Cultivating Critical and Creative Thinking Skills through an Integrated Approach to the Teaching of Literary Texts

This research addressed the issue of critical and creative thinking skills (henceforth abbreviated to CCTS) in relation to Malaysian secondary school students. The aim of the study was to establish the current status of CCTS among Malaysian students and to prove the hypothesis that an integrated approach to literary text will enhance the level of CCTS among students. The integrated approach here refers to an approach which combines the reader response approach and stylistics analysis to the teaching of literary texts. The researcher adopted the combination of Benjamin Bloom’s and Cogaff Taxonomy (a taxonomy derived by Dr Ghazali Mustapha) which is labeled as the CCT Taxonomy as a base for the study. The study adopted a quantitative and qualitative research method whereby it incorporates an experiment conducted by way of a pre-test and post-test, an interview of teachers and classroom observation. The data for this study was collected through a survey conducted in two Malaysian secondary schools, one in a rural area and the other in an urban area. The respondents consisted of Form 4 students. In furtherance of the research, an analysis was done on the current methods adopted by the teachers in the schools with the purpose of investigating how far these methods were effective in cultivating CCTS among Malaysian students. The researcher also conducted some classes using the integrated approach to seek evidence that the method advocated (an integrated approach) is more effective for cultivating CCTS among students. The research findings showed that an integrated method is more effective for the purpose of cultivating CCTS. The pre test and post test results of the groups were analysed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results obtained in the post test and its difference with the pre test results as well as the vast difference between the results obtained by the control group and experimental group showed that the method suggested which is an integrated approach to the teaching of literary texts cultivates critical and creative thinking skills far more effectively than the other methods used by the teachers currently. Findings from both the urban and rural schools were consistent. The findings from this study could contribute to the improvement of pedagogical practices in the teaching and learning of literary texts. The approach can be used as a modal system by the Ministry of Education as it can aid teachers, teacher trainers and syllabus designers to develop a framework appropriate for cultivating CCTS through the teaching of literary texts. This approach can be adopted both at schools as well as at tertiary levels. This approach will not only enhance CCTS among students, it will also cultivate an interest in reading literary texts and other reading materials. In the long run, if this approach is adopted, the objectives of our national leaders to cultivate citizens who have both the ability to think critically and creatively will be achieved

The trend of sharenting among Malaysian parents: a preliminary study of intention and motivation

Social media platforms and applications are increasing exponentially and has become a part of life. It is widely used to connect with large numbers of people without investing much time and effort. This led to the emergence of a new term, ‘sharenting’ which refers to parents sharing children’s information on social media. The trend of sharenting is predominant and has raised concerns in the western countries, but in Malaysia there is still a lack of adequate knowledge on this trend. Past research on sharenting focuses on the usage frequency, content and consequences of sharenting in Western countries. However, there is a dearth of literature on the intention and motivation of Malaysian parents to this trend. Thus, the current study employed a qualitative approach to explore Malaysian parents’ intention and motivation of sharing children’s information on social media through the framework of Bandura’s social learning theory. The sample comprising of Malaysian parents aged between 20 to 40 who share their children’s information on social media were interviewed and the findings were analyzed using a thematic approach. This research is significant as it provides knowledge on the trend of sharenting of Malaysian parents. The paper ends with recommendation for further future research

The trend of sharenting among Malaysian parents: a qualitative study on their content and motivation

With social media having penetrated people’s daily life, sharenting has become a common phenomenon among the current generation. The term “sharenting” is derived from the combination of the words “share” and "parenting” which refers to parents who often post or share their children’s photos/videos on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Blog, and so on. Sharenting has resulted in a lot of consequences due to the sharing of children’s information. To understand the consequences of sharenting, the current research analysed the contents of children’s information that are shared by parents in Malaysia. The research also investigated the reasons that motivated parents to be involved in the trend of sharenting. A qualitative research adopting one-to-one interview was conducted to obtain in-depth information and knowledge from the respondents selected through a non-probability snowball sampling method. The responses from the interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis where it was noted that in terms of the content shared, two key themes emerged specifically funny and interesting photos as well as children’s educational progress. On the other hand, in terms of reasons for sharenting, the respondents listed several reasons including to keep in touch with friends/family members, to keep as memories, and gain support from others

