Khuan Wai Bing

Principal change leadership competencies and teacher attitudes toward change: the mediating effects of teacher change beliefs

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between Principal Change Leadership Competencies, Teacher Change Beliefs and Teacher Attitudes toward Change. A total of 936 teachers from 47 High Performing Secondary Schools in Malaysia completed the survey. Structural equation modelling was applied to test the models. Firstly, the results showed that Principal Change Leadership Competencies was significantly related to Teacher Change Beliefs and implied that if school principals equipped themselves with sufficient Principal Change Leadership Competencies, Teacher Change Beliefs can certainly be enhanced. Secondly, Teacher Change Beliefs was significantly related to Teacher Attitudes toward Change whereby the stronger the Teacher Change Beliefs, the greater the enhancement of Teacher Attitudes toward Change. Thirdly, Teacher Change Beliefs was indeed a total mediator in the relationship of Principal Change Leadership Competencies and Teacher Attitudes toward Change. Put simply, via Teacher Change Beliefs, the impact of Principal Change Leadership Competencies on Teacher Attitudes toward Change was relatively strong as Teacher Change Beliefs greatly facilitated the influence of Principal Change Leadership Competencies on Teacher Attitudes toward Change. Thus, in-depth enhancing Teacher Change Beliefs is one of the effective ways to increase the likelihood of teachers to embrace change. Fourthly, Principal Change Leadership Competencies was more influential than teachers’ self-influence in enhancing Teacher Attitudes toward Change. Therefore, concerted effort must be given to prioritize the continuous development of principal change leadership in effective change management. The study encourages a fresh look at change leadership development and ultimately alters the traditional approach of school principals in managing change.

Teacher change beliefs: validating a scale with structural equation modelling

The objectives of the study were to validate a substantiated Teacher Change Beliefs Model (TCBM) and an instrument to identify critical components of teacher change beliefs (TCB) in Malaysian secondary schools. Five different pilot test approaches were applied to ensure the validity and reliability of the instrument. A total of 936 teachers from 47 high-performing secondary schools completed the survey. Structural equation modelling was applied to test the models. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify the underlying factors, whereas confirmatory factor analysis was applied to test the measurement models. The analysis yielded a three-factor TCBM: (1) discrepancy, (2) efficacy and (3) principal support. The results demonstrated a good fit of the model: normed χ2 = 3.156, Tucker-Lewis Fix Index = .987, Comparative Fix Index = .991 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = .048. The results also provided evidence for convergent validity, discriminant validity and construct reliability. The TCBM is an empirically tested model derived in a local Malaysian cultural education setting. It provides direction for practitioners in planning and designing training programmes of change management for school principals in the enhancement of TCB among teachers in schools. Besides, Teacher Change Beliefs Scale is a promising and welcome tool for both practitioners and researchers. With only nine items, it is easy to administer and not time-consuming.

Examining the Effect of Service Personal Values on Emotional Satisfaction with Service Experience among International Students in Malaysian Public Universities

Abstract Malaysia has been recognized as a higher education destination for international students. Recently, the issue of ensuring a positive service experience among international students in Malaysian public universities has gained enormous attention. However, dealing with international students adds additional expectations and responsibilities for the universities. International students might experience different educational services in the host country compared to their home country. Previous research has revealed that services provided in Malaysian public universities still fail to address students’ personal values and emotional needs. In light of this gap, this research aims to explore and examine the relationship between service personal values (SPV) and emotional satisfaction (E-SAC) based on service experience among international students in Malaysian public universities. International students attending Malaysian public universities were selected as the research sample. The data were gathered through an online survey. The online questionnaire was sent to international students via email following the proportionate stratified sampling technique. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS was performed to test the relationship between SPV and E-SAC. The results revealed that SPV has a positive effect on E-SAC. In this research, the relationship appeared to be significant as conceptualized according to the theory. This research also discusses the theoretical and managerial implications as well as the directions for future research.

