Mustaffa Halabi Hj. Azahari

Images as an Indicator for Deaf Students’ Teaching and Learning: An Exploratory Study

Everyone needs to be treated equally in obtaining education opportunities irrespective of their backgrounds including disabled people. Problem arises when deaf students are taught using the traditional method of teaching and learning activities which is normally ended up with students losing their concentrations and failed in obtaining good grades. The objectives of this paper are to identify the current application of practice in teaching and learning among deaf students, and to identify the type of images used as an alternative method in deaf students teaching and learning. This exploratory study has used semi-structured interview and observation for data collection. Eleven teachers have participated in the study. The findings showed that most of the deaf students are interested in their learning activities using images as an indicator for the topic learnt and together with the gestures of body movement. Moreover, this study concluded that interactive media are fundamental as an alternative method in heightening learning ability and images as can be an indicator for deaf students teaching and learning.

Efficacy of DTT by using touchscreen learning numeracy app for children with autism

Touchscreen assistive learning numeracy application (TaLNA) is a touchscreen learning based application design for Children with Autism. TaLNA has been developed based on the concept of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) called discrete trial training (DTT). This app will be used by teachers and instructors as a platform to facilitate children with autism on learning basic numeracy development in special schools. Thus, this study will investigate the efficacy and the effect of touchscreen assistive learning towards the children with autism. This app will run on Android and Windows platform. At an economical price range, the touchscreen assistive learning will have an immediate cause and effect response that enables the children with autism to be more independent during the scaffolds learning process. Hence it is an essence enhancement for children with autism management in and outside the classroom. This app is embedded with animated and interactive learning which has the potential to keep the children with autism motivated and engaged. It is a hope that TaLNA may inspire the instructional learning environment for children with autism, which could avail boost in early childcare education (ECCE).

A Preliminary Study of Robotic Education in Malaysia

Robotics education was first introduced in 2005 by the Ministry of Education. This robotics program served as a cocurricular activity that emphasised creativity and innovation. Its program was introduced to primary and secondary schools throughout Malaysia. The program aimed to encourage and motivate students to use higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) and as a way to promote science and technology education to students. Recently, Malaysian students’ achievement in science at the international level has decreased drastically. Therefore this research is to review the effectiveness of the robotic programme in helping to improve students’ learning and achievement in science and technology. The main objective of the government which introduced robotic education was to produce highly skilled human capital, knowledgeable, dynamic, and competitive in science and technology. The method of implementation is that interested students’ can participate in the school’s robotic club and those students who can master the skills taught can participate in competitions conducted at the state, national, and international levels. Findings from robotic education have helped elevate students’ achievement at the international level through the world robotic competitions. It is concluded that robotic education is able to attract students to study science and technology and improve their achievement at the international level with such skillsets.

Revisited Diffusion Theory: A Conceptual Framework for International Printing Standard Adoption in Malaysia

This paper discusses on international adoption of printing standards (PS) and its relation to business performance by focusing on commercial printing companies in the category of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The current trend in the printing industry recalled the importance of trust and confidence among clients in order to achieve quality printing products. However, there are many commercial printing companies which are facing problems to meet customers’ demands, especially in achieving desired printing color on printed products. At the same time, most researchers agreed that by adopting the international printing standard, they are able to provide benefits to the printers through the improvement of quality and productivity. This study will revisit and discuss the theory of diffusion of innovation, which stated the five perceived attributes such as relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability in order to determine the rate of adoption and whether the organization would adopt or reject the innovation. At the end of this paper, we suggested a research framework to initiate the development of understanding and implementation of quality management through adoption of international printing standardization practices. Quantitative and qualitative methods will be used to collect data, where a survey through a close-ended questionnaire will be conducted among production employees. On the other hand, tools for investigation of the five influencing factors, the benefits and challenges of adopting the standard, and the strategies to implement PS were conducted by interviews with professionals in the same field. For future studies, it is expected that the understanding of innovation among SMEs based on this framework will bring better strategies on their recourse toward business performance.

Perception of Readers Toward the Crime Photographs from the Mainstream Malaysian Newspaper in Kuala Terengganu

Photographic images found in magazines, newspapers, billboards, the Internet, and on buildings has triggered a huge phenomenon in all aspects of human life. Recognizing the importance of images to the community, a study was carried out to identify the functions of the crime image displayed in press. Crime images are often displayed in the newspaper and become an obligation to be showcased to the public. The images provide a visual representation of the actual design to the community to be used as well as to be enlightened. However, whether it is capable of delivering positive impacts or otherwise to newspaper readers is questionable; thus, it became the main objective in this study. Three major Malay newspapers were selected: Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia, and Harian Metro with violent crime pictures taken from the year 2007 to 2010. Two research approaches were employed through distribution of questionnaire and interview sessions. From 700 surveys distributed, only 404 surveys were answered. The results gained through the conducted questionnaire and interviews show that the crime image displayed in newspaper could provide positive impact on the reader. Although there are a few who mentioned that it can give a negative impact and cause trauma to the reader, it does not represent the majority of the respondents. In summary, the collaboration between the editor and the photographer in the selection of crime images in the press is of utmost importance. Positive impact of this study has proven that the effort by the newspaper media in the social obligation to the community has been successful due to their self-consciousness when viewing such images. This study also proves that the image is one of the most effective medium in conveying message and information to the general public.

The conceptual framework of the crime image impact from primetime malay newspaper to the public

Criminal occurrences are gradually becoming more alarming each day. News and images published in the newspapers whether as the headlines or merely a report witness humans cruelty and avarice. The main concern is when individuals rely heavily on their inner desire and becoming less humane in the process. This can contribute to damaging and risking the prosperity of a nation should this situation be left to persist. As such, this study aims to discuss the importance of publishing ‘crime-images’ in newspapers to create awareness to the community as well as in reducing and hopefully curb potential crime before it surfaces. To facilitate this study, three major newspapers have been selected namely; The Star, Utusan Malaysia and Metro Newspapers. News on crimes in these leading newspapers will be randomly chosen in terms of priority of such news. One proposed example is a crime that has a strong impact on readers, society and in nation. Researchers will only chose newspapers published in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Next, interviews with 10 people from different communities such as students and newspaper readers will be conducted. Distribution of questionnaire targeted to 200 respondents is for the purpose of obtaining necessary input and to validate the findings of this research. It is hoped that this study will also determine the types of “crime image” that could provide a positive impact on the community, especially newspaper readers. (Abstract)

An interpretation of photography as an art and communication

Photography is a visual representation, which highlights an act of seeing to establish subject matter in the surroundings. These would be described, explained and visualized with the content of the emotional experience. The process of communication starts when the information sources encode or produce a set of messages in the mode of speech, written form, picture or other media to other parties. In a communication process, photograph is used as medium of persuasion as it controls the emotions of the reviewer. The production of an image in communicating with its viewers undergoes a critical process. Thus this paper explores how society perceives and holds attitudes in interpreting and describing a photograph as a form of arts and media in a communication process.