Methodologies for Needs Analysis
A needs analysis was performed using multiple methods of gathering both quantitative and qualitative data which were derived in the following ways. Full details of each will be provided along with Recommendations.
Agensi Inovasi Malaysia - Meetings and discussion with members of AIM (Agensi Inovasion Malaysia), members of the Task Force and members of the Malaysian Ministry of Education which included representatives from the Curriculum Department, Teacher Education, Assessment, and the Co-Curriculum departments.
Universities
Teacher Education was the topic at this school. We enjoyed an animated discussion regarding the needs of students entering the university. If education is truly going to improve we will need to work with the teacher education systems as well as with the teachers in the schools.
Analysis of Content Standards for Malaysia
Department of Standards Malaysia
The taught curriculum was standard, or test-driven. Many teachers expressed the urgency to "get through the syllabus" on time.
The taught curriculum was standard, or test-driven. Many teachers expressed the urgency to "get through the syllabus" on time.
Classroom Observations
We then proceeded to divide into two teams which traveled to and observed classrooms in 19 schools. Each team consisted of one member from 21st Century Schools, a person from AIM, a representative from the Ministry of Education and a state department official for the state in which the school was located. These schools were selected to represent all ethnic groups, socioeconomic groups and regions of Malaysia. A form was utilized by all observers in order to establish reliability and standardization on observations of classrooms. Additionally, the observers wrote comments on each class observed, and some of the observers obtained both photographic and video evidence.
In order to gain a full range of understanding about the operation and cultures of the schools we also developed standardized questionnaires used to conduct the following interviews at each school:
In order to gain a full range of understanding about the operation and cultures of the schools we also developed standardized questionnaires used to conduct the following interviews at each school:
Student Products
Very few classrooms or schools had any evidence of student products. Students used mostly worksheets or notebooks. The walls were either bare or displayed teacher-made products.
Parent Interviews
We asked parents the following questions:
What do you hope that schooling will provide for your child/children?
Are there any changes you would like to see in the school, and if so, what are they?
What do you hope that schooling will provide for your child/children?
Are there any changes you would like to see in the school, and if so, what are they?
Teacher Interviews
We asked teachers the following questions:
What do you really like about teaching?
What do you find difficult or challenging about teaching?
If you could make changes to anything that you find difficult or challenging about teaching, how would you do it?
We also recorded additional comments and observations.
What do you really like about teaching?
What do you find difficult or challenging about teaching?
If you could make changes to anything that you find difficult or challenging about teaching, how would you do it?
We also recorded additional comments and observations.
Student Interviews
We asked students the following questions:
What do you like best about what you do at school?
What do you dislike most about what you do at school?
What do you want to get out of your time at school?
What do you want to do when you grow up (lower years)/leave school (upper years)?
What do you like best about what you do at school?
What do you dislike most about what you do at school?
What do you want to get out of your time at school?
What do you want to do when you grow up (lower years)/leave school (upper years)?