Journal of Nusantara Studies (JONUS) (Journal of UniSZA - Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin)
Not a member yet
422 research outputs found
Sort by
The Mandarin oral mastery programme as perceived by non-native learners
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Pinyin is required in learning Mandarin. The challenge of Romanised Pinyin is that learners must decipher the meaning of words based on the change of tone. Communication research is often conducted without accounting for the effects of the change of tone in learning a language. With the aim of avoiding miscommunication while strengthening awareness, Campus Buddies Programme was employed to provide tone practice for learners and consequently explores the effectiveness of the intervention.
Methodology: This quantitative classroom-based research gathered information through the administration of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to 32 Mandarin Level 1 learners identified through purposive sampling. The students studied five topics from the syllabus. A total of 10 native speakers who scored A in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) mentored the learners during the programme. The participants were instructed to answer both pre- and post-tests. Part A consists of demographic details, whereas Part B focuses on the effectiveness of questions and Part C consists of 30 questions of content learned by the respondents. The data were then analysed using SPSS 26 software.
Findings: The respondents demonstrated a positive response towards the programme and suggested further improvement ideas such as prolonging the training session and adding more topics and oral activities. The results implicated the programme as a motivator for oral fluency. Many non-native speakers can benefit from conversation with Mandarin native speakers because it is a strong indicator and sound oral mastery strategy.
Contributions: This research provides insights into the effectiveness of the current programme in motivating students’ oral learning. The outcome is essential in determining the Mandarin conversation strategy. More studies adopting different variables are proposed to explore correlations from different perspectives in order to improve students’ oral learning.
Keywords: Tonal pronunciation, native speakers, non-native speakers, foreign language instruction, Mandarin conversation
Views and expectations of Muslims living in northern Cyprus regarding faith tourism
Get PDFBackground and purposes: Alternative tourism activities are becoming more important for the future of Northern Cyprus. In this context, faith tourism, which has gained popularity in recent years, has special importance for Northern Cyprus, a country with essential structures of different religions. In this paper, the importance of faith tourism, which supposedly contributes to the tourism of Northern Cyprus, is revealed through the public's perspectives.
Methodology: Data was collected through the questionnaire distributed to 60 respondents. The questionnaire consists of two sections; the first section includes two questions on the socio-demographic characteristics and the second section consists of 10 multiple choice questions to determine the opinions and expectations of people living in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on faith tourism.
Findings: It is found that the Muslim people living in Northern Cyprus have a positive view towards faith tourism, and they have general information about the sites. In addition, they are tolerant of this form of tourism.
Contribution: This study is significant in terms of showing the potential of faith tourism in the Northern Cyprus. In this article, a number of suggestions have been presented on how this type of tourism can be developed, especially by taking the opinions and expectations of the people.
Keywords: Tourism, faith tourism, Northern Cyprus, island, religion, Islam
Structural decomposition of Pashto path Ps
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Past studies categorized Pashto prepositions as pre-position, post-position and ambi-position on the basis of their syntactical position in a unit of grammar. This paper aims to analyze the Pashto path prepositions and to find out its syntactic differences from other major languages, particularly English.
Methodology: A data corpus consisted of 245 clauses and sentences collected from Pashto grammar books was analysed using a nanosyntax approach, following Pantcheva and Svenonius’ decomposition of Path Ps and Place Ps where the terminal nodes of Pashto path Ps in the data were identified.
Findings: The findings revealed that Pashto Path Ps exhibited Pantcheva’s eight functional semantic heads, but its complexity due to ambiposition and precedence of place Ps over path Ps in complex phrases required adjustments in Pantcheva and Svenonius’ syntactical models to harness the complex patterns of Pashto prepositional system. Moreover, the headedness of PPs in Pashto is flexible, as it can be both head initial and head final.
Contributions: This paper not only contributes to the existing literature on Pashto Path Ps but also reflects that the existing syntactic models may further be enriched by their application to cross linguistic data. This paper suggests further studies into Pashto prepositions from other syntactic and semantic perspectives such as nanosyntax algebraic models and iconicity which will not only contribute to the understanding of Pashto grammar and syntax but also to learning Pashto as a second language and translating it.
Keywords: Preposition, post position, ambiposition, Path Ps, Place Ps
Assessing problems and prospects of urban agriculture in Cebu City, Philippines: Towards developing action plans
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Urban agriculture (UA) has become an even more attractive option for food security and safety brought by the spread of COVID-19 which causes global health crisis. However, studies examining the perceived values, challenges, and needs towards urban agriculture are very limited and this does not exempt even the context of Cebu City in the Philippines. In this regard, this study aimed to assess the problems and prospects concerning urban agriculture in the aforementioned City. The purposes are to propose action plans and offer insights in designing and implementing food and agricultural programs and policies in the planned participatory action research (PAR) for sustainable urban agriculture.
