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Purpose - The Malaysian government has allocated a large budget for Orang Asli primary school education via the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) to help improve Orang Asli pupils’ academic performance including mathematics. Teachers face challenges in ensuring that Orang Asli pupils become competent learners of mathematics. Hence, this study examined the teachers’ perspectives on the issues and challenges in the teaching and learning of mathematics at Orang Asli primary schools in Malaysia.   Methodology - In this qualitative study, Two Orang Asli primary schools were randomly selected from eight primary schools within an Orang Asli Settlement in the District of Sungai Siput. The data were collected via focus group discussions and interviews, which were carried out during enculturation visits and were fully transcribed and thematically analysed. The research participants were purposively selected and comprised the schools’ administrators and mathematics teachers.   Findings - The results of the data analysis showed that there were two main themes, namely classroom challenges and school challenges, in determining mathematics competence among Orang Asli pupils. Classroom challenges consisted of five sub-themes namely coverage of mathematics syllabus, mathematics teaching and learning resources, pupil engagement, language barrier, and mathematics learning culture. School challenges consisted of two sub-themes namely school attendance and discipline. To enhance mathematics competence among Orang Asli pupils, it is deemed important to conduct programmes and community engagement.   Significance - This study contributes to the knowledge of the teaching and learning of mathematics at Orang Asli primary schools. It is recommended that teachers allow Orang Asli pupils to take home their mathematics textbooks so that they can complete their homework at home. Teachers are highly encouraged to conduct mathematics teaching and learning activities in groups to develop meaningful and engaging lessons.

Purpose – Given the prevalence of mental health issues among young adolescents and its detrimental effects on academic functioning, Social- Emotional Learning (SEL) interventions are becoming extremely valuable. The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of two types of SEL interventions delivered by two different types of teachers to determine their effectiveness for SEL knowledge, learning anxiety, and intention to drop-out.   Methodology – This study employed a 2 x 2 factorial and between-subject quasi-experimental design, in which intervention type and teacher type were manipulated to produce four different versions of experiments. A total of 209 students (107 boys, 102 girls) from Grade 8 with a mean age of 14.3 years from Qinzhou City in Southwest China participated in the study.   Findings – Factorial and between-group MANOVA revealed that while psychology teacher was more effective in enhancing SEL knowledge and reducing dropout intention, regular teacher was more effective in reducing learning anxiety. TASSEL intervention was more effective in enhancing SEL knowledge while SEL regular intervention was more effective in reducing learning anxiety. Nevertheless, within-group analysis suggested TASSEL with psychology teacher was the best combination in reducing dropout intention while SEL with psychological teacher was the best combination in reducing learning anxiety.   Significance – The results have significance for schools and mental health counselling services. The findings can guide the effective design of SEL intervention and appropriate teachers to deliver it. 

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is among disruptive innovations in online learning environments that attract a significant interest among students. MOOCs require learners to be actively involved and to utilize an individual process of self-regulated individual learning. The development of a measurement model for online self-regulated learning (SRL) has been found to be lacking when compared with the traditional, face-to-face context. This research has the objective of developing a model for measuring online self-regulation strategies in Malaysian MOOCs. Data collection was carried out using a sample of 384 learners in three MOOCs operated under the openlearning.com platform. A confirmatory factor analysis was executed to indicate the goodness-of-fit and validate the measurement model. Findings have shown that the measurement model and the data have a good fit after performing model modification procedures. Thus, the model is suitable for measuring online SRL in the setting of MOOC learning. Further, this study recommends several suggestions regarding the applicability of the measurement model with other variables related to teaching and learning in MOOC.

