Analysing Cybernetic Governance at Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia: How is Co- Production Linked to the Transformation of Higher Education Institutions via Governance?

This paper attempts to analyse how important the cybernetic governance is to higher education institutions in Malaysia. Cybernetic governance is a structure, process of a system to empower greater decision making, autonomy, leadership, and greater accountability. Thus, cybernetic approach is heavily depending on information, utilise information for decision making, policy making and feedback to respond effectively. The concept also relevant with co-production strategy, whereby public services offered at the institution would focus on making use of resources through community building, collaboration, and resource sharing. In this context, “governance” refers to the role of multi-stakeholders involved in decision making, autonomy, leadership, and accountability. The effectiveness and success of this cybernetic governance depends on the institution community; the board, Vice-Chancellor, university management committee, Deans and Directors involved. The main idea is to analyse cybernetic governance as a model for processing information and a platform for co-production on governance empowerment at higher education institutions in Malaysia. Hence literatures are reviewed to apply the concepts to this research. An expected outcome of this research would be the evidence to improve policy performance in governance arrangements. Therefore, cybernetic governance contribution is the practice of good governance for intelligent institutions

Evaluating the contribution of community informatics to rural development: the case of Malaysia's rural internet centres

Telecentres in Malaysia were a policy response from the Malaysia government to address the digital divide between urban and rural communities. In the first instance, the main goal of the rural internet centres (RIC) program was to enhance rural access to information and communications technologies (ICTs) and to build human capital in ICT knowledge and skills in rural communities. The main goal of RIC program was extended over time and the RICs in each community were seen as a means for developing economic activity in rural communities through local entrepreneurship. The adoption of ICTs in rural regions may further enhance the effectiveness of RICs to the local communities. Social and economic benefits have been identified as important outcomes (perceived benefits). The objective of this study is to evaluate the perceived affects of RIC program on quality of rural life (QoRL).This study assesses the perceptions of stakeholders (RIC end-users and program managers) in regard to the impact of the RIC program on human capital of rural communities in Malaysia. The research questions were translated into three specific testable hypotheses. Despite that, the main research problem is, 'Can rural internet centres be an effective tool in bridging the digital divide for rural communities and improving rural quality of life?.' Thus this study is not evaluating if the divide is closing, however, it is evaluating if people perceived there is an improvement in their digital skills due to their use of RIC services. This study is an evaluation of the RIC program in Malaysia, using a program logic framework to identify and evaluate inputs, outputs and outcomes of RIC program from multiple key stakeholder perspectives. Community informatics, end-user computing and social capital provided the theoretical lens for the program logic evaluation of the RIC program. An online survey of RIC users across 42 RICs was the main data collection method used to determine RIC users' perceptions and level of satisfaction with the services provided by RICs. And furthermore whether there is evidence of outcomes from the use of RIC services which could result in enhanced human capital. The main data collection phase was supplemented by a series of interviews with program managers and RIC managers from different regions and locations, some non-users and members of local RIC management committees. Finally some general observations about how RICs were operating were made during site visits to 11 RICs conduct interviews. The results of statistical analysis of the quantitative survey data and narratives determined from a content analysis of the interviews (qualitative) along with some RIC site observations (qualitative) are presented and discussed. The program logic framework of (1) inputs and outputs and (2) outcomes was used to guide these analyses in order to evaluate the RIC program. The quantitative and qualitative data collected for each stage of program logic framework were analysed, interpreted and triangulated in determining the key findings of this study. There is generally strong support for the benefits of the RICs in building human capital, including improving job prospects and business opportunities for rural communities in Malaysia. The key findings also show that RICs are strongly associated with enhanced social capital although the causation effects may run both ways. The results are used to propose a model of the effects of community informatics, noting that many of the potential benefits may be intangible. Theoretically, this study has shown that the RIC improved the individual community QoRL with the use of ICT applications and services. Meanwhile, this thesis developed a comprehensive theoretical framework drawn from community informatics, end user computing and social capital theories to evaluate the RIC program. This is a new empirical contribution to the growing literature on the relationship between community informatics and social capital. The majority previous empirical studies on social capital have been conducted in sociology, whereas there is dearth of empirical studies which have evaluated the contribution of community informatics and social capital in telecentre programs; especially in developing countries such as Malaysia. Furthermore, there are few if any previous studies have evaluated an entire telecentre program such as the RIC program using program logic theory. The research gap is whether the people perceive that there is an improvement in human and social capital as a result of the RICs. Thus these contribute to perceived effectiveness of the RIC program and improve in digital knowledge and skills in rural Malaysia. Hence, the contribution to practice is to build social capital policy while emphasise more on human capital approach in rural Malaysia. With the improvement on RIC program in Malaysia, i.e.; inputs, outputs and outcomes, this will leads to improvement on ICT for rural development. Therefore, this study makes a contribution primarily to the field of community informatics, drawing concepts from social capital, economic development, quality of rural life and rural development with reference to local rural communities in Malaysia

