MOJES: Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Sciences

A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY ON ENHANCING PIANO TEACHING STRATEGY IN CHINESE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

2025-12-19T07:30:41+08:00

In China, a basic piano course is crucial in higher vocational art education, and its successful implementation relies heavily on a practical teaching model. The transmission-adoption teaching model is commonly used in Chinese higher education. This teacher-centered approach emphasizes the one-way transmission of knowledge, lacks interactivity and flexibility, and is difficult to meet students' individual needs. The study employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing document research, participant observation, and in-depth interviews. Participants included nine second-year students from Lanzhou Vocational and Technical College and three experienced piano teachers. The study found the following optimization strategies: optimizing the learning environment to enhance students’ learning outcomes significantly, focusing on emotional engagement in learning to improve the effectiveness of the piano, assisting students with academic readiness before the basic piano course to reduce barriers to learning; and better meeting students’ needs through adjusting class format that combines group and small group classes. The above study provides specific guidance for optimizing teaching practice in higher vocational piano education and provides support and practical reference for future higher vocational piano teaching models.

USE OF DIGITAL STORIES IN SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE TO EXAMINE STUDENTS’ VALUE ACQUISITION

2025-12-19T07:50:23+08:00

The rapid technological advancements greatly influence the interests and needs of both individuals and societies. Given today's students' keen interest in technology, the use of various technological tools and applications in educational environments has become inevitable. In this context, this research aims to examine students’ values through student-prepared digital stories in the Social Studies course. The study group was determined using convenience and purposive sampling. Initially, easily accessible schools in Afyonkarahisar were identified through convenience sampling, and one school was later selected purposively for data collection. The research was designed as an action research study to achieve this aim. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools were employed to gain a clear understanding of the process within the action research. Quantitative data were collected through a word association test, while qualitative data were gathered using moral dilemma forms, semi-structured interviews, and diaries from researchers, teachers, and students. The data were analyzed in three phases: pre-implementation, during implementation, and post-implementation. A pilot study was conducted, allowing the research process to gain an in-depth understanding of the process before developing action plans. The research was carried out on students in a school located in the city center of Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye. The research findings showed that digital stories prepared by students had an impact on their self-efficacy and values.

AFFECTIVE TEACHING AND TEACHER QUALITY: INSIGHTS FROM MALAYSIAN PRIMARY LANGUAGE ARTS CLASSROOMS

2025-12-30T08:11:10+08:00

This qualitative case study explores how teachers implement emotionally responsive teaching strategies across various literary genres, including poems, short stories, and graphic novels. Through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, field notes, and member validation, the research investigates how six experienced teachers foster emotional engagement and meaningful student connections in the language classroom. The findings reveal that teachers employed diverse, genre-specific strategies that encouraged student reflection, empathy, and expressive participation. From promoting independent learning and cultural immersion to integrating visual and hands-on activities, these approaches contributed to emotionally rich classroom environments where students felt valued and understood. The study highlights how emotionally attuned teaching practices can enhance students’ personal development, classroom engagement, and connection to literature. It concludes by emphasizing the role of teacher responsiveness and reflective practice in fostering supportive and inclusive learning environments that nurture both academic and emotional growth.

STUDENTS’ INSIGHTS ON STEM LEARNING: NEEDS ANALYSIS OF HUMANIZING STEM THROUGH SCIENTIST-TEACHER-STUDENT PARTNERSHIPS (STSP)

2025-12-30T08:15:12+08:00

The global discourse on STEM education is increasingly emphasizing the need to integrate ethical, social, and cultural dimensions to ensure that learning is both technologically relevant and human-centered. While the Scientist-Teacher-Student Partnership (STSP) has been recognized as a promising model for bridging expertise and pedagogy, limited attention has been paid to how secondary school students themselves perceive the need for humanizing STEM learning. This study employs a basic interpretive qualitative design to capture insights from five (5) Malaysian upper-secondary students in the STEM stream through semi-structured interviews. Based on the thematic analysis, three (3) themes have emerged, which are (1) issues in STEM learning, (2) instructional strategy in STEM lessons, and (3) elements needed in humanizing STEM lessons. However, this paper will only discuss the first theme on the issues in STEM learning, which consists of three (3) categories, namely, (1) limited opportunities for inquiry and authentic practical engagement, (2) oversight of ethical, social, and cultural perspectives in STEM lessons, and (3) fragmented and siloed curricula that restrict interdisciplinary connections. These findings highlight systemic and pedagogical gaps that constrain student engagement and diminish the transformative potential of STEM education. By foregrounding student voices, the study emphasises the importance of humanizing STEM through STSP, where scientists, including humanities scientists, teachers, and students, reframe learning collaboratively, becoming inquiry-driven, ethically grounded, and socially relevant. The findings provide a needs analysis to inform the design of humanizing STEM modules and STSP-based interventions in secondary schools, with implications for curriculum reform, teacher professional development, and sustainable partnerships between scientists and schools.

INFLUENCE OF GENDER ON LEARNING AND BEHAVIOURAL PERFORMANCES OF UNDERGRADUATE PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS USING MOBILE ASSISTED INSTRUCTION

2026-01-05T01:34:14+08:00

This study examines the influence of gender on the learning and behavioural performances of undergraduate pre-service teachers using mobile-assisted instruction. The study employed a Quasi-experimental design, using a pretest-posttest, non-equivalent, non-randomized control group. One hundred and sixteen pre-service teachers were sampled using stratified random sampling techniques. The data were collected using the treatment instrument (MAI), treatment instrument-course material (BCSM), Test instrument (CSPT), and Validation Test Questionnaire (MAIQ) for field trial validation. Pilot testing was conducted on thirty students, and a reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. The data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) test was used to test the stated hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that: Hypothesis one was not rejected, the result shows that the medium of instruction produced no significant difference in the posttest reaction scores of students when the covariate effect (pretest) was controlled. Hypothesis two was rejected; there was a significant difference in the learning performance of male and female students. Also, Hypothesis three was rejected; the result shows that there was a significant difference in the behavioural performance of male and female students. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made: Lecturers in higher institutions should be encouraged to use mobile learning to support their teaching. To achieve this, workshops/seminars should be organized specifically for the purpose of facilitating the use of mobile technology devices in teaching and learning; emphasis should be placed on making learning learner-centred.