IJLTER.ORG Vol 20 No 7 July 2021

International Journal
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Learning, Teaching
And
Educational Research
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1694-2493
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IJLTER.ORG
Vol.20 No.7

International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research
(IJLTER)
Vol. 20, No. 7 (July 2021)
Print version: 1694-2493
Online version: 1694-2116
IJLTER
International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research (IJLTER)
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VOLUME 20 NUMBER 7 July 2021
Table of Contents
Optimizing Online Learning Experiences and Outcomes for Hearing-Impaired Art and Design Students..............1
Sama'a Al Hashimi, Dalal Alsindi
Science Graduate Employability and English Language Proficiency: Findings from a Malaysian Public University
.................................................................................................................................................................................................23
Wendy Hiew, Rose Patsy Tibok, Wirawati Ngui, Darmesah Gabda, Qhatrunnada Suyansah
Transformation of Assessment of the Pre-Service Life Sciences Teachers: Issues of Curriculum Development in
Education and Training in South Africa............................................................................................................................ 44
Mamsi Ethel Khuzwayo, Kwanele Booi
Factors Affecting the Achievement of Twelve-Year Basic Students in Mathematics and Science in Rwanda ......... 61
Aimable Sibomana, Christian Bob Nicol, Wenceslas Nzabalirwa, Florien Nsanganwimana, Claude Karegeya, John Sentongo
The RoboSTE[M] Project: Using Robotics Learning in a STEM Education Model to Help Prospective Mathematics
Teachers Promote Students’ 21st-CenturySkills ............................................................................................................... 85
Adi Nur Cahyono, Mohammad Asikin, Muhammad Zuhair Zahid, Pasttita Ayu Laksmiwati, Miftahudin
Investigating Cascade Training of CEFR-Aligned Standards-Based English Language Curriculum (SBELC) in
Rural Malaysia .................................................................................................................................................................... 100
J. W. Ong, A. J. Ahmad Tajuddin
Untrained Foreign English Educators in Japan: A Discourse on Government Education Initiative and Perceptions
from Japanese Teacher's on Efficacy in the Classroom..................................................................................................118
Gregory Paul Chindemi
Instructors’ Readiness to Teach Online: A Review of TPACK Standards in Online Professional Development
Programmes in Higher Education.................................................................................................................................... 135
Amjaad Mujallid
The Application of the Jigsaw Cooperative Learning Technique in Mapping Concepts of Nuclear Radiation in
Diagnosis and Therapy ...................................................................................................................................................... 151
Abdallah Ahmad Atallah, Mohamed Fahmi Ben Hassen, Abdallah Bashir Musa, Mohamed Redha Bougherira, Najla Frih
Application of the Case Study Method in Medical Education...................................................................................... 175
Oleksandr Y. Korniichuk, Leonid M. Bambyzov, Valentyna M. Kosenko, Anastasiya M. Spaska, Yaroslav V. Tsekhmister
Utilizing the Expectancy Value Theory to Predict Lecturer Motivation to Apply Culturally Responsive
Pedagogies in Universities in Botswana .......................................................................................................................... 192
Norman Rudhumbu, Elize du Plessis
The Brighter Side of Home Schooling for Children with Special Needs: Learning from COVID-19 Lockdown... 210
Rosna Vincent, R. Nalini, K. Krishnakumar

Examining Mathematical Problem-Solving Beliefs among Rwandan Secondary School Teachers......................... 227
Aline Dorimana, Alphonse Uworwabayeho, Gabriel Nizeyimana
Investigation of Most Commonly Used Instructional Methods in Teaching Chemistry: Rwandan Lower
Secondary Schools .............................................................................................................................................................. 241
Jeannette Musengimana, Edwige Kampire, Philothere Ntawiha
Higher Education Students’ Challenges on Flexible Online Learning Implementation in the Rural Areas: A
Philippine Case ................................................................................................................................................................... 262
Thessalou E. Gocotano, Mae Anthoneth L. Jerodiaz, Jenny Claire P. Banggay, Harold B. Rey Nasibog, Marivel B. Go
Differences in Factors Responsible for Lateness at School by Male and Female Learners in Selected Schools in
Soshanguve Township, South Africa ............................................................................................................................... 291
Mary Motolani Olowoyo, Sam Ramaila, Lydia Mavuru
The Use of a Synthesis Approach to Develop a Model for Training Teachers’ Competencies in Distance Teaching
............................................................................................................................................................................................... 308
Oleksiy Samoуlenko, Olha Snitovska, Olha Fedchyshyn, Oksana Romanyshyna, Olena Kravchenko
How Pre-service Teachers Learn Microbiology using Lecture, Animations, and Laboratory Activities at one
Private University in Rwanda........................................................................................................................................... 328
Josiane Mukagihana, Florien Nsanganwimana, Catherin M. Aurah
Primary School Science Teachers’ Creativity and Practice in Malaysia....................................................................... 346
Norazilawati Abdullah, Zainun Mustafa, Mahizer Hamzah, Amir Hasan Dawi, Mazlina Che Mustafa, Lilia Halim,
Salmiza Saleh, Che Siti Hajar Aisyah Che Abdul Khalil

1
©Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Vol. 20, No. 7, pp. 1-22, July 2021
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.7.1
Received Apr 29, 2021; Revised Jul 22, 2021; Accepted Jul 31, 2021
Optimizing Online Learning Experiences and
Outcomes for Hearing-Impaired Art and Design
Students
Sama’a Al Hashimi
University of Bahrain, Sakheer – Kingdom of Bahrain
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4355-8699
Dalal Alsindi
University of Bahrain, Sakheer – Kingdom of Bahrain
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9404-0123
Abstract. As many universities transitioned to online learning during the
COVID-19 pandemic, the distance learning environment presented
various accessibility challenges for deaf and hard-of-hearing students
(DHH). In art and design higher education programs, the transition from
face-to-face learning to virtual learning is difficult for students in general,
and even more difficult for students with hearing loss. Art and design
educators have explored approaches to effectively compensate for these
challenges and optimize the distance learning experiences for DHH
students. This paper aims to investigate these challenges and attempts to
explore the international best practices in distance education for deaf
learners. Action research is used as a methodology to guide the
professional development of art and design educators on ways to refine
and hone their online teaching approaches. Ten DHH students (5 Males
and 5 females) participated in the action research for the needs of this
study. Their challenges, experiences, preferences, needs and artworks
were analysed in an attempt to optimize their online learning outcomes
and provide recommendations that will lead to the implementation of
effective teaching strategies and the design of appropriate e-learning
environments for hearing-impaired art and design students. The
preliminary findings of the study revealed that the main challenges DHH
students and their instructors faced were communication barriers and
misinterpretation of tasks, which led to difficulties in fulfilling the course
intended outcomes. The recommendations formulated on the basis of the
findings are to adapt the intended learning outcomes and teaching
approaches to optimize the learning experiences of the DHH students.
Keywords: hearing-impaired; education; art; design; distance education

2
http://ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter
1. Introduction
When the COVID-19 pandemic started, many industries and fields simply
stopped functioning, while other fields flourished. Different sectors were forced
to find solutions to the problems encountered caused by the pandemic. The effect
of virtual education on students of all ages and abilities initiated challenges and
difficulties that had to be addressed then and there. Thereby, teachers and
instructors are encouraged to think creatively and find effective ways to deliver
information. These challenges also opened doors to new methods that had to be
adopted and tested to optimize education. Online learning support, accessibility,
efficiency, evaluation, practical and theoretical approaches have taken part in the
everyday life of instructors and teachers around the world. The pandemic can
now be seen in a different light; a light of problem solving, where individuals are
forced to find ways to deliver their work efficiently through the virtual world of
possibility.
The challenges that art and design instructors at the University of Bahrain faced
and the problem-solving techniques they attempted to employ were vital and
came into play strongly and specifically with teaching the hearing-impaired
students virtually.
The first section in this study contains the introduction. The second section
explores the most effective international distance education practices and
teaching strategies used to provide online art and design education for the deaf
and hard of hearing (DHH). The third section evaluates and analyses hearing-
impaired students’ and their teachers’ challenges and experiences of distance
education in art and design. It concentrates on identifying the academic
challenges of ten deaf and hard-of-hearing students who are enrolled in the BA
Art and Design program at The University of Bahrain. It involves analysis of in-
depth interviews and action research conducted with two professors who have
taught DHH students within the arts and design specialization at the University
of Bahrain. It also analyses focus groups conducted by the researchers with the
hearing-impaired students in order to investigate the challenges they encountered
while teaching art and design content and skills remotely to these students, and
to allow educators to benefit from their experiences and recommended
approaches to overcome these challenges.
1.1 Research Problem & Significance
There is a range of research papers that explored and recommended teaching
strategies and alternative forms of assessment that can assist hearing-impaired
students to learn through online learning platforms (Alsadoon & Turkestani, 2020;
Farhan & Razmak, 2020; Krishnan et al., 2020; Mantzikos & Lapp, 2020;
Mingsiritham & Chanyawudhiwam, 2020). These papers acknowledged that
hearing impairment hinders students’ ability to perceive information in the
learning management systems and “requires the commitment of all stakeholders
including researchers, designers, developers and academic decision makers to
address these abilities.” (Farhan & Razmak, 2020, p.2). However, there are some
specific strategies that are useful in teaching students with hearing impairments
who are enrolled in art and design programs in higher education institutions, and
which are yet to be explored and identified in literature. These art and design

