A plethora of studies showed the effectiveness of game-based learning (GBL) in enhancing students’ learning and motivation. There has been increasing academic interest in GBL. However, a review of past literature in this context shows that teachers’ attitudes, in general, toward GBL and the actual adoption of GBL in teaching physics by secondary school teachers in Malaysia have not been addressed in-depth or addressed only to a minor extent in past studies. This article sheds new light on secondary school physics teachers’ perceptions of GBL usage, the implementation level of GBL in teaching physics, and teachers’ involvement in educational games design. A total of 211 secondary school physics teachers participated in this study. Quantitative data were collected via survey, and the main findings show that only 29.9 percent of teachers designed educational physics games and adopted the games in teaching physics. The implementation level of GBL in teaching physics at the secondar.....

126 hits

Background. Sports performance is the way sports participation is measured. Sports performance is a complex mixture of biomechanical function, emotional factors, training techniques, tactics, and many other aspects. Objectives. This research aimed to examine the muscle activation of compound archers during shooting. Methods. Twenty-four compound archers, consisting of 10 males and 14 females, who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Athletes were divided into three according to their shooting score. A wireless surface EMG system (Trigno EMG sensor, Delsys Inc., USA) measured activity on the middle deltoid, posterior deltoid, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, triceps, and anconeus muscles. The measurement was recorded of nine shots, and the distance between the archers and the target was 18m. Results. There was no statistically significant difference between the elite, intermediate, and junior compound archers. No significant difference was found between the genders u.....

138 hits

Recycling is not yet a common practice for everyone, but it is crucial for protecting the environment. According to the National Solid Waste Management Department (NSWMD), only 31.52% of Malaysians participate in recycling, which falls short of expectations. This figure is notably lower than the rates of other developed countries, which typically exceed 60%. These statistics indicate that Malaysia still has significant progress to make in recycling efforts. However, the nation aims to reach a 60% recycling rate by 2025. Although achieving this goal may seem challenging, there is a strong commitment to making it happen. This study focuses on educating young children about the benefits, challenges, and innovations of recycling. The study involved six children from a government preschool as the primary participants. To make learning more engaging, traffic road play was used as a tool to promote recycling. Data was collected through a qualitative approach within an action research framewor.....

239 hits

Gamified educational applications have proven to be practical tools for teachers, particularly in second language (L2) instruction, as they can enhance student interest, motivation, and assessment outcomes in online sessions. Despite these benefits, however, many higher education institutions rely on traditional teaching methods, mainly because of the challenges associated with maintaining student motivation throughout online learning sessions, a critical factor for successful learning outcomes. The aims of this study are to further understand the use of gamification in teaching and learning, particularly with large audiences during online classes, its impact on learning performance, familiarisation, active learning, formative learning, and student attitudes. Utilising a mixed-methods research design, 177 students participated in a survey, while 10 were interviewed for triangulation. Validated by three experts, the instrument demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.81. The results .....

88 hits

This study aimed to determine the professional duty of Malaysian geography teachers to integrate authentic assessment into the teaching and learning process. Questionnaires were distributed online to 379 geography teachers at the secondary school level by a simple online snowball distribution method. Descriptive and ANOVA analyses were used to address each research question. The study’s findings revealed that most teachers continued to assess their students using conventional methods. However, online assessment methods were also used in a small percentage of cases. Each variable possessed high knowledge, skills, and professional responsibility practice. Analysis of the relationship between the study variables and teachers’ work experience indicated significant differences. In conclusion, the knowledge, skills, and professional responsibility practices associated with authentic assessment implementation were high during the teaching and learning process, and certain online assessmen.....

117 hits

Dua Space Dance Theatre, founded by Anthony Meh and Aman Yap in 1998, is a full-time contemporary dance company emphasising technical virtuosity and narrative choreography and often selecting themes centred on the local Chinese community. The dance company is highly associated with highlighting intercultural collaboration and embracing diversity. In 2006, with the nebular concept of Shang Jian Yi Jia (one family regardless of whether disabled or normal), Anthony and Aman were invited to establish a wheelchair dance troupe, Shuang Fu Performing Arts Troupe. This article explores the interaction between Dua Space Dance Theatre and Shuang Fu Performing Arts Troupe in terms of dance training, performance, artistic development, and its contribution to the collaboration of international disabled dance practitioners and producers. Their collaboration promotes innovation in dance-making, advocates accessibility to dance appreciation, and challenges disability stereotypes. Through interviews an.....

111 hits

As of September 2024, there are 322,274 and 94,807 cases due to dengue in Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively. Prompt actions must be taken to control mosquito population and mosquito-borne diseases proliferation. Larvicidal control is one of the effective strategies that are promoted by World Health Organization (WHO). Bintaro (Cerbera odollam) are highly available in wetlands, but they are extremely toxic, especially their seed kernels. In this study, the active compounds of C. odollam seed kernels were gradually extracted using Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane, chloroform and ethanol and were further distilled with a rotary evaporator. Nanoemulsions were formulated with Arabic gum and Triton X-100 by using both homogenisations of high-speed and ultrasonic. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) were used to characterise oils and nanoemulsions. Encapsulation efficiencies of nan.....

93 hits

This paper aims to address those methodological issues by exclusively applying the newest modification to the Money Demand Model (MDM) in the form of the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to estimate the Malaysian shadow economy (SE) from 1985 to 2020. Methodological errors and spurious regression issues hindered earlier studies on the Malaysian SE. Some studies included Malaysia in their analyses alongside other Asian countries with similar levels of development, without accounting for the distinct economic environments of these countries. This study accounts for the influence of economic uncertainty (EU) and structural breaks. The study finds that Malaysia's SE averaged 40.8% of its official gross domestic product (GDP), peaking in 1995–1996, after which it gradually declined and stabilized around 39.4% of GDP. This substantial size highlights the critical need for tailored economic policies to manage SE growth effectively. The findings not only provide a clearer under.....

158 hits

The immune system is essential for the defense against infections and is critically implicated in various disorders, including immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, inflammation and cancer. The current study includes a new design of palmitoylated derivatives of thioglycolic acids (PTGAs) capable of triggering innate immune responses. The new series were accessible through a three-step synthetic route, including N-palmitoylation, Claisen–Schmidt condensation and thia-Michael addition. Their structures were elucidated using different 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques and their purity was confirmed by elemental analysis. The most active PTGAs induced a 12–26-fold increase in the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA and triggered a marked release of NO in isolated macrophages. These levels were comparable to the responses elicited by heat-killed E. coli and S. aureus. The position of the palmitamide chain and aryl substitution had a significant effect on the TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA expre.....

94 hits

This study observed that many teacher professional development programmes are designed without considering teacher’s voice. The present study addresses this gap by designing an online speaking skills upskilling programme that is based on a group of ESL teachers’ needs. The study employed the mixed methods research approach. Using the convenience sampling, 104 ESL teachers answered an online needs analysis survey. In the qualitative phase, an online interview was carried out with seven teachers who took part in the upskilling programme. Based on the findings, two conclusions can be made. First, for an upskilling programme that focuses on the enhancement of the speaking skills to be successful, psychological constructs such as self-esteem and anxiety need to be considered at the design stage. Second, as the programme was conducted fully online, having synchronous sessions is an important design feature. There are two implications. Firstly, it underscores the importance of integrating.....

153 hits