International Journal Of Technical Vocational And Engineering Technology

Exploring Financial Management Practices Of Micro-Entrepreneurs At Muadzam Shah, Pahang

Affizah Mohamad Ghaffar, Norleza Lehat, Ani Liza Abd Rahman — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Finance and accounting are two distinct but interconnected disciplines within the field of business and finance. Financial is a process after accounting. In terms of business operation, most micro-entrepreneurs struggle with the failure of financial management and inadequate knowledge and practice of it. Inefficient financial management has led to issues of financial leakage, theft, and instability that cause bankruptcy. Therefore, this study aims to explore financial management practices among micro-entrepreneurs around Muadzam Shah. The qualitative study that involved seven (7) micro-entrepreneurs from various backgrounds were selected as informants using purposive sampling. The in-depth interview face-to-face method is used as a data collection technique with the thematic method of inductive analysis to analyze the data. The study found that financial management practices among micro-entrepreneurs are still at a minimal level. The business-related basic skills such as cost determination, pricing setting, and cash flow preparation are also major problems. The study suggests that there is a need for immediate action from certain parties, including the entrepreneur themselves, to improve their financial management skills and practices. Several recommendations have been put forward to overcome this problem, especially the design and development of applications that facilitate cost calculation, pricing, and the provision of business cash flow easily and quickly, which can be helpful for micro-entrepreneurs. Overall, the study provides useful input for designing and organizing courses related to financial management for micro-entrepreneurs. This is an important area of research, as micro-entrepreneurs play a significant role in the economy and can benefit greatly from improving their financial management skills and practices.

Universal Model To Predict Compressive Behavior Of Confined Tin Slag Polymer Concrete Column

Muhamad Soffi Manda, Mohd Ruzaimi Mat Rejab, Shukur Abu Hassan, Mat Uzir Wahit — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study explores the application of analytical approach in predicting the compressive behavior of TSPC confined with FRP and metallic material based on previous studies on concrete structures. Experimental results on tensile strength of confinement materials and compressive strength of confined TSPC have been employed to obtain radial confining pressure and to validate the mathematical prediction. Tensile strength of confinement material was 196.51 MPa (GFRP), 198.25 MPa (CFRP), 199.89 MPa (BFRP), 279.43 MPa (AFRP) and 485.20 MPa (mild steel). Unconfined TSPC column has maximum compressive strength of 59.19 MPa and the strength was enhanced with the application of confinement materials. The highest compressive strength enhancement was TSPC confined mild steel (TSPC-FM) with 131.84 MPa followed by TSPC confined AFRP (TSPC-AF), TSPC confined CFRP (TSPC-CF), TSPC confined GFRP (TSPC-GF) and TSPC confined BFRP (TSPC-BF) with 114.24 MPa, 108.77 MPa, 85.54 MPa and 81.52 MPa. Mathematical evaluation by Mander, Wei, Saadatmanesh, Lam & Teng and proposed model for compressive strength has provided different values for TSPC-GF (85.54 MPa, 89.54 MPa, 85.54 MPa, 92.29 MPa and 86.08 MPa), TSPC-CF (108.77 MPa, 120.54 MPa, 108.77 MPa, 79.42 MPa and 74.33 MPa), TSPC-BF (81.52 MPa, 89.33 MPa, 81.52 MPa, 89.29 MPa and 79.65 MPa), TSPC-AF (114.24 MPa, 120.52 MPa, 114.24 MPa, 114.24 MPa and 109.26) and TSPC-FM (131.84 MPa, 148.14 MPa, 131.84 MPa, 239.07 MPa and 131.03 MPa). Overall, the study suggested that Mander and proposed model have the capability to be adapted as universal model to represent confined TSPC column behavior under compression. The compressive behavior through stress versus strain curve as predicted by Mander and proposed models have shown closer match with experimental on all variant of test samples.

A Preliminary Study On Leveraging Utmost Social Media For Collaborative Learning

Nurul Dafiqah Kamarulzaman, Zuliya Aini Ahmad Tarmizi, Rosmanizah Derahman — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

With the advancement of technology, social media is increasingly being used to deliver learning activities. Tertiary students have a new means to socialize, communicate, and interact with others through social media in educational institutions' learning processes. Therefore, changing the teaching lifestyle is critical for assisting students achieve strong academic success while adapting to technology. This study examines the impact of using social media through collaborative learning in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. In the context of this study, social media platforms refer to the utmost social networks used by Malaysians, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube as reported in the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report. This study emphasized quantitative research methodology. An online survey and a self-administered questionnaire with 31 items adopted from a previous study were used to collect data. 162 tertiary students from The Department of Tourism and Hospitality, Polytechnic Sultan Idris Shah have completed the survey forms via purposive and snowball sampling. In this case, the sample criteria were defined as a Polytechnic Sultan Idris Shah student who had experience using social media as a learning tool. The IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) performed descriptive analysis. The findings revealed adopting social media improves interactivity with peers and lecturers, engagement, and student academic performance. This study gave distinctive and interesting perspectives on using social media through collaborative learning, which can assist students and TVET institutions in achieving their learning objectives.

