CREATING AND MAINTAINING A CONDUCIVE LEARNING

AT PRIVATE HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS

Sabarudin Zakaria
1
and Siti Nurbayah Daud
2
1
Multimedia University, Malaysia (sabarudin.zakaria@mmu.edu.my)
2
N! University "#lle$e, Malaysia (siti%nurbayah@intimal.edu.my)
ABSTRACT
n &urrent &#m'etitive business (#rld, it is visible that edu&ati#n sh#uld be )undamentally bene)i&ial t# b#th
students and their edu&at#rs. *#(ever, in #rder t# a&hieve de$rees #) t#' +uality (hi&h is &#nsistent (ith
industry re+uirement, hi$her instituti#ns are re+uired t# have an in&rease interest in &reatin$ a &#ndu&ive
learnin$ envir#nment. "#ndu&ive learnin$ in this &#nta&t means t# &reate 'r#$rams n#t #nly t# im'r#ve the
+uali)i&ati#ns (ith added value bearin$ attra&tive &#ntents and syllabus but in&lude n#n a&ademi&s matter that
hel' b#th edu&at#rs and students. ,ven th#u$h, edu&at#rs re&#$nize the im'#rtan&e #) deliverin$ less#ns
relevant t# students- needs, the a''li&ati#n must be realisti& and als# taken int# &#nsiderati#n #) students
&#m)#rt and )le.ibility. !here)#re, m#st edu&at#rs and a&ademi&ians have t# &#ntinue t# revise and u'date their
'r#$rams (ith ne( a''r#a&hes in #rder t# &#nstru&t a valuable, &#m'ellin$ and &#nvin&in$ tea&hin$ and
learnin$ 'r#&ess. !he #b/e&tive #) this 'a'er is t# e.'l#re the )eatures (hi&h &reate &#ndu&ive learnin$ t#(ards
+uality )#r a&ademi& +uali)i&ati#n, evaluate its im'#rtan&e t# the students, but als# assessin$ the vie( #)
edu&at#rs and 'r#'#sin$ a &#m'#siti#n that &an im'r#ve the same. 0indin$s $athered (ill determine the
si$ni)i&ant 'ers'e&tive #) &#ndu&ive learnin$, the #ut&#me t# the students and the &#ns&i#usness #) edu&at#rs
(hi&h $enerate l#n$ term reliability, 'er)#rman&e, e))i&ien&y, )le.ibility and &#m'leteness in a&ademi&s &#nte.t.
KEYWORDS
"#ndu&ive, 1earnin$, "#m'etitiveness, 2uality, 3rivate hi$her learnin$
INTRODUCTION
,du&ati#n in Malaysia sin&e it a&hieved inde'enden&e in 1456 has been $r#(in$
tremend#usly es'e&ially in the establishment #) a many universities and &#lle$es &#m'risin$
#) b#th 'ubli& and 'rivate. !his 'hen#men#n has truly )ul)illed the &#untry7s ins'irati#n t#
)#rm the base )#r )uture in terms #) +uality human &a'ital e+ui''ed (ith kn#(led$e. !he
establishment #) Ministry #) *i$her edu&ati#n (M8*,) in 299:, initiated by the $#vernment
is t# make Malaysia a &enter #) edu&ati#nal e.&ellen&e in 'r#du&in$ skilled human (#rk)#r&e
(;inin, 299< as &ited by =assiah et al., 299>). !he aim #) this study is t# evaluate and analyze
(hat are the '#ssible )a&t#rs that &an be evaluated in a&hievin$ this missi#n by &reatin$
&#ndu&ive tea&hin$ and learnin$ envir#nment. 0#r the 'ur'#se #) this study several '#ints has
been raised and evaluated by several sele&ted )#&us $r#u's (hi&h 'ri#ritized and then re)ined
t# de)ine (hat &#nstitute &#ndu&ive tea&hin$ and learnin$ envir#nment. !# )a&ilitate this
study s# as t# be meanin$)ul and l#$i&al the '#ints dis&ussed (ill be &ate$#rised int# )#ur
se$ments? tea&hin$, student, )a&ilities and resear&h.