3
students and their educators may face additional challenges related to their
discipline, which requires dealing with more advanced technical requirements,
design considerations, and artistic needs. Therefore, there is a persistent need to
understand these hearing-impaired students’ and their educators’ challenges,
requirements, and preferences in order to improve their learning experiences
through incorporating their needs within learning management systems.
Understanding these needs, preferences and challenges will allow the designers
and developers of learning management systems and e-learning platforms to
embed features that will facilitate the online learning experience for deaf and
hard-of-hearing students. According to Farhan & Razmak (2020), designers and
developers of e-learning systems must make it a priority to address the needs of
hearing-impaired students in their interface and human computer interaction
(HCI) designs.
In this research paper, which is based on a qualitative methodological approach,
we aim to study the difficulties, challenges, and new techniques that facilitate
effective methods for teaching the hearing-impaired virtually. The hypothesis
raised in this study focuses on investigating the challenges of virtual learning
faced by art and design DHH students and their instructors, and the effectiveness
of the implemented approaches by instructors to optimise the students’ learning
experience. The objective is to better understand the difficulties and challenges of
learning art and design through online tools used during the pandemic. The
following research questions and objectives were used to guide the study in order
to achieve its aim.
1.2 Research Questions
1. What are the distance-learning-related challenges faced by deaf and hard of
hearing art and design students, and by their educators?
2. What are the most effective practices and strategies that art and design
educators can employ to teach art and design hearing-impaired students
remotely?
1.3 Research Objectives
1. To investigate the challenges faced by hearing-impaired art and design
students while learning art and design online
2. To investigate the challenges faced by art and design educators while
attempting to enhance and facilitate their hearing-impaired students’ online
learning experiences
3. To identify and recommend the most effective practices and strategies to
enhance the virtual learning experience among hearing-impaired students in
art and design distance education contexts
4. To understand hearing-impaired art and design students’ needs and
preferences in order to provide information that will help HCI designers design
and develop an e-learning platform that is adapted to their preferences and
needs.

4
2. Theoretical Overview
Recently, the need for effective strategies to present educational content virtually
through learning management systems (LMS) emerged unexpectedly in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic. The need to explore, learn, and apply alternative
teaching and learning approaches has created further challenges for hearing-
impaired students and for their instructors. The common challenges that
educators generally face during online education include anxiety due to technical
problems, the lack of enough time for professional development, the time
required to design and manage online courses and to upload their content, and
the difficulty in adapting to students’ varying levels in using technology (Bower,
Dalgarno, Kennedy, Lee, & Kenney, 2015; Rasheed, Kamsin, & Abdullah, 2020
as cited in Alsadoon & Turkestani, 2020). These challenges are exacerbated when
teaching art and design remotely to hearing-impaired students, who already may
have experienced challenges even with face-to-face education. Ibrahim et al.
(2016) stated that although hearing-impaired students have a high tendency to
study graphic design, they usually face the following challenges;
“Among them are the inefficient technology used for learning, negligence
of deaf students’ learning styles, and the sign language interpreters were
not experts in graphic design field. Furthermore, a number of terms
cannot be translated and thus led to misunderstanding. In addition, the
available learning modules used were not tailored to the needs of deaf
students” (Ibrahim et al., 2016, p.3)
The study conducted by Ibrahim et al. (2016) also revealed that the majority of
deaf students who were studying graphic design in Malaysia reported that the
most challenging courses are animation, illustration and web design, respectively.
McKeown & McKeown (2019) identified three main challenges that DHH
students face with online learning. These includes barriers related to accessing
the learning management system, course materials, and communication.
A study by Alsadoon and Turkestani (2020) identified several challenges which
might limit the use of a virtual classroom for hearing-impaired students. The
study also identified some obstacles that educators faced while teaching these
students remotely, during the Covid-19 pandemic. These obstacles included
technical issues, difficulty in time-management, long translation time, “lack of
simultaneous translation”, and students’ poor writing skills, which hindered their
ability to clearly communicate in writing through the chat function in the LMS.
In order to overcome some of these challenges, the 11 educators who participated
in the study applied a number of approaches. One of the approaches involved
sending the learning materials to the students as well as to the translators in
advance before the virtual lecture. Another approach was to ensure that
educators and students undergo training in using e-leaning platforms and LMS.
The researchers also suggested that visual clues, such as looking confused or
uncertain, help educators improve their teaching approaches. Another
suggestion was to record the session for the translator, who can accurately and
unhurriedly translate it for viewing at a time that was convenient for the students.
It is also useful to show the students “content and information using images and
videos with subtitles paired with sign language than word-based information”

5
(Pappas et al., 2018; Alsadoon & Turkestani, 2020, p.4). The researchers also
recommended sending both students and translators the learning materials before
the virtual lecture in order to allow them to familiarize themselves with the
content and understand it easily.
The existing learning management systems in higher educational institutions
require the integration of more visual and hearing assistive technology (AT)
features that would allow students to study according to their unique abilities,
needs, and preferences (Ibrahim et al., 2020). These systems should also easily
allow users to customize the language of the interface because studies revealed
that “DHH students have weaker English language skills than their hearing
peers” (McClive et al., 2020, p.2). Unfortunately, many software HCI developers
and designers are not aware of these needs and preferences (Farhan & Razmak,
2020). Additionally, these developers and designers must also consider the
perspective of educators, not merely for their hearing-impaired students (Farhan
& Razmak, 2020). Such special considerations are necessary and will help these
students conduct tasks through interfaces that support their requirements.
Therefore, Krishnan et al. (2020) think that it is important to modify and customise
teaching practices and approaches to cater to them. They also believe that “these
students may require educational programs customised to their unique needs
during the pandemic” (Krishnan et al., 2020, p.109). Educators also need “to
produce multimedia with greater content customization” (Baroni & Lazzari, 2020,
p.175). In an attempt to apply some of these customised considerations, Farhan
& Razmak (2020) developed a new e-learning interface with interactional features
for use by students with hearing and visual impairments. The interface allows
students to “place the cursor over content for it to be read aloud and/or to provide
sign language.” (Farhan & Razmak, 2020, p.3). In Egypt, a gamified based e-
learning system was proposed by Shohieb (2019) for teaching DHH students. The
system contains an avatar that interacts with students in Arabic Sign Language
(ArSL). Shohieb (2019) believes that game-based learning may facilitate learning
and communication for DHH students.
On the other hand, Bianchini et al. (2019) developed SWift (SignWriting improved
fast transcriber), which is a web-based tool and transcriber that provides
documents in a written form of any SignLanguage(SLs) transcription.In Bahrain,
Fatima Al-Dhaen developed a program that converts scripts from SMS, E-mail or
voice messages to sign language codes (Salman, 2017). Pappas et al. (2018)
recommended that when designing e-learning systems for hearing-impaired
people, it is important to consider the following recommendations and guidelines;
replace the audio with visual tools like text, subtitles, pictures, and sign language;
develop for hearing-impaired students an effective and comprehensible graphical
interface that includes educational activities in a sequential manner; minimize the
use of text as individuals who have a speech and hearing impairment exhibit clear
limitations in reading comprehension. Many studies demonstrate that deaf
individuals who communicate using sign language find it much easier to
understand the meaning of a picture as opposed to written word (Pappas et al.,
2018). Designers and developers of digital learning systems that cater to deaf and
hearing impaired students must take into consideration these stated facts in

