The listening skill has been reported as a neglected skill in the ESL classroom. The lack of attention to this particular skill has been linked to ESL students_ poor performance in authentic communication and examinations. The study reported in this paper examined the effectiveness of explicit instruction on metacognitive strategies in enhancing students_ listening comprehension skills. A quasi-experimental research design which involved pretest-posttest control and experimental groups was used. A semi-structured questionnaire was also distributed to gather information about the students_ perceptions in using metacognitive strategies to monitor their listening comprehension. 90 Upper Sixth Form students in a Malaysian school were selected to participate in this study and they were divided into two experimental groups and one control group. The treatment in the form of explicit instruction and modeling of metacognitive strategies in listening comprehension was given to the experimental .....

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This paper elaborates how aesthetic assessment skills were developed among undergraduate students who were pursuing Bachelor of Design degree programmes in Sultan Idris Education University. Three assessment methods _ criterion-referenced, norm-referenced and ipsative assessment were introduced to the students during their second or third semester of study. The students were guided to develop their aesthetic assessment skills, specifically in the Design Aesthetics Course. One of the intended learning outcomes for the course requires the students to analyse and criticise the aspects contained in art forms which would be learned according to robust verbal and written arguments and evidence. The paper presents how the learning outcome was attained by the students, from learning four principles of aesthetic pleasure and three levels of emotional design, to applying the knowledge in course assignments. They were guided to construct aesthetic criteria and assessment forms, and directed to as.....

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An effective assessment system is indispensable to the current reform of EFL teaching in China which emphasizes the importance of the Multimedia Computer-assisted Language Learning (MCALL). A tentative model of formative assessment for MCALL is designed and implemented in two classes attended by 58 students. Qualitative and quantitative data show that the introduced assessment system not only stimulates learner_s motivation and interest to learn, but also makes it possible to monitor and facilitate learner_s learning process as well as their autonomy in learning. More noticeably observed is the successfully cultivation of learner_s autonomy, cooperative learning and communicative skills. Keywords multimedia-based learning, Formative Assessment, Learners_ Autonomy, Cooperative Learning...

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A proper and effective implementation of formative assessment techniques in the classroom will help to improve students_ learning. Oral questioning, exercises, seatwork, quizzes, discussions, projects, assignments and homework are among the common formative assessment techniques applied by teachers during the T&L process. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study undertaken to identify the formative assessment techniques used by geography teachers during the teaching and learning process. A case study design was used, and the study was conducted in one secondary school in Perak, Malaysia. Two Geography teachers participated in the study. Data were obtained through observations, interviews and document analysis. Discussion on the finding was based on the use of formative assessment techniques in the teaching and learning process. The study showed both teachers adopted a variety of assessment techniques to improve the students_ learning and help them achieve the learning obj.....

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This paper reports on a study in which an inventory was developed to measure the extent to which the academic staff of a university upheld the shared values of the university. It describes the developmental process of the inventory and the procedure for verification of the validity and reliability of the instrument. The survey was chosen as the research method. The inventory consisted of two main constructs which were the practice and perception of the shared values, referred to as the Bitara values at the university. Each main construct consisted of six sub-constructs, namely, integrity, professionalism, teamwork, customer orientation, concern for the welfare of others, and creativity and innovation. The research questions inquired about the validity and reliability of the newly constructed inventory and how far the academic staff in UPSI had understood, assimilated and practiced the Bitara values after having attended the Bitara Values Course. The newly developed inventory underwent .....

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So far, little research about writing has been said to have occurred in an EFL environment compared to an ESL environment. This study anchors on an EFL environment found in China. In connection with the EFL environment is the question of writing attrition. The main thrust of the study is to investigate if writing attrition occurred after a long period of nonuse by tertiary students. In addition, attempts are made to link writing attrition to levels of motivation and social activities experienced by the learners. To obtain data, we resorted to standardized writing tests used by the tertiary institution and also developed a questionnaire to investigate the levels of motivation and social activities. To give credibility to the writing instrument used to gauge attrition, test validation is also carried out to lay the fundamentals for the discussion of attrition in writing. We find that overall writing skills attrite coupled with attrition in coherence, clarity and pertinence, but not in gr.....

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This study aimed to measure the validity and reliability of the Inventory of Basic Religious Knowledge (IBRK) or in Malay, _Inventori Pengetahuan Asas Agama_. The IBRK questionnaire aimed to measure an individual_s fundamental knowledge of Islam based on four subscales, namely the purification of minor impurities, purification of major impurities, Adhan and Iqamah, and five-time prayer. The IBRK contains 50 items in which every subscale contains 10 items, and each of them consists of 5 positive items and 5 negative items; except for the five-times prayer subscale which contains 20 items, with 10 positive items and 10 negative items. The theoretical framework used for this study is a combination of the basics of Fardhu Ain and Fardhu Kifayah, which describes the specific knowledge and practices that are very important for every Muslim to practise in order to become an ideal Muslim. Six experts in the fields of religion, counselling and languages were selected to answer a specially desig.....

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The purpose of this study was to assess pre-service secondary mathematics teachers_ van Hiele levels of geometric thinking using the Van Hiele Geometry Test. The 25-item, multiple-choice, paper-and-pencil test was developed by the Cognitive Development and Achievement in Secondary School Geometry Project based on the van Hiele Theory of Geometric Thinking. The participants comprised 147 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers who attended a mathematics teaching methods course in a Malaysian public university. The data were analysed based on the _4 of 5 criterion_ to minimise the chance of a student being at a level by guessing. The results showed that 16 (10.9%) of the participants were at Level 0, 52 (35.4%) were at Level 1, 62 (42.2%) were at Level 2, 9 (6.1%) were at Level 3, 1 (0.7%) were at Level 4, none (0.0%) was at Level 5, and 7 (4.8%) could not be assigned a van Hiele level because their responses did not fit the _4 of 5 criterion._ Most of the participants were at or belo.....

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The study investigated the schools_ experiences on SUHAKAM_s (Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia) best practices in Human Rights ATHAM (Amalan Terbaik Hak Asasi Manusia) programme. The aim of the best practices on Human Rights in schools is to create and practice a culture of human rights in schools. With the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, five schools were selected as the pilot project. The study focused on the evaluation into the aspects of challenges, ways to overcome challenges, benefits and the future plans for the programme. The study employed a mixed-method design in soliciting qualitative and quantitative data. This paper focuses on the evaluation using the qualitative method. The findings show that the challenges faced by the schools in practicing the Human Rights program are lack of knowledge; inadequate skills; and lack of community support. The results also inform that the ways to overcoming the challenges are establishing a common practice for all; integrati.....

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Students should be well equipped with efficient note-taking techniques to enable them to learn and achieve better results in academia. A self-instructional Buzan Mind Mapping module was developed with as a guide for teachers to facilitate their students in learning note-taking techniques. Thus, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the qualities of the self-developed Buzan Mind Mapping module. The development of the Buzan Mind Mapping module was based on the Meyer Model and eight experts evaluated the qualities of the module. Fleiss_ Kappa for the inter-rater reliability score for the instrument rating scale for the evaluation of the qualities of a module was _ = .7167, which can be taken to represent constant agreement among raters. Analysis on the quality evaluation revealed that eight raters (content and design experts) showed an agreement on satisfactory level and above for all 34 items. Based on the positive feedback on the qualities of the module, we recommend that the mod.....

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