Teachers' work-family conflict efficacy in Malaysia: scale validation

The current research study aims to construct-validate the measurement scale of work-family conflict Self-efficacy of Malaysian married female teachers’. The study attempted to see if the same one-factor structure, which characterized teacher work-family conflict efficacy (WFCE), existed among Malaysian teachers. The sample was chosen among 245 married female teachers from secondary schools in Hulu Langat district. Data was collected using self-report questionnaires measuring WFCE. The data was analyzed using the Confirmatory factor Analysis (CFA) procedures and the results confirmed that the one-factor measurement model of WFC efficacy and the six observed variables or items were found to represents teachers’ WFC efficacy construct. Further discussion on the theoretical, methodological and implications were also explained

Psychometric analysis of lecturers’ self-efficacy instrument

The Lecturers’ Self-Efficacy instrument was administered to 106 lecturers in a Teacher Education Institute. About 36.8% of the respondents are male and 63.2% are female. The aim of this study is to test the psychometric properties of Lecturers’ Self-Efficacy instrument (LSE). The LSE with 80 items measures self-efficacy and it uses anchors of ‘not confident at all’ and ‘very confident’ on a 7-point scale. The data derived from a teacher training institution were subjected to Principal Component Analysis with Varimax rotation. The analysis extracted three distinct factors: (1) teaching, (2) research and (3) service. These three factors explained most of the variance (69.39%). The reliability coefficient was determined using Cronbach Alpha that showed the coefficient is .98. The results clearly documented that LSE has adequate convergent validity and discriminant validity as well as high level of construct reliability. Practical implications and direction for future research using the LSE for lecturers are also discussed

Validating academic integrity survey (AIS): an application of exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic procedures

Abstract This study concerned validating academic integrity survey (AIS), a measure developed in 2010 to investigate academic integrity practices in a Malaysian university. It also examined the usefulness of the measure across gender and nationality of the participants (undergraduates of Nigerian and Malaysian public universities). The sample size comprised 450 students selected via quota sampling technique. The findings supported the multidimensionality of academic dishonesty. Also, strong evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, and construct reliability were generated for the revised AIS. The testing of moderating effects yielded two outcomes. While the gender invariant analysis produced evidence that the three-dimensional model was not moderated by gender; the nationality effect was inconclusive, probably due to a noticeable imbalance in respondent distribution for the nationality group. The significance of this study lies not only in the rigorous statistical methods deployed to validate the dimension and psychometric properties of the AIS; but establishing the gender invariance of the model. It is understood from the findings that although male and female students may vary in their academic misconducts, the underlying factors for these conducts are the same and can be addressed effectively using a non-discriminating approach

Assessment for learning: charting a future in the Malaysian higher education

Assessment for learning is a significant driver of student learning. It serves as a catalyst for reform in instructional practices, and hence, the centerpiece of educational improvement. This presentation reports an intervention programs designed and implemented by an institution of higher education in Malaysia to capitalize on the potentials of assessment for learning. In addition, it discusses conditions that would enable assessment to facilitate meaningful learning among students of higher learning institutions in particular, and create a vibrant learning ecosystem, in general

DEVELOPMENT OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING SCALE (MeLearn)

In the 21 st century educational landscape, a meaningful learning environment is important. Meaningful learning encourages dynamic students’ involvement in learning. Nevertheless, the dearth of the scholarly literature of measurement for meaningful learning has been found. Hence, this study proposes to develop and validate a meaningful learning scale (MeLearn). The study conceptualized meaningful learning in five dimensions. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to expose the appropriate items for MeLearn as well as validity and reliability. The current study chose the cross-sectional research design, while the data was collected from 289 university students, using a structured survey.This study finalized MeLearn to thirty-one (31) items yielding five (5) dimensions, i.e., cooperative learning (7 items), active learning (5 items), authentic learning (6 items), constructive learning (6 items) and intentional learning (7 items). The eigenvalues of the five dimensions of MeLearn fell within 1.17 and 12.21 with the total variance explained is 51.9 %. The reliability indexes ranged from 0.838 to 0.885. The rigorous development procedure and analysis of MeLearn have warranted that the scale is reliable and valid. The research provides insightful information about the dimensions and items of meaningful learning scale which can be interpreted more easily and meaningfully

PENTAKSIRAN BILIK DAJAH Satu Manifestasi Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan

Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan (FPK) menuntut supaya bahawa guru dan sekolah berperanan membekalkan pelajar dengan berbagai-bagai pengetahuan dan kemahiran. Tetapi, FPK juga tegas menyarankan supaya usaha beterusan, menerusi pengajaran, pembelajaran dan pentaksiran dilakukan untuk, “melahirkan insan yang seimbang dan harmonis dari segi intelek, rohani, emosi dan jasmani berdasarkan kepercayaan dan kepatuhan kepada Tuhan.” Hal ini penting supaya negara dapat “melahirkan warganegara Malaysia yang berilmu pengetahuan, berketerampilan, berakhlak mulia, bertanggungjawab.” Jelas bahawa FPK menekankan supaya berlakunya pembelajaran yang lebih meluas dan mendalam. Kini, guru dan sekolah bukan sahaja bertanggungjawab memperkembang dan mengupayakan pelajar daripada segi kognitif dan fizikal, malah bekerjasama dengan institusiinstitusi pendidikan dan masyarakat untuk berinteraksi serta membangunkan potensi-potensi rohani dan emosi pelajar. Seterusnya ialah semua hasil pembelajaran itu mesti diukur, dinilai dan dimanfaatkan secara berterusan menerusi amalan pentaksiran bilik darjah yang tentu sah, boleh dipercayai, saksama dan seimbang. Semua ini merupakan amanah yang perlu digalas oleh setiap pendidik. Selama puluhan tahun para guru begitu terlazim dan cekap melaksanakan ujian-ujian yang disejajarkan dengan peperiksaan awam untuk mentaksir pembelajaran setiap pelajar. Apabila pentaksiran bilik darjah (PBD) mula dilaksanakan sejak 2011, didapati bertali arus munculnya isu-isu berkaitan proses dan prosedur persediaan dan pelaksanaan. Jelas bahawa masih terdapat banyak masalah yang masih belum selesai, terutamanya daripada segi penerimaan, sikap guru, kesediaan psikososial guru dan ibu bapa, malahan kompetensi guru. Sebagai contoh, terdapat guru yang bertanggapan bahawa PBD adalah beban tugas tambahan, baharu dan berat. Para guru juga melaporkan bahawa mereka tidak cukup ilmu dan kemahiran untuk, (i) membina sendiri atau menggunakan pelbagai instrumen PBD, (ii) menaksir prestasi pembelajaran yang kompleks secara meluas dan mendalam, (iii) memantau perkembangan dimensi-dimensi sosial, rohani dan emosi, (iv) mengupayakan pertimbangan profesional untuk menetapkan tahap penguasaan pembelajaran kognitif dan bukan kognitif setiap pelajar, (v) mengenalpasti dan mengumpul data dan evidens yang relevan untuk menilai tahap penguasaan pelajar, (vi) menganalisis dan melaporkan keputusan pentaksiran yang menggunakan berbagai-bagai instrumen, dan (vi) menggunakan hasil pentaksiran untuk diintegrasikan dalam pembelajaran dan pemudahcaraan (PdPc). Didorong oleh hasrat mendepani masalah-masalah tersebut, Pentaksiran Bilik Darjah: Satu Manifestasi Falsafah Pendidik Kebangsaan ini ditulis dengan matlamat menampung keperluan para pendidik. Buku ini adalah sesuai untuk dijadikan teks dan bahan rujukan asas bagi guru pelatih yang bakal ditauliahkan sebagai guru terlatih sama ada di sekolah rendah atau di sekolah menengah. Kandungan buku ini juga wajar dirujuk dan dikuasai oleh guru terlatih dan tenaga pengajar institusi pengajian tinggi. Tambahan lagi, kandungannya yang sarat dengan gagasan teoretikal dan bukti empiris berguna untuk membina kerangka konsep penyelidikan dalam kalangan calon-calon ijazah sarjana, doktor falsafah dan penyelidik dalam bidang pendidikan khususnya. Dengan bertemakan PBD untuk pembelajaran, penulisan ini sarat dengan korpus ilmu dan kemahiran praktikal serta inovatif yang mempunyai potensi membantu pendidik melaksanakan pengajaran dengan berkesan, dan seterusnya membantu anak murid masingmasing mengecapi pembelajaran bermakna. Konsep dan kemahiran terkini dan melibatkan aplikasi teknologi IR 4.0 dibentangkan secara jelas, berasaskan logik dan bukti, dan mempunyai nilai-nilai realistik dan pragmatik. Dengan berpandukan kerangka Pembelajaran Abad ke-21, kandungan buku ini memandu guru untuk merancang, membina dan melaksanakan ujian-ujian yang mampu mentaksir penguasaan kemahiran berfikir aras tinggi dan juga pembelajaran tingkah laku kompleks. Justeru, pelbagai teknik dan instrumen pengukuran dan penskoran diperkenalkan. Buku ini turut mengenengahkan pentaksiran bagi dimensi-dimensi selain kognitif, misalnya pengukuran adab pelajar, kewarganegaraan digital, motivasi belajar dan kecenderungan negatif menunda kerja. Semua ini sesuai disepadukan dalam proses PdPc dan hasilnya dilaporkan kepada pemegang taruh, khususnya ibu bapa menerusi pentaksiran bilik darjah. Usaha sedemikian itu dijangka dapat menjuruskan lepasan sistem pendidikan yang “. . . berkeupayaan mencapai kesejahteraan diri serta memberi sumbangan terhadap keharmonian dan kemakmuran keluarga, masyarakat dan negara” (Falsafah Pendidikan Kebangsaan, 1998)

Confirmatory factor analysis of self-evaluation spatial thinking skills (SESS) measurement model

Spatial skills are important interdisciplinary abilities for students in everyday practices and on their academic journey. Several measures of spatial thinking abilities have been developed for assessing spatial skills in the school context and students' spatial behavior in their everyday life. The commonly used one is the Self-Evaluation Spatial Skills (SESS), but it has not been validated. This study aimed to: (1) examine the extent to which the (Self Evaluation Spatial Skills (SESS) instrument developed by Wakabayashi constituted meaningful and interpretable three dimensions of spatial skills; (2) test the psychometric properties of the instrument in terms of reliability and convergent validity. Using slightly modified SESS of 19 items questionnaire, the data were collected from 351 undergraduates at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a fit model of three factors construct and confirmed the reliability and validity of the hypothesized measurement model. The results indicated the tested model as good for measuring students' spatial skills and spatial behavior in their local environment and in informing future research