seremban. This cross-sectional study included 317 students of both genders. The sampling method was measured using proportionate stratified sampling. Level of mobile phone use was measured using Problem Use Mobile Phone (PUMP) Scale and level of an anxiety was measured using Beck Anxiety Inventory (BEI) Scale. In Malaysia, there are very small amount who made this research. The finding of this study showed that majority respondents are at normal level for mobile phone use. Pearson correlation result shows there was significant correlation between mobile phone use with an anxiety among students. This study indicates the important mobile phone use toward an anxiety among university students.

Occlusal force and occlusal contact reestablishment with resin-bonded fixed partial dental prostheses using the Dahl concept: A clinical study

Statement of problemSpace creation for a metal retainer of the resin-bonded fixed partial dental prostheses (RBFPDPs) with the Dahl concept remains controversial because of the lack of clinical studies. PurposeThe purpose of this clinical study was to investigate the occlusal force and occlusal contact reestablishment of RBFPDPs cemented at an increased occlusal vertical dimension (the Dahl concept) and to evaluate the factors affecting them. Material and methodsA prospective clinical study was carried out on 28 participants receiving cantilevered RBFPDPs at an increased occlusal vertical dimension at the Faculty of Dentistry, University Teknologi MARA. Maximum occlusal forces were recorded at precementation, postcementation, and 12-week review visit by using pressure indicating film, while occlusal contact reestablishment was assessed at the precementation stage and 12-week review visit by using shim stock foils. The Wilcoxon signed-rank and chi-squared tests were used for statistical analysis (α=.05). ResultsSignificant differences were found for maximum occlusal force between the precementation and the postcementation and between the postcementation and the 12-week review of RBFPDPs (P<.05 for both) in all 28 participants. However, no significant difference was found between the precementation and the 12-week review (P=.085). The occlusal force reestablishment concerning sex, age, location, and arch of the prosthesis was found to be similar. Most of the participants (89.3%) achieved complete occlusal contact reestablishment and 10.7% partial occlusal reestablishment. The demographic and prosthesis factors were not significantly related to the occlusal reestablishment (P>.05). ConclusionsOverall, occlusal force was reestablished after 12 weeks, and occlusal contact was completely reestablished in most participants after placement of RBFPDPs at an increased occlusal vertical dimension.

Honeycomb Carbon Sandwich Composite Panel Under Compressive Load Flat-wise: Experimental Analysis

This article is an experimental study of honeycomb core carbon skin sandwich composite panel using American Standards for Testing Materials, ASTM Standards C365/C365M-11a for honeycomb structure flatwise compressive strength. The objective of this article is to describe the process of validation done in the specimens prepared in the research are, to have consistency in terms of the strength and other mechanical properties and to ensure the materials prepared in the lab and can be applied for aviation application (aircraft control surface) later. The samples were prepared in accordance with aviation industry standards using the aviation industry materials at the approved facility (Malaysian Airlines Composite workshop in Subang). The experiment was conducted using the Instron 8802 UTM by following the ASTM Standards at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University Teknologi MARA. From the experiment in accordance with the test standard, the results of the experiment showed the consistency in terms of strength of the specimen. The ultimate strength was found at the average 5.88 kN.

UiTM Tapah Non-Resident Rental Housing Application

Student accommodation is a vital issue in building a student’s life at any university. Students and universities struggle to find the right solution for housing so that students can pursue their particular field of study and enjoy their university’s life. Seemingly, the right accommodation can contribute towards students’ success, students’ retention rate, and students’ satisfaction with their living arrangement. As it turns out, the Non-Resident students of University Teknologi MARA Perak, Tapah Branch voiced out their unhappiness to the University’s Management that they are having difficulties in finding rental housing around the Tapah area. The researches believed that the students complained need to be addressed immediately. Considerately, a mobile application was developed to help them in finding off-campus rental housing around the Tapah area. Usability testing has been applied to evaluate the feedback of users regarding their satisfaction using this new mobile application. The result from the survey shows 94.4 % of the users were satisfied with the overall system. However, there are still some future works that need to be done to improve this application.