Purpose â€“ The primary aim of service learning is to produce holistically developed students. Despite the mandate from the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia to infuse service learning in the programs of studies since 2015, service learning in the country remains in its infancy. Critical insights concerning contextual compatibility are still missing in the Malaysian context. In this regard, the current paper aims to investigate the perspectives of lecturers and students on the challenges they have encountered while participating in service learning.   Methodology â€“ The study employed a qualitative approach and the principles of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) guided the collection of data. Students and lecturers who participated in the study were selected using purposive sampling techniques. The data from the students was collected using focus group interviews, while in-depth face to face interviews were used to collect data from the lecturers. These two sources of data were then analysed using a thematic analysis method.    Findings â€“ From the perspectives of the students, the challenges encountered were as follows:  1) there is a gap between theory and practice and 2) the lack of cognitive autonomy, while from the perspectives of the lecturers, the challenge was lack of structural support. There was also a theme seen in the common challenges experienced by the participants which was about the relationship and rapport with the community.   Significance â€“The findings provide insights into the challenges faced by lecturers and students in a public university where service learning is practised. These insights may have implications for academic developers providing training workshops on service learning and for lecturers involved in the design and implementation of service-learning projects. 

Purpose – The study explored how an underprivileged blind individual from an extremely poor family developed resilience and soft skills to thrive in life, despite challenges that could have easily hindered the development of his abilities. Methodology – This qualitative study employed the narrative inquiry method, involving responsive interviews. Experiences over a period of time were retrospectively documented via the collection of a life story from one participant who was very distinctive to the phenomenon being studied. Data analysis was carried out manually using open, thematic and longitudinal coding methods, after which interpretation was done to provide meaning to the results. Findings – Positive youth development in the participant’s life may be the result of the ecological system he grew up in, supported by three synergistic protective factors: religiosity and spirituality, parental discipline, and care and support, in addition to the traumatic life turning points he experienced. Significance – The findings provide directions for further research on the underprivileged in the Malaysian context. They would also be able to guide the government and other interested stakeholders on potential methods and initiatives to build resilience and motivation to learn soft skills so that underprivileged children will be able to thrive in life.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate learning space for research workspaces in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia based on the evaluations by experts and university research workers on a practical model for creating an effective research learning space. It examines expert analyses of the notion of a suitable research learning workspace and explores worker viewpoints on this issue. Method – Experts from business (n=2), education (n=2) and architectural (n=2) backgrounds were interviewed and a survey was conducted on research workers from selected universities in Malaysia (n=222). Findings – A research learning workspace model is proposed based on evaluations by workers and experts on what was needed in a research-based working space to make it more work-friendly and intellectually stimulating for researchers. Significance – This research attempts to understand research learning space problems in institutions of higher learning and proposes one possible model for future research learning workspace planning. It also contributes to the literature on research learning workspace and its management in developing countries, especially when Asia is positioning itself today as a competitive global educational hub.

Purpose Ë— The role of teacher autonomy support (TAS) is central to students’ engagement. However, there is a scarcity of empirical evidence on the mediating role of personal best (PB) goals between autonomy support and student engagement. Hence, in this research we examined the extent to which TAS could impact cognitive, behavioural and emotional engagement with the mediating role of PB goals among undergraduate students.   Methodology Ë— A cross-sectional research design was applied.  A total of 266 undergraduate students from a large government university located in northern Malaysia participated in this research. The Learning Climate Questionnaire (LCQ) and the Personal Best Scale were used to measure the students’ perception of TAS and their PB goals respectively, while the Engagement Versus Disaffection with Learning measurement scale and the Metacognitive Strategies Questionnaire were used to collect data on cognitive, behavioural and emotional engagement. Structural Equation Modelling using AMOS 23 was adopted to test the hypothesized relationships.   Findings Ë— The results of the study support our postulated model, showing that TAS is related with student engagement aspects through the full mediating role of PB goals.   Significance Ë— These results augment the present understanding of the self-determination theory motivation mediation model by highlighting that creating a conducive learning environment that facilitates self-determined behaviours among students will nurture PB goals and enhance engagement, which will be beneficial for teaching and learning processes in education.