The Demands and Infl uence of Leadership on Educational Changes (Tuntutan dan Pengaruh Kepemimpinan terhadap Perubahan Sistem Pendidikan)

Applied to grade 9 students in Jordan, this study aimed at examining the effi ciency of using the ‘learning cycle’ strategy in acquiring Arabic grammatical concepts. A sample of 124 students was approved, which was distributed over two schools (boys and girls) and in two groups. The experimental group was taught the subject instructional material through the learning cycle strategy with 29 males and 35 females, whereas the control group was taught through the same material through the traditional program with 32 males and 28 females. In terms of fi ndings, there were found statistically signifi cant differences in the subjects’ achievement in acquiring Arabic grammatical concepts, in favor of the experimental group. Statistically signifi cant differences were also found due to gender in favor of females. Whereas no statistically signifi cant differences were found due to the interaction between group/teaching strategy and gender.Additional Mathematics is an elective subject in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). However, it is treated as a core subject for almost all the science stream students. Many students who can perform well in Modern Mathematics since primary school cannot master the Additional Mathematics. They fail to understand the concepts in Additional Mathematics. This study seeks to identify the factors that affect students in mastering Additional Mathematics at five schools in an urban area. Bayesian network is used to identify the relationship between the factors in the study and to analyze the data as it is able to represent the variables as nodes and the relationships as directed arcs. Constraint-based algorithms and score-based algorithms are used to generate the networks into several categories to compare and identify the strong relationships among the factors that affect the students’ learning of the subject. It is concluded that the new symbols and sign learned in Additional Mathematics affects the students in mastering the subject. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/JPEN-2015-4002-11Substance abuse is a current and serious problem all around the globe. In fact, the number of substance abusers including school children and teenagers is growing. This study aims to identify challenges faced by secondary schools and the supports needed in the effort to curb substance abuse. A total of 18 high risk secondary schools were selected from Selangor, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka. The questionnaire survey involved a total of 258 teachers from 18 selected schools. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequency counts and percentages. The results identifi ed the lack of student participation, time constraints and fi nancial problem as three main challenges in conducting drug prevention programmes in schools while the most crucial support needed by schools in organizing substance abuse programmes are material and fi nancial support, anti-drug talk/clinic and professional advice. It is recommended that substance abuse prevention programmes should involve the students’ families and the community to have better result. As for every substance abuse prevention programme held in schools, feedback from the participants should be obtained and analyzed in order to gauge the effectiveness and relevance of the programme. This study concluded that there are many challenges faced by schools in curbing substance abuse with lack of student participation, time constraints and fi nancial problem posed as the main challenges. Hence, involvement of all parties is needed to provide support needed to ensure the success of the implementation of substance abuse prevention programmes.This study examined the pattern of sexual harassment in higher institutions in Lagos state. Hypothesising, unlike researchers that there shall be a direct relationship between all identifi ed categories of sexual harassment behaviours thus: physical, verbal, non-verbal and quid pro quo and sexual harassment; and the report of sexual harassment is predicted by gender, physical sexual behaviour and quid pro quo. Six hundred students randomly selected from six higher institutions in Lagos State, responded to Pattern of Sexual Harassment Questionnaire (PSHQ). Results were analysed by the use of path analysis. The produced model adequately fi t the hypothesised model; the chi-square result χ2 (6) = 13.02, p = 0.043 0.9 all indicate suffi cient good fi tness of the model. Based on the fi ndings of the study counsellors are challenged to become more responsive than before to counselling needs of students in order to discourage sexual harassment and encourage reporting of sexual harassment.

Exploring Management Interventions in a Higher Education Institution for the Improvement of Student Well-being

Higher education institutions worldwide are competing for students by providing unique learning and well-being services to students. However, campus services often cannot cope with increasing demand for counselling or other forms of well-being treatment with the increased number of students in their campuses. The case will explore the university management’s interventions towards a student who attempted suicide due to depression. Ways of identifying and monitoring students who may be at risk of depression, suicide, self-injury or injuring others, will be focused. This case further offers crucial points for providing awareness and the management of student well-being in university campuses.