1
3r#&eedin$s #) the 2
nd
nternati#nal "#n)eren&e #) !ea&hin$ and 1earnin$ ("!1 2994)
N! University "#lle$e, Malaysia
LITERATURE REVIEW
De)initi#ns #) learnin$ have been 'r#'#sed by @##l)#lk-s (144>) &ited by Aelly (2992)
(here he de)ine learnin$ as en&#m'assin$ a ran$e #) the the#reti&al a''r#a&hesB n the
br#adest sense, learnin$ #&&urs (hen e.'erien&e &auses a relatively 'ermanent &han$e in an
individual-s kn#(led$e #r behavi#r. !he &han$e may be deliberate #r unintenti#nal, )#r better
#r )#r (#rse. !# +uali)y as learnin$, this &han$e must be br#u$ht ab#ut by e.'erien&e C by
the intera&ti#n #) a 'ers#n (ith his #r her envir#nment. n true sense #) t#day7s edu&ati#n,
the learnin$ envir#nment is the intera&ti#n and the a''li&ati#n #) many elements. Dasi&ally
the human )a&t#r, the edu&at#r and the in)rastru&ture and the (ay they intera&t (ith the
student (ill determine the #ut&#me #) the learnin$ envir#nment. !his leads t# *ansman
&#n&e't #) learnin$ is n#t s#methin$ that ha''ens, #r is /ust inside the head, but instead is
sha'ed by the &#nte.t, &ulture, and t##ls in the learnin$ situati#n- (*ansman) (2991) &ited by
Aelly (2992).
E#vender(1446) relate the learnin$ envir#nment (hi&h is in&lusive #) s#me #) the )#ll#(in$,
C le&ture halls, individual study areas, libraries, instru&ti#nal materials, su''#rt servi&es and
#'ti#ns available must n#t sim'ly 'ermit learnin$ t# #&&ur in the edu&ati#nal instituti#n. ;ll
envir#nments sh#uld be &#ndu&ive in a (ay s# as t# enhan&e the learnin$ 'r#&ess. E#in$
)urther, &#ndu&ive learnin$ &an als# in&lude &lassr##m mana$ement (hi&h means m#re than
/ust maintainin$ stri&t and ri$id &#ntr#l #ver the &lass and its &#ntent it means establishin$ a
&#m)#rtable envir#nment that all#(s every#ne t# learn and 'arti&i'ate )reelyF (3enn State
!ea&her , 1446 as &ited by 0indley G Harble (299<).!hus, the &#n&e't #) &#ndu&ive &#vers
all as'e&ts b#th the 'r#&ess itsel) but als# the 'hysi&al (hi&h in&#r'#rated the )un&ti#n #)
mana$ement. ;s learners are trans)#rmed in hi$her edu&ati#n, it (#uld dire&tly address and
even e.&eed the 7value )#r m#neyF &riteria #) the )undin$ b#dies and the &#mmunity at lar$e
(Srikanthan et al., 2996).