Student’s Perception of Virtual Gallery Walk (VR-InToWeb) in a Web Design Technology Course at Politeknik Balik Pulau

Wan Haniza Wan Hassim, Nurhani Mohd Sabri, Liyana Mat Rani — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose: The Web Design Technology course is a specialization course taken by students of Diploma in Information Technology (Digital Technology) at Polytechnic Malaysia. Topic 1 of this course is theoretical learning related to Introduction to the Web Environment, which is usually explained through presentation slides. This method is unattractive, lacks technology integration, and does not follow the latest trends, causing the teaching and learning (TnL) process to receive less interest and attention from students. This learning method also ignores the need for personalization in learning, causing isolation and preventing maximizing the potential of each student. Therefore, an application called Virtual Reality for Introduction to Web Design (VR-InToWeb) was developed using several digital applications, such as Powtoon and Canva, which were then displayed through the Artstep 3D platform. This application features learning material through 3D objects, animation, audio and video. The main objective of this application is to create interesting teaching and learning (TnL) tool and personalization by allowing students to choose learning topics at their own pace.

Method: This study employed a quantitative research approach, utilizing a questionnaire as the primary method for data collection. The questionnaire was distributed to 33 students through the use of a Google Form.

Results: In general, the results of the study indicate that all of respondents gave positive feedback. Based on the findings, it is found that the interpretation of mean scores for all positive statements were high and moderately high while the interpretation of mean score for negative statement was low.

Conclusions: In conclusion, based on the statements of the items in the questionnaire, the findings and data analysis at the same time proved that Virtual Gallery Walk (VR-InToWeb) is suitable to be used as teaching and learning (TnL) tool in Politeknik Balik Pulau.

Rural Restructuring Effects in Mountainous Sichuan: Case Study of Three Villages.

Ding Fan, Nor Zarifah Maliki, Siwei Yu — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Rural restructuring is a dynamic and complicated process of geographical rearrangement, functional coordination, and self-renewal in rural regions that is influenced by various circumstances. This study intends to investigate the features and driving forces of rural restructuring in several types of mountain villages in western Sichuan province, China, an area with unique natural conditions, cultural landscapes, industries, and social structures. Based on field surveys and data analysis, we chose three typical villages as case studies: Tao Yuan, a suburban mountain village with non-agricultural growth; Bai Xiang, an ethnic village with innovative business models; and Jiang Ba, a distant ethnic village with traditional agriculture. We used the landscape index technique to study the geographical features, the entropy TOPSIS approach to assess the rural quality level, and from 2016 to 2021, the rural restructuring intensity measurement will be used to assess the restructuring intensity of each village. The findings revealed that: (1) Tao Yuan's economic, social, and spatial restructuring was accelerated by urban radiation energy and reached a stable stage of development; (2) Bai Xiang's social restructuring was guided by macro policies, but its economic and spatial restructuring was relatively slow and remained in a developing stage;(3) Jiang Ba's material space restructuring was supported by local government, but its economic and social restructuring was insignificant and remained in a developing stage. The study found that rural restructuring in mountainous areas had specific regional and staged features that were impacted by various elements such as natural environment, cultural landscape, industrial structure, social organization, policy system, and so on. The study also presented some implications and recommendations for rural development and building in hilly locations.

Dynamics of Tourism Flows in Jiangxi, China: A Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Quantity and Quality Since 2000

Lijuan Jin, Nurwati Badarulzaman, Shida Irwana Omar, Mingzhu Pan — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

While tourism flows have been extensively studied in terms of their scale, the quality of tourism flows remains underexplored. However, studying only the scale and quantity of tourist flows makes it difficult to objectively assess their impact on the economic benefits of tourism. Based on international inbound tourist and foreign exchange income data in Jiangxi Province since 2000, this paper examines the characteristics of both the quantity and quality of tourist flows in terms of their temporal and spatial distribution. Spatial distribution maps and spatial centroid migration routes were created using ArcGIS. Additionally, a Python grey relational analysis was conducted on seven factors from four aspects that influence the quality of inbound tourist flows. The results show that: 1) The spatial development of inbound tourism flows exhibits an asynchrony between quantity and quality. This highlights the necessity for destinations to prioritize enhancing both quality and efficiency while expanding tourism scale; 2) While the regional disparities in the number of inbound tourists have widened, the regional disparities in the quality of tourism flows have diminished, indicating a significant shift in dynamics; 3) Public health crises like COVID-19 exert a decisive influence on the quantity of inbound tourism, whereas their impact on the quality of inbound tourism is relatively modest; 4) Economic development levels, degrees of openness to the global stage, and the quality and allure of tourist attractions play pivotal roles in facilitating the transformation of the economic benefits derived from tourism.

