Teaching of English as a performing art: reflecting on its role in the curriculum

This paper is a reflection on how conceptualising the teaching of English as a performing art within the English Language school curriculum in Malaysia can play a meaningful and practical role in developing an adequate moral stance of students towards other members of its plural society. It is argued that, in addition to being an interesting and creative way of teaching language, the different forms of performing art also present a realistic experience of others. It offers an opportunity for pupils through the use of aesthetics to better inform pupils’ perception of others centred in a realism brought to life by the arts. This argument is considered within the context of Malaysia, as a plural society and the roles of the teaching and learning of language in developing a much more adequate moral sensibility about others through imagination and perception. The argument draws on Murdoch’ ideas about the relationship between ethics and art and the authentic representation of the reality of life in plural society it offers. Based on the argument forwarded, it is suggested that a conceptualisation of English Language Teaching as a performing art can play a deeply meaningful role in developing the moral sensibilities of pupils towards other members of the society in raising their awareness and understanding about others as people. The paper concludes by recommending that this idea of the teaching of English is adopted depending on the aim of the curriculum

RESEARCHING MORAL AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA: PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON THE ISSUE OF IMPARTIALITY IN DOING PHILOSOPHICAL RESEARCH ON PLURALISM

AbstractIn the process of conducting a philosophical examination on the conceptualization of pluralism within moral and citizenship education in Malaysia, I was faced with an ethical issue about impartiality.  This article considers this issue in the context of my research through my reflections and what I learnt from them about conducting philosophical research on complex and controversial concepts. This article describes issues I faced in my research and the understanding I gained about researching complex and controversial topics in philosophical and other research. It goes on to suggest how addressing this issue in the research process provided an opportunity for myself as a researcher to obtain reflective positioning on the issue of research on such topics. The paper concludes that such positioning provides a reason for researcher to take a more communicative stand when researching topics of a similar nature to obtain a proper understanding of a concept within their research. AbstrakDi dalam proses penelitian filosofis terhadap konseptualisasi pluralisme dalam pendidikan moral dan kewarganegaraan di Malaysia, peneliti dihadapkan pada isu-isu etis tentang imparsialitas. Artikel ini menyoroti isu-isu etis tentang imparsialitas dalam konteks penelitian, melalui refleksi pribadi dan apa yang saya pelajari dari hal-hal itu mengenai pelaksanaan penelitian filosofis dalam konsep yang kompleks dan kontroversial. Artikel ini menjelaskan isu yang saya hadapi di dalam penelitian saya dan pemahaman yang saya dapatkan menyangkut penelitian yang bertopik kompleks dan kontroversial dalam aspek filosofis. Artikel ini menyarankan bagaimana cara menangani masalah-masalah yang berhubungan dengan isu-isu etis tentang imparsialitas melalui proses penelitian sehingga memberi kesempatan untuk mendapatkan posisi reflektif pada isu penelitian tersebut. Artikel ini menyimpulkan bahwa posisi tersebut memberikan alasan bagi peneliti untuk mengambil sikap lebih komunikatif ketika meneliti topik yang serupa guna mendapatkan pemahaman yang tepat.Pengutipan: Abdullah, N. S. M. (2016). Researching Moral and Citizenship Education in Malaysia: Personal Reflection on the Issue of Impartiality in Doing Philosophical Research on Pluralism. SOSIO DIDAKTIKA: Social Science Education Journal, 3(2), 2016, 105-114. doi:10.15408/sd.v3i2.4472.Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15408/sd.v3i2.447

Narrative as a pedagogical method and quality of pre service moral education teachers

