scholarly journals The Motivations and Barriers of Teachers’ Professional Development Activities during the Movement Control Order (MCO) – A Preliminary Insight

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 42-56
Author(s):  
Asraf Hadzwan Ahmad Safian ◽  
Anidah Robani ◽  
Muliati Sedek
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Online Communication ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Work Distribution ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Spss Software ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Teachers Professional Development

Due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) or COVID-19 pandemic, the education sector in Malaysia opted for the practice of online communication as a new norm. However, even during the pandemic, teachers in Malaysia are obliged to involve with professional development (henceforth, PD) activities for at least 42 hours annually. This article is prepared from a preliminary study to report the motivating factors and barriers on teachers’ PD activities during Malaysia’s Movement Control Order (henceforth, MCO). Also, this article studied the prevalence and trend of the teachers’ online communication during the period. A survey was conducted as a pilot study on 35 teachers from Sri Laksamana Primary School (henceforth, SLPS) in Melaka. The data gained were analysed descriptively using the SPSS software. In general, the results indicate that teachers are motivated to involve with online PD activities by getting rewarded with annual performance evaluation marks, which is beneficial for their career mileage. Next, the most significant barrier for their online PD is time limitation due to other workloads. In conclusion, even though the teachers are well-accepting online PD activities, teachers should be given a higher portion of evaluation marks regarding their annual PD involvement than the current five per cent portion. Next, the school’s administrators should act on teachers’ work distribution issues that became the main challenge for effective online PD, thus creating a favourable working ecosystem.

scholarly journals Applying the SEIR Model in Forecasting The COVID-19 Trend in Malaysia: A Preliminary Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aidalina Mahmud ◽  
Poh Ying Lim
Keyword(s):  
Community Health ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Senior Lecturer ◽  
Epidemic Curve ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Health Specialist ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Control Order

AbstractOn March 18, 2020 the Malaysian government implemented a 14-day Movement Control Order (MCO) as part of the mitigation plan in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic in the country. The MCO aims to limit the contact rates among the population and hence prevent the surge of infected individuals. However, the trend of the epidemic before and after the MCO was not apparent. By applying the Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious and Removed (SEIR) mathematical model, we aimed to forecast the trend of COVID-19 epidemic in Malaysia using data from March 17 to 27, 2020. Based on several predetermined assumptions, the results of the analyses showed that after the implementation of the 14-day MCO from March 18 to 31, 2020, it is forecasted that the epidemic in Malaysia will peak approximately in the end of April 2020 and will subside by about the first week of July 2020. The MCO will “flatten the epidemic curve” but will prolong the duration of the epidemic. Decision to extend the duration of the MCO should depend on the consideration of socioeconomic factors as well.Author summaryDr. Aidalina Mahmud is a Public Health Specialist and a medical lecturer in the Department of Community Health, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Dr. Lim Poh Ying is a Biostatistician and is a senior lecturer in the Department of Community Health, Universiti Putra Malaysia.

scholarly journals Initiating a professional development on action research during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Syafiq Aiman Mat Noor ◽  
Satirah Ahmad ◽  
Zailah Zainudin
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Pedagogical Content ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Knowledge Content ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Knowledge Of Learners ◽  
Different Levels

In the uncertain environment of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that professional development for Malaysian educators continues, even if it cannot happen in person. In response, we developed this study to deliver online Continuous Professional Development (CPD) on action research among Malaysian educators. The paper seeks to answer two main questions: i) How do we promote and conduct online CPD on action research during the movement control order (MCO)?, and ii) How do educators exhibit their professional development as a result of participating in the online CPD? The study utilised action research as a model of CPD to impart understandings about action research processes to the educators. In the initial stages, we used social media platforms and mobile applications to promote and create awareness of the online CPD. As a result, educators (n=215) from different levels of education registered and participated in the online CPD on action research. We then conducted a series of online CPD programmes on action research using video conferencing tools. Our effort to provide online CPD on action research has: i) helped educators to develop new knowledge directly related to their teaching practices, ii) promoted reflective teaching and thinking, and iii) expanded educators’ pedagogical repertoire. The study also indicated that the participating educators exhibited their professional development and deepened their knowledge related to the four areas: pedagogical knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, content knowledge, and knowledge of learners and learning. It is therefore suggested that action research as a model of CPD should be nurtured among educators in Malaysia.

Public knowledge, perception and communication behavior surrounding COVID-19 in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khayriyyah Mohd Hanafiah ◽  
Chang Da Wan
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Employment Status ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Education Level ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
Communication Behavior ◽  
Positive Communication ◽  
The Face ◽  
Control Order

The COVID-19 pandemic is the first to occur in an age of hyperconnectivity. This paper presents results from an online anonymous survey conducted in Malay, English, and Chinese, during the first week of the Movement Control Order in Malaysia (n=1075), which aimed to examine public knowledge, perception and communication behavior in the Malaysian society in the face of a sudden outbreak and social distancing measures. Although the level of public knowledge, risk perception and positive communication behavior surrounding COVID-19 was high, a majority of respondents reported receiving a lot of questionable information. Multinomial logistic regression further identified that responses to different items varied significantly across respondent survey language, gender, age, education level and employment status.

Forecast of COVID-19 Trend Following Countrywide Movement Control Order in Malaysia: SEIR Model Approach (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aidalina Mahmud ◽  
Poh Ying Lim ◽  
Hayati Kadir Shahar
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Incidence Rate ◽  
Movement Control ◽  
Seir Model ◽  
Infection Incidence ◽  
Contact Rates ◽  
Exposed Population ◽  
Control Order ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Model Approach

BACKGROUND On March 18, 2020, the Malaysian government implemented Movement Control Order (MCO) to limit the contact rates among the population and infected individuals. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to forecast the trend of the COVID-19 epidemic in Malaysia in terms of its magnitude and duration. METHODS Data for this analysis was obtained from publicly available databases, from March 17 until March 27, 2020. By applying the Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious and Removed (SEIR) mathematical model and several predetermined assumptions, two analyses were carried out: without and with MCO implementation. RESULTS Without MCO, it is forecasted that it would take 18 days to reach the peak of infection incidence. The incidence rate would plateau at day 80 and end by day 94, with 43% of the exposed population infected. With the implementation of the MCO, it is forecasted that new cases of infection would peak at day 25, plateau at day 90 and end by day 100. At its peak, the infection could affect up to about 40% of the exposed population. CONCLUSIONS It is forecasted that the COVID-19 epidemic in Malaysia will subside soon after the mid-year of 2020. Although the implementation of MCO can flatten the epidemiological curve, it also prolongs the duration of the epidemic. The MCO can result in several unfavorable consequences in economic and psychosocial aspects. A future work of an exit plan for the MCO should also be devised and implemented gradually. The exit plan raises several timely issues of re-infection resurgence after MCO are lifted.

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