Self-Directed Learning among Selected Malaysian Women with Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among Malaysian women. Learning and understanding the disease is important for the women in order to deal with the crisis situation. Self-directed learning is a learning mode that can facilitate a woman with breast cancer in learning and understanding more about the disease. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the phenomenon of selfdirected learning among selected Malaysia women with breast cancer. The study is guided by the following research questions: 1. Why did they learn? 2. How did they learn? 3. What challenges did they face in their learning? This qualitative study used in-depth interview technique with ten Malaysian women with breast cancer. Participants were selected using purposeful sampling and snowballing techniques. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The validity of data analysis was assured through triangulation, member check, and peer review, and researcher’s bias and assumptions were declared in the study. The findings can be presented in terms of motivation, strategies, and challenges. In terms of motivation, the participants were motivated by the need to confirm information, the need to understand how to deal with their disease, and the need to help the learning of other patients and survivors. Two aspects that emerge under strategies are learning phases and activities. The learning phases involved were coping with the results, seeking information about treatments, preparing for personal life changes, and learning outcomes. The participants used learning activities such as reading Internet articles, books, other printed materials, consulting doctors and asking other survivors. Doctors are generally regarded as the credible learning source. Participants faced two main challenges in their self directed learning, i.e. the emotional effects of exposure to information and the reliability of information. This study presents new understanding of self-directed learning in crisis situations in Malaysian context. This study concluded that self-directed learning of Malaysian women with breast cancer is contextualized by the dimensions of source credibility, cognition, and spirituality

Indicators for the Evaluation of Coalbed Methane (CBM) Potential in Labuan, Sabah

Foremost, coal is a black or brownish-black sedimentary rock composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen along with small quantities of other elements such as sulphur. The coal used for analysis is collected from Labuan area. Coalbed methane (CBM) is one of the alternatives to extract the natural gas from the coal solid matrix. The petroleum consumed per annum is rapidly increasing now but the global production of petroleum is reducing. If this continues, all petroleum will be exhausted soon. Therefore, alternative energy sources must be found to replace the impending worldwide petroleum exhaustion. Basically, the project is based on core analysis sample which is from the field in Labuan Area. The outcomes of the analysis will be an indicator for the advanced exploration and development of the coal bed methane reservoir in the future. The coal distribution in Malaysia (Labuan Area) is basically in shallow depth. This coal resource within Labuan region is around the Lubuk Temiang Formation. There are several techniques that involve in the coal core sample analysis. Most common technique is a laboratory test. After the laboratory experiments carry out, the relation between physical and chemical properties of coal with gas content in coal is analyze and discuss. Research must be conducted in order to understand the title and procedures of conducting the experiments testing for different characteristic or properties of coal. The methodology of the laboratory experiments will be initiated by preparation of laboratory sample. The entire test will be based on cleat analysis, density of the coal and also type of the coal. There are three types of equipments that required doing the entire test on core sample which are POROPERM Machine, OYO Ultrasonic Wave Test Machine and Point Load Test Machine. The whole test will be conducted throughout one semester of study. The outcomes of the test and experiment will be discussed with the supervisor and marked as an indicator for Coalbed Metane potential. The project planning will be a guiding for the further research in the analyzing the coal sample

Sejarah Berita Kampus

Pada Mulanya . .. Empat orang penuntut pertama Kewartawanan telah memulakan sebuah akhbar penuntut yang dinamakan Grasis ("Gerakan Siswa") dalam bulan Ogos 1971. Akhbar ini kemudian bertukar nan1a kepada Grasiswa pada bulan Oktober 197 1. Dan dalam tahun 1975, namanya bertukar kepada Berita Kampus. Sejak tahun 1 975, Berita Kampus menjadi akhbar makmaJ penuntut pengkhususan KewarLawanan, Pusat Pengajian Ilmu Kemanusiaan --dan kemudiannya Pusat Pengajian Komunikasi. Universiti Sains Malaysia. Antara lain, penuntut pengkbususan Kewmtawanan bertanggungjawab merancang, menulis, melapor, menyiapkan dan mengedarknn /Jerita Kampus kepada se luruh warga katnpus

Coping with short-term sustained peak demands : several cost-effective strategies

For most open universities, there will arise occasions when some online activities will have to be completed by all students in a very short time interval. This paper will look at some cost-effective approaches to meeting these short-term peak demands

Externalizing behavior problem among children age four and below in Peninsular Malaysia

This paper aims to examine the rates and distribution of externalizing behaviour problems and to identify associated children and parental characteristics that affect externalizing behaviour problems among preschool children in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 174 (14.5%) out of 1198 children age four and below were conveniently selected for this study that consist of those who were in the borderline and clinical range of having externalizing behavioural problems as rated by parents using the Child Behavioural Checklist for Age 1 ½-5 (CBCL/1 ½ – 5). Descriptive statistics such as mean, t-test, ANOVA and correlation tests were applied in data analysis. Findings indicate significant differences in externalizing problem by age until age 4 and maternal education background. Results reveal a negative but non-significant correlation between externalizing problems with household income and father’s age, whilst a positive with moderate significant relationship with child age. Findings in this study provide an increased knowledge in externalizing behaviour problems and adequate evidences that early intervention or preventive measure is needed to reduce the continuity of externalizing problems into adulthood and preschool age is the best time to identify early signs of problems before they become permanent

