Educational Transition in Self-Directed Learning amongst Selected Adult Distance Learners of Universiti Putra Malaysia

The need to change and employ the necessary learning skills are essential for successful learning considering their other responsibilities in life which is part and parcel of being an adult learner. One solution is for the adult learners to undergo an educational transition from the earlier mindset to the needs of the current environment and to be self-directed in their learning thus assuming the responsibility for their own learning by building and employing the necessary skills to deliver the desired results in learning. This study examined the educational transition in self-directed learning by looking at the respondents’ prior beliefs, the phases that they went through as adult distance-learners at the Universiti Putra Malaysia. The study was guided by three research questions: (1) What were the learners’ prior beliefs about learning? (2) How do adult distance-learners experience the phases of self-directed learning? and (3) How do they employ self-directed learning as adult distance-learners? A qualitative research design was employed for this study which was deemed appropriate, given the research questions which were to obtain a view into the respondents’ life-worlds and to understand their personal meanings constructed from their life experiences. Data were primarily gathered through interviews on six selected respondents based on the criteria set by the researcher. Three conclusions were drawn from this study. First, adult learners do have a set of beliefs which are; learning would change their lives, mode of teaching and learning and also on their ability to face the challenges prior to their engagement as adult distance-learners at the Universiti Putra Malaysia. Second, adult distance-learners went through five different phases of learning to be self-directed which includes the phases of disorientation, exploration, transformation, adaptation before they are able to come to terms with learning as distance-learners or the reconciliation phase. Third, after going through the phases of learning, adult distance-learners do employ self-directed learning skills in their learning. The employment of skills such as personal diagnosis, communicative, resource identification and time management had helped adult distance-learners in their transition from being recipients to pursuers, seekers and creators of knowledge in a distance learning environment thus enhancing the successful completion o their learning endeavor

Amalan Komunikasi Verbal Guru Bahasa Arab dan Hubungannya dengan Sikap Murid dalam Pengajaran Bahasa Arab di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA)

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti tahap amalan Komunikasi Verbal (KV) guru Bahasa Arab dan hubungannya terhadap sikap murid dalam pengajaran Bahasa Arab di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA). Kajian kuantitatif ini menggunakan borang soal selidik sebagai instrumen. Seramai 538 orang murid tingkatan dua dari seluruh SMKA di Malaysia terlibat sebagai responden. Pemilihan sampel dibuat menggunakan kaedah pensampelan rawak berstrata mengikut zon. Analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif dan inferensi korelasi Pearson dan dilakukan dengan menggunakan perisian SPSS. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa tahap amalan KV guru Bahasa Arab berada pada tahap tinggi iaitu dengan skor min 4.13 dan sisihan piawai 0.5. Adapun hubungan antara amalan KV guru dan sikap murid menunjukkan terdapat hubungan korelasi positif dan signifikan antara pemboleh ubah yang diuji. Hubungan antara amalan KV guru dan sikap murid adalah positif (r = .596, p = <.05) pada tahap signifikan 0.01. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa sekiranya amalan KV guru tinggi dan kerap, maka sikap murid juga akan bertambah baik. Penemuan ini akan membantu pentadbir pendidikan, terutama guru Bahasa Arab, untuk meningkatkan tahap kecekapan KV mereka

[Knowledge of Arabic Teacher Technology and its Relationship with Teaching Creativity in Malaysia] Pengetahuan Teknologi Guru Bahasa Arab dan Hubungannya dengan Kreativiti Pengajaran di Malaysia

