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Exploring Design-Based Research: Enhancing Methodologies for Educational Innovation
Get PDFDesign-based research (DBR) has proven to be a robust methodology for transforming educational practice through a systematic cycle of analysis, design, development, and real-world implementation. Its distinctive strength lies in fostering close collaboration between researchers and educators within authentic learning contexts, producing design principles and theories that are deeply responsive to local needs. This paper presents a critical and comprehensive examination of the three core phases of the McKenney and Reeves (2012) generic DBR model, illustrating how it integrates rigorous inquiry with practical problem-solving. It also introduces Sandoval's (2014) concept of conjecture mapping as a strategic tool for aligning theoretical assumptions with design decisions, thereby strengthening the explanatory power of DBR studies. The discussion is grounded in three diverse applications of DBR in educational technology, including blended learning in higher education, computational thinking in elementary science, and digital escape rooms in medical education, showcasing how iterative, context-sensitive design can generate both practical innovations and theoretical insights
Reimagining Indigenous Material Culture : Exploration and Utilizing Bamboo as a Sustainable Approach in Contemporary Costume Design – A Case Study on Marik Empang Beadwork
Get PDFThis study investigates the creation of bamboo beads for costume design, drawing inspiration from Marik Empang patterns, a traditional Sarawakian beadwork recognized for its symbolic and geometric motifs. Despite bamboo’s sustainability and versatility, its application in bead design has been limited due to the challenge of aligning traditional aesthetics with eco-friendly practices. Using a studio-based, experimental methodology, the research evaluates four types of bamboo for their suitability in bead-making, with a focus on factors such as inner hole size, durability, and compatibility with stringing materials (cotton thread, nylon twine, and copper wire). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was utilized to examine the surface quality, cross-sections, and resistance to fungal growth. Findings revealed that bamboo treated with alum was the most suitable material, offering smooth surfaces, large inner diameters, and effective fungal resistance. Water soaking tests demonstrated the suitability of all three stringing materials, allowing the researchers to proceed with design prototyping. Additionally, a survey assessing the aesthetics, functionality, cultural value, quality, and pricing of the costume designs revealed strong positive feedback. The research conclusively demonstrates that the integration of bamboo beads into contemporary costume design not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also preserves and promotes the cultural heritage embedded in Marik Empang patterns
The Effects of Gamified Learning Using PowerPoint Games on Young ESL Learners’ Engagement and Performance in Speaking
No full textGamified learning has gained popularity in language teaching and learning in the last two decades. This action research aimed to investigate the effects of gamified learning using interactive PowerPoint games on young ESL learners’ engagement and performance in speaking. A gamified learning environment comprising six lessons was planned and conducted. The study involved 11 Year 4 learners aged 10 to 11 from a suburban school located in Sarawak, Malaysia, with low enrolment and zero Internet connectivity throughout the six cycles of study. This study employed reflective teaching journal entries to help develop the gamified learning framework, an observation checklist to acquire data on learners’ engagement and a pre-post-test to evaluate their speaking performance. The data from reflective teaching journals were analysed using inductive content analysis while observation and speaking test data utilized descriptive statistics analysis. The reflective teaching journals' findings suggest that it established a framework and guidelines for designing and implementing a gamified learning environment for teaching speaking. The observation checklist data show that the learning engagement in behavioural, cognitive and emotional components had positive outcomes, such as showing eagerness, making an effort to speak English and being excited about completing the speaking activity while implementing the gamified learning approach. The speaking test results also show that the gamified learning approach improved the learners ’ speaking performance by significantly increasing their scores from the pretest to the post-test. This study also revealed that the utilisation of the reflective teaching journals significantly contributed to the learners’ engagement and speaking performance, as the researcher was continuously making relevant modifications to the gamified learning materials to better improve pupils’ learning outcomes. In summary, these findings aim to raise awareness among ESL practitioners about the benefits of adopting a gamified learning approach using interactive PowerPoint games to enhance teaching and learning outcomes