Recordkeeping Requirements for Private Health Facilities and Services: The statutory perspectives

The study aims to investigate the implications of Malaysian legislation on recordkeeping requirements. These implications are derived from selected provisions where contexts are determined based on records lifecycle components. Using document analysis approach, the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 is a case to examine the contexts and applications of recordkeeping requirements in medical and health services in Malaysia. Results showed that the Act has various recordkeeping implications either explicitly or implicitly indicated. As this area is least explored, more efforts must be made to establish recordkeeping requirements specially derived from statutes to improve records management policy and governance

Distance learning developments in Malaysia

Distance education is a relatively new phenomenon in the Malaysian education scene. In its basic form it was introduced in 1971 when Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) established its Centre for Off–Campus Studies. In 1994, the Centre for Off–Campus Studies was renamed as the Centre for Distance Education. The Centre for Distance Education was upgraded in 1998 to School of Distance Education. From 1971 to 1989, USM is the only local university to offer courses through distance learning

A simulation study of single cell inside an integrated dual nanoneedle-microfludic system

Electrical properties of living cells have been proven to play significant roles in understanding of various biological activities including disease progression both at the cellular and molecular levels. Analyzing the cell’s electrical states especially in single cell analysis (SCA) lead to differentiate between normal cell and cancer cell. This paper presents a simulation study of micro-channel and nanoneedle structure, fluid manipulation and current flow through HeLa cell inside a microfluidic channel. To perform electrical measurement, gold dual nanoneedle has been utilized. The simulation result revealed, the cell penetration occurs at microchannel dimension and solution flow rate is 22 µm x 70 µm x 25 µm (width x length x height) and 0.396 pL/min, respectively. The purposed device has capability to characterize the electrical property of single cells can be used as a novel method for cell viability detection in instantaneous manner

Gross Motor Development Level Of The Children Age 9 Years: A Case Study

Physical education plays a role in contributing to the growth and development of the children through the learning experience to meet the needs of the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domain [1,9,8,11]. All children will go through a learning process based on Physical Education syllabus as set out in the primary school integrated Curriculum (KBSR). In the Physical Education curriculum, children have been encourage to develop fitness, skill and sportsmanship. The focus of this study is about teaching of fitness in gross motor skills which consist of the locomotors and manipulative skills. Children age seven to nine years have been involved in teaching and learning process based on these skills. Children will apply all the locomotors and manipulative skills since they are in level one primary school

Kesantunan bahasa dalam kalangan pelajar IPT: Satu kajian perbandingan etnik

Dalam usaha untuk berinteraksi, setiap masyarakat mempunyai beberapa norma atau peraturan sosial untuk memastikan aspek kesantunan dan kesusilaan terpelihara. Ini kerana bahasa merupakan alat penting dalam perlakuan sosial untuk menyampaikan kehendak, meminta sesuatu, atau hanya sekadar bertegur sapa dalam kalangan anggota masyarakat. Penggunaan bahasa yang baik dan bersopan santun dalam berkomunikasi secara tidak langsung dapat mengukuhkan perpaduan rakyat Malaysia yang terdiri daripada pelbagai etnik. Kerajaan Malaysia sendiri menunjukkan keperihatinan yang tinggi terhadap amalan ini dengan melancarkan Kempen Budi Bahasa dan Nilai-nilai Murni pada Januari 2005, dan sehingga tahun 2010, pelbagai program disusun atur pada peringkat kebangsaan, negeri, mahupun pada peringkat sekolah dan institusi pendidikan tinggi (IPT). Mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi pernah menegaskan bahawa usaha memperkukuh amalan berbudi bahasa dan nilai-nilai murni dalam kalangan rakyat adalah satu agenda penting negara. Walau bagaimanapun, dalam mengharungi era globalisasi ini nilai murni yang telah dipusakai sejak turun-temurun semakin luntur. Penggunaan kata yang dikaitkan dengan kesopanan berbahasa semakin tidak dititikberatkan. Penutur-penutur bahasa Melayu, khususnya dalam kalangan remaja sudah mula menampakkan sikap tidak mengendahkan penggunaan kata-kata yang dapat menggambarkan kesopanan berbahasa. Justeru, kajian ini adalah untuk membandingkan strategi kesantunan berbahasa dalam kalangan siswa siswi IPT, dengan tumpuan khusus pada lakuan tutur penolakan terhadap permintaan (refusal). Responden terdiri daripada siswa dan siswi Melayu dan bukan Melayu pengajian sarjana muda Universiti Utara Malaysia