Measuring Malaysian Students Achievement Level in Arabic Morphology: Improving and Developing Curriculum

Vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) are essential to acquire and mastering English language skills. Previous research in the Malaysian context mainly takes students at the tertiary level, with few only done on secondary students and thus has been unable to thoroughly investigate the preferred VLS of secondary and tertiary ESL students. Examining the vocabulary-learning strategies preferred by ESL secondary and tertiary students in Malaysia is significant. VLS is important in determining Malaysian ESL students' English language communication performance. Quantitative convenience sampling methods were employed to determine the preferred VLS among Malaysian students. Data was gathered from 320 secondary and tertiary Malaysian ESL students using a revised Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaires (VLSQ) version 6.4. Findings indicated that secondary and tertiary Malaysian students preferred metacognitive compared to other dimensions. Regarding gender, results showed significant differences between male and female students in meta-cognitive and cognitive VLS dimensions. In addition, secondary students preferred to use dictionaries, whilst tertiary students preferred using meta-cognitive regulation to learn new English vocabulary. These results show that students employed different VLSs in learning new vocabulary. Also, it demonstrated that genders played a significant role when students learn vocabulary, as results showed a significant difference between male and female students in VLS dimension preferences.

This article aims to measure the effects of reading literacy to mathematical comprehension of fifth grade elementary students both in Indonesia and Malaysia. This article used quasi-experiment with factorial design. Samples included 398 students that consisted of 173 elementary students in Indonesia and 216 elementary students in Malaysia. The data were taken by using three instruments: a test and three questionnaires. A test was used to assess the students’ mathematical comprehension. Meanwhile, the questionnaires were used to measure their reading literacy and motivation to study mathematics. They have been validated by two experts and estimated the reliability coefficient by using the Cronbach Alpha formula. Experts judged the instruments were valid based on the content validity. The reliability coefficient of all of the instruments was more than 0.5 so they were reliable. A descriptive statistical analysis was used to describe the data, while the analysis variant was used to examine the different mathematical comprehension levels of the students based on reading literacy and the motivation to study mathematics. The result showed that there is a difference in mathematical comprehension levels between students that have a high reading literacy level and those with a lower level. Besides that, this study also shows that there is a distinction in mathematical comprehension levels between students which have a higher motivation to study mathematics with students that have less motivation. This study concluded that reading literacy and the motivation to study mathematics have an effect toward mathematical comprehension ability of elementary students.

This study attempted to determine the effectiveness of test messaging items for certain language skills. It sought to find out what skills can be measured by text messaging test items, to determine the efficiency of text messaging items for testing certain language skills, and the effectiveness of the testing instruments in assessing certain language performance. The research employed written text analysis. A sample test composed of three sets of text messages in three forms, Filipino text, Taglish text, and English text messages were made. A short paragraph in Filipino, Taglish, and English were transcribed into text messages by senior Education students who are majoring in English. After comparisons, they came up with the best text translation of the items. The test items were administered to freshmen Education students of the Southern Luzon State University. The subjects were asked to transcribe the messages in complete sentences. Results reveal that text messaging test items measure the respondents' competencies in reading comprehension, grammatical structures, phonetic ability, and usage. Based from the computed mean for different skills, the study revealed that the students have high level of comprehension in three languages used, high level of ability in grammatical structure in Filipino and average level of ability in grammatical construction in English; high level of ability in phonetics in Filipino and English based from their spelling of words; and high level of ability in correct usage based from their sentence construction.