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ART THERAPY MODULE ON THE WELL-BEING OF SINGLE MOTHERS

Purpose: The aim of this study is to see the effectiveness of the use of Art Therapy Module (ATM) on the well-being of single mothers. Methodology: Experimental quasi methods involving pre-test and post-test were used. A total of 40 respondents were involved in this study and divided into four groups consisting of ten respondents. This ATM was conducted through a five-week counseling session. Collection of study data was done by using Single Mothers Welfare Instrument to measure stress, resilience, mobility and well-being before and after therapy. Main Finding: The findings depicted a decrease in stress levels, increased resilience, coping and well-being. Hypothesis testing showed that there was a significant difference between pre-test and post-test on the well-being of single mothers in terms of stress, resilience and coping. Application: The findings showed that ATM is effective in helping single mothers to respond to stress, enhance resilience and coping skills to improve their well-being and quality of life. Novelty/Originality: ATM module also contributes to the development of knowledge in the field of counseling, particularly in treatment options offered by counselors for clients such as single mothers

Keterlarutan selulosa, pelarut dan produk selulosa yang dijana semula : suatu ulasan

Selulosa ialah polimer semula jadi yang boleh diperbaharui dan biasanya ditemui di dalam dinding sel tumbuhan. Interaksi hidrofobik yang kompleks serta sifat amfifilik menyebabkan ia sukar dilarutkan dan seterusnya membataskan penggunaannya secara menyeluruh. Pemahaman kepada struktur kimia dan fiziknya membolehkan proses pelarutan berlaku dengan penggunaan jenis pelarut yang bersesuaian. Namun, pelarut sedia ada bukanlah yang terbaik dan efisien terhadap pelarutan selulosa. Sehingga kini, kajian kepada jenis pelarut dan mekanisme pelarutan masih menjadi topik utama penyelidikan. Selulosa yang terlarut pula boleh dijana semula kepada produk fizikal yang lain, contohnya hidrogel, aerogel, kriogel dan xerogel. Produk yang dijana semula daripada selulosa yang terlarut boleh diacukan kepada pelbagai bentuk yang mempunyai struktur tulang yang kuat dan bersifat hidrofilik, bioserasi dan terbiodegradasi. Potensi dalam aplikasi yang pelbagai serta terbukti sebagai alternatif kepada polimer sintetik menjadikan polimer semula jadi ini berpotensi besar dalam bidang sains dan teknologi. Maka, ulasan kajian terhadap selulosa, jenis pelarut serta produk yang dijana semula daripadanya menjadi fokus dalam penulisan makalah ini

Assessing Rural Community Empowerment through Community Internet Centre: Using Asset Mapping and Surveys Method

This paper assesses community empowerment through Community Internet Centre. Community empowerment is a process of the outcome made by the community to take action and change or improve the community's quality of life. Hence, adopting Information and Communication Technology would bridge the digital divide in rural areas. The digital divide affected rural community development through numerous barriers that widened the gap between urban and rural communities, consequently generating an imbalance in community development. The community internet center can bridge the digital divide among urban and rural communities. Asset mapping and surveys have been measured to assess rural community empowerment dimensions through distributed questionnaires to eight Community Internet Centres in rural areas of Kelantan. The findings indicate that the Internet Centre is a medium to encourage community empowerment. The Internet Centre bridges the digital divide among communities by providing Information and Communications Technology community building in rural areas. Hence, the center drives community empowerment and improves the quality of life in rural communities. Thus, Community Internet Centre prepared an appropriate platform for empowering the rural community. This is evidence based on the outcome of findings which resulted in three domains of community empowerment: (1) community participation, (2) ownership, and (3) information services. Nevertheless, community participation determined the outcomes of the roles played by the center to empower a community. Further study needs to be conducted in other groups of samples and gaining other perspectives from managerial of the internet center to get different views of the internet center program

Impact of pubic access to computers and Internet on the connectedness of rural Malaysians

This chapter reports the findings of research conducted in 2010 on the connectedness of rural Malaysians who accessed computers and the Internet through the rural Internet centers (RICs) established by the Malaysian government in 2000 and 2003. We examine the impact of the RICs on users’ sense of social connectedness, defined as the feeling of belongingness and being linked and related to a network, community, or group that one trusts and interacts with. Our study’s findings give credence to the RIC initiative. Users use RIC facilities and services to connect with family, friends, and acquaintances, with new people external to their social circle, and (albeit to a much lesser degree) with government. Users perceive a heightened sense of connectedness and feel that this connectedness has had a positive impact in their lives. There appears to be room to expand the impact of RIC telecenters so that they foster greater collaboration and help nurture the development of positive social capital. Some of the possibilities for expanding impact are identified