Frozen Non–Dairy Kefir With Snake Fruit Puree: Impact of Fermentation Time On Quality And Consumers’ Acceptability

Harinee Devaraj, Nabilla Huda Binti Baharuddin — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Kefir, a fermented milk beverage, is a nutrient-rich dairy product loaded with probiotics. Meanwhile, snake fruit, an exotic fruit rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre, has shown its nutritional value. Studies reveal that approximately 70% of adults worldwide have struggle with digesting dietary lactose. The study additionally aims to address the increasing digestive issues, the underutilization of snake fruit, and the lack of study on fermenting coconut milk kefir, a non-dairy option. Therefore, this research study explores the impact of different fermentation times on microbial levels, consumer acceptance, physicochemical properties, and scavenging activity of frozen non- dairy kefir with snake fruit puree, offering a lactose-free alternative alongside native snake fruit products. Coconut milk kefir has undergone fermentation for 8, 16, and 24 hours at 32°C in an incubator. The kefir is infused with pasteurized snake fruit puree in a 60:40 ratio. This study encompasses lactic acid bacteria, yeast and mold, alcohol content, pH, colour, viscosity, scavenging activity, and hedonic test. A comparative analysis is conducted against cow dairy milk kefir, specifically focusing on a fermentation time of 16 hours. Findings indicate that consumers prefer the 16-hour fermented coconut milk kefir infused with snake fruit puree. The fermentation time of 16 hours showcases balanced and favourable microbial levels especially probiotics, physicochemical attributes, scavenging activity and consumer preferences. This comparative analysis with dairy milk kefir serves as a benchmark for assessing the viability and desirability of non-dairy alternatives, offering a comprehensive perspective for both scientific and consumer-oriented considerations. Simultaneously, it highlights that this product holds substantial potential for commercialization and marketing.

The Effect of Fixed Fruit Setting On The Quality Of Rockmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Nik Salwani Nik Yusoff, Tony Ontok, Hasmidah Md Isa — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Rockmelon (Cucumis melo L.) is a popular tropical fruit and is widely cultivated in Malaysia. It is also known as cantaloupe or muskmelon from the Cucurbitaceae family. This study aimed to determine the interaction between different fruit setting positions on the quality of ‘Glamour’ rockmelon fruit. Rockmelon was grown at 0.6 m spacing between polybags in a two-row setup inside the ventilated rain shelter located at Politeknik Sandakan Sabah. Only one fruit per plant was maintained for each polybag according to the fruit setting position (lateral branch/node) that has been marked for easier data collection. Data for the yield parameters will be collected for each sample on Day 60. The results showed that the fruit position arrangement shows a different influence on the quality of ‘Glamour’ rockmelon fruit. The fruit position at the 12th node has greater diameter and weight. Conversely, fruits at lower positions, which is at the 4th node of the fruit tend to be sweeter. This indicated that the parameters of fruit weight, diameter, and sweetness level were strongly influenced by the location of the fruit. This study adds to the existing knowledge about fruit-growing methods and offers useful information for farmers and those involved in agriculture.

Survival Response of African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) On Bitter Bytes Dietary Against Aeromonas Hydrophila

Eirna Liza Nordin, Mimi Fadzlin Nasruddin — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Aeromonas hydrophila is widely known as one of the common bacteria species in freshwater habitats and occasionally been recognized as a fish pathogen which lead to disease and cause economic losses for African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) industry. Antibiotic, vaccine, and several chemical drug therapies used in aquaculture resulted in resistant bacterial strains as well as created unsafe condition to fish and environment. This study was investigated the efficiency of Bitter Bytes as an alternative formulated pellet in treating bacterial disease of African catfish. African catfish juvenile (n=300) was fed twice daily for 8 weeks with different inclusion level of bitter leaf in Bitter Bytes diet (T1=0gkg^-1 (control), T2=10gkg^-1, T3=20gkg^-1, T4=30 gkg^-1). After 8 weeks of post feeding, 20 fish in each treatment group (T1, T2, T3, T4) were randomly selected for A. hydrophila bacterial challenge (10⁸ cell/ml). The survival response of African catfish was observed until 12 days of infection. The result demonstrated, African catfish were fed with 10g of bitter leaf inclusion level (T2) showed the higher survival rate as compared to the other treatment group (T1, T3 and T4). Moreover, African catfish were fed with bitter leaf diet (T2, T3, T4) show poor clinical sign after infected with A. hydrophila as compared to control group (T1, 0g). The result indicated the application of bitter leaf in Bitter Bytes diet capable to enhance disease resistant of fish and can act as immunostimulants.