6
addition to the directives of the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide
Web Consortium in order for the final product to be of optimal utility to the target
audience (Pappas et al., 2018). They also recommended the use of examples,
practice queries and feedback as well as short and wide-ranging micro-modules
to convey educational content to hearing-impaired students. According to them,
one of the key takeaways when developing educational content for this unique
target audience is to minimize the use of text and rely on the key word strategy to
attract their attention.
Additional aspects to consider include hearing-impaired e-learning preferences.
Pappas et al. (2018) suggested that hearing-impaired users prefer to use
smartphones in comparison to computers or tablets. The study also indicated that
they mostly prefer to engage on social media when they are online. They also
prefer to use “e-mail and read news and blogs, whereas more rarely they spend
time on e-learning activities, e-banking, entertainment and e-government
services” (Pappas et al., 2018, p. 10).
Additional challenges and barriers that hearing-impaired students and their
instructors face during e-learning were identified by Farhan & Razmak (2020).
These include limited access to high speed internet, the time and financial and
technical support needed to develop e-learning systems and content, educators’
lack of technological skills and their resistance to the use of technology. To
overcome these challenges, Farhan & Razmak (2020) recommended that
universities provide the IT infrastructure (Internet speed, hardware and software)
required by educators and students to facilitate their use of e-learning platforms.
They also recommended that universities offer faculty members financial
incentives and psychological motivation.
One of the challenges identified by Krishnan et al. (2020) is that hearing devices
do not accurately detect sounds during online lessons. They also found that lip
reading through the screen requires more focus and effort.
Adding captions, sign language overlays, and subtitles to videos can help
minimize some of the challenges. There are online tools and platforms that allow
educators to add subtitles to videos such as Kapwing, YouTube, and Veed.
Additional useful resources and applications that can support distance learning
for students with hearing impairments are listed and described in Table 1.
Table 1: Examples of useful resources and applications that can support distance
learning for students with hearing impairments
Tools/Applications/
Resources
Description Link
Kapwing
Kapwing is a content creation tool
that allows instructors to create
and edit videos. It is also a digital
storytelling online platform.
https://www.kapwing.com/
Veed
Veed allows users to autogenerate
subtitles or add subtitles to their
video tutorials.
https://www.veed.io/auto-subtitle

7
Tools/Applications/
Resources
Description Link
Google Meet
Google Meet allows instructors to
enable captioning while teaching
https://support.google.com/meet/a
nswer/9300310
Google Slides
Google Slides allows instructors to
enable captioning while teaching
https://support.google.com/docs/a
nswer/9109474?hl=en
Screencast-O-Matic
Screencast-O-Matic allows
instructors to record their
presentations for students to watch
on their own. This helps
instructors allocate more time for
interaction during the online
lecture.
https://screencast-o-matic.com/
Screencastify
Screencastify is a screen recorder.
It is an extension of Google
Chrome that allows instructors to
record video of their screens or
with their webcams.
https://www.screencastify.com/
G-Suite
Accessibility Guide
This is a guide to Google’s built-
in accessibility settings and
features
https://support.google.com/a/answ
er/1631886?hl=en
Chromebook
Accessibility Guide
This is a guide to Chrome’s built-
in accessibility settings and
features
https://edu.google.com/why-
google/accessibility/chromebooks-
accessibility/?modal_active=none
Teach from
Anywhere
This is a “Google-led initiative”
that gives educators tips on e-
learning, and allows them to Join
Educator Groups to share their
experiences with others.
https://teachfromanywhere.google/i
ntl/en/#for-teachers
Baroni and Lazzari (2020) noted that in one of Italy's educational establishments,
instructors were given tutorials, guides and training and were then asked to create
interactive multimedia content while adhering to the following standards and
considerations:
• Using all available messaging methods, as per the standards of multimedia
learning;
• Including short exercises based on sound and video (no more than 8 minutes),
which are clear, comprehensive, and with sufficient emphasis on messaging,
as per current suggestions on the design of distance learning by UNESCO
(2020);
• Educators have to be observed on video to clarify the nature of the assignment
and breakdown complex ideas, in order to escape the need for physical
interactions with students;

8
• Using captions and sign language to ensure comprehensive reach allows for
the avoidance of independent solutions for deaf students as indicated by the
Universal Design for Learning(UDL) approach, which requires: numerous
methods for portraying the educational content by instructors, numerous
methods of articulation by students, and numerous methods to capture the
attention of students;
• Ensuring comprehensive reach depends on having digital content (either
proprietary of from other online sources) that has sufficiently coherent verbal
content without background music, and with captions;
• Having the proper focus on the face (especially the eyes and mouth to ease lip
reading and detection of expressions) or the rest of the body (from the head to
abdomen) where signs are explained;
Osman (2020) indicated that special needs students benefited from an integration
program covering several specializations in Sultan Qaboos University. The
university was very focused on the needs of this challenged group of students.
These students could utilize the services of the Department of Students with
Disabilities which offers numerous assistive technologies such as Nvda screen
reader, Index Everest v5, Natiq Reader, Braille display, OCR software for PDF
reading, Text to speech software, etc (Osman, 2020). Furthermore, the university
requested all instructors of online courses which are available to students with
special needs to modify the educational material. According to Osman (2020),
some of the course design guidelines that were communicated to the instructors
were as follows:
• Use PDF files which were converted from word documents, and refrain from
using PDF files which are scans of a printed document.
• Offer a text-based explanation for any images of graphical elements.
• Include sub-titles and captions if the course material includes videos.
Despite all the above-discussed literature review, there is still lack of research
conducted on the challenges faced by hearing impaired students who study art
and design in higher education institutions through distance learning during the
Covid-19 pandemic. The next section explores these challenges, and discusses
possible approaches to overcome them.
3. Research Methodology
In order to achieve the objectives of this study, observation, in-depth interviews
with academics and focus group discussions with hearing-impaired students at
The University of Bahrain were used to collect data for this study. This
investigation attempts to explore and recommend effective and innovative
approaches to teach art and design hearing-impaired students remotely.
The methodological basis of our research is qualitative action research as it is
considered an inquiry approach appropriate for describing, analysing, and
observing social behaviors (Caupayan & Pogoy, 2021).

9
Sample Size and Participants
A total of ten students (five males and five females) participated in this qualitative
study. The students were enrolled in the BA Art and Design Program at The
University of Bahrain. This sample was purposively selected because they were
the first batch of DHH students in the Art and Design program. The students have
completed two years of orientation and were in their first year of the bachelor
program when they participated in this study. Their ages ranged between 24-26
years. All the participants were completely deaf and mute and their primary
mode of communication was the Arabic Sign Language (ASL).
The data used in this study was collected through interviewing, observing, and
receiving weekly progress reports from two art and design lecturers who taught
deaf and heard-of-hearing students remotely. In addition, ten hearing-impaired
students (five females and five males) and a translator were also interviewed.
Thus, data triangulation was applied through the employment of different data
collection instruments in order to validate the qualitative analysis. Prior to joining
the University of Bahrain (UOB), the students were integrated into public schools
by the Ministry of Education. They completed their secondary studies at the end
of the 2017-2018 academic year and started their university studies at the
University of Bahrain at the Ministry's expense.
Data Collection Instruments
This action research was conducted at the University of Bahrain throughout the
second academic semester of 2019–2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data
was mainly collected through an action research-based study and observation of
the academic performance and experiences of ten art and design hearing-
impaired students (five females and five males) and their instructors, and an
analysis of the challenges that the students and their instructors faced. Data was
also collected through interviewing two instructors who teach hearing-impaired
students who are enrolled in the BA Art and Design program, in addition to an
interview with the interpreter. As part of the action research, both educators
provided weekly input through writing a short report about the progress of
students after each lecture. The first instructor is specialized in Ceramics and Fine
Arts, and she taught them a course titled “Fundamentals of Design”. The second
instructor is specialized in Fine Arts and Art Psychotherapy, and she taught them
a course titled “Drawing Techniques”. In addition, semi-structured interviews
were conducted with the ten hearing-impaired students. The interviews were
virtually conducted through Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp by a senior hearing-
impaired Art and Design student, who is in her last year in the program. They
were then transcribed by her and other students enrolled in the program. Thus,
the study is mainly a reflective practice, which involved conducting systematic
enquiries in order to help the researchers and their colleagues in addition to art
and design instructors in general improve their own academic practices. The
interviews with the instructors revolved around three main themes including
their experiences in teaching the hearing-impaired students virtually, the
obstacles they faced, and their insights on approaches that could be applied to
improve the e-learning environment and online teaching strategies for art and
design hearing-impaired students. On the other hand, the interviews with the
students entailed 12 questions revolving around the following topics:

