Over the past decade notions of beauty have been undergoing significant transformation in Malaysia. Through interviews with managers and owners in three emerging beauty companies as well as a consumer survey, this study reveals three... more
Over the past decade notions of beauty have been undergoing significant transformation in Malaysia. Through interviews with managers and owners in three emerging beauty companies as well as a consumer survey, this study reveals three important factors inherent in a new approach in the ongoing commercialization of beauty: that indigenous knowledge of herbs as crucial ingredients is held and diffused by women; that women are the founders, managers and users of the products; and that these companies are family-owned and outsource technical or scientific expertise to add credibility and increase commercial viability. Religion - Islam in the case of Malaysia - can also be a potent factor in brand building among beauty entrepreneurs in developing economies. This study asserts that by utilizing indigenous knowledge and appealing to cultural and religious identity, new companies can be successful even when competing in a crowded market dominated by foreign multinationals.
Current education system requires innovative approach in enhancing students’ understanding in any subjects. One of the innovative approaches that can be implemented in teaching and learning is web-based geographic information system... more
Current education system requires innovative approach in enhancing students’ understanding in any subjects. One of the innovative approaches that can be implemented in teaching and learning is web-based geographic information system (web-based GIS). Not only it is easy to use, it is also freely available online. Therefore this study explores the tools available in the current web-based GIS in teaching and learning of history subject. The method used in this study is through experiments in using the web-based GIS tools namely Google Earth in the Malaysian Form Five history curriculum. For each topic that requires the use of map, Google Earth tools are evaluated. Results show almost all tools available in Google Earth can be used in all topics that need the application of high-order thinking skills (HOTs). Therefore it is timely that web-based GIS is used as one of the innovative approaches used in education policy.
Youth require recreational activities to enhance their physical and mental health. This study seeks to identify the determinants of youth’s recreational behaviour and effects to their body mass index by built environmental factors. A... more
Youth require recreational activities to enhance their physical and mental health. This study seeks to identify the determinants of youth’s recreational behaviour and effects to their body mass index by built environmental factors. A pilot study was carried out to determine the physical activity, the sedentary behaviour, accessibility and safety of recreational park, and its association with youth body weight index. Respondents comprise of 30 youth aged between 15 to 16 years, randomly selected from a few secondary schools in Subang Jaya, Selangor. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A) and the Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire (ASAQ). Body mass index (BMI) on the other hand, was computed by measuring the height and weight of the respondents. Accessibility and safety of recreational park were also assessed. The findings reveal that almost half of the respondents have a normal BMI, while 33.3% were severely thin and 20.0% were overweight and obese. For physical activity, most of the respondents stated that they play futsal on both weekday (60.0%) and weekend (46.7%). For sedentary behaviour, watching television is the best choice for respondents to spend their leisure time, about 100.0% on weekday and 86.7% on weekend. There is a modest relationship between BMI and youth who play futsal. Two factors were identified as the reasons for not going to the park which are lack of playing facilities and perception of safety and crime. This study demonstrates the need of youth to be healthy and physically active by playing sport at the park as their recreational activities. Support in terms of proximity of the parks from their home and the provision of sufficient facilities influence youth’s recreational activities.
Walking is a sustainable commute mode, and walkability is considered an essential sign of sustainable mobility. To date, many walkability assessment tools have been developed to assess the walkability conditions across the world. However,... more
Walking is a sustainable commute mode, and walkability is considered an essential sign of sustainable mobility. To date, many walkability assessment tools have been developed to assess the walkability conditions across the world. However, there is a paucity of comprehensive methods to assess current walkability tools based on walking needs and ensure all walking requirements are included. Thus, researchers and experts are unable to select the most comprehensive tool systematically. The present study attempts to develop a system to evaluate the quality of the existing tools. The instrument focuses on factors related to walking needs frequently observed in all types of walkability assessment tools. Hence, a pilot measurement quality appraisal instrument (MQAI) is developed and tested by a research team with planning and public health backgrounds. The final MQAI is tested by suitable reliability, criterion, and content validity tests. Most appraisal scales display moderate to high reli...
This paper analyses findings about the experiences and desires of history teachers from the MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) nationwide and their openness to using the new media in teaching Form Five history. Compared to the national... more
This paper analyses findings about the experiences and desires of history teachers from the MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) nationwide and their openness to using the new media in teaching Form Five history. Compared to the national teaching population, MRSM history teachers enjoy enhanced facilities and a pool of brighter students. Therefore, these teachers are perceived to be better than their counterparts at maximizing students’ achievement in the Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM). Yet, it has been found that, despite their openness to using technology, these history teachers lack the skill and motivation to go beyond completing the Form Five history syllabus, to provide an active learning environment to their students. Their main motivations are to finish the syllabus and ensure high exam scores. Creativity and innovation are neglected. This study aims to encourage teachers to use the new media in teaching and learning Form Five history by providing a resource website ...
The main objective was to find association between basal cortisol and neighborhood-level stress. Systematic searches, including electronic and hand searches, were conducted. The most recent date of the search was July 26, 2013. Primary... more
The main objective was to find association between basal cortisol and neighborhood-level stress. Systematic searches, including electronic and hand searches, were conducted. The most recent date of the search was July 26, 2013. Primary observational studies included if they considered stress related outcomes in the neighborhood context. Using the EndNote X7 advanced search option; the authors examined the abstracts and titles of the 18,092 articles to exclude obviously irrelevant studies, gray literature, discussion papers, reviews and, studies with no complete data. Two authors independently extracted data from the original reports into pre-designed data extraction forms based on the Data Extraction Template of the Cochrane Consumer and Communication Review Group (CCCRG). Ten studies with a total of 2,134 participants were synthesized and analyzed. Two studies out of ten received expanded meta-analysis. The overall effect size (95% CI) for cortisol level for residents in neighborho...
Tourism is an important component of protected areas. Nonetheless, it brings both positive and negative impacts. While tourism may potentially threaten nature conservation, it provides substantial economic income to support conservation... more
Tourism is an important component of protected areas. Nonetheless, it brings both positive and negative impacts. While tourism may potentially threaten nature conservation, it provides substantial economic income to support conservation efforts. Therefore, enhancing visitor awareness through education in the park is important. Today, most parks offer tourism activities with educational values. However, due to shortage of staff, it is not possible to obtain visitors’ feedback pertaining to their educational experience. This paper aims to reveal visitors’ satisfaction on their educational experience specifically the guiding quality in Kinabalu Park, Malaysia. Questionnaire survey was conducted in the park stratifying domestic and foreign visitors. While most visitors were satisfied with their experience and interaction with guides, there was still room for improvement in terms of capacity building among guides from the local communities. There was increasing expectation of foreign vis...