"reatin$ a &#ndu&ive edu&ati#nal envir#nment is as im'#rtant as (hat is tau$ht and shared
(A(a, 2996). Meanin$, it is n#t #nly the in)rastru&ture, the te&hn#l#$y, the edu&at#rs, #r the
student itsel). Eenerally learnin$ envir#nment (hi&h is in&lusive #) s#me #) the )#ll#(in$, C
le&ture halls, individual study areas, libraries, instru&ti#nal materials, su''#rt servi&es and
#'ti#ns available must n#t sim'ly 'ermit learnin$ t# #&&ur in the edu&ati#nal instituti#n. ;ll
envir#nments sh#uld be &#ndu&ive in a (ay s# as t# enhan&e the learnin$ 'r#&ess E#vender
(1446). ;&&#rdin$ t# D#nald (1446) &ited in E#vender (1446) the learnin$ envir#nment
sh#uld be 'r#du&tive rather than merely neutral. *iemstra (1441) &ited by E#vender (1446)
in his evaluati#n #) adult learnin$ envir#nment (hi&h &an be ad#'ted in hi$her edu&ati#n
envir#nment re$arded 'hysi&al surr#undin$s, 'sy&h#l#$i&al #r em#ti#nal &#nditi#ns, and
s#&ial #r &ultural in)luen&es a))e&tin$ the $r#(th and devel#'ment. !here is a 'er&e'ti#n that
many students are '##rly 're'ared and have little &#n&e't #) the basi& re+uirements )#r study
at hi$her edu&ati#n level, in&ludin$ study skills, m#tivati#n and inde'enden&e "#'eland,
2991) &ited by Dart (2996).
2
METHODOLOGY
0#r this study ab#ut si.ty le&turers re'resentin$ a &r#ssIse&ti#n #) the )a&ulties, 'arti&i'ated
in a three h#urs brainst#rmin$ (#rksh#' divided int# t(# sessi#ns t# &#ntribute and dis&uss
'#ints that &#nstitute &#ndu&ive tea&hin$ and learnin$ envir#nment. !hese le&turers have
been divided int# smaller $r#u's and $iven the tasks t# dis&uss #n '#ints that &an im'r#ve
tea&hin$ and learnin$. Dased #n their levels #) e.'erien&e and #bservati#n in tea&hin$
deliberated in their res'e&tive $r#u' '#ints t# be &reated and similarly (hat '#ints t# be
eliminated that )inalized &#ndu&ive and learnin$ envir#nment. !he data and in'uts (as taken
in a &#ntr#lled envir#nment? s'e&i)i&ally, a )a&ilitat#r brie) and read a standard set #)
instru&ti#ns t# the $r#u's in)#rmin$ them #) the brainst#rmin$ 'ur'#se and &#nditi#ns.
3arti&i'ants (ere $iven a time )rame t# dis&uss and 'resent.
FINDINGS
0r#m the three h#urs brainst#rmin$, numer#us '#ints has been raised and dis&ussed,
h#(ever, t(elve #) the '#ints (hi&h $r#u' int# )#ur statements need reas#nable attenti#n
(hi&h &an be listed as )#ll#(sB
!able 1. !# be raised
2uality #) le&turers
2uality #) students
2uality #) )a&ilitiesJin)rastru&ture
=esear&h and Devel#'ment
Net(#rkin$ (ith industries
8nline su''#rt )#r students
8n line a''li&ati#n )#r leave, &lassr##ms, &laims, et&
U'date the resear&h database
U'It#Idate resear&h s#)t(are
1"DJ'r#/e&t#r in every r##m
S#)t skills #) students
;''r#'riate G relevant trainin$ )#r le&turers
K

!able 2. !# be &reatedB
=esear&h "ulture
Ne( buildin$
"#nsultati#n (#rk
n&rease library res#ur&es
8ne r##m t# #ne le&turer
"#llab#rati#n (ith ma/#r industries
Euest le&tures )r#m the industry related )ields.
0a&ulty (ebsite and ima$e
!ut#rs and tea&hin$ assistants
Detter mana$ement #) student &#m'laints
Ne( &riti&al thinkin$ &#urse )#r the students
0a&ulty &#unselin$ 'ers#nnel
!able K. !# be redu&ed
ne))i&ien&y #) m#nit#rin$ #) students- attendan&e
Student evaluati#n as the ma/#r determinant #) 'er)#rman&e
!ea&hin$ l#ad
1e&turers- inv#lvement in administrative (#rk
Number #) students 'er &lass.
D#&umentati#n
!## mu&h entertainment #n student &#m'laints.
N#tes $iven t# students.
Meetin$s.
Student t# le&turer rati# sh#uld be mana$eable
Student evaluati#n t# be redu&ed t# a (ei$hta$e #) 19L
Minimize 3a'er(#rk.