10
• The experience of learning art and design from a distance
• The main challenges and difficulties faced during distance learning
• The pros and cons of learning art and design remote remotely
• The teaching strategies and assessment methods that the educators employed
and that students considered effective in teaching art and design remotely
• The difficulties in communicating with the instructors remotely
• Their views on the translator's performance in the online learning
environment
• Their perceptions and preferences in relation to the experience of traditional
learning versus distance learning
• The digital tools and applications that students considered most effective in
helping them learn art and design remotely
• Their insights and suggestions in terms of what the university should provide
in order to facilitate and improve their distance learning experience
4. Data Analysis and Discussion
The two instructors who participated in this research were asked about the main
challenges they faced during distance learning with deaf and hard-of-hearing
students. In addition to the challenges, the interview questions focused on the
efficacy of virtual/remote learning, their concerns in relation to the delivery of the
theoretical and practical content of their courses, the pedagogical strategies they
employed, and their proposed modifications and recommendations to make the
learning experience more effective and successful. The ten hearing-impaired
students’ experiences, challenges and needs were also addressed through the
interviews conducted by the senior students and through an analysis of the two
instructors’ weekly reports. The main challenges that both parties faced included
communication barriers, misinterpretation of tasks, and difficulty in fulfilling the
course intended outcomes.
The DHH students in both courses highlighted the following important
challenges:
• Difficulty in understanding the instructors’ written feedback regarding
assessments
• Difficulty in understanding projects that rely on creative thinking in terms of
instructions and requirements
• Difficulty in fulfilling and understanding theoretical concepts and how to
apply them practically in a project or an assignment
• Difficulty in written communication and projects that require research
• Difficulty in fulfilling tasks that require persuasion and communication skills
Thus, the main challenges faced by the DHH students mainly revolved around
theoretical and practical information that relied heavily on artistic terminology
and research which affected their performance. The above-mentioned challenges
became clear when looking at the average results of grades which were assessed
against the course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) in Tables 1 and 2, and
mapped to the following intended learning outcomes (PILOs) of the BA Art and
Design program:

11
a. Produce creative and innovative artworks that reflect influential social issues
and combine technical and artistic skills considering the principles and
elements of design, color theory, and aesthetic values as applicable
b. Create effective and influential artworks that employ the contemporary
technology needed in the labour market
c. Gain adequate knowledge of artistic research methods in the field of arts and
design through conducting research and studies that reflect students’
understanding of the economic, historical, political, artistic, and
philosophical concepts and other aspects of humanity
d. Gain professional and functional expertise that qualifies students to work
and pursue postgraduate studies in the fields of art and design and related
topics
e. Acquire communication and persuasion skills for presenting artistic ideas
and achievements in contexts of collective criticism and commenting on
artistic projects both in theory and in practice
f. Acquire the skills of self-development and independent learning in the fields
of art and design to achieve awareness of the importance of lifelong learning
g. Demonstrate adequate awareness of the ethics of artistic work and a full
understanding of the cultural, social, legal, and psychological values that
characterize society
Table 1: The percentage of fulfillment of Course Intended Learning Outcomes
(CILOs) of Drawing Techniques 1 mapped with the Program Intended Outcomes
(PILOs)
CILOs
PILOs
A B C D E F G
CILO 1
To acknowledge the
various media of drawing
and their practical use
79% NA 79% 79% NA 79% 79%
CILO 2
To understand the
theoretical and practical
principles of drawing
through the media and
themes included in the
course
79% NA 79% 79% 79% 79% 79%
CILO 3
To apply the fundamentals
of shadow and light in
artworks by using pencils,
charcoal, and ink
79% NA 79% 79% NA 79% 79%
CILO 4
To create drawings that
are based on the accuracy
of details
79% NA 79% NA 79% 79%
CILO 5
To know the basics of
human anatomy
proportions in traditional
art by using a variety of
pencils
69% NA 69%
NA
NA 69% 69%
CILO 6
To analyze artworks
verbally in an efficient and
constructive manner
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

12
Table 1 shows the percentages of fulfilment of CILOs of the Drawing Techniques
1 course taught by Instructor A. The results reveal that the intended learning
outcomes which focus on theoretical approaches in columns B and E are the most
challenging to DHH students. The PILO in column B relies on creating influential
artworks which entail research and presentations, and the PILO in column E also
relies on presentations but mostly on communication and persuasion skills. The non-
applicable (NA) cells shown in the table indicate that the students were not
assessed on certain learning outcomes because of their inability to communicate
verbally and present coherently written research and critiques due to their
hearing-impairment. The table clearly shows the challenges faced by DHH students
and thereby communicates their needs, which could be met by modifying the course
intended learning outcomes to suit their needs, and possibly by creating a modified
version of the program intended learning outcomes and project specifications for DHH
students.
Table 2: The percentage of fulfillment of Course Intended Learning Outcomes
(CILOs) of Fundamentals of Design mapped with the Program Intended Outcomes
(PILOs)
CILOs
PILOs
A B C D E F G
CILO 1
To create designs that
incorporate and apply
principles and elements of
design
60% NA NA 60% NA NA 60%
CILO 2
To understand important
design terminology and
principles, and concepts of
painting and visual
communication
NA 54% 54% 54% NA 54% NA
CILO 3
To contribute in solving
societal issues by
employing the elements
and principles of
composing artistic works
36% NA 36% 36% 36% 36% NA
CILO 4 To understand, analyze
and critique artistic works
NA 45% 45% 45% 45% 45% 45%
CILO 5
To distinguish between the
various materials and
techniques that are used in
design
60% NA 60% 60% NA 60% 60%
Table 2 shows the results of the theoretical course that was taught by Instructor B.
The results clearly express the difficulty in fulfilling most of the course intended
learning outcomes. The DHH students’ comprehension, response, and interaction
were hindered as a result of the difficulties and complications that they faced in
achieving tasks that required writing and reading skills. This is especially
exacerbated when the subject taught is a theoretical one. The CILOs and PILOs
that are not applicable (NA) highlight the written communication challenges
faced by DHH students, therefore requiring the instructor to omit certain

13
assessments to better suit their needs and capabilities. The cells that indicate low
percentages show that the instructor did assign tasks that match the learning
intended outcomes, but the results show that the average grades received by the
students were low and therefore those specific intended learning outcomes of the
course and program were not met. Accordingly, in trying to optimize the learning
experiences of DHH students, educators must focus on finding ways to resolve
the theoretical and communication challenges faced by the students.
According to Instructors A & B it is important to emphasize that
miscommunication is the foundation of most of the challenges they both faced.
The challenges discussed will be followed by recommendations focusing on
optimizing distance learning for DHH students, especially in art and design
learning contexts. These challenges pertain to the following:
• The instructor’s possible lack of understanding of the nature of sign language
to deliver the needed in terms of project requirements through the interpreter;
• The instructors’ difficulty in understanding the questions asked by the
students through the interpreters’ explanation regarding their assessments;
• The communication barrier and inability to understand the scope of an art
project, which affects the student’s motivation and concentration;
• The interpreter’s possible lack of understanding of the terminology and
concepts in art and design content;
The delivery of information related to courses, assignments and projects was a
major obstacle faced by Instructors A & B. It was noticeable that the DHH
students did not fully comprehend the information and project specifications
explained during lectures, which was caused by misinterpretation between the
instructors and the interpreter through virtual learning. Having an interpreter
who is aware of artistic and graphic terminology and applications is a necessary
component to delivering the right information to an art and design DHH student.
It is vital because the student’s understanding and interaction with the subject is
interconnected with the information given by the interpreter. Therefore, the
process of e-learning to these students is dependent on the clarity and connection
of a three-way communication cycle between the interpreter, the instructor and
the student.
The first challenge revolves around the importance of understanding the major
components in sign language by the instructor. The initial step to this
understanding would be to acknowledge the full definition of the language. Sign
language is defined as: “any various formal languages employing a system of
hand gestures and their placement relative to the upper body, facial expressions,
body postures, and finger spelling especially for communication by and with deaf
people.” (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, 2021)
The definition highlights an important aspect especially with virtual learning. The
visibility of the interpreter’s upper body, the clarity of the webcam, and the pace
of the interpreter’s gestures are all components that strongly affect the student’s
understanding. Likewise, if the instructor is talking rapidly while the internet
connection is bad, this would complicate the interpreter’s understanding, which