This study is to investigate Technological Knowledge and its relationship to creativity in teaching. Technological Knowledge is one of the elements contained in the model of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) that have been introduced by Mishra and Koehler (2006). This model is used as the main reference for this research. Respondents in this study consisted of 530 Arabic teachers involving Peninsular Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak. Quantitative research methods used and random sampling carried out for the collection of data. The data are analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. The findings show that Technological Knowledge (mean = 3.72, SD = 0.42) is at medium-high level. The findings on creativity of teaching (mean = 4.08, SD = 0.38) is at high level. The findings also describe the positive relationship between Technological Knowledge and the creativity of teaching (r = .427, p < 0.01)Arabic in Malaysia is at low level. In conclusion, based on the finding clearly indicate that the Arabic language teachers in Malaysia have a good knowledge in Technological Knowledge and excellent knowledge in creativity of teaching. Keywords: Technological Knowledge, Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Arabic language teacher, creativity of teaching.   Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengenal pasti Pengetahuan Teknologi guru bahasa Arab di Malaysia dan hubungannya dengan kreativiti pengajaran guru. Pengetahuan Teknologi merupakan salah satu elemen yang terdapat dalam Model Pengetahuan Teknologi Pedagogi Kandungan atau dikenali dengan Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) yang telah diperkenalkan oleh Mishra dan Koehler (2006). Model ini dijadikan kerangka asas kepada kajian ini. Responden dalam kajian ini terdiri daripada 530 orang guru bahasa Arab di seluruh Malaysia termasuk Sabah dan Serawak. Kaedah kajian kuantitatif digunakan dan pensampelan secara rawak dijalankan bagi pengumpulan data. Data kajian dianalisis menggunakan perisian Statistical Package for the Sosial Science (SPSS) versi 20. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa Pengetahuan Teknologi guru bahasa Arab berada pada tahap sederhana tinggi (Min = 3.72, SP = 0.423). Manakala kreativiti pengajaran guru pula berada pada tahap tinggi (Min = 4.08, SP = 0.384). Dapatan juga menunjukkan terdapat hubungan yang positif dan signifikan antara Pengetahuan Teknologi dengan kreativiti pengajaran guru (r = .427, p < 0.01) guru bahasa Arab di Malaysia. Kekuatan hubungan antara pemboleh ubah dikategorikan sebagai rendah. Kesimpulannya, berdasarkan kepada dapatan kajian jelas menunjukkan bahawa guru bahasa Arab di Malaysia mempunyai pengetahuan yang baik dalam Pengetahuan Teknologi dan sangat baik dalam kreativiti pengajaran. Kata kunci: Pengetahuan Teknologi, Pengetahuan Teknologi Pedagogi Kandungan, Guru Bahasa Arab, Kreativiti Pengajaran Guru

Strobilanthes crispus leaves extracts (SCE) induced lipolysis and increased leptin level in diet-induced obese rats fed high-fat diet

The aim of the present study was to assess the anti-obesity and lipolysis effects of Strobilanthes crispus leaves extract (SCE) in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats by administering 1% (w/w) of SCE in drinking water. Methods: Normal Sprague-Dawley rats were induced obese using a high-fat (HF) diet formulation for 14 weeks. DIO rats were subsequently treated with 1% (w/w) SCE while the HF diet was switched to normal rat chow diet. Food intake, water intake and bodyweight were measured weekly. Other parameters e.g. blood lipid profile were determined in normal and DIO rats before and after treatment with SCE. Histopathological changes in the liver were also observed after treatment. Results: Prior to treatment, DIO rats have significantly higher (p < 0.05) bodyweight, adipose tissue and liver weight, plasma leptin levels, lower adipose tissue lipolysis rate and severe fatty livers and the trend continues in non-treated DIO rats served as Control group. DIO rats treated with SCE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced their bodyweight gain, have lower adipose tissue and liver weight, lower leptin level and increased lipolysis rate although no significant effect was found in total bodyweights of treated group. Lower glucose level and improved state of fatty liver was also noted in SCE treated group. The observed anti-obesity effects are most likely the due to lipolysis. Conclusion: SCE may, at least in part, be attributed to the anti-obesity effects found on treated DIO rats

