Practice-led research has a long history in ethnomusicology and is currently reconsidered in many academic contexts all over the world. There has not been much literature written on the effects that a long-term active immersion in the music culture investigated can have on the “researched”, the “researcher” and the “research” itself. I experienced some of these effects as a native Italian who spent seven years learning, performing and researching in Java, Indonesia. I conducted my research led by the practice, inspired by the bi-musicality approach. Learning, performing and researching are approaches interrelated with each other and determine some interesting developments of investigation, not only within the research context, but in the research methodology itself. In this paper, I discuss the pros and cons of the practice-led research experience within the Javanese singing framework,considering the following specific aspects—new teaching strategies adopted by Javanese t.....

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This study aims to identify and analyse the concepts of Pati (God), pacu (souls), pācam (bondage) based on the theory of Saiva Siddhāntam and to clarify the concepts of cataṉai (means) and payaṉ (benefits) in the 1026 hymns of Cuntarar Tēvāram. This study is a library research that uses the methods of content analysis and descriptive analysis. The analysis and discussion are based on the theory of Saiva Siddhāntam. The results of this study identified 1015 hymns on Pati, 113 on pacu and 57 on pācam that reflect the theory. Analysis of the hymns confirms Pati as the embodiment of Love taking various manifestations to bestow Grace upon the deserving souls; pacu on its journey to liberation undergoing the cycle of births and aspiring to be released from the fetters of pācam by surrendering to the Lord; and pācam that binds the souls in the forms of āṇavam, kaṉmam and māyā, leaves the pacu when Pati captivates it. The four types of cataṉai and the two types of payaṉ .....

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This research aimed to investigate the social and emotional skills of students through participation in secondary school concert bands. Using a qualitative approach, the study involved a focus group interview of 10-12 students who are section heads, and a semi-structured interview with the band director of each secondary school concert band that made it to the final round of competitions held in Thailand over the past five years. The result revealed that students exhibited strong self-learning capacities with respect to their social and emotional learning (SEL) skills in the following ways; a) self-awareness―they knew their strengths and weaknesses, knew how to improve themselves and were able to deal with their own feelings, b) self-management―they demonstrated effective management in their own practice routine, dealing and overcoming stress and pressure, c) social awareness―they empathised with and understood the perspectives of others and recognised their diverse backgrounds a.....

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Vocabulary is the key to make communication possible, learners need to acquire adequate vocabulary to help them to communicate appropriately with the target language. to learn Chinese, a foreign learner must have a grasp of a large vocabulary sufficient for communication. This quantitative study examined the potential relationship between foreign language Motivation, Language anxiety, and self-efficacy, and achievement in Mandarin Chinese vocabulary. 98 Malay-speakers of Mandarin Chinese language novice learners in a public university in Malaysia participated in the study. An unannounced vocabulary test was used to check participants' Mandarin Chinese vocabulary performance. The learning motivation, Language anxiety, and self-efficacy were measured by specifically designed instruments that targeted Mandarin Chinese vocabulary acquisition. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that language anxiety and self-efficacy were positive and significant determinants of Mandarin Chinese.....

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This study aims to develop and determine the effectiveness of the Fraction Slider in improving the  performance of Year 5 students in solving Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) addition and  subtraction of fraction word problems. This study also aims to determine the effective problem  solving strategy using the Fraction Slider. This study employed  the  design  and  development   research  (DDR)  with  a  combination  of quantitative and qualitative approach. In this study, DDR  is limited to two phases; (1) Design and Development and (2) Evaluation. The first phase involved  design and development of Fraction Slider using ADDIE Model. Three panel of experts were involved  to validate the Fraction Slider using the expert opinion questionnaire. The percentage of experts’  agreement obtained was 87.9%. For the aspect of reliability, the Fraction Slider was used in  teaching and learning for 27 students. Analysis of Cronbach alpha coefficient was calculated.....

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Noble morals are the catalyst for the progress and perfection of life, but bad morals are effective destroyers and pests that destroy humanity and the height of human life. The relationship between morality and the downfall of a country should not be taken lightly. Without careful monitoring, the generation of the country's heirs will fall into reprehensible moral conduct that will inhibit the aspiration to drive all the aspirations of national development. In the process of teaching and learning in schools in order to achieve the national education mission, the curriculum is a concept of transformation from various levels passed by leaving impact on learners in the forms of models, ideas and actions held through activities conducted in educational institutions. This quantitative study aims to understand the morals of Malaysian students who get an education in private schools in the Klang Valley as the curriculum adopted is different from the national curriculum. Keywords: Moral, Hum.....

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In the course of coping among the survivors during disasters, it is important for the community to seek comfort, trying to forget the pains, worries and problems of the disasters. Thus, being finding the strategies to cope are very important. Reports have shown puppets play significant roles in enabling those troubling experiences worked through more compassionately. The study investigated the roles of puppets in assisting the survivors to cope better in times of disasters. The study employed a qualitative paradigm where a total of six respondents were interviewed. The findings show through puppets’ characters being played enabled disturbed thoughts and feeling to be clarified and the comfort served as a coping strategy. Besides that, the story lines create a sense of rooted-ness in time of disasters and help them to strengthen themselves to face the uncertainties. Consequently, the puppets stories generate sufficient make-believe to produce the effects of the psychological needs req.....

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The purposes of this study were to investigate the attitudes and achievement motivation of Arab postgraduate towards learning of English language in selected public universities in Malaysia and to determine the relationship between attitudes and achievement motivation of the respondents. The respondents were 226 Arab postgraduates in language centres in the selected public universities in Malaysia learning English language. The research questionnaires used for this data collection were adopted and consist of six dimensions which were emotion, behavioural, cognitive (attitudes), mastery, performance, and avoidance goal (achievement motivation) with 54 items altogether. The data from the returned questionnaire were statistically analysed by using the SPSS program for percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and ANOVA. Findings from this research revealed that the respondents have a positive attitude and achievement motivation towards learning English Language. .....

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The development in today’s education has made the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) a necessity, especially in generating skillful and trained workers who may enhance the country’s international industrial competitiveness. Numerous institutions have gained recognition from the Department of Skills Development as recognized centers to provide skills trainings that offer Malaysian Skill Certificate for courses as listed by National Occupational Skills Standard. These institutions become a platform for individuals from various backgrounds (including the disabled) to prepare themselves for their career advancement. To those disabled individuals, having a career is essential as to ensure their own life survival, besides meeting their life aims. Therefore, through the Malaysian Plan of Action for People with Disabilities 2016-2022, the effort of Social Welfare Department Malaysia to empower the career transition program in educational institutions, particularly in pr.....

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The authors advocate to employ Virtual Reality (VR) with the application of experiential learning in order to enhance the students’ learning experience. In modern world with diverse platforms for innovations and solutions, technology is shaping the future of education. New digital technology is used to improve the process of teaching and learning. Digital technology opens up a new space for learning where students are immerse through various forms of technological learning platforms, devices and applications. The application of digital technology in education can assist students to cope with different learning environment and improves students’ learning efficiency. One of the innovative technologies for education is Virtual Reality (VR). VR has changed the way how students learn. VR allows us to bridge the gaps between educators and learners. VR can be used to stimulate a digital learning environment for educators and students to be together in the same room regardless of wherever .....

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