Methodology: This study used Kemmis and McTaggart’s (1988) Model of Action Research. The use of this research method is an essential approach towards constructing sustainable developments of urban agricultural systems. However, only the planning stage was accomplished in this phase of action research of which it employed sequential explanatory research design. There were 509 household representatives in this stage of the study who participated in an online survey, 217 and 292 were from the north district and south district, respectively. Subsequently, each district had five representatives who were subjected to interviews to explain the quantitative results.
Findings: Results indicate that Cebuanos positively perceives the social, economic, health, environmental, and aesthetic values of urban agriculture. However, the presence of urban agriculture in the metropolitan is only from moderate to nonexistent due to lack of space or designated area. In addition, the participants disclosed a lack of training and capital or funding, thus further disengaging them from adopting urban agriculture. Nonetheless, the majority (n=463) expressed willingness to be trained in urban agriculture if given the opportunity.
Contributions: This study provides key points as to how urban agriculture can be promoted. These include designating some portions of public and privately unused lands as “urban agriculture areas”. In addition, financing institutions may also allocate small subsidies for marginally low-income families as their starting capital for urban agriculture activities. Finally, universities, non-government, and government agencies in the agriculture sector may train Cebuanos in backyard and rooftop gardening being the widely accepted urban agriculture form.
Keywords: Action research, perceived challenges, perceived needs, perceived values, urban agriculture
Insights into learning styles preference of engineering undergraduates: Implications for teaching and learning
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Education at higher institutions prepares graduates for the real world. To develop and maintain quality, the focus must not only be on what institutions can offer but also on the learning needs and styles of learners. Despite many studies on engineering learners’ learning styles, limited research has been conducted to compare the learning styles of Engineering and Engineering Education learners. This study was conducted to ascertain the learning style preferences of first-year undergraduates from both groups in a science and technology-driven university in Malaysia.
Methodology: This descriptive study consisted of 40 Engineering and 40 Engineering Education learners who attended an English language course at the university. Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire was adopted as the survey instrument. The data were analysed using self-scoring sheet and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.
Findings: While both groups chose Kinaesthetic as a major learning style preference, the Engineering Education learners also chose Group, Tactile, and Auditory learning styles as their other major preferences. Both groups chose Visual and Individual as their minor preferences.
Contributions: The findings extend research demonstrating the significant role of specific disciplines in Engineering to determine the learning style preferences of learners. The findings also provide useful insights that suggest implications for practice and policy.
Keywords: Engineering, engineering education, English language, learning styles, teaching and learning
The integrated reporting framework across public administration: A thematic review
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: The Integrated Reporting framework as emphasised by The International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) in 2013 (revised 2021), was accepted as one of the mechanisms nationwide to enhance public accountability. However, far fewer studies examined the intersection of the Integrated Reporting (IR) framework and the public sector. Addressing the gap, reviews of the literature were presented synthesising the adoption of the IR framework across public administration.
Methodology: By drawing upon SCOPUS, Science Direct and Mendeley databases were employed to generate academic literature beginning in 2011 through 2020. Following the inclusion and exclusion processes, 23 articles were selected and analysed by using ATLAS.ti 8.
Findings: The findings of the review were discussed qualitatively and quantitatively. Particular discerning were the qualitative findings; the findings outlined insights into key developments on the IR framework across the following groups, namely, ‘Fundamental Concepts’, ‘Guiding Principles’, and ‘Content Elements’. Key aspects of challenges concerning the adoption of existing frameworks in public administration were discussed.
Contributions: Future research might better consider developing a more appropriate IR framework for public administration, a framework that integrates policy and practice. By focusing on the academic literature emphasising the IR framework, academics, regulators, and reporting organisations could formulate appropriate strategies for public administration.
Keywords: Framework, integrated reporting, public sector, thematic review
Malay literature students’ perceptions of online learning experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic at a public university
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape of human life all over the world, including the conventional face-to-face teaching method, which has been replaced with online classes. The drastic changes without a holistic planning makes online teaching prone to various shortcomings. Thus, this article aims to address two research objectives. The first objective is to determine Malay Literature students ‘online learning experiences, and the second objective is to analyse the demographic factors influencing students’ perceptions of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methodology: This descriptive study employed a survey questionnaire to gather data. A sample consisting of 67 undergraduate students majoring in Malay Literature at a public university were recruited as respondents in the present study using a simple random sampling method. After following 14 weeks of online lessons, a questionnaire form was distributed to the students. The research instrument is a questionnaire, which has been adapted and modified from a study by Baczek et al. (2020). The questionnaire form consists of two sections. Section A contains eight items related to respondents’ demographic background. Section B contains items related to students’ perceptions of online learning, in which six items are related to the benefits of online learning, five items are based on the disadvantages of online learning, and four items on students’ general perceptions of online learning. The responses from the questionnaire were analysed using Statistical Package for the Sosial Science 22.0 for descriptive analysis.