14
in turn complicates the students’ learning. This is an important point as stated by
Instructors A’s experience, where she had to remind the interpreter to fix the
camera angle for upper body visibility to ensure the delivery and clarity of
information to the students. It would be important for the instructor to slow down
his/her language, and also modify instructions to be more descriptive, rather than
concise.
It is also important to note that there are several systems of deaf sign-languages
that are employed in different parts of the world, such as the American Sign
Language (ASL), the British sign language (BSL), and the Arabic Sign Language
(ArSL). In this paper, the sign language involved is the Arabic Sign Language
(ArSL). The ArSL was developed in 2004 by the Arab Ministers Social Affairs
(CAMSA) to unify the MENA region with one distinctive sign-language to be
understood in the region (Samir & Tolba, 2015). Another important aspect
regarding the dynamics of deaf sign languages in general is to understand that it
is a descriptive language. For example, instead of saying “create a drawing of the
sunset with two warm colors”, it would be clearer to say, “with a pencil that is
red, a pencil that is orange, draw the sun on a white paper”. This would also ease
the interpreter’s explanation to the students.
The second challenge is the difficulty faced by students in understanding the
instructor’s written feedback regarding their artwork in general. In order to
comprehend and analyse the dimensions of this challenge, it is important to
understand that writing is considered as a second language to the deaf student,
perhaps even a foreign one. It is also vital to understand that the student’s ability
to read and write varies considerably from one student to another. One student
may have better skills in writing and reading, while the other does not. These
aspects are crucial for the instructor to be aware of as they would be able to feed
into the effectiveness of delivering information whether by writing or via the
interpreter.
To explain this challenge in a clear manner, one might need to focus on the
student’s style of communicating via typed words/text. This would indicate their
comprehension level in reading and writing. This is a crucial matter not only to
the visual arts but to education in general in terms of inclusion and clarity of
communication. Instructor B stated that it is important to prolong the explanation
in lectures, especially when the student has difficulty in following or
understanding the interpreter. Additionally, Instructor B, who taught a
theoretical course, expressed the noticeable lack of response and interaction
caused by the language barrier, which consequently hindered the dynamics of
teaching. The instructor noticed that the students were not able to understand the
material that was interpreted by the translator. In such cases, it would be
beneficial for the instructor to simplify the information of the lecture and give
present it to the interpreter. Since sign language is a descriptive language, as
mentioned earlier, the interpreter would need to understand the information
before trying to translate it to students. This also connects with the importance of
changing the written language from “normal” to descriptive to ensure that the
students understand it. Writing in a descriptive manner also proved to be

15
beneficial when it was paired with breaking down sentences to a basic level
without using pronoun or terms that might need translation. This would also help
the instructor to deliver information that would instigate and motivate the
students via ease of communication to perhaps satisfy the requirements of various
art and design projects or assignments. Furthermore, Instructor A suggested the
need for instructors who teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students to be familiar
with sign language. This suggestion, she claims, would minimize the
miscommunication and the challenges mentioned. Instructor B agrees with this
suggestion but emphasizes the necessity for students to have reading and writing
skills to fully comprehend and be integrated into every aspect of the course in
general. She also highlights the necessity of the interpreter’s understanding of the
contents of the lecture beforehand to minimize miscommunication. These
suggestions are important to ensure the students’ full grasp of the course, and to
minimize their frustration.
Both instructors also stressed the importance of patience when communicating to
the students in terms of messages on platforms like Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp,
and Blackboard. This recommendation was based on the instructors’ experience
as they both noticed that students continuously need to ask questions. According
to the instructors, this is a factor that is important to focus on, as it will eliminate
frustration and give the students a sense of safety in being understood by the
instructor. Furthermore, Instructor B highlighted the importance of avoiding long
lectures, and replacing the extensive detail in verbal communication with clear,
basic, and descriptive communication. It is useful to note that the art and design
studio courses usually involve long lecture hours due to their practice-based
nature. This was an aspect that was raised by Instructor B who suggested dividing
the one lecture per week into two shorter lectures, which would benefit the
students in comprehension, motivation, and productivity.
Considering the aforementioned challenges, it is important to understand that the
main difficulty is the language or communication barrier. These challenges were
discussed in meetings and reports between the instructors teaching hearing-
impaired students in the art and design course. Instructors agreed that the
motivation of the students exists, however the hinderance is caused by the
interpreter’s lack of understanding art and design terminology and the detailed
practical instructions and artistic as well as technical specifications of
projects/assignments. This has been noticed by the students’ submissions of
certain projects. Instructor B also noted that it would be of considerable benefit to
the student, if the instructor would provide the information to be given to the
student a day or two before. This will give the interpreter time to understand and
inquire about aspects that require clarification.
It is worthy to note that the students express a desire to further their development,
both theoretically and practically, in the field of art and design. This was
supported in the reports of both Instructor A & B, who noted that many of the
students were highly motivated, while others needed encouragement and
support in terms of understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and guidance for
improvement. This again highlights the importance of creating a modified

16
learning approach to the deaf and hard-of-hearing students which will enable
them to successfully progress in the field of art and design. One of the crucial
aspects mentioned by Instructor A, was the need for one-on-one meetings with
the students to be able to measure the extent of the student’s understanding and
level of motivation. This would require the instructor to give individual feedback
to each student in an attempt to minimize frustration and de-motivation caused
by the language or communication barrier.
This proves to be beneficial only when the feedback consists of basic vocabulary
that the student may understand. Giving feedback to art and design students
remotely is generally not easy as it requires pointing at the design or artistic
elements that require further improvement. This difficulty is augmented when
the students are deaf and hard-of-hearing and when the instructors do not have a
background in sign-language. That in itself further impedes the understanding of
feedback given and received from both parties. Although there are tools that may
be helpful such as the pointer and pen drawing feature in Blackboard for pointing
at specific elements that the instructor displays on the screen, these tools usually
disappear from the instructor’s interface when a student shares the screen.
On the other hand, Instructor B noted the effect of the student’s interest in art and
design as an important aspect that contributes to stimulating the potential creative
capabilities of the student. This, in turn, sheds light on the enthusiasm and
openness that students have toward the theoretical and practical aspects of the art
and design course in the University of Bahrain. This also highlights the
importance of creating a modified learning approach to deaf art and design
students, where information would be correctly delivered to them by both the
interpreter and the instructor. In light of this, it might be necessary for the
instructor to have a background in sign language or pursue a sign language
course. This would mainly be beneficial for the deaf students who would have
the chance to be directly understood by the instructor and vice versa. Similarly, it
is important for the interpreter to also have an art and design understanding in
terminology, applications, theories, etc. In addition, regular meetings between art
and design interpreters and instructors may yield new approaches through
discussing experiences, challenges, learning strategies which could benefit the
deaf students and optimize their learning.
Instructors A & B were also asked to provide their input regarding their
experience with the interpreter’s performance. They both highlighted the
important active role of the interpreter in the teaching process. However, they
recommended that the interpreter would add more value to the teaching process
if he was knowledgeable about the field of art and design and its components and
terminology to ensure the accurate delivery of information. Instructors mentioned
that the communication between them and the interpreter mostly revolved
around explaining certain terms or techniques, to ensure that the students
understand the content. Yet, this did not seem to yield significant results with the
students. Perhaps a more effective way to approach this challenge would be to set
a compulsory workshop for the interpreters to be able to understand important
terms and applications in the art and design field.

17
An interview was conducted with the interpreter who highlighted the challenges
that he faced regarding the accurate delivery of information and interpretation of
the information that was at hand. This reverts to the importance of hiring an
interpreter in the art and design field to be knowledgeable about the content and
terminology of the designated course/module. The interpreter worked diligently
in using descriptive interpretation from the instructor to ensure the accuracy and
clear delivery to the students. More so, the interpreter stated the importance of
preparing the artistic terminology and outlines by the instructor to be reviewed
by him before the lecture in order to ensure accuracy in his interpretation.
Furthermore, both instructors expressed their views about the effectiveness of
distance learning platforms with deaf and hard-of-hearing students in the art and
design field. Instructor A stated that the used platforms, which were mainly
Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp, were effective in facilitating the communication
between the instructor and the deaf students. Students were able to reach out to
the instructors when certain matters regarding assignments, projects, and
feedback arise. The students could easily submit their work through the
mentioned platforms, and the instructor would respond via comments sent to the
interpreter, who will in turn deliver the comments to the student. Nevertheless,
both Instructors A and B noted that the primary challenge faced regarding the e-
learning platforms or learning management systems (LMS) was the students’
difficulty in submitting assignments. This may be considered a technical obstacle
that could be solved by giving the students workshops prior to the
commencement of the semester in order to clarify how to use these platforms and
any other effective applications and resources especially for learning art and
design content, and for sharing digital and graphic materials.
In an attempt to overcome some of the above-mentioned challenges, the
instructors explored some approaches. Instructor A & B were able to target the
difficulties that students faced and have accordingly applied modifications to the
assignments and projects. These modifications, both theoretical and practical,
included simplifying the projects’ instructions and requirements, with supporting
media (images, videos) that would be understood by the students via the
interpreter (Figure 1).
Instructor A was responsible for teaching a practice-based course titled “Drawing
Techniques” to hearing-impaired students. The module aims to develop the
students’ drawing skills and techniques through different themes. When the
instructor assigns a project or an assignment, she would describe the theme, the
art materials that needed to be used and the required size of the paper. Then she
would usually give examples of the expected level. It was repeatedly noticed that
the students copied or drew the examples given rather than creating their own
composition in an art project. This reflects a severe gap in miscommunication
between the instructor, the interpreter, and the student. This awareness clarifies
the low creative performance that was depicted in the students’ work