:
!able :B !# be eliminated
S'##n )eedin$ &ulture
@arnin$ letters t# students
Students- evaluati#n #n 199L tea&hin$ as'e&t
nvi$ilati#n ()#r le&turers tea&hin$ the res'e&tive sub/e&ts)
:'m t# <'m &lass
*azard#us )eatures in the &lassr##m C e.am'le 'lat)#rm
1ibrary )ines ()#r le&turers)
Submissi#n #) $rade lists.
Due date )#r markin$ 'a'ers
Un)airness
8ne h#ur tea&hin$ sl#t
3eer 8bservati#n
0#rmal atm#s'here at the (#rk'la&e
DISCUSSION
0r#m the )indin$s, it &an be dedu&e and &#mmented that s#me #) the '#ints raised in ea&h #)
the statements are m#st &#mm#n issues that are n#t &#nsidered havin$ an immediate e))e&t t#
b#th le&turers and students, but merely an #&&u'ati#nal hazard that &an be &#n)r#nted and
s#lve 'r#)essi#nally. @hile several #) the '#ints need b#th immediate #r $radual a&ti#ns vis a
vis interventi#ns #) the mana$ement b#th at hi$her level #r )a&ulty levels. *#(ever, thin$s
(#n7t be a su&&ess)ul (ith#ut the le&turers themselves inv#lvin$ dire&tly as a &atalyst #)
&han$e t#(ards students- betterment and su''#rtin$ the mana$ement as'irati#ns. @hat the
)indin$ be&k#ns is a (inI(in situati#n t# all 'arties that &an &#ntribute t# &#ndu&ive tea&hin$
and learnin$ envir#nment. ;s 'reliminary m#ve t#(ards this &han$e the )indin$s &an be
)urther narr#(ed and sele&tive that needs attenti#ns and hi$her res#luti#n )r#m the
mana$ement. !his &an be m#del as a )rame(#rk illustrated in 0i$ure 1 that identi)ied and the
relevan&e variables that &an &#ntribute t# &#ndu&ive learnin$ and tea&hin$.
5


0i$ure 1. 0rame(#rk #n "#ndu&ive 1earnin$
Drie)ly, t# 'r#du&e +uality tea&hin$, le&turers #r edu&at#rs &#m'eten&ies sh#uld n#t be
&#m'r#mised, n#t #nly a&ademi& +uali)i&ati#ns but the &#mmitment and 'assi#n t# tea&h
sh#uld be a &#nditi#n. ;de+uate and u' t# date )a&ilities must be made available t# indu&e the
&#m)#rt and the &#n)ident #) tea&hin$. Dalan&e and reas#nable tea&hin$ l#ad #) le&turer
sh#uld be dis&ussed t# redu&e the burden #) #ver tea&hin$ (hi&h limit inv#lvement t# #ther
a&ademi& tasks su&h as resear&h #r revie(in$ sub/e&t &#ntent. !his may s#und $ritty #r 7n#t
ur$ent7 matters that need &#nsiderati#n sin&e the instituti#n itsel) #'erates as a business entity
(ith the #b/e&tive #) ma.imisin$ 'r#)its.
!h#u$h student entry is deliberately the dis&reti#n #) the hi$her instituti#n, but t# ensure the
+uality students these 'rere+uisite &#nditi#ns sh#uld n#t be &#m'r#mised. ) n#t, the habit #)
s'##n )eedin$, laziness t# read and think &riti&ally (ill su))i&e and be&#me a th#rny issue.
