Social Connectedness, Self-Directed Practices and Soft Skills among Selected Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions

Yai, Ban Peh (2020) Social Connectedness, Self-Directed Practices and Soft Skills among Selected Malaysian Higher Learning Institutions. Doctoral thesis, Asia e University.

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Abstract

Students of Higher Learning Institutions (HLI) have been found to be lacked of soft skills attainment, which have been viewed as important requirements for employment, personal well-being and life-long learning. To counter this issue, the programme standard by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) had included the general courses in the curriculum known as the ‘Kemahiran Insaniah’ (KI), the term generally used in Public HLI or ‘Matapelajaran Pengajian Umum’ (MPU) for Private HLI. This study believes that students’ connectedness with the campus lecturers, campus students, and off-campus community were associated with the attainment of social skills, professional values, and social responsibility. A quantitative research was adopted by using multiple choice questions measuring student learning outcomes selected and survey questionnaires on social connectedness and self-directed practices. A total of 682 Diploma respondents were selected from ten stratified locality of Public and Private higher learning institutions in Malaysia. Data were collected and analysed using the SPSS and PLS-SEM. Findings indicated that 91% respondents were able to demonstrate good social responsibility, followed by 75% with good professional values and 64% with good social skills. Partial least square regression analysis results showed that campus lecturers connectedness had a positive significant relationship with professional values (β= 0.17). Campus students connectedness had a positive significant relationship with social skills (β= 0.19), and social responsibility (β= 0.20). Off-campus community connectedness showed a negative significant relationship with social skills (β= -0.13) and professional values (β= -0.12). In addition, self-directed practices (mediator) increased the relationship strength from β= 0.17 to 0.21, between the campus lecturers connectedness and professional values. Besides, this study also showed that there was a significant difference between Public and Private HLI for social skills (t= 4.10) and professional values (t= 8.58). The implication of this study highlighted the dominant influence of campus lecturers connectedness in nurturing professional values among the students. Future studies may be required on the different types of collaboration with the off-campus community connectedness to further justify the negative reactions given in terms of social learning relations. Theoretically, connectedness in the environment aspect concurred with the social learning theory that reciprocally determines the changes between practice and behaviour.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Social connect, Self-directed, learning institution
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Depositing User:	Aida Rashidah Maajis
Date Deposited:	30 Mar 2021 03:42
Last Modified:	30 Mar 2021 03:42
URI:	http://ur.aeu.edu.my/id/eprint/849

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