Primary School Teachers’ Understanding of Critical Thinking in KSSR Classroom and Its Importance to Students

To investigate the primary school teachers’ understanding of critical thinking skills in KSSR classroom. To explore teachers’ perception on the importance of critical thinking to student

Promoting Critical Thinking Skills among Students in KSSR classroom

Students need to be equipped with critical thinking skills as they are the 21st century skills that will help students to face challenges in life ahead. Teachers themselves should be first to be equipped with the skills before they could teach student

Monitoring students’ metacognition in KSSR classroom

The ability to think critically is essential for students to face the challenges of the 21st century. Students should be equipped with the skills as those skills will help them to solve problems, make wise decisions and analyse information. One of the approaches to cultivate critical thinking is by monitoring their metacognition. Thus, the purpose of the study is to explore the methods of monitoring students’ metacognition used by teachers in KSSR (Primary School Standard Curriculum; Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah) classroom. Six primary school teachers were purposely selected in the study. Qualitative design was utilised where they were interviewed separately and probing was done to elucidate or illuminate the issue of study. Observation was also done as a method for methodology trigulation. The data from both sources was recorded and transcribed. Data coding was used to analyse the data where the transcribed text was segmented and labelled to form descriptions, main ideas as well as themes. These emerging themes were analysed and interpreted. The findings suggest that the studentcentred approach exercised in the curriculum has enabled students to share and discuss information among them. The teaching techniques which include questioning approach, asking students to predict outcome and provide reasons were also employed. Formative assessment such as indirect questioning with diverse assessments were also exercised in monitoring students’ thinking about thinking or metacognition. (Abstract by authors

What predicts job satisfaction in Malaysia?

The purpose of this study is to address the gaps in the literature and to examine the predictors of job satisfaction. In this study, the hypothesized predictors influencing one’s job satisfaction are a) gender, b) age, c) level of education, d) salary, e) role in the job, and f) years of working in the organization. This study used Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) as a data gathering tool. The questionnaires were administered to 89 male respondents, and 121 female respondents. For data analysis, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was employed. In addition to conducting a multiple regression analysis (MRA), descriptive statistical analysis was also carried out as part of the data analysis. Of all the predictors studied, results indicated gender as the only significant predictor of one’s job satisfaction. Several recommendations for future studies were also listed

A review of mental illness among adolescents in Malaysia

Research Objectives: 1. To explore the mental illness cases among adolescents in Malaysia 2. To investigate the factors that contribute to mental illness 3. To explore the signs and symptoms of mental illnes

Relationship between critical thinking skills and mental health status among university students

This research delves into the intricate relationship between critical thinking skills and mental health status among university students in Selangor, presenting a nuanced exploration of the dynamic interplay between cognitive aptitude and emotional well-being. Employing a one-stage cluster random sampling method, 132 third-year students participated in the study, contributing to a nuanced understanding of this symbiotic relationship. The research utilized established measures to assess critical thinking skills and mental health status, revealing a noteworthy high level of critical thinking skills among participants. Concurrently, the mental health status was identified as moderate, highlighting potential areas for targeted intervention. Correlation analysis uncovered a significant negative relationship between critical thinking skills and mental health status, suggesting that heightened critical thinking abilities are associated with improved mental well-being. This implies that students with advanced critical thinking skills are likely to experience fewer mental health issues. The study's implications extend comprehensively to stakeholders, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to student development. Students gain self-awareness, educators learn strategies to enhance students' mental health, and mental health professionals can target interventions more effectively. Parents, as key supporters, are empowered with insights to guide their children's academic and emotional journey. Policymakers can use the findings to advocate for comprehensive mental health programs within educational institutions. In conclusion, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge by revealing the intricate relationship between critical thinking and mental health among university students, signalling the need for collaborative efforts to nurture a balanced and resilient student population

Promoting Environmental Sustainability Among Oum Adult Learners

In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 4 on Quality Education, Open University Malaysia strives to promote environmental education and create environmental awareness through its lifelong learning framework. The university has embedded environmental component in one of topic with one of its university courses that is offered in the first semester. Topic 10 within the OUMH1603 course on Learning Skills for 21st Century is titled Environment and Us. This study aims to measure the level of environmental literacy and examine the correlation between learner’s disposition and learning experience among learners who have taken the course. The 2011 Framework for Assessing Environmental Literacy by the North American Association for Environmental Education was adopted for this purpose. Data were collected through online survey in two phases. The level of knowledge of the OUM students were proven to be high, ranging from an average means score of 3.86 to 4.33. The second part of the analysis shows that there is also a significant strong correlation between students’ learning experience of the course (3.99 to 4.44) and their dispositions as well as their willingness to volunteer in environmental projects. The findings suggest that embedding environmental education within a widely distributed formal education framework can contribute positively to the effort to create environmentally literate adults

Analysing the styles of thinking among primary school teachers

One of the focuses of Malaysian National Philosophy is the holistic development of individuals, which includes the ability to think in higher order. Teachers are the most important agents in the teaching process, so it's critical to pay attention to their capacity to teach students the skills. As a result, the purpose of this research is to examine teachers' thinking abilities and determine if there are any differences between genders. The Teaching Skills Inventory was completed by 266 primary school teachers in the Selangor area, and the results revealed that teachers use executive thinking skills. Despite the fact that both genders preferred executive thinking skills, a t-test indicates that male teachers scored significantly higher in all of Sternberg's suggested thinking styles. At the conclusion of the study, some recommendations for future research were included (Abstract by authors

Teachers’ model for teaching critical thinking in primary school

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the applicability of the teachers’ model for critical thinking in primary school to several selected schools. The model suggested several steps need to be fulfilled to promote critical thinking in the classroom. Thus, the study employed 25 primary school teachers to investigate their understanding of critical thinking skills and their techniques for teaching the skills. A training was given to teachers to help them improve their teaching techniques. Findings revealed that teachers understood the concept and were able to infuse the techniques in their teaching. They believed that the techniques were not new, but after the training, they are able to teach the skills more systematically. This shows that the model can be used in exploring the promotion of critical thinking and primary school classroom