The aim of study was to investigate characteristics of neurodystrophic changes in neurons and glia of the motor cortex in rats with different levels of cognitive functions under bilateral ligation of the common carotid arteries. Material and methods . The study included 136 Wistar rats. All animals were divided into two subgroups based on the results of the Morris water maze test: with high and low level of ability to spatial learning. Animals of the experimental group were removed from the experiment on the 1st, 6th, 14th, 21st, 35th, 60th and 90th days after bilateral ligation of both carotid arteries. Histological sections of the motor cortex were studied using Nissl and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Results . In 1, 6 and 8 days after ischemia, the number of neurons with irreversible changes and dead cells reached their maximum for the entire time of observation. On the 8th day of study, compact groups of glial cells appeared near the vessels. Heterochrony was noted: in animals with high level of cognitive ability, an increase in the number of neurons with irreversible changes followed the peak of cell death; in animals with low level, on the contrary, the maximum number of dead cells was observed on the 6th day, and the maximum number of neurons with irreversible changes – on the 1st. On the 14th, 21st, and 28th days there was observed a gradual stabilization of indicators characterizing damage to the cerebral cortex. Average values of the perikarya area and neurons nuclei increased, the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio decreased, and intracellular swelling was noted. After 35 days, areas of the cortex depleted in bodies of neurons and glia appeared; the number of neurons with irreversible changes increased, to a greater extent, in animals with high level of cognitive abilities. Typical trends of the first month of study are as follows: a decrease in the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and a number of neurons without irreversible changes, and an increase in the neuroglial index continued to progress on the 60th and 90th days of study. The apical dendrites of the pyramidal neurons obtained a corkscrew course. Compact groups of glial cells disappeared. Conclusion . During the first week of cerebral hypoperfusion, irreversible changes in neurons predominated, in the second and third weeks, the morphological criteria of their functional activity decreased. In the fourth and fifth weeks incomplete adaptation developed in the form of an increased number of neurons near the vessels of the hemocirculatory bed and an increased number of satellite gliocytes by immersing them in the cytoplasm of neurons. In 2-3 months after cerebral hypoperfusion, signs of acute hypoxia reappeared. Animals with high level of cognitive ability were characterized by large damage to the structures of the neuroglial ensemble.

The internationalisation of higher education generates several issues related to quality, uniformity of subjects taught across campuses and the role of differences in English-speaking ability, which may affect student learning and skills development. This study used a self-assessment survey framework to investigate Australian (native English speaking) and Malaysian (non-native English speaking) students’ perceptions of their writing-related competencies. These perceptions were then correlated with students’ grades for specific writing tasks at the Australian and Malaysian campuses of Monash University, a research-intensive tertiary institution. Student perceptions of six competencies were determined upon commencement and completion of a core science subject, SCI2010. Australian and Malaysian student perceptions of their abilities improved for all six, and four of the surveyed competencies, respectively. Upon commencement of the science unit, Malaysian students’ self-efficacy was higher than that o...

The prevalence of mental health issues among tertiary students in Malaysia is notably high, with nearly half experiencing moderate to severe depression, anxiety, and stress, which can impair reasoning and lead to uncontrolled behavior. Despite efforts by the Malaysian government to address these issues, significant challenges remain, necessitating more effective and accessible interventions. This study proposes improvisational dance lessons as a potential intervention to reduce stress levels among these students. Improvisational dance, known for promoting emotional release, can help alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. While previous studies have shown the positive impacts of various dance lessons on mental health, similar research in Malaysia is sparse. This practice-led research investigates the effectiveness of improvisational dance in reducing stress levels among 27 tertiary students aged 19 to 21 in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Participants engaged in a four-week intervention, with one 120-minute lesson per week, and documented their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in weekly journals before and after the sessions. These journals were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative content analysis methods. The findings indicate that improvisational dance lessons positively affect the emotional well-being of tertiary students in Malaysia. The potential of these lessons to reduce stress levels is significant, and future research should explore different improvisational dance activities, genres, and populations in Malaysia.

In recent years, computational thinking (CT) skills have been globally recognized as a 21st-century skill that must be developed for future generations. However, the lack of validated CT assessments would be a major impediment in the efforts to incorporate CT into the school curriculum. This study is intended to validate the Computational Thinking Test (CTt) using the Rasch model by identifying whether the data fit the Rasch model measurement, determining the CT abilities among a small sample of Singapore secondary students through the test, and examining the presence of test items that functioned differently for gender and grade level of the students. In this study, 153 upper secondary school students from Grade 9 and Grade 10 were involved in a test that required them to do the CTt which comprises 28 test items. The performance of the students in CTt was utilized as quantitative data in this study and was analyzed using the Rasch model. The findings revealed that the data fit the Rasch model measurement. The majority of the male students and ninth-graders had a high level of CT abilities, while most of the female students and tenth-graders had a moderate level of CT abilities. Hence, the male students and ninth-graders performed better than the female students and tenth-graders. Four items functioned differently between male and female students where one gender had a better chance to get the correct answer in these four items compared to the other gender. Only one test item was functioning differently for Grade 9 and Grade 10. This means that the students of one grade level were more likely to obtain the correct answer in this item than the students in the other grade level. This study hopes to contribute to the literature in the area of CT assessments by providing a reference case for scholars and researchers in assessing CT abilities among the students.

