Factors underlying students motivation in tahfiz class in selected private Islamic secondary schools in Selangor

The current trend shows that most parents are interested in making sure that their children received the tahfiz and Quran education. However, no matter how good the Tahfiz programs are, they are not complete without relating it to motivation. Hence, this study was conducted to explore the motivation behind the children’s memorization of the Qur?an and the challenges and obstacles faced by them in fulfilling the task. This article explores the challenges faced by students in Qur’an memorization in the Tahfiz class setting through a qualitative study of semi-structured interviews via one-on-one interaction by exploring the challenges and difficulties in memorizing the Qur’an. In particular, the researchers used open-ended interview structure which included specific questions, followed up by probing questions to investigate the phenomenon in details. Participants in this study were made up of 6 Tahfiz students (3 females and 3 males), whose ages ranged between 15 to 17-year olds, exploring the techniques used by students in Quranic memorization in the Tahfiz class. The findings suggested that the feeling of empathy, parents’ prayer and advice, continuous repetitions, early morning practices, smart scheduling for memorizing, having a partner to memorize, introspection, punishment and other learning materials helps in overcoming the barriers in Quranic memorizatio

Investigating the impact of flipped classroom on dual language learners' perceptions and grammatical performance

Flipped classroom model has received massive attention from many researchers due to its innovative instructional strategy that offers a new perspective to the traditional classroom. However, not many studies have focused on dual language learners (DLL) who face challenges in grasping second language skills and knowledge, due to the multiple linguistic systems that they have to manage. By marrying communicative language teaching (CLT) approach with flipped technique, the present study, therefore, aims to explore dual language learners’ perception towards flipped classroom model in learning English tenses as well as their learning progress using the method. The lessons were conducted using set of culturalised interactive materials. A number of 133 intermediate learners (age 18 to 25) from a vocational college in Malaysia were selected as the research participants and data were collected using one-group pre-test–post-test design, questionnaire and interview. Pre-test and post-test grammar questions were given before and after a six-week intervention program to identify the effectiveness of the materials and instruction. The findings indicated significant differences between the mean scores of the pre-test and post-test. The results also revealed learners’ positive responses and improvement in English grammar through flipped classroom and culturalised interactive materials. This research has suggested some significant impacts of flipped classroom practices using familiar objects and culturalised learning materials. Apart from acknowledging the advantages of flipped classroom model in learning English grammar, the present study also proposes some additional strategies to achieve an effective flipped classroom lesson for dual language learners in Malaysia

Psychological adjustment of Muslim Chinese international students in Malaysia

International students are growing in numbers in Malaysian college and university campuses since the commercialization of education at the tertiary level introduced in the 1990s. More significantly, there is an increase in the Muslim student population as more and more young Muslims come to Malaysia from different parts of the world. For example, there is a substantial increase in Muslim students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) who see Malaysia as a peaceful and developing Muslim country. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the thoughts and experiences of Muslim students from China studying at different Malaysian universities. Six Muslim students from RPC were interviewed in this study, and based on the data obtained from the interviews, the findings were categorized into several themes. Most Muslim-Chinese students found it difficult to adjust to the new environment, especially in terms of climate, food, and infrastructure. The students also found that language was a barrier in their interactions with the locals. At the individual level, the students suffered from loneliness and homesickness and also found that their financial situation posed a challenge. In the course of the study, several coping strategies were identified that the students had adopted in their pursuit of knowledge in Malaysia. On the other hand, they felt supported in their efforts to adjust to living in Malaysia by university management, faculty members, local students, and friends. Overall, the students concluded that Malaysia is a peaceful and beautiful country characterized by the kindness, tolerance, and helpfulness of her people. Finally, the students recommended that services and facilities should be improved for all international students in Malaysi

Enhancing creativity and problem solving skills through creative problem solving in teaching mathematics

In recent years, calls to nurture and teach creativity from an early age in schools has intensified. Creativity is something regular in the teaching of arts subjects but is not a common feature in teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects. However, what really matters, is how the subject is being taught. This research aimed to foster creativity through the teaching of mathematics via problem solving that challenges the solving of problems in a creative manner, which is defined as creative problem solving. This quasi-experimental study investigates changes in students learning of mathematics via creative problem solving. Altogether, 172 Form 1 students forming treatment and comparison groups from four schools in Gombak District area, Malaysia were involved. A mixed qualitative and quantitative data were collected to investigate the effect of the 3 cycles of creative problem solving lessons implemented. Instruments used were Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, a mathematics problem solving test and creativity checklist. This paper will only present the quantitative data obtained. Results show statistically significant increases in scores for most categories of creativity and problem solving tests. This research brought together teachers and researchers in trialing creative problem solving to teach mathematics, to achieve the enhancement of students’ creative thinking and problem solving skills. This coincided with the introduction of Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah with new emphasis to strengthen the quality of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in general, where higher-order thinking reforms are emphasized. ********************************************************************************

Revisiting PIMRS and curriculum instruction management: evaluation of principalship in Banda Aceh

This research explored how Banda Aceh XYZ Schools principals manage the curriculum and instruction and its relatedness to Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) (Halinger, 1985). This research has 3 research questions and to answer them, a cross-sectional survey, adapted from PIMRS was used and administered to 186 teachers from local schools there. Research findings indicate that Banda Aceh XYZ school principals played moderate roles (µ =3.78) in managing curriculum and instruction, and no statistical difference between male and female teachers’ perceptions of principals’ roles in managing curriculum and instruction. The results pointed to the importance of having workshops and policy discussions to improve teaching and parallel understanding of curriculum and instruction for teachers and administrators

