Readiness and Stakeholders Influence for Halal Logistics Practices Implementation towards Supply Chain Performance

Halal industry is expanding worldwide, and it requires strong supply chain management to enhance halal business efficiency and preserve credibility through halal logistics process. However, studies on halal logistics remain limited and isolated. Thus, this study aimed to understand the impact of stakeholders on halal logistics practices among Malaysian halal-certified manufacturers. The primary objectives of this study are to examine the underlying dimensions of halal logistics practices, investigate the level of halal logistics practices, investigate the extent of stakeholders' influence on halal logistics practices, and explore the relationship of halal logistics practices towards supply chain performance. Based on the data collected through a questionnaires survey from 270 managers from halal-certified manufacturers, SPSS and SmartPLS were used to test the hypotheses. The findings of the study indicated that operational dimensions are the most practiced dimensions of halal logistics amongst firms. Meanwhile, competitors, government, NGOs, community media and society, and customers significantly influence the adoption of halal logistics practices. Importantly, halal logistics practices are positively related to supply chain performance. This study has extended the feasibility of stakeholder theory in the sense of halal logistics to the scope and comprehensiveness of stakeholders. The outcome of this study provides important implications to both academics and practitioners, particularly in the halal industry.

E - Learning during Covid-19 – Perspectives of Academics in a Crisis

This study offers insights into how e learning, can be sustained in universities in developing countries, using a minimalist approach, during a crisis such as Covid-19. The banning of face-to-face classroom teaching in Zimbabwean universities and the adoption of e learning motivated it. Whilst this was unexpected, unprepared for, with no precedent or blue print, very few studies appear to pay attention to the perspectives of the academics - the people who are doing the teaching of the students and from a developing country perspective. Apparently, those studies that have been conducted to date are largely quantitative and appear to concentrate on the perspectives of students. To address this gap, this study explores how academics at one school and in one department at a university in Masvingo province of Zimbabwe were teaching their students, the challenges they were encountering and the opportunities that were presenting themselves. The researchers adopted a qualitative research design, using a case study methodology, with a sample of eighteen (18) purposively selected participants (lecturers). The study used semi-structured interviews to collect data, using WhatsApp because of the imposed lockdown restrictions. Findings reveal that lecturers at this university were using only a few communication applications to teach their students. They cite challenges of the cost of connectivity as well as lack of administrative support as impediments to e learning and teaching. They however highlight training in e-learning technologies and provision of data as opportunities that have arisen.

An Investigation on the Learners' Perceptions and Experiences in Engaging with Online Writing Lessons Conducted via Google Classroom

This study aims to examine the learners’ perception and experiences in engaging in writing lesson conducted via Google Classroom among the secondary school learners in Malaysia and China. This study is important for both the teachers and stakeholders to identify the suitable types of writing activities that can be used in a Google classroom platform to motivate the learners to be interested in writing and the ways to solve the problems faced by the learners when it involves writing lesson via e learning. This study focuses on five learners; three learners from Malaysia and two learners from China. This study employed a qualitative approach. The instruments were interview questions and guided logbook journals. The sessions were conducted via Google Meet and the recorded interviews were then transcribed. Hence, researchers used qualitative method to analyse the codes and categories to pen down the findings. As a result, both China and Malaysia learners expressed their affirmative agreement towards their participation in writing classes conducted using Google classroom. Moreover, based on the log book entries, it was discovered that the features embedded in Google classroom platform plays an important role in the teaching and learning process, mainly in submissions and feedbacks. Finally, the learners agree that Google classroom has improved their writing ability to a certain extend. Although the learner faced some hiccups in utilizing this method of e-learning but all participants were affirmative that Google Classroom has instilled confidence and stimulated their motivation to write better essays.

The Perceived Effectiveness of Student Engagement Strategies in Open and Distance Learning

Student engagement is critical in online learning because it makes students feel more satisfied and motivated to learn. This study investigated how university students perceive various engagement tactics employed in online courses during the Covid 19 pandemic. Student engagement was measured using Moore's interaction framework. It implemented non-experimental quantitative research design through a survey with descriptive and causal-comparative approaches. A 29-item survey on learner-to-learner, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-content engagement strategies was completed by 181 students from School of Engineering at Universiti Teknologi MARA. The students considered learner-to-content interactions to be the most engaging technique, according to the research. Learner-to-instructor interactions were the next most engaging method, while learner-to-learner interactions were the least engaging. Additionally, the most engaging technique is for them to search for and select appropriate materials in the learner-to-content category depending on their interests. Working jointly using online communication technologies to accomplish case studies, projects, or reports was deemed the most interesting technique by students in the learner-to-learner category. In the learner-to-instructor category, an email reminder or periodical notification is likewise regarded as the most engaging method. All three engagement mechanisms were shown to be interrelated, with learner-to-learner interactions heavily influencing learner-to-learner interactions. Mechanical engineering students were shown to be better at perceiving and implementing these tactics than students from the colleges of electrical, chemical, and civil engineering. It is believed that the findings of the present study will assist teachers and lecturers in increasing their participation in online courses.

Malaysian ESL Students’ Perception of the Importance Learning Argumentative Writing and Challenges Faced

Although argumentative writing skills are essential for survival in today’s social and professional world, they are rather challenging to master. The Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education places great emphasis on the needs for graduates to grasp argumentative writing skills. However, learners appear to be ambivalent about the skills. Thus, using a quantitative approach, this study aims to explore the students’ perceptions towards learning argumentative writing as well as identify the challenges that they face. Analysed using ANOVA, data from the questionnaire used in the study indicates that: i) the respondents believed that learning argumentative writing is equally important for academic success and career development in the future; and ii) those with lower grades tend to struggle more with language style and components of argumentative writing. The findings also suggest that educators should try to cater to students’ needs in order to promote mastery of argumentative writing skills. In the future, qualitative research could be conducted to explore learners’ perceptions in more detail. Researchers could also employ mixed methods to investigate issues around argumentative writing skills from educators’ perspectives.

