A comfirmatory factor analysis of a newly integrated multidimensional school engagement scale

Inconsistencies in measures of school engagement in the literature have called for a re-conceptualization of the school engagement construct. Although many researchers view school engagement as a multifaceted construct, to our knowledge, none of the available instruments have integrated all the important domains that represent its multifaceted nature. This study is our first attempt to examine the psychometric properties of a newly integrated Multidimensional School Engagement Scale (MSES). Data were gathered from 2,381 secondary school students, aged 14 to 16, from 40 day schools in northern Malaysia. Exploratory factor analysis and confi rmatory factor analytic techniques were used to examine the instrument. Based on the available literature, we posited an a priori hypothesis that the scales could be explained by three fi rst-order factors and one second-order factor. We used SPSS v.12 and AMOS 6.0 to analyze the data. Findings supported our hypothesis that the school engagement construct can be explained by three fi rst-order factors and one hierarchical factor comprising cognitive engagement, behavioural engagement, and psychological engagement sub-scales. Findings also showed acceptable internal consistency reliability for the overall scale and the three specific sub-scales of adolescent school engagement

Job motivation and performance of secondary school teachers

Performance can be regarded as almost any behavior, which is directed toward task or goal accomplishment. Despite extensive research, discussion and debate on how to predict employees' performance, teachers performance is complex and remains difficult to predict and evaluate. Teachers are still uncertain whether they can rely on some specific characteristics of performance. In view of this practice and in evaluating teachers' performance at the work place, it is therefore the interest of the researcher to conduct a study on secondary school teachers, so as to determine their job motivation and job performance. The second objective of this study is to compare job motivation with job performance and the third one is to compare teaching performance with job performance of secondary school teachers. This correlation study involved a total of 245 secondary school teachers throughout Kedah. Data will be analyzed using the t-test and ANOV

Kesalahan dan kebolehpercayaan alat ukur orientasi pembelajaran matematik (OPM)

Purpose - The Study Orientation Questionnaire in Mathematics (SOM)(Maree, Claassen, & Prinsloo, 1997) was used to measure individual behaviour based on five factors: study attitude, anxiety, study habits, problem-solving, and study milieu with specific reference to Mathematics. The study aimed to determine the validity and reliability, scale, and the interrelationship among the factors using the revised Study Orientation Questionnaire in Mathematics (SOM). The present study used SOM (76 items) with 17 additional items to assess the aff ective att ributes among secondary school students. Design/Methodology/Approach - A total of 195 Form Four students, 86(44%) boys and 109 (56%) girls, were selected from a school in Kedah. Back translation method was used to translate the 93 items in SOM; SPSS version 12 was used to analyse the construct validity by Chi-Square test (Bartlett ’s Test of Sphericity) and Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), and the internal consistency reliability of the instrument (Cronbach’s alpha). WINSTEP version 3.48 was used to analyse the LIKERT scale to determine required patt erns of responses. Findings - Findings indicated that all fi ve factors were reliable with Cronbach’s Alpha of more than 0.70. All factors were related and thus represent a valid measure of SOM. Using step measures at interaction procedures, the initial five-likert-scaling (12345) was reduced to four (12245). The findings suggested that the third choice (not sure) was embedded under the second choice (disagree) indicating similar response pattern. Originality/Value - The study has successfully revised and validated the final SOM instrument with 72 items. SOM fulfills psychometric criteria such as validity, realiability, scale, and the interrelationship among five factors which asses stduents’ affective factors in learning Mathematics. Thus, the instrument can be used by teachers, counselors, and even principals to access OPM in understanding students’ study orientation problem in learning Mathematics

Classroom goal structure in the learning of mathematics

According to achievement goal theory, classroom learning environment or contextual factors influence students' learning. For instance, classroom that promotes mastery learning may cultivate or inculcate task-focused goals among students. However, classroom that focuses too much on competition may encourage performance goal.Studies on classroom goal structure have focused on the relationship between the purpose or meaning of achievement behaviour that is communicated to (by teachers) and perceived (by students) and a variety of student beliefs and behaviours. The objective of this paper is to examine students' perception of classroom goal structure or orientation as communicated by their teachers. This study on 1849 adolescents (900 males and 949 females) from 30 secondary schools in the northern state of the country found them to be more task-focused (promoting mastery learning) than performance focused. There were differences in the two dimensions of classroom goal structure in terms of some selected independent variables. The findings of the study bear some implications for theory and practice