A Case Study of Psp's Lean Management: The eISO PSP Mobile Application

Mohd Hafiz Abdul Halim, Suzana Othman, Nur Wahida Janudin — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The main challenge that Seberang Perai Polytechnic (PSP) is dealing with is the lack of an application for online quality document recording. Therefore, the case study leads to the implementation of the ADDIE model to plan the development of eISO PSP mobile applications (Gustafson & Branch, 2001) and further analyse savings, efficiency, and results by using Lean Management tools (JPPKK, 2012). This study also analysed the factors influencing the perception of the Ease of Use of eISO PSP according to the Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) proposed by Venkatesh et al. (2003). The main focus of this study is to determine the Perceived Ease of Use dimension as the study conducted by Venkatesh et al (2003). This study aims to determine a significant influence on the intention to actually use the eISO PSP mobile application. The 18 PSP staff who use the application represent the study's sample. Sampling using purposive sampling and data analysis using GNU software, PSPP. The data is interpreted based on percentage values, mean, and standard deviation. The results of the study show that the use of this application has minimized waste, increased efficiency, and achieved good results in the quality document record process. This study also shows that PSP staff have a significant high influence on the actual use intention of this application for all factors and significant effects on the actual use of this application.

EZZEePOT EASE OF USE PERCEPTION STUDY

Mohd Hafiz Abdul Halim, Franklin Hazley Lai, Syahrul Nizam Salam — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The main challenge that Kona Bites is dealing with is the lack of an application for recording financial transactions online. Therefore, the study leads to the implementation of the ADDIE model to plan the development of the EZZEePOT mobile application (Gustafson & Branch, 2001) and further analyze the commercialization potential through SWOT, TOWS and 4P analysis. The factors influencing the perceived ease of use of EZZEePOT are also analyzed in this study in accordance with the Venkatesh et al. (2003) Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). 12 staff members of Kona Bites who use the application every working day represent the study sample. Sampling using purposive sampling and data analysis using GNU software, PSPP. The data is interpreted based on percentage values, mean and standard deviation. The results of the study show that the commercialization potential of the EZZEePOT mobile application to Kona Bites staff can be extended to Small and Medium Industries (SME) businesses. The results of this study show that Kona Bites staff have a significantly high influence on the intention to actually use this application for the factors of performance expectancy and effort expectancy. Therefore, this factor has a significant effect on the actual use of the EZZEePOT application. Nevertheless, the results of this study show that Kona Bites staff have a moderately significant influence on the intention to actually use this application for the facilitating conditions factor.

Performance Of Hybrid Green-Tech Lightweight Prism Composite Floor Panel

Mohd Isa Jaffar, Kartini Kamarulzaman, Hasmawi Khalid — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Hybrid Green-tech Lightweight Prism Composite (HGLC) is a lightweight panel floor structure compared to conventional concrete slab because it has a thin cross-section which can reduce the load transferred to the structure of beams, columns and even the foundation of the building. Flexural strength studies on lightweight composite floor structures previously focused on strength test on a composite prism that changed the cross section of the profiled steel sheeting from a trapezium to a rectangle cross section. The objective of this study is to identify the performance of flexural strength composite prism by focusing on various parameter including cross-section, the use of dry boards and concrete infill. Apart from that, a comparison of the flexural strength value will be made on the difference cross section between the trapezium and rectangle composite prism compared to the control sample. Data analysis results found the flexural strength increase in rectangular composite prisms without dry board concrete infill (P6 Sample), which is 69% compared to trapezoidal composite prisms (P3 Sample) of only 37%. The bending moment for the P6 sample also increased by 74% compared to the P3 sample which was only 34%. Overall, the objective of this study was achieved when it was possible to identify a significant increase driven by the change in cross-section from the original shape of a trapezoid to a rectangle where there was a 27% increase in the moment of inertia. Therefore, this study has a positive impact, where the proposed rectangular cross-section profiled steel panel can be made into a high- performance lightweight composite panel structure for domestic buildings to support the use of the Industrialized Building System (IBS) in the future.

A Review Of Trend Advanced Welding Process And Welding Technology In Industries

Ahmad Salleh Buang, Mohd Sapuwan Abu Bakar, Muhammad Zuraidi Rohani — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper reviews the current trend of advanced welding processes and technology used nowadays in various industries. It reveals the importance of welding, the classification of welding processes, and the selection and application of welding processes in industries. The processes of fusion welding and solid-state welding have been discussed in this paper. Conventional welding processes such as gas metal arc welding (GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), resistance welding, and friction welding are briefly explained. Advanced welding techniques and trends have also been highlighted, such as plasma arc welding, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, and ultrasonic welding. The main objectives for welding process development were determined, such as the need to improve the total cost effectiveness, concerns over safety and the welding environment, and the potential shortage of skilled operators. The advantages and disadvantages of advanced welding have also been explained by other researchers in their research.