The purpose of the study was to identify and describe factors influencing instruction competencies as perceived by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students in Malaysia. The study described the students’ self-perceived level of knowledge and their perceived importance of instruction competencies for TVET courses conducted by a private vocational college in Kuala Lumpur and a public institution in Selangor. The study employed a mixed-method explanatory sequential study design. Data were gathered from a sample of 171 TVET students using the Instruction Competency Questionnaire (ICS). Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation were used to analyses the data. This was followed by individual semi-structured interviews with 3 TVET students from the Selangor public institution. Feedback from the respondents of the ICS showed that 68.4% indicated that they had knowledge on scientific, interpretative, and critical paradigms. Significant correlations (p < .05) were reported (a) between perceived knowledge of experience in designing instruction and perceived knowledge of need for further education in instruction competence, and (b) between perceived importance of training on designing instruction and perceived importance of the need for further education in instruction competence. The study also showed that perceived importance of instruction competencies and perceived knowledge of instruction competencies were predictors for the need for further education on instruction competencies. The findings indicated that instruction competence was important for the overall quality of educational experience since it was shaped by expectations about the educational outcomes that students should manifest upon their graduation.

International students who pursue their education in other country have to cope various challenges related to their adjustment. Successful adjustment to higher learning institution becomes an important issue, failure to which may hinder self-efficacy and their academic achievement. Aim of current research is to investigate the influence of self-efficacy, and socio-cultural adjustment on their academic achievement among International students in Malaysia. Two hundreds International students were randomly selected from the Kuala Lumpur, Out of these 100 belongs to male and 100 belong to female category. The age range of the respondents are 17 to 27 years (Mean=20.55). Various psychological constructs were used to assess the studied variables. Correlational and regression statistical analysis were applied. Findings reveal significant positive correlation in academic achievement with socio-cultural adjustment and self-efficacy. Gender, self-efficacy and socio-cultural adjustment significantly predicts students’ academic achievement. Findings proved gender, self-efficacy and socio-cultural adjustment significantly effecting International student’s academic achievement among International students in Malaysia. Implications for International students are significant in terms of countering adjustment problems by developing self-efficacy and cultural values as a result academic achievement may improve.

Female students are thought to be more negatively impacted by body image ideals and often more susceptible to various eating related disorders compared to men. A previous study using a sample of female students in Malaysia did not identify whether the increase in susceptibility to eating disorders can be explained by the level of body image acceptance. To identify the prevalence of depression and susceptibility to eating disorders among a sample of 206 female students in one of the private universities in Malaysia and explore the relationship between depression, body image and susceptibility to eating disorders. In addition, this study aimed to determine whether depression is a mediator between body image and susceptibility to eating disorders among female college students. The Body Image Acceptance and Action Questionnaire were used to assess body image acceptance, the Patient Health Questionnaire to measure depression and the Eating Attitude Test- 26 was used to assess susceptibility to eating disorders. The results showed that 65.5% (n=135) of the students were depressed and 6.3% (n=13) were susceptible to eating disorders. There was a significant positive relationship between depression and eating disorders and a negative relationship between body image and depression as well as between body image and eating disorder. Further, the regression model showed that depression was partially mediating the effect of body image on eating disorders. Body image and depression contribute to eating disorders and treating depression could reduce susceptibility to eating disorders.

The Malaysian government aims to make entrepreneurship one of the main contributors to new employment opportunities and reduce unemployment. This study aims to identify the entrepreneurship intention and creative thinking skills among polytechnic students in Malaysia. Respondents in this quantitative study consisted of students from Polytechnic Ungku Omar (PUO), Polytechnic METrO Kuala Lumpur (PMKL), Polytechnic METrO Johor Bahru (PMJB), Polytechnic Mersing Johor (PMJ), Polytechnic Melaka (PMK), Polytechnic Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin (PSMZA), Polytechnic Merlimau Melaka (PMM), Polytechnic Banting (PBS) and Polytechnic Port Dickson (PPD). The respondents were selected using a purposive stratified random sampling method. The questionnaire consists of 36 items, namely: demographic, creative thinking skills, and entrepreneurship intention. Statistical tests used in this research include frequency, percentage, and t-test. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 21. Findings show that male students are more entrepreneurial and creative than female students. This research also found a significant difference between engineering and non-engineering polytechnic students in the level of entrepreneurial intention. This research concluded that exposure to an entrepreneurial career through informal training does not necessarily affect a student's tendency to venture into entrepreneurship. This study contributes that every student has creative potential. However, differences in gender and learning environment can lead to differences in students' creativity levels. Therefore, even though students have been following informal entrepreneurship training, they still do not choose a career as an entrepreneur.