Psychological impact of parent-adolescent communication: A critical analysis

Parent-adolescent relationship is an essential part of growing up and it is the key determinant of adolescents’ personality development. Their relationship with their families at this stage determines their character. Studies show there is a significant relationship between parent-adolescents’ communication and adolescents’ psychological well-being. However, the findings are not conclusive. The current quantitative research assessed the level of parent-adolescent communication on adolescents’ self-esteem and perceived stress. Data was collected among 377 Malaysians aged 12 to 17. The ‘parent-adolescent relationship questionnaire’ (PARQ), ‘rosenberg self-esteem scale’ and ‘perceived stress scale-10’ (PSS) were used. The results show that there is a positive correlation between parent adolescent communication and self-esteem r (350) =.390, p=.000 and a negative correlation between self-esteem and level of stress perceived among adolescents at r (350)=-.103, p=.054. The level of correlation shows a more positive relationship between parent adolescent communication, and self-esteem whereas the level of self-esteem does not immensely affect the stress level of these adolescents. Further, it was proven that female adolescents had lower self-esteem and higher stress compared to male adolescents. The study recommends that parents should cultivate good parent-adolescent communication to ensure positive psychological impact on their adolescents

An overview of the rule of law values within Malaysia's anti-terror law: A legal perspective from India and the United Kingdom

Changes in the legislative framework in response to terrorist threats in Malaysia, India and the United Kingdom since the 9/11 attacks have witnessed the integration of national security issues and criminal justice to form part of the extraordinary security laws passed by the authorities. This integration has rested on the premise that terrorism is an unprecedented threat and so it requires legislation tailored to what has been called as a ‘new paradigm in prevention. The criminal law has largely, though not exclusively, focused only on dealing with crimes that have already taken place. However, the reason for the shift in states emphasis towards prevention in counter-terrorism is that terrorism is an extraordinary threat that calls for a special response. A unique theme of most anti-terror legislations is focusing on what is referred to by the government as ‘prevention’ - hoping to foil foreseeable attacks from the terrorists. However, the key concern is the impact on the Rule of Law values when applying the anti-terror laws. This article argues that the preventive methods adopted by Malaysia, India and the United Kingdom are effective in forestalling terrorist activities to a certain extent, but often this comes at a high price to pay when individual human rights are sacrificed along the way.Further, anti-terror legislation has degraded the Rule of Law values in response to terrorism threat or national security

‘XYZ’ application as a tool for teaching and learning in institutions of higher learning: an exploratory study

Teaching and learning in institutions of higher learning has undergone transformation as a result of rapid development in the field of communication and technologies. The emergence of social networking sites has paved the way for the enhancement of teaching and learning approaches. The focus of this study is on ‘XYZ’ application (the actual name is not disclosed due to confidentiality) that was recently launched in Malaysia. Using a mixed research method, the study investigated the perceptions of undergraduate students in a public university to identify the viability of this application in comparison with other applications and to analyze its effectiveness as a tool for teaching and learning. The findings indicate the application has good features that enhance the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process. However, there is concern about the limited compatibility of this application. The paper ends with recommendations on how the application can be improved

An existentialist reading of K.S. Maniam’s ‘The Return’

According to Peyre (1948:21), the fathers and forefathers of existentialism were mostly Germans, but it was adapted and transformed by the French and was re-exported to the rest of the world. Peyre’s inference reduces the history of existentialism to a nutshell. Existentialism can be defined as an intellectual movement that reflects all aspects of modern life. In literature, this theory acts as a useful approach to analysing literary works in order to make sense of the complexities, contradictions and dilemmas surrounding the characters. The purpose of this research paper is to study the novel of Subramaniam Krishnan, popularly known as K. S. Maniam, an Indian Malaysian academic and novelist, from an existentialist perspective. His novels deal with the lives and problems of the post-colonial Indian Diaspora in Malaysia. In 2000, he received the Raja Rao Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Literature of the South Asian Diaspora. His first novel ‘The Return’ is an autobiographical novel which deals with cultural struggle and cultural identity. This novel will be analysed from an existential perspective.