Aviation Professional Industry Insights: Post COVID-19 Pandemic Business Management for Malaysian Aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Organisations

Muhamad Farouk Abdul Rashid, Nurul Huda Ahmad, Syuhaida Ismail — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

As the pandemic CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to impact the global aviation sector, the Malaysian aircraft maintenance organisation must plan effective business management methods for recovery. The pandemic of COVID-19 had a detrimental impact on both aircraft maintenance activities and the profitability of aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organisations, which resulted in layoffs, restructuring and permanent company closures. The purpose of this study is to provide the post COVID-19 pandemic business management method for the Malaysian aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul organisation affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in order to improve business value. This study identifies the pre and post COVID-19 scenario of aircraft MRO organisations and proposes an industrial standpoint business management method. A literature review and qualitative interviews served as the research method for this study. Five aviation professionals in Selangor, Malaysia were subjected to semi-structured survey questionnaires with a focus on business management during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show that taking advantage of selling more corporate jets with all-in-one maintenance packages, government assistance via budgetary, policy-making and simplifying regulation during aircraft re-activation, engagement with government and aircraft training providers promotes a good reputation for the company to attract foreign investors and acquiring managerial and technical professionals from other nations allows the company to tap into the global market. The data gathered from aviation professionals contributed to the development of the study's aim, to propose post COVID-19 pandemic business management method to Malaysian aircraft MRO organisations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to improve business value.

EFL Students’ Perceptions Of Online Assessment Tool In Malaysian Higher Education Institutions

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

As a new method of assessing students’ learning, online assessment is playing an increasingly important role in the transformation of higher education. The purpose of this study was to explore EFL students’ perceptions of online assessment tools in terms of perceived usefulness, perceived risk of cheating, and perceived self-efficacy in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions. It also aimed to identify the different kinds online assessment tools used in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions. This study used a quantitative approach and a Google Form questionnaire was administered to 91 EFL postgraduate students (63 females and 28 males) from a higher education institution in Malaysia. The results showed that EFL students believed that using online assessment tools positively impacted students’ learning. Despite the risk of cheating, it showed flexibility and could make students more confident in doing online assessment. These results also had practical implications for educators and institutions, suggested that they could design intervention strategies to reduce cheating in online assessment. The present study helps increase the awareness of the positives and negatives of English online assessment in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions.

Sensory Properties of Gluten-Free Cookies Produced From Okara and Almond Flour

Mohamad Afifi Ismail, Siti Nurhaziqah Bahrin, Muhammad Akhmal Yunos — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Okara is a fiber-rich by-product of soy milk production. The okara comprises cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which can be utilised to produce bakery goods like cookies. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the sensory properties of gluten-free cookies produced from okara and almond flour. Four formulations were developed; 35% wheat flour (Control), 35% okara (F1), 30% okara with 5% almond flour (F2) and 20% okara with 5% almond flour (F3). The sensory analysis found that substituting wheat flour with okara and almond flour in cookie formulation significantly (p < 0.05) influences the majority of sensory attributes of cookies except colour. However, no significant difference (p > 0.05) was recorded for all sensory attributes among F1, F2 and F3 samples. Overall, the cookies produced using okara and almond flour recorded significantly (p < 0.05) lower scores for appearance, shape, taste, texture and overall acceptance as compared to control. The sensory scores obtained for gluten-free cookies (F1, F2 and F3) were within acceptable range. Hence, it can be concluded that acceptable sensory properties of gluten-free cookies can be obtained by substituting wheat flour with okara and almond flour, thus indicating that by-products such as okara have the potential to be used in the development of baked food products.

Implementation of Blended Learning Method in Chemical Engineering Course

Chong Yang Chuah, Khairiraihana Johari — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The presence of online learning platforms, namely LinkedIn Learning, edX, Udemy, and Coursera has served as an appropriate tool for learners to equip themselves with new skills or knowledge. Such a situation is driven sharply by the presence of the ongoing pandemic that makes it feasible to obtain knowledge through online means. However, online learning platform often demonstrates undesirable challenges that limit the effectiveness of the learners in grasping the knowledge. For instance, the motivation of the learners to grasp the knowledge is challenged by the difficulty level of the course that in most circumstances does not much well with the learners. Besides, the learning materials provided under such platforms often do not align well with the intended learning outcomes that are presented. Thus, to ensure that the university curriculum is well-mapped with the current trend of the learning environment, the blueprint that was set by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia has set the requirement that at least 70% of the university courses are offered as blended learning. Hence, in this approach, we have attempted the blended learning approach into two chemical engineering subjects (Process Heat Transfer and Separation Process II) throughout the twelve-week lecture and tutorial sessions. Subsequently, additional improvement plans will also be proposed to enhance this approach in future semesters.