Cold Flow Behaviour of Esterified Palm Olein with TiO2 Nanoadditive for Green Lubricant
No full textThe poor cold flow properties of natural palm olein (POo) limits its application as a lubricant in low-temperature industrial fluids. To address this, POo was converted into large-branched esters via epoxidation, alcoholysis, and esterification. Epoxidation of POo with performic acid produced epoxidized palm olein (EPOo) with a 90.65% yield and 98.14% oxirane conversion, followed by the glycerol-based alcoholysis that incorporated three hydroxyl groups for branching at 85.93% yield. Esterification with oleic, linoleic, and salicylic acids at 140℃ for 4 h produced large-branched oleic acid-esterified palm olein (OA-EPO), linoleic acid-esterified palm olein (LA-EPO), and salicylic acid-esterified palm olein (SA-EPO) with excellent yields of 97.46%, 96.19%, and 99.29%, respectively. The Fourier Transformation Infra-Red (FTIR), proton (1H) and carbon (13C) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analysis confirmed the compound structures. The results showed significant improvement (P<0.05) in cold flow of all large-branched EPO, with pour point values ranging from -12 to -7℃ relative to POo at 6℃. SA-EPO demonstrated the lowest pour point value of -12℃ followed by LA-EPO (-11℃) and OA-EPO (-7℃). The addition of 0.1% (w/w) titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoadditive to LA-EPO further improved its pour point from -11℃ to -12℃. These findings suggest the potential of large-branched esterified palm olein as sustainable feedstock for the development of green lubricant. By exhibiting good performance under cold condition with incorporation of nanoadditive technology, this formulation might be suitable in various sectors supporting the advancement and practical implementation of sustainable lubrication technology
New Ways of Working (NWOW) and Work Engagement: The Mediating Roles of Proactive Personality and Job Crafting
Get PDFDespite increasing research on work engagement, more empirical studies are needed to enhance our understanding in this area pertaining to specific contextual and cultural setting. Organizations recognize that work engagement is crucial for talent retention, especially when New Ways of Working (NWOW) were implemented and created uncertainty. Employees with a proactive personality, who take initiative and pursue goals, play a key role in navigating these changes. Additionally, job crafting, which is shaping job resources and demands, also fosters engagement. Therefore, this study integrates proactive personality and job crafting as mediators to study the relationship between NWOW and work engagement. A total of 158 respondents in the Real Estate (REI) and Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries participated via an online questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Spearman's correlation and Hayes's PROCESS Macro in SPSS Version 23. The correlation analysis revealed significant relationship between NWOW and work engagement. The PROCESS Macro analysis showed that proactive personality and job crafting partially mediate this relationship. These results have important implications for literature on work engagement, human resource development (HRD) and the REI and AEC industry. It is suggested that organizations should promote proactive traits and job crafting behaviors through training while creating environments that encourage autonomy and innovation
The Effect of General Election on Stock Volatility and its Determinants: Evidence from Malaysia
No full textThis study analyzes the elections impact on stock market volatility in Malaysia through the Political Business Cycle across indices during GE13, GE14, and GE15. Using five volatility proxies, findings indicate distinct volatility patterns across indices. Log absolute return-based volatility shows minor pre-election effects but occasional post-election spikes, reflecting temporary uncertainty. Range-based volatility highlights significant election-day reactions in GE13 and GE14, with stabilization afterward. GARCH-based volatility suggests prolonged post-election uncertainty, particularly in GE14. Squared return volatility captures delayed reactions, indicating that investors take time to process outcomes, while absolute return-based volatility shows short-lived spikes immediately after elections.