Findings: The study found that online learning is perceived by students as being more disadvantageous than beneficial. Respondents concluded that the advantage of online learning is that they could learn from their own homes according to the suitability of their time. They also acknowledged that they could access learning resources better in online classes. One of the factors influencing students’ perceptions of online learning is the speed of Internet connection.
Contributions: The study highlights the need for lecturers to be adequately prepared and to consider factors such as quality of Internet access, home location, students’ readiness and constraints faced by students.
Keywords: COVID-19, learning, literature, online learning, quality education
The effect of explicit form-focused instruction on the implicit knowledge of Malaysian English as second language learners
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Explicit form-focused instruction has significantly contributed to second language learners’ explicit knowledge. However, the effect of explicit form-focus instruction (FFI) on second language learners’ implicit knowledge of grammatical forms has been argued by scholars. This study examined the effectiveness of explicit FFI on implicit knowledge of ESL learners.
Methodology: This quasi-experimental research was conducted at a selected international school in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The collected data were analysed through the application of ANCOVA and Scheffe’s test.
Findings: The findings showed that when explicit FFI was implemented in the form of metalinguistic information and metalinguistic explanation of the target form, the implicit knowledge of students would not increase. This suggested that the role of explicit FFI as the most effective and reliable tool to enhance implicit knowledge of learners should be doubted.
Contributions: The theoretical implication of this study indicates that explicit FFI does not contribute to development of the second language implicit knowledge. Pedagogically, this study’s findings could be beneficial either for teachers looking for an effective method of teaching or for researchers to utilise it in their studies.
Keywords: Form-focused instruction (FFI), explicit FFI, implicit knowledge, explicit knowledg
Online learning readiness and satisfaction during COVID-19 pandemic among university students in four Asian countries
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Online learning has become a new norm to higher education institutions in the developing countries since COVID-19 pandemic. An overnight shift from conventional physical learning to online learning in this pandemic moment has posed a major challenge to most of the educational institutions. Student’s readiness and satisfaction towards online learning activities are important to ensure the effectiveness of this new learning method. Therefore, this study aims to examine the online learning readiness and satisfaction among the university students from four Asian countries during COVID-19 pandemic. The domains of the examinations included student learning preference, self- direction, self-efficacy, and hardware-soft skill support.
Methodology: This survey research employed a quantitative approach to gather data. The sample respondents were 1,195 university students from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and China, selected using a simple random sampling method. Online questionnaires were distributed to the respondents, comprising 37 items including demographic profiles, satisfaction, and online learning readiness assessment. The survey responses were analysed descriptively and inferentially using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0.
Findings: Results showed that 74.7% of the participants had a middle level of online learning readiness, and only 20.1% had high online learning readiness. The levels of online learning readiness varied among the participating countries. The participants lacked online learning preference, as shown in the lower mean scores compared to the means of self-direction, self-efficacy, and hardware-soft skill supports. For satisfaction, students reflected that online course required improvement, as observed in only 31% satisfaction with the online learning courses provided. The results also revealed that there was a significant positive correlation (r=.383) between online learning readiness and students’ satisfaction.
Contributions: This study provides preliminary insights into the preparedness of online learning in higher educational institutions in the Asian countries. It implies a potential disruptive impact on the educational system during the pandemic. Such perspectives are crucial for educators to understand students’ readiness and perceptions as a means of providing more effective online courses.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, online learning readiness, higher education, satisfaction
Muslim feministic narrative in poetry: A literary analysis of Fehmida Riaz’s poems
Get PDFBackground and Purpose: Fahmida Riaz was able to articulate precise feminist politics through her voice because she was audible to many women in the Pakistani context. The current study investigates how her writings about the female body were not merely a tool to celebrate or raise the sexual distance, but also influenced a political intervention and shifted the dominant patriarchal structures present in literary as well as other social and political levels. The purpose of the research is to shed light on how a specific poet's voice was able to reach a large audience of women and articulate explicitly feminist politics in Pakistan.
Methodology: The Feminist Discourse Analysis (FCDA), another dimension of CDA, is employed in the analysis. The application of the FCDA model is adapted to examine how textual representations of gendered practices produce and sustain one gender power and dominance over the other. For the study, an operational method based on four models has been developed: the Fairclough Model, the Porreca Model (Porreca, 1984), Halliday's Transitivity Model (1985), and the FCDA (Lazar, 2005).
Findings: The findings clearly demonstrated how power abuse and gender domination are explicitly present in women's literature. The analysis discusses in detail how gender is constructed in these poems, and how this construction gave women a new perspective on life and defined how they are exploited in the name of social and religious cultures.
Contributions: With the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan, the male-dominated patriarchal narrative is receiving renewed attention. However, based on the findings obtained, greater attention should be paid to the female narrative and the discourse produced by female writers. A similar analysis can be performed on the writings of Kishwar Naheed, another feminist writer, to gain a better understanding of the poetics of Muslim Feminist Narrative.
Keywords: Feminist politics, feminist critical discourse analysis, Porreca Model, Halliday’s transitivity model