Academic stress among university students: A quantitative study of generation Y and Z’s perception

Concerns on academic-related stress among students in institutions of higher learning are widespread. Pursuing tertiary education is said to be stressful as students pass through the process of adapting to new educational and social environments. Past literature has highlighted that common academic stressors include family-related pressures, scholarship requirements, financial burdens, competition in class and course-related stress. These stressors trigger physical and psychological issues resulting in lack of energy, loss of appetite, headaches, sleep problems or gastrointestinal problems. Although studies have been done on common stressors in universities/colleges, perceptions of what are considered academic stressors from the Generation Y and Z perspectives using the Perceived Stress Test (PSS) have not been carried out in the Malaysian context. Thus, this quantitative study aims to identify the perceptions of Gen Y and Z (18-25 years old) students to identify factors attributing to stress and their effects. The findings show that 88% of the respondents confirmed that studies are the main cause of their stress, while 78% admitted facing a moderate stress level and out of this, 36% had BMI that fell in the overweight/ obese category. Further, the study indicates that 54% experienced sleeping disorders. It is hoped that the findings will add to the understanding of the stress levels among Generation Y and Z to enable policy-makers and university/college management teams to strategise actions to alleviate issues arising from academic stress among students

Perceptions on the challenges of online purchasing: a study from “baby boomers”, generation “X” and generation “Y” point of views

La internet ha creado un impacto revolucionario en las comunicaciones y transacciones de todos los días. Se considera la modalidad de compras con el más rápido crecimiento. Las compras por internet son conocidas también como compras en línea. Las compras en línea es una manera rápida y eficiente para que los consumidores adquieran productos y servicios. El objetivo de esta investigación es esclarecer los problemas relacionados con las compras en línea. Se realizó una encuesta entre el público que comprendía a representantes de la generación de “baby boomers” (generación de posguerra), generación “X” (nacidos entre 1965 y 1981, inicios de internet) y generación “Y” (-también “millennials-nacidos entre 1982-1994, predominio de la tecnología) para identificar su percepción sobre las compras en línea y los retos a que se enfrentan con las compras en línea. Los resultados indicaron que hay una relación importante de los factores sociales con el comportamiento en las compras en línea de las tres generaciones. Los resultados indican también que el reto que encuentran las tres generaciones como más importante es el riesgo de las transacciones con tarjeta de crédito. Se recomienda llevar a cabo investigaciones adicionales para estu - diar la relación entre género y comportamiento de compras en línea centrando la atención en el escenario de Malasia que es especial en su diversidad de población. Derechos Reservados©2015 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Facultad de Contaduría y Administración. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la Licencia Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Percepción de los desafíos de las compras en línea: un estudio desde el punto de vista de la generación de posguerra (“baby boomers”) generación “X” y generación “Y"

The internet has created a revolutionary impact in everyday communications and tran-sactions. It is considered the fastest growing mode used to shop. Internet shopping is also referred to as online shopping. Online shopping is a fast and efficient way for consumers to purchase products and services. The purpose of this research is to provide insight into issues related to online shopping. A survey was carried out among the public comprising of “Baby Boomers”, Generation “X” and Generation “Y” to identify their perceptions of online purchasing and the challenges they face with online purchasing. The results indicated that social factors have a significant relationship with online purchasing behavior of the three generations. The results also indicated that the challenge that is found to be most significant by the three generations is the risk of credit card transaction. It is recommended that further research can be done to study the relationship between gender and online purchasing beha-vior with a focus on the Malaysian scenario which is unique in its diversity of population.La internet ha creado un impacto revolucionario en las comunicaciones y transacciones de todos los días. Se considera la modalidad de compras con el más rápido crecimiento. Las compras por internet son conocidas también como compras en línea. Las compras en línea es una manera rápida y eficiente para que los consumidores adquieran productos y servicios. El objetivo de esta investigación es esclarecer los problemas relacionados con las compras en línea. Se realizó una encuesta entre el público que comprendía a representantes de la generación de “baby boomers” (generación de posguerra), generación “X” (nacidos entre 1965 y 1981, inicios de internet) y generación “Y” (-también “millennials-nacidos entre 1982-1994, predominio de la tecnología) para identificar su percepción sobre las compras en línea y los retos a que se enfrentan con las compras en línea. Los resultados indicaron que hay una relación importante de los factores sociales con el comportamiento en las compras en línea de las tres generaciones. Los resultados indican también que el reto que encuentran las tres generaciones como más importante es el riesgo de las transacciones con tarjeta de crédito. Se recomienda llevar a cabo investigaciones adicionales para estu-diar la relación entre género y comportamiento de compras en línea centrando la atención en el escenario de Malasia que es especial en su diversidad de población