18
Figure 1: Instructions with images as an approach to clarify the assignment and the
needed mediums
In an attempt to overcome the challenges related to students’ misunderstanding
of the written instructions and guidelines for an assignment, Instructor A replaced
the written instructions with images, and presented a video to show the process,
step by step. The assignment was to crumble a piece of white paper and place it
in front of them. This observational task also had limitations as to what kind of
pencil to use, refraining from any blending tools, and focusing on drawing what
is seen as observed. Figure 1 shows the visual instructions and materials to be
used. The instructor also recorded a video that started with showing all the
materials needed and the process. In addition, an example was provided by the
instructor. The submission of most students was a copy of one of the two examples
given as shown in Figure 2 (Drawing A); the instructions were not understood but
the skill expresses motivation and focus. However, a few other students fulfilled
the requirements of drawing from observation as shown in Figure 2 (Drawing B).
Figure 2: DrawingA represents incorrect crumpled paper assignment; The student
copied the example.DrawingB represents correct crumpled paper assignment; The
student did not copy the example
As mentioned by Instructor A, the assignments and projects were modified based
on what she believed was the best approach to develop the students’ drawing
A B

19
technique. This approach involved asking them to draw from the references that
were provided with each assignment. However, Instructor A noted that one
assignment fulfilled the independent creative level, which was drawing a self-
portrait by taking a “selfie” and drawing it. The project consisted of two parts; the
first was for the student to take 4 different expressions of his/her eyes; the second
a selfie with an unusual expression. These were to be drawing with pencil. The
results were pleasing to the students as it was one of the projects that required
skills beyond “copying”. The instructions for this project, were acted by Instructor
A on camera, step by step. Two of the examples of the students’ results are shown
in Figure 4 (Selfie) and Figure 5 (Eye Expression Studies).
Figure 1: Selfie of student (independent creative approach)
Figure 2: Eye expression drawings by one of the students
(independent creative approach)
The instructors indicated that creative thinking, confidence in their work, and
being able to challenge themselves are vital factors that can facilitate the students’

20
learning experience. Both instructors stated that when they noticed the strength
and motivation of the students in their ability to produce a drawing from a study
of another image, or begin to think creatively, it affected and drove their own
motivation and allowed students to challenge themselves in wanting to exert
more effort in order to develop their skills. Most of the students perhaps did not
get the right care or attention in terms of art and design education. So, it is the
duty of their instructors and of any a nurturing educational organization to
provide them with ways to reach their full potential.
6. Conclusion and Recommendations
This paper reported on an investigation of the challenges educators who teach art
and design deaf students at The University of Bahrain (UOB) faced while trying
to teach them remotely. The findings of this study revealed that the main
challenges revolved around miscommunication between the instructor and the
interpreter, which affects the delivery of information to the student. Another main
challenge was the interpreter’s lack of knowledge in the field of art and design,
resulting in misinterpretation of the assignments that would hinder the student’s
comprehension. The educators’ insights from the interviews, action research, and
literature review have allowed for a more robust depiction of the most effective
approaches and recommendations to teaching hearing-impaired students in a
virtual art and design classroom. These recommendations include directing the
students and their instructors to the concept of learning management and to the
preparation in advance of the learning materials, sharing captioned materials
before each lecture, encouraging self-learning among the students, and
encouraging them to communicate and inquire about information. Additionally,
instructors need to understand that sign language is descriptive, hence the need
to modify the instructions given to the student in a basic manner that would be
understood by the interpreter and the student. Furthermore, it is essential to brief
the interpreter with art and design terminology to ensure the accuracy of
interpretation. It is also important to continuously evaluate and improve
educators’ approaches for implementing distance learning through obtaining the
necessary feedback from students and their family members in order to overcome
any challenges. In addition, existing learning management systems need to be
upgraded to support the needs and preferences of deaf and hard-of-hearing
students who in a virtual art and design classroom. It is important to add features
on the existing LMS’ interfaces that are not available in traditional e-learning
systems. All the aforementioned recommendations may enhance the educational
outcomes for hearing impaired students and minimize the challenges faced by
them and their instructors.
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©Authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0
International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Vol. 20, No. 7, pp. 23-43, July 2021
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.7.2
Received May 23, 2021; Revised Jul 04, 2021; Accepted Jul 31, 2021
Science Graduate Employability and English
Language Proficiency: Findings from a Malaysian
Public University
Wendy Hiew, Rose Patsy Tibok, Wirawati Ngui,
Darmesah Gabda and Qhatrunnada Suyansah
Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5245-4942
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5173-1629
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0204-6523
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1703-1626
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4579-3206
Abstract. This study investigated the relationship between the
employability of science graduates of a public university in Malaysia and
their English language proficiency. Utilising a quantitative research
design, the study involved 3,918 graduates from the 2015, 2016 and 2017
graduating years. Using available secondary data, three variables were
examined: the graduates’ employment status, their English Language
course results, and their Malaysian University Entrance Test (MUET)
results. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-
Smirnov test and Chi-square test. Findings showed the number of
unemployed graduates was consistently greater than employed graduates
although the unemployment percentage decreased progressively each
year. No conclusive evidence however could be ascertained to suggest
English Language proficiency as the main determinant affecting
employability since the highest number of employed and unemployed
graduates were from the Intermediate and Upper Intermediate language
proficiency range. This points to other factors impacting employability
which higher learning institutions may need to address in order to add
value to their graduates’ future work credentials.
Keywords: employment; English language proficiency; graduate
employability; science graduates; transversal skills
1. Introduction
Every year, universities worldwide produce graduates from various disciplines
of study focused on the common aim of securing jobs in their fields of
specialisation. The requirements for employment have however expanded from
being solely expertise dependent; while subject-specific knowledge and skills are

24
still pertinent, current era employers now seek well-rounded candidates with
additional attributes that would benefit the workplace. These attributes typically
include positive work ethics and abilities that help graduates thrive in their work
environment for the benefit of the organisation and the labour force. In addition,
employers require graduates who are adaptable and capable of meeting the
changing demands of the industry. Since graduates enter the labour force
supposedly ready and well-equipped to respond to the demands of the economy,
the responsibility for ensuring that these individuals are holistic and with market-
driven attributes is placed on higher learning institutions as the training ground
for knowledge, skills and competency.
Graduate employability is likewise a concern in Malaysia. In 2019, close to 60% of
fresh graduates (first degree and above) failed to gain employment within a year
of graduation (D’Silva, 2020). An annual report published by Bank Negara
Malaysia revealed a considerable mismatch between supply and demand as the
number of diploma and degree holders had increased annually from 2010 to 2017
with the figure surpassing the number of high-skilled workers that were being
employed (Murugasu, Hakim & Yau, 2019). The report highlighted the need to
create more high-skilled work positions as a means of addressing or mitigating
this imbalance between supply and demand. The report also reiterated the need
for universities to produce graduates who were well-trained in their specific
disciplines and possessed supplementary attributes that would drive their career
performance.
In the attempt to determine the drivers for graduate employability in Malaysia,
researchers have suggested various angles of investigation including applying a
graduate employability model for assessing graduates’ readiness based on their
generic skills (Singh, Thambusamy & Ramly, 2014), comparing the perception of
employers and employees (Alias, Hamzah & Yahya, 2013), and determining
graduates’ level of employability (Ahmad, Kenayathulla & Idris, 2017). Yet the
actual factors that impact graduate employability have remained unanswered.
1.1 Research Rationale and Questions
The responsibility placed on higher education systems in relation to the
employability of graduates is a global phenomenon (Yorke, 2006). In Malaysia,
higher education institutions (HEIs) are tasked with a similar obligation to
“improve employability aspects among our graduates” (Ministry of Higher
Education, 2007, p.11). In the National Higher Education Action Plan (2007-2010),
graduate unemployment was partly attributed to “the lack of appreciation of the
different roles that education and training play in employment” (Ministry of
Higher Education, 2007, p.42). Renewed measures referred to as shifts were
introduced in the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MBE) with the development of
quality graduates placed as the first shift (Ministry of Education, 2015). In
accordance to this, HEIs were expected to improve their existing curriculums and
systems by collaborating with industry, promoting entrepreneurial opportunities
for students and staff, and producing graduates who embody the desired
attributes. These attributes, as specified in the MBE, were categorised as
knowledge and skills (knowledge, thinking skills, and language proficiency) as