Innovation Of Labwork Using Blippar Application For Teaching And Learning At PUO

Panbarasi Govindasamy; Nagavaissnavi Sukumaran — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Mobile technology has become popular worldwide with a broad range of users, including students from all levels of education. Although the impact of mobile technology in classrooms has been extensively studied, less is known about teachers' perceptions on how mobile technology impacts learning in the classroom. The teaching and learning of engineering courses are always challenging due to its complex and abstract nature, and the mathematics involved. With diminishing resources such as academic staff career movement, lack of competent professional staff, inadequate laboratory infrastructures, teaching and learning of engineering courses become harder and it is progressively becoming difficult to teach basic engineering laboratory courses effectively. As a result, students cannot achieve effective learning outcomes. To overcome these challenges, a quick-response (QR) code with an application which is ‘Blippar’ has been developed to enhance students’ learning outcomes. This approach is cost effective, user-friendly, and attractive. The method comprises a video clip of a demonstration and conduction of a real laboratory experiment. Students can easily use this application on their smartphones or tablets to view creative video clips about procedures of geotechnical experiments such as moisture content, soil hydrometer test and direct shear test. Other than that, information on safety guidelines was also inserted in this application. This application was aimed for students in their fourth semester of civil engineering course at Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO), Ipoh. A questionnaire was distributed to study the significance of ‘Blippar’ application in Geotechnical Engineering lab work. The data was analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). In the results, it demonstrates that the p-value is 0.002, passing the alpha value of > 0.001. So, it proved the importance of innovation in ‘Blippar’ based teaching and learning. This ‘Blippar’ application also verified by some experts from the PUO. This innovation provides an explorative way of approaching the numerous possibilities that arise in teaching and learning using mobile technology.

The Investigation Of OSC PSH @ KKSEM Website Usefulness Towards Information Delivery Of Lifelong Learning Programs

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The delivery of information in government services is essential to meet the needs of stakeholders. Lifelong learning is a government initiative to empower communities through short courses to gain more knowledge, skill and to generate income. To ensure the community is able to take advantage of this opportunity, Kolej Komuniti Semporna has developed an innovation which is a website known as OSC PSH@KKSEM. This website will become the main platform to deliver information related to short courses offered by Kolej Komuniti Semporna. About 10% of total short course participants in 2023 was selected as the population for this research and upon distributing questionnaires there are 83 respondents that have given feedback. The findings show that 63.9% of them strongly agreed that the developed website can facilitate the delivery of information and 69.9% strongly agreed to recommend this website to family members and friends. Through this innovation, the delivery of information is more effective, accurate and accessible at anytime and anywhere as our institution is diligently working towards the government's aim to establish a digital literate community. In the future, the features of the website will be updated to create an online learning platform to empower the digital literate community in order to create an inclusive, fair society and also to narrow the educational gap in the community.

Various Sizes Of Sockets For Hand Crank Milling Machine

Nik Norazilah Nik Abdullah, Nurhasliza Rosli — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The hand crank socket is a tool used to rotate nuts, bolts, or tighten and loosen the clamping components of workpieces manually. It consists of a handle or crank connected to a socket. In the Mechanical Engineering Department, Politeknik Seberang Perai, students typically use hand crank sockets during practical sessions in the grinding workshop for learning purposes. The use of sockets for existing hand crank handles in the workshop is of fixed size. Installing sockets on hand crank handles repeatedly for size changes is time-consuming. Therefore, a flexible socket for hand crank handles is produced to save handling and operating time to facilitate the teaching and learning process. Additionally, it is lightweight and user-friendly compared to conventional crank handles. This tool also comes with a special storage box for packing and safety purposes. The hand crank handle is designed with the same handle size but has four different socket sizes: 13mm, 15mm, 17mm, and 19mm. The process of smoothing and removing material from workpieces is done using a milling machine for finishing purposes. Meanwhile, the material cutting process is carried out using an 'EDM Wirecut machine. The hand crank uses durable soft steel material to produce quality designs. The threading process uses a threading tool to create threads on the crank handle before connecting it to the crankshaft. A survey was conducted by distributing questionnaires to 20 students using the Universal Milling Machine to assess the effectiveness of using crank sockets with various sizes in aiding the machine chuck tightening process. The results showed that 100% of the students agreed with this innovation because it saves time and facilitates the teaching and learning process. Equipment usage can be reduced, and issues such as storage problems, mixing up crank sizes, and unlabelled equipment can be effectively addressed.

Betel Leaf Bolus Mixed With Phenolic Compounds From Betel Leaf To Inhibit Candida Albicans

Nuttanun Akarapongsawad, Amika Laplai, Aunchariya Sanjaibran, Romrawin Netngam — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The project on phenolic compounds from betel leaf to inhibit Candida albicans can be separated into two experimental. The first phase, experimented to consider the potential of phenolic compounds found in betel leaf to inhibit Candida albicans, with utilized Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent and a spectrophotometer to quantify the light absorption at 760 nanometers and a disk diffusion test to determine the extent of Candida albicans inhibition. The test was incubated at a temperature of 35–37 degrees Celsius for 48 and 72 hours while observing the area of inhibition (zone of exhibition) in the paper disc area and measuring the diameter of the inhibition area. During the second phase, the most effective phenolic extract from the first experiment was selected and blended with varying levels of honey (10, 12.5, and 15%). The investigated the physical properties of the bolus, including morphological attributes, water content, disintegration time, and weight variation. The amount of phenolic chemicals, 78.90 micrograms/ml, was determined in a phenolic extract from dried betel leaf with 95% ethanol by volume. It was the most effective in inhibiting Candida albicans, which measured a clear zone size of 24.5 millimeters in 48 hours. In the second phase, the most effective was selected based on its ability to inhibit Candida albicans, and the results showed that mixed with 10% honey, exhibits the best morphology, moisture content, disintegration time, and weight variation.