Investigating learning space for research workspaces in higher education in Malaysia

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate learning space for research workspaces in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Malaysia based on the evaluations by experts and university research workers on a practical model for creating an effective research learning space. It examines expert analyses of the notion of a suitable research learning workspace and explores worker viewpoints on this issue.Method – Experts from business (n=2), education (n=2) and architectural (n=2) backgrounds were interviewed and a survey was conducted on research workers from selected universities in Malaysia (n=222). Findings – A research learning workspace model is proposed based on evaluations by workers and experts on what was needed in a research-based working space to make it more work-friendly and intellectually stimulating for researchers. Significance – This research attempts to understand research learning space problems in institutions of higher learning and proposes one possible model for future research learning workspace planning. It also contributes to the literature on research learning workspace and its management in developing countries, especially when Asia is positioning itself today as a competitive global educational hub

Faktor rintangan ke atas kempen tak nak merokok. Resistance in the "say no to smoking' campaign

The study aims to identify the relationship between the characteristics of innovation and resistance towards the ‘Say No to Smoking’ campaign. By using cluster sampling, a total of 396 respondents were selected from eight secondary schools in the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia.Data were collected through a survey method data and were analyzed using the Pearson correlation statistical analysis. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between innovation characteristics i.e., relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and trialbility with the existence of resistance towards the ‘Say No to Smoking’ campaign.This study also showed that factors such as the characteristics of innovation which could lead to one more innovation may fail to get disseminated. In fact, this study can help decision makers to identify the causes of rejection of new innovations in health campaigns that are being introduced to the community in an effort to improve public’s receptiveness of future health campaigns

Managing children: An insight into Malay parents' involvement in their children's learning

Socio-economic status not only influences family beliefs about values of education, but may affect how academic expectations are communicated by parents and perceived by their children. This study examined (1) the level of parental involvement (achievement values' interest in homework and discussion on school matters) among Malay parents, and (2) parental involvement and its relationship with academic achievement. Measures of parents' involvement were obtained from Malay boys (n=146) and girls (n =284), aged seventeen, 1iving with both biologica1 parents. Adolescents' perceptions of materna1 and paternal involvement at home were measured using Paternal and Maternal Parental Involvement Scale (Paulson, 1994b). Results indicated that Malay parents tend to emphasize more on achievement values, less on interest in homework and discussion on school matters. In terms of gender differences, there were significant differences between mothers' and fathers' involvement and these differences were-found to differ towards sons and daughters. Discussions and implications were outlined

Study on the ability of black soldier fly larvae for reducing the house fly eggs in poultry manure

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are a good source of protein for aquaculture, animal feed, pet and human nutrition. Larvae have a healthy appetite and can be used to make household waste compost and residual agricultural. For previous study [1], observed that the BSFL can be grown in a variety of organic waste stream including pig manure, kitchen waste, fruits and vegetables, and given to the fish. In addition, the larvae benefit from the use of natural resources to overcome the problem of life cycle of widespread flies in the poultry farm openly. Therefore, it is important to note that the poultry farms release many particles into the air that endanger human health and the environment

Modelling the relationship between personality factor, perceptions of the school as a learning organisation and workplace learning of school teachers

Purpose – In this study, a structural model based on Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory was proposed to explain how the interrelationships between a person (i.e. personality factors) and his or her environment(i.e. how one perceives the school as a learning organisation) can influence the person’s behaviour. The outcome behaviour of interest in this study is the teacher’s engagement in workplace learning activities.Method – This is a a causal-comparative study which utilises a survey method for data collection. The sample involved a total of 400 school teachers who were selected through a multistage cluster analysis sampling procedure. The data analysis involved an adoption of the two-step procedure. The fi rst step was the analysis of the overall measurement model, followed by the analysis of the proposed structural model through structural equation modelling(SEM).Findings – Results indicated that three of fi ve personality factors (conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness to experience) and how the teacher perceived the school as a learning organisation, are significant infl uences of teacher’s engagement in workplace learning activities. Based on the holistic approach in model evaluation, both the overall measurement model and the structural model were found to be adequately fit.Value – The study proposed a model which highlights the importance of personality factors and perceptions of the school as a learning organisation, and as signifi cant contributors of workplace learning.Practical implications such as the improvement of personality items in the current teacher selection tool and the application of learning organisation in the school context are elaborated in this paper