EXPLORING THE POTENTIAL OF AUGMENTED REALITY IN ENGLISH FOR REPORT WRITING: A PERCEPTIVE OVERVIEW

The use of augmented reality (AR) in education has changed the landscape of teaching and learning in the 21st century. AR has changed the presentation of learning materials that allows learning activities to be more interactive and rich in multimedia. AR has the potential to increase students’ engagement and motivation in learning. As such, it was incorporated in the design and development of a book for learning Report Writing. This study aims to examine students’ perception of the use of AR in the language classroom, identify the lecturers’ perception of the use of AR, and determine the advantages and disadvantages of the use of AR for the language classroom. The sample comprised 10 students and 7 lecturers from University Teknologi MARA Cawangan Negeri Sembilan. The data were analysed by using descriptive analysis. The findings indicate that the integration of AR in the Report Writing book had more advantages than disadvantages. The findings also suggest that integrating AR in the book had positive impacts not only in learning but also in permitting the production of a portable and environment-friendly book.

Determining Indoor Air Quality in Gymnasium for Indoor Recreation Activity at University Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam

This study is conducted to determine the indoor air quality in the Faculty Sport and Recreation’s gymnasium, UiTM Shah Alam. The objective of the study is to determine possible type and cause of pollutant, determining the health and performance of occupants and assess whether the IAQ parameters comply with the standards set by DOSH. The study consists of questionnaire survey, walkthrough assessment and reading measurement. A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed to the gymnasium users and a walkthrough assessment were conducted at the surrounding area of the gym in order to identify the possible sources of pollutants as well as the reading of selected parameter of IAQ. Several criteria of indoor air quality parameter are identified and measured. Result indicated that concentration of carbon dioxide increases in relation with the number of the occupant. As a conclusion, indoor air quality in the gymnasium is merely complying with DOSH standards. Thus, relevant actions should be taken pertaining to the quality of indoor air in a gymnasium for the betterment of healthy lifestyle.

Assessment of outcome-based integrated design project

Outcome-Based Education (OBE) implementation is one of the qualifying requirements for engineering programme accreditation in Malaysia. Implementation of the OBE in Integrated Design Project (IDP) is essential in producing high quality engineering graduates that are able to meet the challenges especially in the era of Industry 4.0 in Malaysia. IDP is the course offered to the final year students of undergraduate programme in Faculty of Civil Engineering, University Teknologi MARA. This paper presents the mapping of the addressing Course Outcomes (CO) and Programme Outcomes (PO) to the scopes of assessment in a capstone project (CP) for IDP. The explicitness in the measurement of CO and PO in the course is demonstrated. The rubrics for the assessment of CP are also presented. Finally, evaluation of student performance in IDP particularly CP is discussed through a sample analysis of the CO and PO attainments.

Modeling the Relationship between University Brand Image and Alumni Loyalty Using a Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) Approach

In today’s competitive business world, marketing is critically important to universities in positioning a product to attract the interest of its clients, which are the prospective students. As for public universities such as University Teknologi Mara (UiTM), the key to survive the increasing competition and financial difficulties is through their alumni loyalty. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that affects the Alumni Loyalty towards UiTM. This study tests a model derived from a relationship marketing perspective to investigate the effects of components of University Brand Image which are Academic System, Reputation, Employability, Shared Values and Social Network on the Alumni Loyalty towards UiTM. Based on the literature review, a theoretical model is proposed and tested through Partial Least Square - Structural Equations Modelling (PLS-SEM) using a sample of 815 UiTM alumni. The results reveal that the significant factors that affect Alumni Loyalty are Reputation, Employability and Shared Values. In addition, the results highlight that Academic System do not affect Alumni Loyalty directly but rather indirectly through the mediation of Satisfaction. Overall, Academic System, Reputation, Employability and Shared Values are important in explaining the variance of Alumni Loyalty. University should be careful about the quality of the course offered and methods of delivery by the academicians since the implication of an Academic System is significant toward the loyalty of alumni.