“Smart Crate’’: Verbal Mastery Kit To Enhance English Speaking Skills In An ESL Classroom

Nur Athirah Anis Mohamad, Nurul Ain Nadiah Arisham, Talha Taufik — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has led to unregulated shifts in education, altering both learning and teaching approaches. "Smart Crate" represents an innovative approach to teaching and learning, aiming to transform traditional educational practices. This concept involves a tangible or physical box filled with diverse, interactive tools and resources that engage learners in a dynamic and immersive educational experience. It is essential to focus on developing learners' skills, especially in speaking. Unfortunately, learners frequently lack proficiency in speaking and exhibit a lack of confidence when using the target language, English. The employment of traditional teaching approaches also plays a role in causing learners to feel uninterested and struggle during speaking tasks. Furthermore, the "Smart Crate" aims to serve as a catalyst for nurturing creativity within students. By offering a diverse array of resources and tools, it encourages learners to explore, experiment, and express their ideas freely and strengthens their skills, especially speaking. This innovation fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for various subjects, encouraging students to view learning as a lifelong pursuit rather than a confined classroom activity. The "Smart Crate" encourages teachers to embrace a new paradigm in teaching, redefining the boundaries of traditional classrooms and inspiring a love for lifelong learning. It challenges the conventional boundaries of classrooms, urging teachers to adopt innovative approaches that inspire a passion for learning.

eFRP and eFPK Application

Chia Woon Liew — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Mobile apps have had a significant impact on a variety of industries, including higher education when they first appeared. As a result of this epidemic, the quality of teaching and learning is also affected so that the implementation of theoretical and practical classes cannot be conducted physically or face-to-face, this includes all the management works. Therefore, this online app is produced in line with the development of technology in today’s management which requires more creative, innovative, and interactive management techniques when the files or documentation need to be stored or submitted online. This innovation was created to facilitate the head of the program and the head of the department in the implementation of the review or verification of eFRP/ eFPK files and save the management’s time to complete the review of the files. Therefore, an online app for file management was developed for file reviews to increase the effectiveness of the file review process. This management innovation has been tested with the head of programs and the head of the department to see their opinions regarding the effectiveness of production of this innovation. Most of the heads of programs gave a positive response and stated that this innovation helped and facilitated them in their file review or verification. This online app for file management was developed by using Appsheet. This online app allows users to key in the checklist directly in the apps after checking the files in Google Drive. The mobile application created can read and display the checklist items on the screen of a mobile device. With a clear checklist on the screen, users can tick the items directly and the checklist can be printed in PDF format for send out to the file owner.

A Study Of Acceptance Toward Moringa Sheets

Nor Hairul Palal, Nur Hanis Nor Hairul, Muhamad Hissammuddin Shah Zainal Abidin — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Moringa sheets is a sheet-based product made with moringa leaves. Moringa Oleifera or ‘Kelor’ is a plant that is often used in local cuisine such as cooked with coconut milk or fried. Moringa sheet is inspired by nori seaweed sheets and utilizes carrageenan as a binding agent before undergoing the drying process. The utilization of moringa leaves in cooking is limited in Malaysia, despite the significant benefits that moringa leaves offer. Furthermore, the production of nori in Malaysia is very low because Malaysia is not a producer of seaweed. Therefore, the alternative to produce this product by using a vegetable source that is abundant in in Malaysia which are moringa leaves. The objective of this study is to create an inventive product akin to nori by utilizing moringa leaves. The production process of moringa sheets involves the bleaching method to remove the bitter taste from the leaves, followed by crushing the leaves using a heavy-duty blender and drying them at a temperature of 60°C using a dehydrator. Sensory Analysis was conducted with 35 panelist using scoring and hedonic tests. Sensory testing involves acceptance of the panelist to appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, texture and overall samples. Among the three formulations tested sample 835 with 2% Carrageenan received the highest overall acceptance. Overall, the product meets the objective of innovation, and it is generally accepted by the majority of the panelists.

iLOGBOOK-'Easy Peasy, Logbook Squeezy': A Conceptual of Innovation as Educational Change

MOHAMAD HAFIZI MASDAR, Engku Mohamad Engku Abdullah, Dalila Burhan — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:23:48 +0000

