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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This research synthesis examines the relative magnitudes of the variance components found in 44 generalizability (G) theory studies in L2 testing. I begin by explaining what G theory is and how it works. In the process, I explain the diffrences between relative and absolute decisions, between crossed and nested facets, and between random and fixed facets, as well as what variance components (VCs) are and how VCs are calculated. Next, I provide an overview of G-theory studies in L2 testing and discuss the purposes of this research synthesis. In the methods section, I describe the materials used in this research synthesis in terms of the samples of students, the tests, and the G-study designs used. I also present the analyses in terms of how the data were compiled and analyzed. The results are sorted and displayed to reveal patterns in the relative contributions to test variance of various individual facets as well as interactions between and among facets for different types of tests. I .....

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A well-constructed language test will yield useful information for admission, student placement, course evaluation and other concerns in language teaching, depending on the test objectives. This paper describes the development of a viable test instrument which can be used to determine the English language proficiency level of students enrolled in a Malaysian private university. Students_ responses to the multiple-choice cloze tests are examined to ascertain the impact of gender, nationality and English language qualifications on the test scores. The findings suggest that the tailored cloze tests are quite reliable, showing a fairly strong relationship between the students_ EPT scores and their English language qualifications; and for some of them, their achievement test scores. Although this study is a preliminary exploration into a subject that needs further probing, the test construction procedures may serve as a useful alternative to institutions which need a language proficiency te.....

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The _Multi-Dimensional Core Component Dynamic Model_ of evaluation was devised in a quest for an approach which could maximize the outcomes of an evaluation of an English language programme. This approach was employed in an evaluation of an adult English language programme in a training establishment in Malaysia. This evaluation was based on a mixed method design which focused on the three core programme components: the teachers, the students and the teaching material, and looked at the teaching and learning as the central process to which the evaluation contributed to. This was done by the use of multiple instruments which included interviews with teachers and students, students_ questionnaires, classroom observations, use of pretest and post-test results and a teaching material evaluation checklist. The use of these instruments facilitated the combination the summative-formative, product-process and quantitative-qualitative dimensions of this evaluation. This type of approach was dev.....

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This study examines the efficacy of peer review as a powerful tool for improving the quality of student teachers_ writing through collaboration from their understanding and perspectives. In trying to move away from the traditional product-oriented approach to the process writing approach in the teaching of writing, the study examined whether peer feedback can have a positiveeffect on student teachers_ learning of writing skills. The data collection drew on two sources of information which included questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data revealed that although participating student teachers preferred lecturer feedback compared to peer feedback, they were mindful and acknowledged that peer feedback can foster writing development. The follow-up interview data also demonstrated the positive aspects of peer review which promotes the concept that working together collaboratively produces better learning results than working alone. A majority of the student teacher.....

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Schools offer a transition to the job world so that the individual can contribute to peace and harmony in the family, society as well as the country. The career planning of individuals should start when they are in school because school is a place for developing talent, ability, potential and personality. Testing and Assessment is an important part for Career Guidance and Counseling in the school setting. Testing and assessment is essential in helping the career exploration process, especially in the process of self-understanding, to assess the strengths and weaknesses, as well as to explore the potential of students. The use of psychological test enables the career counselor to gather useful information about the students and to help them in their career development especially in making career decisions. Assessment procedures used in career development programming and career counseling can be classified as objective, qualitative, and clinical. Objectives and qualitative assessment app.....

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The application of self-reported personality test in a competitive environment is found to be susceptible to biased responding (Hirsh & Peterson, 2008). This biased response causes difficulty in assessing an applicant_s true scores in a standard selection process (Ellingson, Sackett & Hough, 1999). Therefore, this study aimed to detect the socially desirable responses from artificially differential response condition using a personality inventory. An experimental repeated measure design involved 521 students responding twice to the shortened International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) under honest and socially desirable instructions. The analysis of mean, score distribution and Rasch model_s outfit indices were examined in differentiating the socially desirable responses from the honest responses. The socially desirable condition was found to have a higher mean compared to the honest condition. The percentage of respondents in the socially desirable condition obtaining scores with two s.....

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This study aimed to ascertain the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS Preventive Education that employed the Five-Phase Constructivist Teaching Sequence among Biology teachers on their understanding and attitudinal change. The participants in this study consisted of 42 Biology teachers (9 males and 33 females) who represented 29 MARA Junior Science Colleges in Malaysia. A mixed-methodological design was used. The qualitative data from participants_ self-reported views in elicitation and review phases, and quantitative data from the one-group pretest-posttest design as measured by a 43- item questionnaire with sufficient content validity and adequate KR-20 reliability of 0.77, were compared and interweaved to provide a fuller and deeper understanding of the phenomenon at hand. The analysis of the quantitative dataset using the t-test for paired samples indicated that the posttest mean percentage score for knowledge and understanding (91.19) was statistically significantly higher (t = 15.25, p < ......

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The purpose of this study was to assess a hierarchy of Malaysian pre-service secondary mathematics teachers_ algebraic thinking in using equation. The content domains incorporated in this framework were linear pattern (pictorial), direct variation, concept of function, arithmetic sequence and inverse variation. The SOLO model was used for coding the pre-service secondary mathematics teachers_ responses and the Rasch model (rating scale analysis) was used to clarify the construction of the hierarchy. The participants of this study consisted of 120 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers who were first year and second year students in a local university. They were given a pencil-and-paper test. The test comprised ten superitems. Results of the study revealed that seven different levels of algebraic thinking were identified, namely prestructural, unistructural, multistructural, lower relational, relational, upper relational and extended abstract. Results of the study also indicated tha.....

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This article presents the process of the development of a 2D digital mobile game; Awang Sains. The game has been developed based on features that have been identified, and will be tested for its heuristics _ usability, mobility, playability, learning content, local content, language and aesthetics. Fifteen experts were selected to play and then test and evaluate the game. The objective of this game is to use it in teaching and learning Science year 4. The study used design and develop research (DDR) embedded with the ADDIE model (analysis, design, develop, implement, and evaluate), based on pedagogy and the instructional need to make the software meaningful with the ability to help pupils master Science subjects. Keywords: 2D digital mobile game, heuristics, ADDIE..

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