25
well as ethics and morality (patriotism, leadership skills, ethics and spirituality).
Among the myriad of factors, English language proficiency was suggested as a
major contributing aspect to graduate employability in Malaysia. Malaysian
researchers sought the viewpoints of employers and concluded that the ability to
converse in English and to use the language in written form were perceived as the
two most important graduate skills (Hamid, Islam, & Abd Manaf, 2014) with
employers preferring candidates who demonstrated better language accuracy
(Zainuddin, Pillai, Dumanig & Phillip, 2019).
Based on this, this study therefore sought to ascertain whether there was indeed
any significant relationship between the employability of science graduates and
their English language proficiency within the context of a public university in
Sabah, Malaysia. The research questions were:
(i) Is there a significant relationship between the employability of the university’s
science graduates and their Malaysian University English Test (MUET) results?
(ii) Is there a significant relationship between the employability of the university’s
science graduates and their university English Language course results?
2. Literature Review
Employability is defined as “a set of achievements – skills, understandings and
personal attributes - that makes graduates more likely to gain employment and
be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the
workforce, the community and the economy” (Yorke, 2006, p.8). This definition
implies that employability consists a complex set of attributes rather than any
singular reason. Various research examining employability factors have further
categorised these into hard and soft skills. Hard skills, also known as technical
skills, refer to specialised information and abilities that are discipline-related
(Turner, 2004). Soft skills or generic skills on the other hand are those required to
perform optimally in professional and social contexts. These skills may include
language proficiency, communicative ability, personal qualities, critical literacy
and critical thinking skills (Koo, 2007). In discussing the contribution of higher
education to the labour market, Yorke (2006) noted that the development of
generic skills such as communicating, collaborating and the managing of time
were perceived as below par.
A research by Ilhaamie, Rosmawani and Yusmini (2018) explored graduate
employability through students’ ranking of the skills that contributed to
employability. The study involved 300 respondents from three private and three
public universities. The respondents indicated that being disciplined was the most
important employability skill, followed by being responsible, and demonstrating
positivity. A comparison between the private and public universities also
revealed different perceptions of skills that contributed to employability. For
example, more respondents from public universities considered the skills of
communication, organisation, problem solving, decision making, creative and
innovative thinking, and leadership as important. On the other hand, students
from private universities were more prone to regard fluency in the English
language, fluency in a third language, and analytical skills as important. As such,
it could be inferred that public and private universities differ in their curriculum

26
content emphasis. Another comparative study which attempted to ascertain the
level of generic skills practised by economic students in a Malaysian university
and an Indonesian university (Hadiyanto & Ibrahim, 2013) revealed that the
Indonesian students rated their generic skills higher than their Malaysian
counterparts.
Researchers have also identified the attributes that employers generally seek in
graduates. In terms of employability attributes, emphasis is placed on the ability
to communicate (Hanapi & Nordin, 2014; Omar et al., 2012; Rasul et al., 2013). This
implies that candidates are expected to be able to interact well within the
organisation and when dealing with clients (Omar et al., 2012). Apart from verbal
communication, employers also seek graduates with the ability to listen and
interpret information as well as convey written information effectively (Rasul et
al., 2013). In Hanapi and Nordin’s study (2014), communication was associated
with fluency in the English language. English language proficiency was also
highlighted as a primary employability factor with employers preferring
candidates who demonstrated better language accuracy (Zainuddin, Pillai,
Dumanig & Phillip, 2019). The importance of the English language for
employability was further revealed in a study whereby employers ranked the
ability to converse in English and the ability to use English in written form as the
two most desired skills (Hamid, Islam & Abd Manaf, 2014). Other than the Malay
language, fluency in English and Chinese provided an advantage to job
candidates as it was a common requirement in electronic advertisements (Omar
et al., 2012). Another significant employability attribute was teamwork as
employers valued candidates who could collaborate with colleagues (Omar et al.,
2012). This also meant being able to share information and resources with team
members and getting along with others despite cultural and background
differences (Rasul et al., 2013). In addition, problem solving was noted as an
important skill which required employees to be creative (Hanapi & Nordin, 2014)
and contribute ideas and solutions (Rasul et al., 2013). Employers also wanted
employees with positive personal qualities with many of these related to work
ethics such as honesty, responsibility, discipline and commitment (Omar et al.,
2012; Rasul et al., 2013).
Apart from employability attributes, technology literacy and technical skills were
viewed as added values. Technology skills include the ability to use computer
programmes as well as operate tools and machines (Rasul et al., 2013). Basic
computer knowledge typically includes the use of Microsoft applications
although certain positions such as engineers and programme analysts require
candidates to demonstrate technical skills in more advanced software and
systems (Omar et al., 2012). However, despite the importance of technical skills, a
study involving lecturers and employers revealed that graduates lacked these
(Hanapi & Nordin, 2014). In a study conducted by Lee, Ling, Lim and Cham
(2019), fresh graduates similarly affirmed that they were ill-equipped with
technology and technical skills upon working. The study explored the challenges
of 18 accounting graduates who had graduated and secured employment in
accounting-related departments within three years of graduation. The
respondents expressed a lack of accounting knowledge and skills more

27
specifically in matters related to audit, taxation and analysis of financial data. The
respondents subsequently indicated that their education had not fully prepared
them with the essential knowledge and skills to perform optimally at work. The
revelation that fresh graduates felt ill-equipped at work is a significant indication
of a gap between higher education and industry. Studies involving
undergraduate students have also highlighted a lack of confidence among
respondents in relation to hard skills. A study that investigated 425 final year
undergraduate students’ self-perceived employability level revealed that the
respondents ranked their academic attributes at fourth place behind teamwork,
work and career resilience, and conscientiousness (Wong, Samsilah, Siaw,
Tajularipin & Habibah, 2018). The findings indicated that although the students
perceived themselves as possessing certain soft skills that were essential for
employability, they appeared to be less confident about hard skills related to
academic performance. A similar predicament was observed in a study of 171
final year engineering students at Universiti Malaysia Perlis (Yusof & Jamaluddin,
2015) whereby it was found that although a majority of the students (90.6%)
identified enhancing employability skills as one of the proactive measures they
had taken to secure employment, more than half (57.9%) indicated that they were
insecure about their academic performance while almost half (49.1%) expressed a
perceived personal lack of technical skills.
3. Methodology
3.1 Research Design
This study employed a quantitative research design employing analysis of
available secondary data. The samples consisted of 3,918 science graduates from
the graduating years 2015, 2016 and 2017 of five science-based faculties of a public
university in Sabah namely the Faculty of Science and Natural Resources, Faculty
of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Faculty of
Engineering and Faculty of Computing and Informatics. Three variables were
examined: the graduates’ employment status in relation to their parent faculties,
their English language proficiency course results or English language advanced
course results undertaken at the university, and their Malaysian University
Entrance Test (MUET) results.
3.2 Data Source and Collection
The data used for the analytical purpose in this study was secondary data
extracted from the graduates’ university English Language course results, their
MUET results, and the Graduate Tracer Study sourced from the university’s
Career & Alumni Centre. Started in 2002, the Ministry of Higher Education
conducts annual collection of graduate data by means of this Graduate Tracer
Study. For this study, we included all the respondents from the 2015, 2016, and
2017 graduating years who had submitted their Graduate Tracer Study forms. The
variables for this study were the graduates’ employability status, English results,
and soft skills. However, the amount of information that this study had access to
in the Graduate Tracer Study was limited since most of the data fell under the
purview of Act 709 of the Malaysian Personal Data Protection Act 2010.
Information access was limited to numbers and percentages related to graduate
employability according to faculty and programme of study. More specific

28
information such as employment by gender, job type, work location and salary
were not made available.
3.3 Data Analysis
The data that could be obtained was tabulated and descriptive analysis utilised to
analyse the total number of employed and unemployed graduates. The normal
distribution for the graduates’ university English Language course results and the
MUET results was determined using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test;
this allowed for the comparison of the sample scores to a normally distributed set
of scores with the same mean and standard deviation with the null hypothesis
being that the said sample distribution is normal (Ghasemi & Zahediasl, 2012).
When the test outcomes indicated the data was not normally distributed, the
independent Chi-square test (a non-parametric test) was adopted to determine the
relationship between the employability of the university’s science graduates and
their undergraduate English Language course results and MUET results,
respectively. This usage of the Chi Square test for the purpose of ascertaining
whether two categorical variables have a relationship (Field, 2009). The Chi
Square test for independence of two variables, a cross classification table-based
test, evaluates the nature of the relationship between these variables. The
alternative hypothesis is that there is a relationship between the variables.
(Wuensch, 2011). The test statistics of Chi Square of independence is as follows
(Yahya et. al, 2008):
𝜒2
=
(𝜊𝑖𝑗−𝜖𝑖𝑗)
𝜖𝑖𝑗
2
(1)
where 𝜊𝑖𝑗 is the observed count and 𝜖𝑖𝑗 is the expected count for contingency table
with ith row, i=1, 2, .., r and jth column, j=1, 2, .., c.
4. Findings
4.1 Number of graduates based on faculties for the period 2015-2017
The number of students who graduated from the various science-based faculties
in the university from 2015, 2016 and 2017 was as follows (Table 1):
Table 1: Number of science-based graduates in 2015, 2016 & 2017
Faculty
2015
(%)
2016
(%)
2017
(%)
FSSA 52.5 53.2 47.2
FSMP 16.2 12.0 12.7
FPL 5.5 6.1 7.7
FKJ 18.5 15.0 16.0
FKI 7.3 13.7 16.4
*FSSA: Faculty of Science and Natural Resources FSMP: Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition
FPL: Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture FKJ: Faculty of Engineering FKI: Faculty of Computing &
Informatics
The majority of graduates according to faculty were from the Faculty of Science
and Natural Resources (FSSA) with 52.5% of the overall total in 2015, 53.2% in
2016, and 47.2% in 2017. A gradual increase of graduates over the three-year
period was also observed in the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture (FPL) with