This paper explores how narrative can be used as a pedagogical method in improving quality of pre-service moral education teachers. It examines the use of stories to engage students’ experiences with moral behavior of people and the ethical basis for their behavior to achieve the learning outcomes. Further, it considers ways in which these experiences are used to influence their understanding of being a moral person with regards to being a Moral Education teacher. It suggests how sharing and discussing experiences help students develop deep learning about the teaching of Moral Education-what it is and how it should be taught. The main author’s experience as a teacher educator who used narrative in teaching a humanities course for pre-service teachers is explored. Data in the form of themes that emerged from the author’s reflections are presented to describe personal experiences of herself as a teacher educator in a pre-service teacher education programme on the use of narrative, its contributions and the difficulties faced in the context of developing quality pre-service teachers. Discussion considers the benefits and challenges of using narrative as a pedagogical method in pre service education of moral education teachers. Findings show that narrative can play a useful role in helping pre-service teachers understand themselves as future Moral Education teachers, and what it means to teach Moral Education and what is important in teaching and learning of Moral Education. In addition, it can be used to assist pre-service teachers to have a proper understanding of the implication of teaching Moral Education in a plural society

Guru cemerlang Pendidikan Moral: keperluan menguasai aspek kandungan dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Pendidikan Moral dan implikasinya

Guru memainkan peranan yang penting dalam melaksanakan mata pelajaran Pendidikan Moral di sekolah di samping meningkatkan kualiti pencapaian murid. Memandangkan Pendidikan Moral itu sendiri adalah kompleks, maka guru perlu mempunyai pemahaman yang kukuh dan menguasai konsep-konsep asas moral, konsep utama Pendidikan Moral dan isi kandungan Pendidikan Moral itu sendiri sebelum mengajar muridnya. Penguasaan aspek kandungan oleh guru cemerlang Pendidikan Moral adalah sangat penting kerana ia merupakan aspek asas dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran. Walaupun secara umumnya diketahui guru cemerlang adalah pakar dalam mata pelajaran yang diajar, namun bagi Pendidikan Moral kelonggaran berlaku apabila majoriti guru cemerlang Pendidikan Moral tidak mempunyai pengkhususan dalam mata pelajaran ini. Kertas konsep ini akan menjelaskan tentang kepentingan guru menguasai pengetahuan kandungan dan konsep utama yang wajar difahami oleh guru cemerlang Pendidikan Moral di Malaysia. Perbincangan kertas ini adalah berdasarkan konsep Pendidikan Moral di Malaysia oleh Aroff, teori pengetahuan guru oleh Shulman dan teori sekolah dan perkembangan moral oleh Sugarman yang menyentuh tentang aspek penting bagi seorang guru Pendidikan Moral

Influence of parents' jobs on apprentices' work values

This paper presents the findings of a study into the relationship between parents' jobs and the work values of apprentices. The findings were examined in the context of the positive relationship between work commitment and productivity of skilled workers and the need to understand influences on the work values of apprentices. The findings showed that the work values of apprentices were influenced by the kind of jobs each parent held. The importance of particular work values to apprentices differed significantly according to either their mother or father's job. ANOVA and Post Hoc analyses showed that the parents' role in their children's work values depended on the work value examined. The findings support literature specifically on intergenerational transmission of values, the occupational linkage hypothesis and the social learning theory on the influence of parents' occupation and children's values. They also show the importance for industry to focus on, and provide support to young apprentices in improving their commitment to work and help raise their productivity levels. The paper offers some suggestions on the kind of focus and support that can be offered

Language education for Orang Asli children in Malaysia

Literacy among Orang Asli children is found to be well below the national average. This paper explores the connection between language learning and meaning-making and its relation to the problem of language education among Orang Asli children. In so doing, the paper shows that language learning should be situated within their environment. This paper uses the findings from the observation made in an exploratory case study of Temuan children aged 7–12 in an Orang Asli village in Selangor and their struggles with language. Taking a critical view of the challenges faced by the children, this study surmised that a proper recognition of the Orang Asli community in language education is needed for effective meaning-making to ensure their genuine participation. The insight adds to the discussion within decolonisation of education on the importance of indigenisation of language education for Orang Asli children

Comparing physical activity of Malaysian Malay men and women before, during, and after Ramadan