Evaluating how rural and urban English school teachers accommodating international textbooks to Malaysian context

This qualitative research study explored the effectiveness of the English Language Textbook, Pulse 2 on the students’ motivation and accommodation to the learning needs based on Gardner’s Motivation Theory. 6 selected participants from rural and urban schools were involved and interviewed purposely. Research findings indicated that English school teachers and students were having difficulties to use the textbook due to requirement of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) for teachers and students, having loaded Western content and context in the syllabus, and insufficient technology provided in urban and rural schools impending smooth teaching and learning. This research is significant to the Malaysian Ministry of Education to find an alternative textbook to fulfil the gaps in developing motivation to learn English language among Malaysian students. The research findings also recommend that Pulse 2 textbook should be modified according to students’ need and interest to suit Malaysian's contexts

Danielson teaching framework as game changer for teaching fiqh muamalat: a way forward

Danielson Teaching Framework (DTF) is a proven effective framework to measure learning and teaching efficiency that has been used extensively in North America. However, it was found that DTF was never tested in teaching and learning Islamic Education. On the other hand, there is a lack of research in terms of an effective teaching approach to encapsulate the Fiqh Muamalat knowledge although it is important in the Islamic education and Islamic banking sectors. This study tested DTF and its dimensions to Fiqh Muamalat ‘s teaching at various higher education institutions in Kelantan, Malaysia. The study was also concerned how the DTF elements could improve students' learning. This study explored 4 dimensions of DTF which are planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction and professional responsibilities. 313 participants were tested through a questionnaire developed based on DTF and were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results suggested and implicated that DTF is a good teaching evaluation framework to see teachers’ effectiveness because of its comprehensiveness. Also, based on the DTF dimensions, more improvements and studies should be conducted to ensure students' success, in relation to understanding complicated content like Fiqh Muamalat. Future study should focus on comparing different teaching frameworks vs DTF

Study process of private and public universities students using the revised two factors study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F)

This research examined the impact of students’ demographic background on the study process of public and private university students. The Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) consisting of 20 items was used to collect data from 217 conveniently selected participants from public and private universities. To answer the research questions, descriptive statistics, an independent sample t-test, and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed.The research findings indicate that regardless of university types, students tend to use the deep approach (M=2.685) of learning more compared to the surface approach (M=1.928). The researchers have found statistically significant differences between study approach and gender, types of universities, fields of study, academic level, year(s) of study and ethnicity. The research results reveal that demographic background has a significant influence on students’ approaches to learning. In terms of university type, the results indicated that students at public universities preferred the deep method of learning more (M=2.809, SD=0.515) than students at private universities (M=2.537, SD=0.581)

Influence of curriculum and demographic factors on Somali students' civic outcomes

Somalia is one of the most fiercely divided countries in the world. The people of Somalia face an identity crisis as they have more than one identity (i.e., clan, national, and religious). In addition to this, the development of good Somali citizens is impeded by the absence of a nation to belong to, as there are clan-based states, a lack of clarity as to whether the nation serves the needs of individuals or clans, and an absence of a feeling of obligation towards the nation. These various issues have led to an imperative need to explore how education as a whole and the curriculum, specifically, can build good Somali citizens with a sense of national identity and a participative attitude. Therefore, the current study investigated whether curriculum can be a panacea for the above-mentioned issues. A total of 400 Somali students in their final year of secondary education participated in this study in a cross-sectional survey. The data were analysed using multiple regression analysis. The study found that formal curriculum is a statistically significant contributor to civic development, and is potentially influential in building good citizenship and a national identity in students, hence paving the way for their progressive civic participation in the future. In addition, non-formal curriculum significantly influenced two out of three civic outcomes, i.e., national identity and civic participation. Male and female Somali students differed in their notions of national identity and good citizenship, but demonstrated the same level of or tendency for civic participation. Interestingly, parental education did not exercise any significant influence on any of the civic outcomes. Based on the results, the study recommends that a systematic analysis of the Somali education curriculum be conducted to properly assess the richness and depth of its content in relation to the required standards and coverage of civic education

Level of students’ retention among international students: is gender and level of study make a difference?

The study aims to identify to what extent integrated factors influence students’ retention. The research was conducted at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). The sample consists of 112 postgraduate students at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). The construct of retention factors measured is Islamic culture and the environment, psychological and health care services, community engagement and personality development, academic qualifications, university administration, and quality of life. The instrument was delivered to the respondents to obtain the data and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data obtained. In terms of instrument reliability, a high-reliability value was revealed for all retention factors which are greater than 0.7. The difference between the two groups in the aspect of gender and the academic level was analyzed by an independent sample t-test. The results show that there is a significant difference in the academic level of postgraduate and undergraduate for all retention factors while no significant difference was found in terms of gender difference for all retention factors. The result also showed that the students have a positive opinion on the aspect of the Islamic environment, teaching effectiveness, and the quality of life on the IIUM campus. Meanwhile, the lower mean scores in psychological and health care services and university administration aspects implied that the students less favor the services of psychological needs and health care in IIUM as well as they have a low opinion in terms of the administration of IIUM. Keywords: Islamic perspective, Retention factor, university students, educatio