Fiqh, defined as the human comprehension of Islamic jurisprudence derived from the Qur’an and Sunnah, is a fundamental component of Islamic Studies education and provides a framework for directing practical areas of Muslim life. The fundamental importance of jurisprudential categorisation is essential in fiqh education, however it poses persistent obstacles for students. This study aims to assess the comprehension level of fiqh jurisprudence classification among Islamic Studies students at UiTM Shah Alam as an initial investigation. This study adopted a survey design involving Diploma in Islamic Studies and Education students (n=59) from the Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies, UiTM Shah Alam, selected through simple random sampling in line with Johanson and Brooks’ (2010) recommendation for preliminary research. The findings indicate that the understanding of Fiqh classification among UiTM Shah Alam students predominantly falls under the “Good” (39–52.5%) and “Very Good” (30–39%) categories, although the “Excellent” level is rather low (1.7–15.3%). In conclusion, this preliminary study indicates that Islamic Studies students at UiTM Shah Alam possess a robust understanding of fiqh categorisation, primarily within the “Good” and “Very Good” ranges, but face challenges in attaining “Excellent” mastery, implying a necessity for pedagogical improvements to address this deficiency.
The rapid digitalisation and technological advancements associated with Industry 4.0 are transforming work environments, job demands, and employee expectations across sectors. While these changes create new opportunities for flexibility, innovation, and productivity, they also introduce increased pressures that can affect workers’ psychological well-being in different ways. Emerging literature highlights mental health and well-being as critical concerns in the digital era, yet limited attention has been given to how these changes are experienced differently by men and women. This conceptual paper aims to examine gender differences in psychological well-being within the context of Industry 4.0, with a focus on work demands, work–life balance, and organisational support. Through a critical review of existing empirical and theoretical studies, a conceptual framework is proposed, drawing on the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) theory and supported by Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being model. This framework provides an understanding of how demands and resources associated with Industry 4.0 shape the well-being of men and women in both similar and different ways. The study offers insights for policymakers, organisations, and researchers in developing more inclusive and gender-sensitive strategies to support employee well-being in technology-driven workplaces and contributes to discussions on sustainable work and mental health in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Holistic student development has become a fundamental indicator of educational quality in early childhood education because it encompasses children's cognitive, socio-emotional, physical, moral, and spiritual development. Despite increasing attention being given to holistic education in Malaysia, empirical evidence explaining how instructional leadership, educator commitment, and educator motivation contribute to holistic student development within KEMAS preschools remains limited. This study therefore examined the levels, relationships, and predictive influence of instructional leadership, educator commitment, and educator motivation on holistic student development among KEMAS preschool educators in the Northern Zone of Malaysia. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed involving 313 educators selected from a population of approximately 1,700 educators across Kedah, Perak, and Pulau Pinang. Data were collected using structured questionnaires adapted from established instruments and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's Product-Moment Correlation, and Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression using SPSS. The findings indicated that instructional leadership, educator commitment, educator motivation, and holistic student development were all perceived at high levels. Significant positive relationships were identified between all independent variables and holistic student development. Stepwise regression analysis further revealed that extrinsic motivation emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by intrinsic motivation, providing incentives to students, and defining school mission and goals. Collectively, these predictors explained 42.1% of the variance in holistic student development. The findings provide empirical evidence supporting leadership enhancement, educator motivation, and evidence-based policymaking to strengthen preschool educational quality within KEMAS.
Discourse competence plays a crucial role in preparing English as Second Language (ESL) learners to produce coherent and cohesive communication. Nevertheless, the effective use of cohesive devices remains a challenge for many ESL learners, hindering their ability to produce coherent and meaningful discourse. To address this issue, the Case of the Lost Linkers Digital Educational Escape Room (DEER) was developed as a gamified learning tool to support the development of discourse competence. This study aimed to investigate ESL learners’ acceptance of the DEER game using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A quantitative survey design was employed involving 151 ESL learners from a Malaysian public university. Data were collected using a five-section questionnaire consisting of demographic information and four TAM constructs: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward use, and behavioural intention to use. Descriptive analysis revealed high levels of acceptance across all constructs. Learners perceived the DEER game as useful, user-friendly, enjoyable, and effective for learning linkers and cohesive devices. They also expressed strong intentions to continue using and recommending the game. The findings suggest that DEER has considerable potential as an engaging and learner-centred tool for supporting discourse competence development in ESL contexts.
The number of depressed Malaysian university students has sharply increased over the past ten years. What started as a localized academic issue has now become a major national mental health crisis, but the true experiences of those affected remain elusive. Therefore, the purpose of the research is to comprehend the authentic experiences of students in Malaysian universities who are experiencing depression. This research employed a qualitative methodology via a phenomenological framework involving five participants female university students who are diagnosed clinically with depression. Information was accessed via semi-structured interviews that were digitally audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and translated to English to analyse the information. The results indicate that there are six major themes that describe the experience of having depression. They are high-achieving students losing their academic identity because they entered the survival mode, a bitter fight between seeking the help of professional assistance and turning to drug use or self-harm in order to cope, the pressure of being a normal, fearing to be seen as a burden, the contradiction between familial beliefs and attributing depression to lack of spirituality, the physically isolated nature of staying in the room because of the need to avoid social interaction, and the impact of past sexual abuse as an underlying factor of psychological trauma. The themes indicate that student depression is not just a medical problem but they are very much influenced by intrapersonal, social, cultural, and spiritual demands. It is thus recommendable to provide necessary support that will alleviate the deep-seated experience of depression, especially in the university.