Purpose  - As the classrooms in higher education are growing increasingly diverse, it is imperative that higher education practitioners build a responsive learning environment for diverse learners to optimize their potential. Continuing professional development programmes (CPD) are central to such strategic approaches that equip educators with essential knowledge and skills to handle diversity related issues, achieve equity and increase participation by students. Therefore, the present study aims to examine strategies used by higher education practitioners to address diversity and inclusion in teaching and learning. Methodology  - Participants were nine academicians (6 males and 3 females) who emerged from natural retention along the iterative cycles on Community of Practice (CoP) participation. The present study adopted CoP as the theoretical lens and a methodological tool to understand what strategies higher education practitioners devise for their inclusive teaching and learning practices in response to the diversity related challenges. The data was collected through a series of observations and reflective journals. Initially, thematic analysis techniques were used to reduce data into two categories- strategies and challenges. Later, according to the prevalence and frequency count the strategies were analysed against the challenges reported and finally the strategies were reduced into major themes. Findings  - Three major themes emerged that report the inclusive strategies conceived by the participants. The themes were - Inclusive/differentiated assessment which suggested that creating differentiated assessment that are inclusive in nature and can provide equal opportunity to every student to participate. The second theme, Motivation and Goal Strategies, revealed that students were found to be diverse in their goals for learning, hence, a variety of motivational strategies such as including students’ voice, providing them a clear rationale for studying and fostering relatedness were deemed suitable to address those differences. The final theme, inclusive pedagogy suggests a variety of accommodations to be made in pedagogy such as integrating technology, adopting culturally responsive material and initiating collaborative learning to address students’ differences. Significance  -The findings have implications for faculty professional development, classroom teaching practices for inclusive pedagogy in higher education institutions and use of CoP as a framework for such developments.

Purpose – The main aim of the present investigation was to examine the role of teacher, peer, and parental academic and emotional support in predicting adolescent cognitive engagement, especially within the context of ESL classrooms.   Method – The present study examined the availability of academic and emotional support from teachers, classmates and parents as perceived by adolescents, via instruments which were adapted from a number of established measures. This cross-sectional study utilized the survey method, and a total of 450 adolescents from 11 secondary schools in Malaysia, representing early and middle adolescence, took part in the survey. The study assessed each source of support namely teacher, peers and parents within one model.   Findings – Findings from the structural equation modelling suggest that both teacher and parental support are significantly related to adolescent cognitive engagement through their academic efficacy, thus lending support for a full mediation model while peer support was directly related to cognitive engagement.   Significance – Even though parents and teachers played important roles in influencing adolescent cognitive engagement (as suggested by previous studies), this study suggests that the relationship was through academic efficacy, which had served as a mediating variable. One of the contributions of this study is that its findings supported the inclusion of student motivational beliefs in explaining the relationship between support factors and engagement. This study had also examined the unique contribution of emotional support. Additionally, it was found that research should not disregard the importance of peers in promoting cognitive engagement directly.  

Purpose – In western countries, a model to explain student engagement in college or university has long been established. However, there is a lack of research to develop and validate a model which may help to better understand student engagement in the local university context. There is currently no established instrument to measure student engagement specifically in the Malaysian (or Asian) university context. This study was conducted to fill the gap. A measurement model on student engagement in the Malaysian university context, based on Astin’s (1984) Student Involvement Theory, was developed and validated for use in the local context.   Methodology – This study uses a survey research method to test the Malaysian University Student Learning Involvement Scale (MUSLIS), a measurement model of student engagement in the local university context. The MUSLIS is a 24-item scale designed to obtain feedback on the extent of student engagement at the tertiary level in the Malaysian context. The questionnaire was distributed to 347 final year students from Universiti Utara Malaysia. The data was analysed using the SPSS software (version 16.0) to run the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and AMOS (version 16.0) to analyse the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).   Findings – Holistic evaluation of the model of student engagement found that the data collected acceptably fit the model. The instrument used was also found to be reliable.   Significance – This study pioneers research in the measurement of tertiary student engagement, the first of its kind, in the Malaysian context. However, a wider sample comprising data from different universities in the country should be conducted to further confirm the usability and validity of the proposed MUSLIS. The instrument can be used in studies which seek to examine the outcomes of student involvement. In practice, the measurement of student involvement provides useful information on the extent of student participation in activities on and out of campus, whether these are academic-oriented or societal activities.