Over the years, a number of researches have investigated reflective practice. The areas of reflective practice researched include investigating teacher belief and intention, knowledge formation and teacher actions. A distinction between in-service and pre-service teachers has also been made in recognition of the different dynamics that these two groups of teachers possess. This paper explores the impact that reflective practice can have in developing pre-service teachers' professional development, particularly on instructional planning, by focusing on what entails reflective practice and instructional planning, the dimensions that underpin reflection, and how the convergence between reflection and instructional planning may contribute to preservice teachers' professional development.
This past five years has seen a drastic reform in the Malaysian education system. The reform prompts significant changes in teaching and learning and the assessment system. The emphasis on high-stakes examinations were revised and a new assessment system is introduced. In 2021, many high-stake examinations like Uijan Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) were abolished due to the reason of being ineffective tools to measure students' learning capability. Since the abolishment, the government paved the way by introducing a more progressive and continuous assessment system known as Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) which gives full autonomy to teachers to assess students by introducing formative assessments. In the context of English Language Education, the CBA is aligned with CEFR. CEFR breathes new ways for teachers to assess students' language progression across a standard international descriptor. This change has resorted in a huge transformation in the teachers' role as CEFR-aligned CBA demands teachers to plan, design, implement, and report the new assessment system in their teaching practices. Hence, a mixed-method study was conducted to explore the teacher's assessment literacy in implementing CEFR-aligned CBA at the micro level. The findings of this study reported that teachers posit a low assessment literacy level which has influenced their practices to enact the new assessment system. Several challenges like the time constraint, lack of training, teachers' unfamiliarity, and tedious process of CBA raised the concern for the government to reduce these deficiencies in enacting the change in education.
This article was written based on a part of a bigger research project on developing a Graduate Employability (GE) Teaching Model which received university funding. Industry Revolution 4.0 has emphasised on the importance of the 21 st century soft skills among fresh graduates in securing employment. A growing literature of GE also suggests that graduates need to be prepared with sufficient soft skills in enhancing their employability skills. However, along with the demand of the IR4.0 industry, came a new challenge in training the university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions now operate in a new norm that is unprecedented. This raises several concerns on how GE is now being addressed, given the changing industry and education landscape. Much yet need to be learned from the academics about their awareness of the GE skills and how those skills are trained during the pandemic. Hence, the study aims to investigate academics' level of awareness of the basic employability skills required of the graduates and the important factors to be considered in developing a GE teaching model. A quantitative research design was employed resulting in the administration of an pnline survey. As part of a bigger data collection procedure, the survey was completed by 39 academics from various social science faculties in one of the public universities. The investigation focused on eight key dimensions of basic employability skills: basic literacy and numeracy skills, critical thinking skills management skills, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, information technology skills, systems thinking skills and work ethic disposition. Using SPSS, data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The academics' levels of awareness were identified by each dimension and the findings help the study to identify areas for further training needed by the academics. Some of the salient findings suggest academics need further traning on the digital and technology related skills such as systems thinking and information technology skills and that the GE teaching model could encapsulate the need for professional development in the technological domain besides the pedagogy and content domains. Further research on areas such as academics' professional development and revised or futuristic curriculum could be considered.
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