Family Functionality among Island Residents in Promoting Mastery of Quranic Recitation

This study aimed at identifying family functionality in promoting mastery of al-Quran recitation among the island residents. This Study was conducted involved 70 respondents in Primary School in Perhentian Island (Pulau Perhentian) in Terengganu State of Malaysia. This quantitative study used a questionnaire as the research instrument which focusing on the aspects of functionality support, role, environment and communication. The findings suggest that four aspects in family functionality were at moderately high-level including support (mean = 3.55, SD = 0.85), role (mean = 3.72, SD = 0.92), environment (mean = 3.47, SD = 0.81) and communication (mean = 3.73, SD = 0.89). Analysis showed no positive relationship was observed between family functionality and mastery of Quranic recitation. This shows that systematic and wisdom planning by the authority are needed so that the existing family functionality can be sustained in a quality way and subsequently help inculcate mastery of al-Quran recitation among the new generation of Perhentian Island residents.

Investigating Social Cognitive Theory in Online Distance and Learning for Decision Support: The Case for Community of Inquiry

Nowadays, students have learn to accept the reality of online learning. Therefore, this quantitative study aims to explore how behaviour and social factors can influence online learning. 203 participants responded to the instrument which is a survey. The findings show that the implication of online and distance learning (ODL) is to help students in getting to know each other as well as having the social, cognitive and situational presence. The instrument of teaching, social and cognitive presence based on Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) is measured in order to improve the management of ODL in university during post-COVID-19 pandemic. The first research question looks at how behaviour factors (social presence) influence online presence. Next the study also investigates how cognitive factors influence online presence. The final research question looks at how situational factors (teaching presence) influence online presence. In overall, ODL management in post-COVID-19 pandemic is expected to be more challenging than during or before the pandemic. The shift that happen caused a lot of physical, mental, and emotional responses from the teaching and learning community in general. Instrument teaching, social and cognitive presence are investigated thoroughly and interesting results found in this study is beneficial for future decision support system (DSS) development in the case for community of inquiry.

Challenges and Opportunities of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Lesson Learnt

COVID‐19 has immensely disrupted tertiary education ecosystem. The crisis has compelled numerous unprecedented and accelerated changes. The traditional and conventional way of teaching and learning has completely shifted to fully online. Nonetheless, the trend of integrating technology in the classrooms is not new. This has led to numerous questions and arguments of the existing concepts and theories of traditional education. This phenomenon also provides new opportunities for educational institutions to explore and leverage on the prospects of online modalities, fashioning unique inquiries. Thus, the key purpose of this research paper is to identify the challenges and opportunities encountered by lecturers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results of the interviews showed that there are some challenges that the lecturers faced; for example, unpreparedness to tackle the new norm of online teaching and learning process, internet connection, and online engagement. The findings from the interview showed that there are opportunities which have emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic such as experimenting with numerous digital tools and platforms, employing different online teaching and learning modalities, and commissioning online assessments to support the students’ needs and engagement. It is postulated that the findings of the research although may be preliminary, are able to facilitate vital discussions on fashioning best practice guidelines for asynchronous or synchronous modalities post the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Comparative Study Between China and Malaysia: Investigating the Influence of First Language (L1) Syntax in Speaking English (L2) among Primary School Students

For Malaysian students, speaking in English is one of the most challenging skills to master, especially if they do not have a strong command of the language. Meanwhile in China, the English language is primarily employed as a means of academic communication and teaching. This paper aims to identify which linguistic items have been transferred positively and negatively from L1 (Bahasa Melayu and Mandarin) in speaking English (L2) among primary school students. A qualitative study among primary school students from China and Malaysia was carried out using purposive sampling. Based on the findings, four types of syntactic errors from the Malaysian students' speech were identified. It was evident that the students had difficulties to speak correctly in terms of sentence structure. The four syntactic errors found are simple past, simple present, verb ‘to be’ and subject-verb-agreement. Meanwhile, it has been found that Chinese students frequently produce linguistic mistakes during their utterances of L2 speech as a result of L1 interference. This research also exposed that the students are still unconsciously relying on their mother tongue to translate their sentence into L2. The study is expected to help ESL teachers to draw the analogies between corresponding L1 and L2 syntax constructions. The findings will contribute and direct the learners’ attention to cross-language syntactic similarities and differences and thus guide them to a deeper understanding of underlying linguistic structure.

Engaging and Sustaining the Interest of Malaysian Youth towards the Palm Oil Industry

There is no denying that palm oil industry has long been the backbone of Malaysia's economy. It is an industry that continues to be relevant in order to meet both local and global demand for edible oil and biofuel markets. The idea that the industry holds no appeal for youth is a common belief frequently shared by the youth themselves, as well as other stakeholders in agriculture. The key to engaging Malaysian youth and to increase their participation is to first understand their attitude and motivation towards the oil palm sector. This is the first step in understanding the factors underlying their motivation and gauging their level of engagement towards the sector. A set of questionnaires was distributed to 50 FELDA respondents followed by a focus group interview of 5 FELDA youth. Our qualitative data gauged the level of FELDA youth engagement through attitudinal resources while the survey measured the categorical and ordinal level of 8 industry constructs with variables such as gender, age, and education level. In general, the findings revealed insights into palm oil industry’s strengths and weaknesses in relation to positive and negative attitude, motivation, and engagement of FELDA youth towards the sector.