Secondary School Students’ Cognitive Structure and Misconception in Respiration Topic

Purpose of the study: This study aims to explore the cognitive structures and identify the misconceptions experienced by secondary school students in the respiration topic. Methodology: This study is a qualitative study. The instruments used for data collection were the Word Association Test (WAT) and the Questionnaire of Writing Sentence (QWS). The data obtained were in word form. The breakpoint technique was used to analyze the data for WAT while the data for QWS were analyzed by category. Purposive sampling was applied in this study. A total of 23 forms four students comprising 12 boys and 11 girls participated in this study. Main Findings: The result showed that the students’ cognitive structures in the respiration topic were incomplete. The students were unable to form a comprehensive relationship for the given keywords, and there were also weak or incorrect associations. The misconceptions that had been identified are largely related to the keywords about cell respiration, anaerobic respiration, and breathing mechanism. Applications of this study: This study provides insights into the students’ cognitive structures and misconceptions about respiration. Thus, it will be useful for teachers in planning their teaching strategies so that they can improve the students’ cognitive structures as well as avoid misconceptions. Novelty: Most of the previous studies only focused on the identification of misconceptions without further investigation into the students’ cognitive structures, especially on the respiration topic. Thus, this study investigates the cognitive structures and misconceptions specifically among secondary school students who have learned respiration in biology

INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE TEACHING: KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AMONG SCIENCE TEACHERS

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between teachers' knowledge and perceived skills in implementing inquiry-based science teaching at the secondary level. Methodology: This quantitative research involved 63 science teachers from nine secondary schools in Putrajaya. Respondents were selected using a random sampling technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics methods. Main Findings: The analysis showed that the level of teachers' knowledge of inquiry-based science teaching and the level of teachers' perceived skills in implementing inquiry-based science teaching which was divided into four phases (conceptualization, investigation, conclusion, and discussion) were high. The Pearson correlation test found that there was a strong and significant relationship between teachers' knowledge in inquiry-based science teaching and teachers' skills in four phases of inquiry. Applications of this study: This study implies that teachers' knowledge and skills are essential aspects to be emphasized in implementing inquiry-based science teaching and teachers should be trained in both of these aspects as they are interrelated to each other. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study explores deeper on teachers' skills in implementing inquiry approach by dividing it into four phases to determine which phases of the inquiry that educators and scholars need to emphasize and give the training to improve teachers' implementation skills and determine whether the phases are interrelated to knowledge

Global citizenship elements in Malaysian Primary School Curriculum towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS)

Global Citizenship (GC) is still a new concept in Malaysian education scenario, and existing research shows that a critical approach to teaching and learning about global issues is largely absent within Malaysian school settings. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the GC elements, embedded in the Malaysian education curriculum within the UNESCO framework. This paper will discuss the result of document analysis done on Malaysian primary school core subjects, which used critical discourse analysis to analyze the relevant parts of the curriculum within the core subjects. The analysis revealed that GC is taught across the curriculum in Malaysia, which aims to increase students’ knowledge, skills and behavior towards sustainability. GCE was presented in the curriculum as a multidisciplinary topic which follows through the values, aims and tasks of the core subjects. This study provides a clear starting point for future research of GC and its implementation and impacts in Malaysian education system, and hope to open the eyes and minds of the policy makers in Malaysia, the importance of GC which has a crucial role to play in tackling injustices and making the world a more just and sustainable place

The determinants of recycling intention behavior among the Malaysian school students: an application of theory of planned behaviour

AbstractIn Malaysia, recycling program has been widely initiated since 1993. However, to date the recycling rate in Malaysia is only five percent, hi this study, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used to investigate the antecedents of recycling intention behaviour among secondary school students. TPB hypothesizes that the immediate determinant is the individual's intention to perform or not to perform that behaviour. Hypothetically, there are three factors that influenced the intention behaviour namely specific attitude, subjective norms and perceived behaviour control. The sample consists of 400 randomly selected Form Four students. A two-step modeling approach including confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to assess measurement model fit and causal relationship between factors. The structural model was tested using AMOS. The proposed model was evaluated but demonstrated poor model fit which lead to subsequent modification of the model. The result shows that perceived behaviour control was the strongest predictor of intention behaviour (P=0.687). Subjective norms, to a lesser degree, was also an important predictor of intention behaviour (P=0.593). Meanwhile, the analysis also shows that specific attitudes were indirect predictor of intention behaviour, via the mediation of subjective norms and perceived behaviour control. © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd

Kesediaan guru Sains dan Matematik dalam melaksanakan pendidikan STEM dari aspek pengetahuan, sikap dan pengalaman mengajar