MRSA colonization and infection rates among cardiovascular thoracic surgical patients

Background: Infection due to Staphylococcus aureus is a common complication of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery (CVTS). Infections due to methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), results in even greater morbidity and mortality than infections from methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA) strains. To prevent such consequences, implementation of MRSA screening to identify MRSA carriers, followed by decolonization protocol is becoming a norm for cardiothoracic centres. Methods & Materials: We retrospectively studied the clinical and microbiological data of all cardiovascular thoracic surgical (CVTS) patients who were admitted for their procedure at Faculty of Medicine, University Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. The study period was five years, starting from November 2012 to October 2017. Inclusion criteria for the cases were screened for MRSA colonization upon admission, underwent appropriate decolonization procedure following detection of MRSA and remained with cardiothoracic follow-up post-surgery, for at least a month after the surgical procedure. Decolonization protocol practised by our infection control unit was the application of mupirocin ointment for nasal colonization and chlorhexidine bath for axilla and groin colonization. Results: Three hundred and fifty-eight CVTS patients were admitted for procedures during the five-year study. We identified six MRSA carriers, pre-operatively colonized at either their nose, groin or axilla. This gives an overall MRSA carrier rate of 1.7%. The majority of them, which were four patients or 67% of MRSA carriers, were colonized at their nasal sites. One patient was colonized at groin and the other one at axilla. All carriers had single-site colonization, none with multiple-sites colonization. They all successfully underwent decolonizing procedure as per protocol. Consecutively, none of the carriers developed surgical site infection (SSI) due to MRSA within a month following surgery, giving an MRSA infection rate of 0%. Conclusion: Our centre's MRSA carrier rate of less than 2% among the CVTS patients is generally lower than that reported from other similar cohorts of patients from various institutions. This, coupled with an effective decolonization protocol, appeared to have contributed to the absence of SSI due to MRSA in these patients for the past five years. The application of this ‘MRSA search and destroy’ strategy contributes not only to life-saving, but also financial saving in the long run.

The Stressors of Using Computer Technology Among Educators of Higher Learning Institutions

The increased use of technology within our culture nowadays draws an important question to ask whether or not current educators are being prepared to use technology in their teaching. Technology evolution may cause educators to feel pressurised to learn to use the technology. In addition to this, the inability to fully comprehend the requirements and functionality of technology-based gadgets may create frustration and stress for the individuals. This study looks at the main stressors based on The Computer Hassles Scale from Hudiburg (1996). Thirty lecturers from across faculties in University Teknologi MARA were selected using random sampling. The analysis shows eight most frequently affirmed hassles by lecturers namely; lost data (57%), information lost in the computer (53%), lost program (50%), crashed system/lockup (47%), crashed program and low computer speed (43%), damaged storage media (40%), low program speed (37%), obsolete computer, incompatible software programs and computer hardware failure (33%). These stressors were an indicative that there was a lack of suitable and sufficient technical support for educators. Besides that, educators’ inabilities to use computer technology must also be addressed. This ascertainment suggests that institutions of higher learning should take these stressors into serious considerations before implementing the use of technology in classroom for educators so that teaching and learning process can take place smoothly without any major setbacks.

The Influence of Work-Family Conflict and Family-Work Conflict on Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Coping Strategies

This research was conducted to gain an overview of the effects of work-family conflict, family-work conflict and coping strategies on the well-being of selected female respondents among the academic staff at University Teknologi MARA. They represent a group of highly educated respondents with heavy workloads who are expected to be able to manage and balance their well-being. This study also aims to determine the mediating effects of coping strategies in the relationships between work-family conflict, family-work conflict and women’s well-being with the use of the self-determination theory as an underpinning theory. The data was collected from 140 respondents using systematic sampling and subsequently analysed using SEM-AMOS 21.0. This study was carried out to test the confirmatory model of work-family balance and coping strategies in the prediction of the well-being of women. It will be a beneficial guide and a contribution to existing knowledge in the field of human resource management when presented to academicians in public institutions of higher education.