Regression analysis confirms that election-related factors such as the number of political parties, minority in government, and margin of victory significantly influence market volatility. More political parties stabilize broad indices but increase volatility in industrial and plantation indices. Minority governments reduce volatility in construction and finance indices but elevate it in plantation indices due to policy uncertainty. A larger margin of victory generally lowers volatility in construction and finance but raises it in industrial and plantation indices due to anticipated regulatory changes. Political Business Cycle variables, including monetary and fiscal policies, significantly influence volatility. Increased money supply raises volatility in industrial and plantation indices, while expansionary fiscal policies lower volatility in property and technology sectors. Foreign direct investment (FDI) stabilizes markets by enhancing liquidity and investor confidence, though sudden outflows due to political uncertainty can heighten volatility, particularly in finance and construction sectors. Stable and transparent governance policies are crucial in mitigating election-induced market instability
Two new species, genus Sciaphila Blume (Triuridaceae) from Sarawak, Borneo
No full textBorneo is known to have the greatest plant diversity, including the mycoheterotrophic plant group, with a high number of endemics. Among them, Sciaphila Blume from the family Triuridaceae is a mycoheterotrophic plant. Borneo was
recognized as a centre of distribution for the genus Sciaphila with more than nine species recorded. Here, we have added two new taxa to the list: S. maluiensis Fitri, Awang Ahmad & Meekiong, and S. merah Fitri, Awang Ahmad &
Meekiong. Detailed morphological accounts and illustrations of these new species are provided herein
Digital Advocacy Strategies with Data Analytics Framework: A Case Study for Effective Campaigns
Get PDFThis paper presents a case study of a digital campaign on social media to formulate an extensive novel framework using data analytics method to measure the effectiveness of a social media campaign. The Social Media Impact Discovery (SMID) framework is built from the concept of digital advocacy strategies and data analytics techniques, which will provide a systematic approach inboth domains to carry-out an effective advocacy campaign. Since the advent of social media such as Twitter in providing platforms for freedom of speech, digital advocacy has become the new approach for delivering campaigns to a wider range of targeted audiences. The use of digital advocacy has generated interest among politicians and advocators to spread their messages across. Despite the numerous and widespread use of digital advocacy, there is still no formal framework that study the success of the technique as end outcomes in terms of the technological aspect of knowledge and the data analytic. The impact of the campaign is evaluated in terms of its effectiveness using deep machine learning methods on the acquired data on social media of a digital campaign. The results have shown that continuous loops using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and the Naïve Bayes classifier support the dynamic approach in the SMID framework to increase campaign effect and is in line with the iterative structure. The loop's cyclical structure is in tune with the shifting user trends and social media user behaviours. The framework's ability to include fresh data and modify models as advocacy campaigns change over time provides a tactical advantage responsive to shifting conditions. Thus, the overall processes of the campaign should be supported with accurate and reliable data to build trust among its audiences. A case study of sexual harassment on Twitter is used to assess the SMID framework’s practicality. It centred on a young Malaysian advocate named Ain Husniza, whose notable catchphrase is #MakeSchoolASaferPlace. For the first time, digital advocacy for sexual harassment campaigns has been used and analysed in this study. It has demonstrated its contribution by amplifying survivors’ voices and fostering online solidarity, with the aim of raining public awareness of the issue and promoting informed policy
Understanding dyslexia and the potential of artificial intelligence in detecting neurocognitive impairment in dyslexia
Get PDFDyslexia is a specific learning disorder that affects reading and writing abilities. Children with dyslexia are typically diagnosed during their primary school years, typically between the ages of 5 and 8, when their academic performance lags behind their peers. However, the diagnostic process can be lengthy, and due to the diverse range of characteristics exhibited by individuals with dyslexia, misdiagnosis as other learning disabilities is not uncommon. This delay in diagnosis can result in delayed intervention, further exacerbating their learning challenges. This chapter aims to provide an understanding of the clinical procedures involved in diagnosing dyslexia alongside current interventions, followed by a discussion of electrophysiological processing differences between children with dyslexia and typically developing children. This involves identifying significant abnormalities in neurocognitive processing activity in brain signals provided by electroencephalography (EEG) during the resting state and event-related potential (ERP) during different task stimulations. Taking significant abnormalities existing between dyslexia and healthy children into account, the current technology of artificial intelligence and machine learning as tools for diagnosing and intervening in dyslexia using multimodel of brain signals is considered beneficial to enable the development of methods for early diagnosis and tailored interventions for children with dyslexia as young as possible
Battery integrated three input high gain DC-DC converter for renewable energy sources
No full textIn this work, a battery integrated three input converter is proposed. The topology combines a traditional boost converter on one side with a noncoupled inductor-based buffer stage on the other side. Some merits of the converter are a high voltage gain, high output voltage in the battery discharging mode, and a wide range of output voltage. The bidirectional port makes it attractive for renewable energy (RE) sources like solar and fuel cell. The converter can operate in three modes that are determined by the availability of RE sources and the battery state of charge (SOC). The power management algorithm enabled the converter to work in either single input, double input or three input configurations. The duty ratios of assigned power switches controlled the output voltage and the battery charge/discharge. Steady-state analyses, and the dynamic modeling are presented and discussed. At 12 V and 24 V input voltage, output voltage of 315.52 V was delivered in the battery excluded mode. The battery discharging mode delivered 311.57 V while the battery charging mode delivered 301.32 V. The proposed converter can serve low to medium power voltage/ power applications. The hardware experiments verify the workings of the proposed converte