The aims of this research were to investigate whether there is any difference in the physical activity levels between Malay Muslim men (Muslim) and Malay Muslim women (Muslimah) at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) before, during, and after the month of Ramadan, and also to determine the factors restricting their involvement in physical activities. Fifty-three UPM Malay Muslim male staff and fifty-four UPM Malay Muslim female staff participated in the research. The Yamex-Digi walker CW700 pedometer was used to measure the physical activity level of the staff for four consecutive days. Results showed that there was no significant difference in the physical activity levels of the Malay Muslim and Muslimah in UPM before, during, and after the month of Ramadan. The reported t-test results comparing the two genders before, during, and after the month of Ramadan were f=0.003, p<0.96, f=1.047, p<0.31, and f=3.106, p<0.08, respectively. It was reported that the lack of self motivation/laziness played the most important role in restricting the involvements of both genders in the physical activities

Child Educational Content on Digital Folklore "Pak Lebai Malang": A Qualitative Content Analysis

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to explore child educational content digital folklore on YouTube, and It is used to teach young children about science, language, and values. The unit analysis on this research was the video of Pak Lebai Malang from West Sumatera, Indonesia.Design/methods/approach – The qualitative content analysis method was used in this study. The content analyzed was digital folklore based on the Minangkabau story Pak Lebai Malang. The process began with downloading the video, creating a transcript, taking notes on the text, language, and context, re-watching the video, comparing and contrasting it to the memo, and eliciting evidence from the video.Findings – The data revealed the following ways in which digital folklore on YouTube teaches science, language, and values: 1) digital technology illustrates science concepts with simple-to-understand videos; 2) by repeating the words and visualizing each spoken word, YouTube videos teach children new vocabulary. 3) the characters’ expressions and intonation in the video teach children about social values.Research implications/limitations – This research could serve as a springboard for future research on the use of digital folklores in early childhood classrooms. It is advised that additional research be conducted to improve the interest, effectiveness, and applicability of digital folklore in the early childhood learning process and design more effective programs for teaching science, language, and value to young people children. The study’s drawback is that it analyzes only one video. If it is compared to other videos, it may provide a complete view.&nbsp;Practical implications – This study informs educators on the potential for using digital folklore to teach science, language, and values. It entails the implementation of more creative strategies in early childhood education. Additionally, the study inspires innovative content creators on YouTube to make their videos more relevant to young children’s learning. Additionally, parents may discover that something as simple as a YouTube video could be an incredible resource for their child’s development.Originality/value – The study explains child educational content based on local wisdom. The digital form of Pak Lebai Malang folklore can facilitate accessibility and acceptability. Paper type Research pape

Usage of group AHP approach in karate agility test selection

Karate is one of the most popular martial art styles in the world as well as a popular sport in Iran. Successful performance in karate requires a high level of agility that enables the karateka (karate player) to avoid the opponent’s attacks, and to assume optimal position for efficient performance of karate techniques. In order to measure agility in karatekas, karate coaches make use of general and available agility tests. However, there are many agility tests but coaches need to know which one is the best test for karatekas. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Data were collected from six karate experts’ opinions in order to weight and rank agility tests specifically to select the best agility test. AHP approach allows the weight of each criterion from each expert to be computed in geometrical mean. As a result, based on experts’ opinion and using Group AHP approach, the best validated agility test for Karate is Illinois test. This paper describes the usage of the group AHP approach in selecting the most appropriate agility test for karate. It discusses some of the advantages and disadvantages of using this approach. It also suggests how the approach can be used in sports research

Philosophy in Islam and its limit on teaching reason in humanities

This chapter discusses the pedagogical concern about teaching humanities to Muslim students. It provides a background to the problem, describes the nature of humanities and the place of reason in teaching it and the problem with regards to Muslim students’ stance on reason. The chapter offers a perspective on where the problem lies within philosophy in Islam. It outlines the implication for pre-service teachers in thinking about their pedagogy. The situation with Muslim students described in the preceding section is related to the phenomenon of Islamic education and its place in the life of Muslims. It draws on S. Akhtar’s description of philosophy in Islam and how reason is viewed within its precepts. As humanities teachers, at least in a minimal sense, should be that the aim of humanities education is ensuring the wellbeing of students as it contributes to the flourishing of themselves and others as persons in a polity