"#ndu&ive 'hysi&al envir#nment demand $##d and u' t# date )a&ilities su&h as m#re smart
&lassr##m (hi&h add t# le&turer &#nvenient and readiness t# tea&h (ith the usa$e #) the latest
te&hn#l#$y. S'a&e t# m#ve ar#und, &hairs and tables )#r the &#m)#rt #) students t# abs#rb
less#n may s#und unim'#rtant but there are 'r##) that hard sur)a&e &hairs #r im'ra&ti&al table
&auses students t# be restless and l#se attenti#n. 8n the area #) te&hn#l#$y, the use #) #nline
res#ur&es sh#uld be (idened and en)#r&edly en&#ura$e students. N#t /ust t# u'l#ad n#tes, but
t# (iden the s&#'e int# many )un&ti#ns, this &ulture sh#uld be in&ul&ated t# b#th students as
(ell as le&turers.
@hile edu&ati#n remains the mainstay #) m#st 'rivate hi$her edu&ati#n as this $enerates the
bulk #) their in&#me, the shi)t t#(ards resear&h must n#t be dis&#unted. ;s m#st 'ubli&
universities in Malaysia has balan&ed its r#le bet(een edu&ati#n and resear&h as re+uirements
in the /#b des&ri'ti#ns #) university le&turers. 0indin$s indi&ate that resear&h is essential in
a&+uirin$ kn#(led$e and disseminate t# students as (ell as t# $ain &#m'etitive advanta$e
(zah G Mazlina, 299>). *#(ever, t# in&ul&ate this resear&h &ulture, le&turers sh#uld be $iven
#''#rtunity t# attend &#n)eren&e, submit 'r#'#sals, and a''ly )#r resear&h $rant. !# start
(ith, the set u' #) resear&h de'artment #r unit (ith #ne )ullI)led$ed #))i&er inI&har$e (ill be
the &atalyst and en&#ura$ement t# le&turers t# 'arti&i'ate in resear&h initiative. ;s an added
value this (ill )#rm a ma/#r '#rti#n #) sta)) assessment #r Mk'i7sF )#r 'r#m#ti#n #r s#me
#ther )#rms #) re(ards.
<
"#ndu&ive
1earnin$
!ea&hin$
Students
0a&ilities
=esear&h
2uality le&turer
0a&ilities
!ea&hin$ l#ad
2uality
S'##n )eedin$
"riti&al thinkin$
Smart &lassr##m
"#m)#rt
8nline su''#rt
=esear&h &ulture
=esear&h $rant
=esear&h res#ur&e
CONCLUSION
"#ndu&ive learnin$ and tea&hin$ is n#t merely the &#n&entrati#n #) #))erin$ ni&e (ritten
'r#$ram havin$ 'artnershi' (ith )#rei$n universities in the )#rm #) )ran&hised, ast#undin$
&#lle$e (ith &#n&rete buildin$s #r lauded (ith lar$e intake #) students. !hese are +uantitative
assessment (hi&h d#es n#t $uarantee su&&ess t#(ards #ut'ut #) +uality students #) sel)
relian&e, inde'enden&e and sense #) intelle&tuality. !he su&&ess)ul business s&h##l #r
universities #) the )uture (ill need t# ensure an ade+uate level #) res#ur&es t# &#n&retize their
missi#n statements and a))#rd +uali)ied )a&ulty, (ill need ade+uately )unded d#&t#ral
resear&h 'r#$rammes in this )ield, (ill need t# $l#balise their )a&ulty and student b#dy but
als# their &urri&ula ((hi&h (ill have t# be resha'ed t# be b#th multiI&ultural and multiI
dis&i'linary), and (ill train students t# be&#me $l#bally res'#nsible leaders ("#rnuel, 2996).
!hese vie(s unders&#re the need )#r hi$her learnin$ instituti#ns (ith#ut hesitati#n t# ad#'t
stru&tures #) &#ndu&ive learnin$ that are res'#nsive and )le.ible, as b#th edu&at#rs and
students have t# su&&eed in a &#m'etitive envir#nment.
REFERENCES
"#rnuel, ,, (2996), "hallen$es )a&in$ business s&h##ls in the )uture, Nournal of Management
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th
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6
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+uality in hi$her edu&ari#n, )nternational Journal of Educational Management 7ol' 08 .o' 9
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