Editorial Preface

It is with great pleasure that we present the 3rd issue of Volume 9 of the International Journal of Integrated Engineering (IJIE). This edition features the latest findings and research in the area of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering.This issue contains eleven articles. The first article proposed a new solution, named RRFAST, to overcome rerouting problem of FAST TCP. The second article aimed to study and assess the diameter and displacement of the carotid arterial wall movement from B-mode ultrasound image for the early detection of atherosclerosis. The third article presented a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) tool for prioritising alternative solutions to power generation problems. The fourth article focused on determining the characteristics of the spray produced in the simulation of spray biodiesel using constant volume chamber by using computational fluid dynamic (CFD). The fifth article presents a development of a temperature control system by means of the proportional controller to control the temperature inside the mini container during the NIRS data acquisition process. In the sixth article, the authors developed a single phase inverter that is used to understand the concept of inverting voltage output control using Raspberry Pi as the microcontroller. In the seventh article, the authors present their finding on the capability of peat soil (PS) and activated carbon (AC) as a potential composite adsorbent for the removal of colour and Fe from a stabilized landfill leachate. The eighth article presents the design and development of a simple and low cost interactive rehabilitation module for stroke patients. In the ninth article, the authors share their findings on the combination of Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) and laser diode with LabVIEW software on Optical Tomography System (OTS) for monitoring multiphase flow. In the tenth article, the authors examined the effect of different spatial filters performance towards mammogram de-noising. In the last article, the authors report on the efficiency of coagulation and flocculation process in the removal of suspended solids, colour, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Oil and Grease using ferric chloride and ferric sulfate for the treatment of biodiesel wastewater.We would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the enthusiastic and vigorous support and contributions from the Editorial Board and Reviewers of IJIE for taking time and effort to review manuscripts. As no manuscript is accepted or rejected without careful reading by experts in a particular area to which the paper is related. The experts have maintained a high standard of scholarship and we believe the readers of this Journal deserves.It is our hope that this fine collection of articles will be a valuable resource for International Journal of Integrated Engineering (IJIE) readers and will stimulate further research in the area of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering. We strongly encourage authors to submit their articles and readers to provide feedback. In order to access the online version of this issue along with archived editions please visit our website http://penerbit.uthm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/ijie/. We would like to thank all the authors who have contributed manuscripts in IJIE and those who are awaiting their manuscripts for publication in subsequent issues

Editorial Preface

This special issue of International Journal of Integrated Engineering contains 27 papers contributions by post-graduate students in Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM). All contents provide deep research results on various fields of engineering such as in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Civil and Environmental Engineering. These papers are selected from the post-graduate seminar in 2017 and they are experienced two-stage peer-review (reviewed by the Centre of Graduate Studies and Editorial boards).Â

Editorial Preface

It is with great pleasure that we present the 4th regular issue of Volume 10 of the International Journal of Integrated Engineering (IJIE). This edition features the latest findings and research in the area of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering.We would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the enthusiastic and vigorous support and contributions from the Editorial Board and Reviewers of IJIE for taking time and effort to review manuscripts. As no manuscript is accepted or rejected without careful reading by experts in a particular area to which the paper is related. The experts have maintained a high standard of scholarship and we believe the readers of this Journal deserves.It is our hope that this fine collection of articles will be a valuable resource for International Journal of Integrated Engineering (IJIE) readers and will stimulate further research in the area of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering. We strongly encourage authors to submit their articles and readers to provide feedback. In order to access the online version of this issue along with archived editions please visit our website http://penerbit.uthm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/ijie/.We would like to thank all the authors who have contributed manuscripts in IJIE and those who are awaiting their manuscripts for publication in subsequent issues

Editorial

This special issue of International Journal of Integrated Engineering provides deep research on Mechanical Engineering, contains 30 papers contributions by more than 50 authors from various institutions. Theses papers are selected from three occasions held in 2018 such as International Conference on Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (ICME2018), Symposium on Damage Mechanisms in Materials and Structures (SDMMS2018) and International Conference and Symposium on Occupational Safety and Health (ISOSH2018). This special appreciation goes to all Editorial Team members and also Guest Editorial Team members for the evaluation process with strict comments to improve the quality of the content