This study examines a sample of manufacturing firms in order to assess the relationship between overproduction levels with different levels of managerial ability. Using the managerial ability measure developed by Demerjian et al. (2012), this paper shows that firms with high levels of managerial ability have smaller size of overproduction. Furthermore, when overproduction occurs in firms with high levels of managerial ability, it is less likely to reverse in the following year and is more likely to be associated with future sales increases. Overall, the results suggest that high managerial ability firms generally avoid overproduction. High‐ability managers having fewer overproduction reversals suggest that they are less likely to use overproduction to manage earnings; instead, they are more likely to overproduce to build up inventory to expect higher future sales.

This study aims to determine the mathematical creative thinking abilities Level in the high mathematical creative thinking disposition category for each gender difference. This research is qualitative research using a qualitative descriptive method conducted at SMK Pertiwi Kuningan. This study describes mathematical creative thinking abilities of mathematics learning by collecting descriptive data obtained from the classification dispositions of mathematical creative thinking categories, creative thinking abilities test questions, and valid and reliable interviews. The research subjects chosen were four students from 57 students. The research subjects were two male students and two female students who had creative abilities, and the highest test scores were in the high mathematical creative thinking disposition category. Data analysis was performed with the stages of data collection, reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that male and female students in the high mathematical creative thinking disposition category have creative abilities that fulfill the aspects of flexibility, fluency, and elaboration. Flexibility and fluency aspects have an average score with very good criteria. Then, there are differences in the elaboration aspect, where the average score of female and male students are 3.9 and 3.4, respectively. It shows that the difference is not significant, namely 0.5, which indicates that female students are better at the elaboration aspect. Even so, male students also fulfill the elaboration aspect, wherein the very good criteria both. However, male and female students did not satisfy the originality aspect. The creative ability can be reached by having a high mathematical creative thinking disposition. Therefore, the teacher must be able to instill a high mathematical creative thinking disposition in mathematics learning. The high mathematical creative thinking disposition makes students flexible, fluent, and thorough in solving mathematical problems.

Computational thinking has emerged as a critical 21st-century skill, yet many secondary students in Malaysia have not been formally exposed to structured computational thinking education. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a “Basic to Advanced Computational Thinking for Secondary Students” program implemented in Melaka, Malaysia. To assess the impact of a four-day computational thinking program on secondary students’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in computational thinking concepts. A pre-post evaluation design was employed using the validated form provided by Research, Innovation, Commercialisation, and Entrepreneurship (RICE) University Technical Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) assessment instrument. Forty-eight secondary students (Forms 1-3) participated in the program, which covered introduction to computational thinking which includes Microbit, Scratch, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. Participants completed self-assessment questionnaires before and after the program using a 5-point Likert scale. The program demonstrated significant effectiveness across all measured competencies. Overall mean scores improved from 2.45 to 3.71 (51.3% improvement). The highest improvements were observed in knowledge acquisition (60.9%) and program relevance perception (53.2%). Female students (n=9) and male students (n=20) both showed substantial improvements, with the program successfully engaging diverse learners across different form levels. The structured computational thinking program effectively enhanced secondary students’ competencies in computational thinking. The findings support the integration of comprehensive computational thinking curricula in Malaysian secondary education to prepare students for digital literacy demands.

This research is motivated by the importance of mathematical literacy skills of junior high school students in solving PISA model questions. This study aims to describe the percentage at low, medium and high levels of students' ability in solving PISA questions. The type of research used is descriptive qualitative with the research subjects are 15 year old junior high school students. The data collection technique used is the method of observation, tests, interviews and documentation. The validity of the data in this study used a triangulation technique by comparing the data from tests, interviews and documentation to obtain the same data. The data analysis technique was carried out with data reduction steps, data presentation, verification and drawing conclusions. The result of knowledge is that students' ability to solve PISA type math problems with space and shape content is different. Most students are able to solve level 3 and 4 questions, while only a few students can solve level 5 questions. After the interview process, students did not understand what the question meant, students did not understand what was being asked. Keywords: student ability, PISA type math problems, PISA