This paper reports on the growth of the World Association of Lesson Studies (WALS) and the international dialogue that it sustains. In particular, it outlines the features of Learning Study; the hybrid version of Lesson Study developed through a sustained East _ West dialogue of more than a decade, and refers the reader to some of the key publications that have contributed to it. The Variation Theory used in Learning Study in the Asia-Pacific region was developed in Europe from the phenomenographic research approach to learning (Marton and Booth, 1997) to explain the conditions necessary for the design of effective learning situations. Many parallels have since been observed. The Learning Study approach to design is illustrated here and its strengths and challenges identified. Its potential as a teacher action research, professional development strategy is discussed. The intention of this paper is to invite the reader to join the dialogue. Key words: Learning study; Variation Theory; .....

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This study is to track the subject matter knowledge of and misconception about Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) of fourth year undergraduate preservice teachers_ physical education majors at an Australian university. The test of reliability on misconception scale are subjected to a Rasch analysis (KR-20 = .52) which consists of 20 dichotomous questions with true/false answers. Analyses of the data reveal that students achieve a credit on subject matter knowledge and attain four misconceptions about TGfU. There is a significant (p < 0.05) difference in the scores for subject matter knowledge and concepts of TGfU through paired samples t test. These results imply that subject matter knowledge does have an effect on students_ concepts of TGfU but with very low relationship (r(53 = .19, p < 0.05). The implication of content knowledge to teaching is to resist the pre-concept or misconception of the subject matter. If pre-service teachers are to improve the quality of teaching and lea.....

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There is widespread concern in Malaysia about the quality of learning experienced by students, and the approach to learning they develop as a consequence. The approach is generally marked by memorization of information as isolated facts and does not promote understanding or long-term retention of knowledge and information. Despite a number of large-scale, centrally-driven reform efforts to change the status quo, they have for the most part met with little success. Based on the data collected as part of a nation-wide study to investigate the way teachers make pedagogical decisions, this paper argues that one major challenge to transform students_ approach to learning is changing the way teachers think about teaching which past reform efforts have largely ignored. The data suggest that the teachers studied mainly see teaching as transmitting information from teacher to the student. In this view of teaching they hold, they focus their attention on the differences between students to expla.....

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This paper consolidates the findings of two studies conducted in Brunei Darussalam on the incidences of bullying among Primary and Secondary school pupils. Students from both Primary and Secondary schools responded to a questionnaire on the incidence of bullying in their school. Results from the studies show that the frequency of the incident of bullying peaked at around secondary one and showed a decline in the upper forms. While the ranking of the types of bullying experienced by students at the different levels of schooling were similar, differences were noted in the ranking of the types of bullying experienced by boys and girls particularly in the primary years. Psychological bullying was more common among girls whereas bullying of a physical nature was more common among boys. The classroom was the place where students_ experienced most bullying and a close friend and parent were the individuals to whom most students would report the incidence of bullying. Some implications for cla.....

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This study aimed to explore sports science student teacher_s (n =100), usage and perceptions of Mosston_s Spectrum of Teaching Styles. The study adopted a qualitative approach of document analyses to investigate the predominant styles used by the student teachers during their teaching practical session in schools. This research, too employed a survey to explore their perceptions about the different teaching styles. The finding revealed 46% student teachers_ lesson predominantly used style B (practice style), followed by 38% style A (command style) especially in teaching fitness topics in their practical teaching session. Findings indicated there were significant differences in perception of using 11 different teaching styles where F(10,1089) = 13.67, p< 0.05, indicated style B was the most perceived teaching style followed by style H (divergent production style) and style F (guided discovery style) among student teachers. Finding indicated only style G (convergent discovery style) was .....

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As we enter the _Age of Intelligence_ (Buzon, 2011) the focus of Malaysia and other developing nations has turned to the value of human capital and its ability to produce creative, independent leaders as a primary investment for future growth. Creativity is nothing new to music educators: music has continually been a creative learning and teaching tool; employing methods and approaches that have been transferred from parent to child, sage to novice and teacher to student and which develops aural, visual, physical, kinaesthetic and written communication skills. Music education can provide teaching and learning examples to develop these previously underestimated soft skills which are now in high demand. Notwithstanding, both Australia and Malaysia have identified music education in schools (Classroom and instrumental) as an area in dire need of improvement and programs of curricula improvements have begun. Gwatkin (2008) identified the need for consistency of government policy, teacher t.....