Community College offers 114 programs, some of which mandate the completion of final-year projects as a core component of the curriculum. During the project development process, students are required to diligently record their weekly progress in a physical logbook. However, issues such as misplacement and improper submission, such as unclean, torn, or disarranged handling, can arise. Given the importance of the logbook, the concerns may have an impact on the project's evaluation by lecturers, influencing grading and the ability to monitor progress weekly. The iLOGBOOK initiative has been conceived with three objectives: (i) to develop an online logbook for project progress on a digital platform; (ii) to provide students access to report and update project progress from any location using digital platforms; and (iii) to improve a way for both lecturer and supervisor to address marks and monitor progress more easily. The iLOGBOOK system's development involves two distinct components: front-end and back-end development. Front-end development is dedicated to crafting the user interface visible in the browser, while back-end development handles the background processes necessary for system access. In analogy, when users log in, they interact with the front-end, entering their username and password, while the back-end silently validates these inputs against the database, hidden from the user's view. The iLOGBOOK represents an efficient and user-friendly digital logbook system, offering benefits in terms of efficiency, accuracy, user satisfaction, environmental impact, and cost savings. This digital transformation successfully addresses previous logbook-related challenges, significantly enhancing project monitoring and assessment for both students and lecturers. Consequently, the development of an online application to document semester progress offers a promising solution to mitigate such issues in the future.

Baby Forgot In Car Alarm System (ByFAR)

Mohd Ruzaimi Mat Juna, Tuan Ida Syarmila Tuan Mustafa, Sheilani Shaari — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Forgotten baby syndrome or the syndrome of forgetting children is an occurrence where a mother or father leaves their child, especially a baby in the car. Cases associated with this syndrome are not isolated incidents in Malaysia but are frequently reported worldwide. Although there are baby alert systems available in the market, they are built-in systems installed in specific car seats, making them costly, not easily transferable, and impractical for parents who already own baby car seats. These systems also cannot function to detect a baby in the seat if the baby seat is not being used and lacks IoT features. ByFAR is a safety alert system for babies designed to provide various types of warnings to nearby individuals and parents who are far away about the presence of a child in the vehicle. This system is controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller and is activated after the car is turned off to detect the presence of children in the vehicle using sensors. The system automatically lowers the vehicle's windows to a predetermined level, flashes the car lights, honks the horn, and displays LED warnings to attract the attention of people nearby. Additionally, the system can automatically send notifications to parents through the Telegram App and a long-range LoRa radio transmitter receiver. The need to produce safety warning devices for babies like this needs to be increased to assist parents with babies in ensuring the safety of their children and preventing infant deaths due to being left in vehicles.

Sadaqah Waste Management Initiative: Trash to Treasure (T2T) Sadaqah

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Malaysia grapples with a significant challenge in managing its waste, dealing with a daily arrival of 30,000 tons of waste. The country urgently seeks solutions to prevent its landfills from reaching capacity by 2050. Therefore, an effective and sustainable waste management system must be established to address Malaysia's waste management crisis. In this context, the "Trash to Treasure (T2T) Sadaqah" initiative emerges as a transformative approach weaving together environmental responsibility, social empowerment, and economic growth. Integrating efficient waste management system with the Sadaqah principle could encourage widespread adoption of responsible waste practices and charitable giving. This is good adoption as from an Islamic perspective, environmental care aligns with the principles of giving Sadaqah. The objectives of this study include reducing waste generation, minimizing environmental impact, empowering communities through resource recovery, and promoting a circular economy by turning waste into valuable resources. Additionally, the initiative aims to create innovative waste-to-Sadaqah platforms connecting surplus resources with underprivileged communities. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative research design, specifically focusing on semi-structured interviews. Through purposive sampling, diverse perspectives from individuals and waste management experts are captured. Findings highlight Sadaqah as a strong motivator for participation in waste management, driven by its religious significance and potential rewards. However, there is a concern about transparency, fairness, and potential misuse of Sadaqah emerge. To address these concerns, the study explores the use of digital platforms (application) displaying regular reports on Sadaqah amounts collected and distributed to Asnaf, aiming to increase transparency and build trust in the waste management system.

Development Of Elongation Index Test Kit 2.0

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This research discusses elongation index test gauges that have been developed into elongation index test kit phase 2 (ETK 2.0). Existing elongation index test have is time consuming as it involves repetitive measuring and weighing procedure. The limited number of elongation gauge available in the laboratory also only exacerbated the problem. ETK was innovated and put to the test to evaluate its accuracy and practicality throughout the elongation index test procedure and the calculation process. ETK 2.0 was designed according to British Standard (BS 812 -105.2: 1990) with additions of the drawer for collecting the measured aggregates, a balancing weighing scale and with an application which will contains of elongation index test lab manual and automated data calculations. The materials used for ETK 2.0 main structures is mild steel. With 93.54% accuracy, ETK 2.0 practicality has been able to reduce the elongation index test procedure time by 28.9%. Meanwhile ETK 2.0 applications showed a practicality of 50.54% for time differences with 100% accuracy when compared to manual computations. In summary, ETK 2.0 has effectively accomplished its objectives. ETK 2.0 has demonstrated the ability to reduce computation time and expedite the elongation test procedure. Furthermore, accuracy of more than 90% demonstrates that ETK 2.0 is a valuable output in addition to being optimal. It is also respectable and reasonable.