Guru merupakan pelaksana utama dan menjadi peranan yang penting untuk memastikan keberkesanan pelaksanaan pendidikan STEM di peringkat sekolah. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk mengenal pasti kesediaan guru-guru Sains dan Matematik untuk melaksanakan pengajaran dan pembelajaran pendidikan STEM. Kajian ini adalah kajiankuantitatif yang menggunakan rekabentuk tinjauan. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam kajian ini adalah set soal selidik. 58 orang guru-guru sekolah rendah kebangsaan yang mengajar mata pelajaran sains dan matematik di sekitar Petaling Utama, Selangor telah dipilih menjadi sampel kajian. Data telah dianalisis secara deskriptif dan ujian inferensi korelasi Pearson juga dijalankan. Analisis data dijalankan dengan penggunakan perisian Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versi 20.0. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan terdapat hubungan positif yang signifikan antara kesediaan guru untuk melaksanakan pendidikan STEM dengan tahap pengetahuan dan sikap guru tentang pendidikan STEM. Walaubagaimanapun, dapatan kajian menunjukkan tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara kesediaan guru dengan pengalaman mengajar. Implikasi dapatan kajian ini adalah, pihak pentadbiran sekolah dapat menilai kekuatan dan kelemahan guru melalui profil tahap kesediaan guru dan seterusnya merangka strategi yang sesuai. Dengan pemantapan kemahiran dan pengetahuan STEM, sikap dan keyakinan guru dalam pelaksanaan STEM ini akan menjadi lebih ke arah positif. Seterusnya, kajian ini dapat memberi kesedaran kepada para guru sains untuk mencapai standard pengetahuan dan kefahaman kurikulum STEM. Kesimpulannya, pengetahuan dan sikap guru yang tinggi tentang pendidikan STEM akan menjadikan guru lebih bersedia melaksanakan pendidikan STEM. Kursus atau latihan perlu diberi secara berterusan kepada guru sains dan matematik untuk memastikan mereka sentiasa didedahkan dengan pengetahuan yang baru dan sikap yang positif berkaitan dengan pendidikan STEM

Teaching Presence in Online Gamified Education for Sustainability Learning

Gamification in education refers to the introduction of game elements in the design of learning processes. Our gamification approach was based on the self-determination theory. According to this theory, people need to have competence, social connectedness, and autonomy in order to feel determined to perform certain activities. We aimed to investigate the effects of teaching presence in online gamification on sustainability learning and self-determination as well as identify the driving factors and barriers to sustaining students’ participation in online gamified activity. A mobile application called JouleBug was used. It contains game elements and aims to encourage pro-environmental behaviours. Our quasi-experimental design included two university courses (as control and treatment groups) on sustainable education with 48 participants. Both groups worked with JouleBug, whereas the treatment group was also supported by their teacher’s teaching presence. To establish online teaching presence, the teacher shares the students’ leader board rankings, acknowledges the students’ achievements, and give comments and feedback on students’ activities in the chatting group twice a week. Sustainability knowledge and pro-environmental behaviour were measured through survey. Students’ performance in the gamified activities was measured through collected points in the JouleBug application. The drivers and barriers to sustaining the students’ participation in JouleBug activities were identified through focus group interviews and students’ reflection writing. We found there were significant differences in the sustainability knowledge, pro-environmental behaviour, and performance between the treatment and control groups. The Cohen’s d effect size value obtained for the treatment on sustainability knowledge, pro-environmental behaviour, and students’ performance indicates a large effect as well. Focus group interviews with the participants and the students’ reflection writings revealed that the driving factors in sustaining the participation in the gamified activities in the application are recognition by teachers and peers, competition, and sense of belonging to a group. Meanwhile, the barriers to sustaining participation in online gamification are time constraints, boredom caused by lack of social interaction, and boredom caused by activity repetition and activity’s inappropriate level of difficulty. The conclusion is the teacher plays a role as an agent in this online gamification learning context. The findings suggest that teaching presence is one of the important building blocks that encourage the students’ participation and learning in online gamification

Science teacher education in Malaysia: challenges and way forward

This concept paper discussed the development of science teacher education programs in Malaysia. The discussion encompassed the existing policies, practices and issues, arising from the science teacher education. This paper also reviewed some suggestions for the direction in pre-service training and in-service science teacher training. The development of science teacher education is closely related to the development of science education curriculum. The development of the science education curriculum is connected with the socio-economic needs, political demands of the country and the influence of globalization. Science teacher education in Malaysia began with the training provided by British instructors, which was known as British curriculum. British curriculum was adopted in Malaysia after the independence of Malaya in 1957. In the 1980s, the medium of instruction for science teacher training was changed to Malay. Nevertheless, in 2003, pre-service and in-service science teachers were trained to teach Science in English due to the established policy of Science and Mathematics teaching in English. In 2012, the policy of teaching Science and Mathematics in English was terminated. Subsequently, the medium of instruction in Science was reverted to Malay. Today, the science teachers at the secondary school are trained in the universities, whereas the science teachers at the primary school are trained in Institute of Teacher Education. Meanwhile, the objective of the in-service science teacher training is to give the teachers an insight into any changes in the implemented science curriculum. The science teachers are required to conduct teaching integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). In addition, science teachers in the selected schools are required to teach Science in English under the Dual Language Programs (DLP)