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This study seeks to identify effects of determinants for computers use among teachers in Malaysia. In Malaysia, there is widespread recognition that computer can play a powerful role in supplementing and complimenting the process of teacher_s teaching and learning. Given current recognition of the value of computer integration, as well as the investment costs that technologies represent for schools, this study attempted to develop a model which demonstrates the variables that affect computer use among teachers and which also explain its interactions. The proposed research model is based on previous models of technology acceptance. Three variables (computer teaching efficacy, computer attitude and learning outcomes) were selected to build a model for this study. Methodologically, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used as the main technique for data analysis. The findings support the notion that computer attitudes, computer teaching efficacy and learning outcomes have effects on co.....

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Schools_ leadership are central to the task of building schools_ environment and culture that promote learning for all students. Second only to the influences of classroom instruction, school leadership has been shown to have very strong influence on student learning. In Malaysia, where the education system is undergoing reforms, school principals have been given new deals in terms of tasks and responsibilities. They are expected to be educational visionaries, curriculum and instructional leaders, assessment experts, disciplinarians, community builders, public relations and communication experts, budget analysts, facility managers, special programs administrators, as well as guardians of various legal, contractual, and policy mandates and initiatives. The competencies they require in order to perform these new roles professionally have been spelled out in great detail in the Malaysian School Principals_ Competency Standards 2006 (MSCPS). The MSCPS describes the knowledge, the professio.....

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Kajian ini bertujuan untuk membangunkan Modul SMART-KQ bagi murid di Tadika Islam Malaysia. SMART-KQ merupakan modul kosa kata bahasa Arab yang berasaskan warna dan gambar. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk dan pembangunan (DDR) yang terdiri daripada tiga fasa. Fasa pertama melibatkan analisis keperluan dengan 214 responden dari Tadika Islam di lima zon Malaysia menggunakan persampelan kluster. Dapatan soal selidik dianalisis menggunakan SPSS versi 21.0 untuk melihat peratusan, min, dan sisihan piawai. Protokol temubual turut digunakan melibatkan lima pakar, dan analisis dibuat menggunakan ATLAS.ti22. Fasa kedua melibatkan reka bentuk dan pembangunan modul menggunakan kaedah Fuzzy Delphi dengan 12 orang pakar untuk mengesahkan konstruk dan item. Reka bentuk modul mengadaptasi Model Gagne, Model TABA, dan Model Sidek, menghasilkan tujuh konstruk utama. Fasa ketiga menguji kebolehgunaan modul melalui kaedah teknik nominal (NGT) dengan 23 pakar terpilih. Dapatan fasa pertama menunjukkan .....

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Nyanyian tradisional Melayu adalah seni warisan budaya yang kaya dengan nilai sejarah dan identiti masyarakat Melayu. Namun, ia semakin kurang diminati terutama dalam kalangan generasi muda yang lebih tertarik kepada muzik moden dan popular. Tanpa inisiatif untuk memperbaharui bentuk persembahan, nyanyian tradisional ini berisiko ketinggalan zaman dan mungkin dilupakan. Kajian ini meneliti konsep Harmontradiloka sebagai pendekatan baharu dalam persembahan nyanyian tradisional Melayu. Objektif kajian adalah untuk memperkenalkan ensembel vokal dengan harmoni moden dalam nyanyian tradisional Melayu, mengumpul koleksi lagu tradisional dari pelbagai genre, serta menyampaikan persembahan dalam bentuk konsert muzikal yang disertai elemen koreografi dan teaterikal. Kajian menggunakan kaedah berasaskan amali untuk penghasilan karya serta kaedah kualitatif, termasuk temu bual tidak berstruktur, kajian perpustakaan melalui bahan bacaan, kajian terdahulu, artikel, jurnal, pengalaman peribadi, peme.....

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