Issues and Challenges in Education present collection of different issues in the teaching and learning in Malaysian contexts and offers classroom practice and to practicing teachers and researchers in education. This book is written from the perspectives of lecturers and teachers to create interests on various educational issues. It captures and disseminates the current practices and perspectives in teaching and researching in the local context. As it deals with contemporary issues, this book should be of interest to academicians, professionals, researchers and tertiary students.

The victory of the Pakatan Harapan (PH), or the Alliance of Hope on May 9, 2018 in the Malaysian 14th General Election (GE14) was not just stunning, but historic. Moreover, the second comeback of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad as the seventh Prime Minister of Malaysia was indeed impressive. The results of the GE14 were clearly against the tide as many political pundits and analysts had predicted a win for the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition with differences only in matters of margins. Similar to Malaysia’s 13th General Election (GE13), which was held on May 5, 2013, the main issue in the GE14 was also about the economy. The rise in cost of living was perhaps the mother of all issues which caused the downfall of the BN government for the first time since independence. Other crucial economic issues centered on alleged corruption practices and manifested through the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) saga. As a new federal power for 22 months, the PH government had a daunting task not just to address economic issues mentioned above, but also the other alleged economic problems which they had highlighted in their election manifesto. On top of that, the PH government had the responsibility to maintain, if not to improve further what the BN government had done to the Malaysian economy in the past, of which World Bank economists described as a success story, “a very strong economy” and “growing towards a high-income.” Post-GE14, what is the state of the Malaysian economy and its direction? What are lessons that can be learned from the PH economic management? And with the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government succeeding the federal power in March 2020 in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, what are the pressing issues and what needs to be done moving forward especially in the context of the economic challenges arising from the pandemic and post-Covid-19 era? These are some critical questions which this book is trying to address. The book essentially argues for the need to give greater focus to economic issues above anything else by envisioning a new national vision and engineering a new wave of economic structural reforms primarily based on insights from the vast Malaysian economic history lessons

As classrooms across the globe become increasingly more diverse, it is imperative that educators understand how to meet the needs of students with varying demographic backgrounds. Emerging Issues and Trends in Education presents case studies from academics who have all at one point been teachers in K–12 classrooms, addressing topics such as STEM as well as global issues related to race, gender education, education policy, and parental engagement. The contributors take an international approach, including research about Nigerian, Chinese, Native American, and Mexican American classrooms. With a focus on multidisciplinary perspectives, Emerging Issues and Trends in Education is reflective of the need to embrace different ways of looking at problems to improve education for all students.

This book for anyone who wants to undertake an engaging, satisfying, productive, and a more successful career as a qualitative researcher. This book is intended to contribute to the popularisation of qualitative research in Malaysia. Qualitative studies in educational research are very limited in many countries; and to date, there has been very little work done using this form of educational inquiry in Malaysia. The dominant tradition has followed the positivist paradigm. A qualitative case study offers a different approach and generates a range of information of different qualities from that obtained using traditional approaches. This book provides both the theories and practical practices to undertake a qualitative study. The conception of this book began from the assumption that our world is interpreted through language as means of communication and understanding. Writing narratives of experience is becoming a common way of describing how people make sense of their experience or problems at hand. At the root of the naturalistic inquiry exhibited in this book, is an interest in understanding the experience of learners and the meanings they make of the distance learning experience at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). This study was designed as a single case focusing on distance learners of different backgrounds in UUM.

In adherence to a data-driven approach within the realm of scientific perspectives, this work comprises five chapters that delve into various aspects of COVID-19. These chapters range from modelling new COVID-19 cases to examining the behavioural facets tied to the disease. They explore the intricate relationship between COVID-19 cases, the multifaceted impacts of the virus, the evaluation of the nation’s border openness to foreigners, the recovery rates of COVID-19 patients, and the continuous monitoring of new cases. The subsequent three chapters, grouped under the theme of scientific perspectives on lifestyle, concentrate on the repercussions of COVID-19 on life insurance sales, alternative therapies and treatments, as well as the dietary habits and lifestyles of undergraduate university students before and during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period. The final trio of chapters, falling under the innovative ideas on learning perspective, delves into the ramifications of online learning on students’ educational experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. These chapters explore the levels of student motivation in remote learning and optimal classroom layout management amid the pandemic. This book holds value for a diverse audience, including policymakers, researchers, and students aiming to understand the impact of the epidemic on the present state of affairs.

‘Innovative Teaching Practices in STEM Learning’ presents a collection of chapters showcasing cutting-edge methodologies that transform the approach to inspiring and educating the future generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators. Covering a spectrum from hands-on experiential learning to the seamless integration of immersive technologies, this book delves into dynamic strategies that not only spark curiosity but also nurture critical thinking skills, fostering a lasting passion for STEM disciplines. Join us on this journey to reshape the landscape of education as we empower learners with the essential skills to excel in a continuously evolving technological environment. This book surely redefines education for the innovators and leaders of the future.

This book provides an excellent illustration of the need of critical thinking skills in the evaluation, creation, validation, and presentation of reasoning processes in education. Readers are also able to observe the variations in teaching methods because critical thinking skills are being practiced in the educational system in various Asian nations. This book provides an overview of studies the author conducted to advance knowledge and is appropriate for reference-related critical thinking. Each chapter’s themes are explained in simple terms, so the reader won’t have any trouble comprehending them. Additionally, it instructs educators to consider two things: the way that students are currently behaving in the classroom and any potential talents they may have. In fact, this book may also serve as a vital source of information for scholars studying the value of critical thinking abilities in the educational setting as well as students, lecturers, and teachers in schools, colleges, and further education institutions