29
5.5% graduates in the overall total in 2015, 6.1% in 2016 and 7.7% in 2017. A similar
increase was also posted in the Faculty of Computing and Informatics (FKI) with
7.3% in 2015, 13.7% in 2016 and 16.4% in 2017.
The Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition (FSMP) posted a decrease in graduates
in 2016 with 12% compared to 16.2% in 2015 and 12.7% in 2017. The Faculty of
Engineering (FKJ) showed a slight drop in graduates completing their programme
in 2016 with 15% against 18.5% in 2015 and 16% in 2017. Although the number of
students graduating from the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture (FPL) remained
consistently the lowest among the five science-based faculties with 5.5%
graduates in 2015, 6.1% in 2016 and 7.7% in 2017, these figures were actually a
consistent increase in terms of the number of students successfully completing
their studies from the faculty.
4.2 Graduate Employment Status
In terms of employment, data was classified under four broad categories by the
university’s Alumni Centre: Employed, Unemployed, Others and No
Information. However, unlike the 2015 and 2016 data for the “Others” category,
the 2017 data was further segregated into three streams: those who were (i)
pursuing further studies or qualifications, (ii) improving skills, and (iii) in job
transition or waiting for work placements.
Employment status for 2015
The 2015 graduate count according to faculty was, in descending order, FSSA with
569, FKJ 201, FSMP 176, FKI 78 and FPL 60. From this overall graduate total of
1,084, 38.2% had secured employment while 53% remained unemployed, 7.7%
classified in “Others”, and the status of 1.1% could not be determined (Table 2).
Table 2: Employment status of science-based graduates in 2015
FKI FKJ FPL FSMP FSSA Overall Total
Employed 47.4% 42.8% 25.0% 56.3% 31.1% 38.2%
Unemployed 48.7% 46.7% 65.0% 36.9% 59.6% 53.0%
Others 3.9% 8.9% 8.3% 5.7% 8.2% 7.7%
No Information 0% 1.5% 1.7% 1.1% 1.1% 1.1%
Among the five faculties, graduates from FSMP had the highest percentage of
graduates being employed with 56.3% in job placements. This was followed by
FKI with 47.4%, FKJ with 42.8%, FSSA with 31.1% and FPL with 25%. From Table
2, it is evident that the number of unemployed science-based graduates produced
by the university at 53% was greater than the three other classifications
(“Employed”, “Others” and “No Information”) with a combined total of 47%.
Unemployment was highest among graduates from FPL with 65% not working.
This was then followed at 59.6% by FSSA, 48.7% by FKI, 46.7% by FKJ, and 36.9%
by FSMP.
From the overall number of 1,305 students graduating from the university in 2016,
44% found employment while 47.9% were still unemployed (Table 3).

30
Employed 49.7% 55.6% 42.5% 61.8% 35.4% 44.0%
Unemployed 40.2% 39.3% 53.8% 28.7% 56.0% 47.9%
Others 10.1% 5.1% 3.7% 8.9% 8.2% 7.8%
No Information 0% 0% 0% 0.6% 0.4% 0.3%
A total of 7.8% were categorised under “Others” while 0.3% did not provide any
information. As in 2015, graduates from FSMP were found to be the most
employable among the five science-based faculties in 2016 with 61.8% holding
jobs. This was followed by FKJ with 55.6% of their graduates in employment, FKI
with 49.7% and FPL with 42.5%. FSSA posted the lowest active employment rate
with only 35.4% of its graduates able to secure job placements.
In 2017, the total number of students who graduated from the five science-based
faculties in the university was 1,538. From this figure, 37.2% managed to secure
employment (Table 4).
Employed 50.8% 43.1% 27.1% 59.2% 26.2% 37.2%
Unemployed 28.1% 46.3% 50.8% 30.6%% 57.2% 46.8%
Further Study 3.2% 1.6% 10.2% 1.0% 7.7% 5.3%
Improving Skills 3.6% 3.7% 0 % 2.0% 1.2% 2.0%
Waiting for job
placements
4.4% 2.0% 5.1% 4.6% 5.6% 4.7%
No Information 9.9% 3.3% 6.8% 2.6% 2.1% 4.0%
The remaining 62.8% were divided into the following classifications: 46.8%
without employment, 5.3% pursuing further studies or qualifications, 2% engaged
in skills improvement initiatives, and 4.7% waiting for job placements. No
information could be obtained or was provided by the final 4%) graduates of the
class of 2016.
Although the graduates classified under “Further Study”, “Improving Skills” and
“Waiting for Job Placement” were technically not working, they were excluded
from the “Unemployed” classification since their situations were deemed as
temporary with them expected to secure jobs once their studies, training or
‘transit’ work period was completed.
Overall Employment Overview
The number of unemployed graduates was in overall greater than employed
graduates in 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Table 5).

31
Table 5: Summary of employment status for 2015, 2016 and 2017
Category/ Year 2015
(%)
2016
(%)
2017
(%)
Employed 38.2 44.0 37.2
Unemployed 53.0 47.9 46.8
Others 7.7 7.8
Further study 5.3
Improving skills 2.0
Waiting for job placement 4.7
No information 1.1 0.3 4.0
It is notable that the unemployment percentage decreased progressively during
the 2015-2017 period with 53% in 2015, 47.9% in 2016 (a reduction of 5.1% from
the previous year), and 46.8% in 2017 (1.1% reduction from 2016). The rate of
employment however was not as consistent in this three-year period: although
2016 posted an increase of 5.8% in the number of graduates in employment
compared to 2015, this figure was reversed in 2017 when the percentage of
employed graduates dropped to 37.2% from the previous year’s total of 44%, a
decrease of 6.8%.
4.3 Employment Status and English Language Course Results Undertaken at
University
Students from the various faculties in the university are required to enrol in
English Language learning courses in their first and second year of study. These
courses, staggered over four semesters, are aimed at (1) improving English
Language skills among low proficiency learners, and (2) enhancing usage and
fluency in more advanced level students. The MUET results of learners upon
registration in their respective university programmes determine whether they
are enrolled into proficiency level classes or advanced level sessions. As of 2020,
students with MUET results of Band 3 and below would be required to join the
proficiency level whereas those with Band 4 and above are registered into
advanced level classes.
In this study, it was notable that the highest percentage of employed graduates in
2015, 2016 and 2017 were those who had obtained the B+ grade in their university
English Language course results (Table 6). This grade is awarded for marks
obtained between the 70-74 range out of a possible 100. However, the highest
percentage of unemployed graduates in 2015 and 2017 also scored B+. For 2016,
the highest percentage of unemployed graduates had obtained B grade in their
university English Language courses.
Table 6: University English Language course results of 2015, 2016 and 2017 graduates
of science-based faculties
University
Grade
2015 (%) 2016 (%) 2017 (%)
Employ. UnEmploy. Employ. UnEmploy. Employ. UnEmploy.
A 7.1 5.4 3.0 2.5 3.3 2.4
A- 8.9 8.0 7.8 7.4 7.2 6.6
B+ 13.9 15.1 16.2 13.0 15.7 15.7
B 9.4 15.6 14.1 13.7 14.1 15.7

32
B- 5.3 7.2 7.4 7.7 6.4 7.9
C+ 0.9 2.3 2.5 3.0 1.6 2.1
C 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.6
C- 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1
D 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Employability and University English Language results in 2015
In 2015, graduates with B+ grade results accounted for 13.9% of the overall total
of those with job placements (Table 6). For summation purposes, graduates with
A range grades (A and A-) posted a combined 16% employment rate while those
in the B range (B+, B and B-) reported a 28.6% employed percentage. 1.3% of
graduates with low results in the C range (C+, C and C-) had secured jobs.
Graduates who had failed their university English Language course had a 0.1%
employment rate. As reflected in Table 6, the majority of employed graduates in
2015 were those with B+ English Language attainment. However, the highest
percentage of unemployment among science-based faculties in the university in
2015 were also from the B grade range with 15.6% with B and 15.1% with B+
achievements. Low range English Language results (C+, C, C and D) contributed
a combined 2.9% towards the unemployability results of 2015 graduates.
Graduates with A grade (5.4%) and A- grade (8%) were among those without jobs.
For 2016, 16.2%, 14.1% and 7.4% of the employed graduates had obtained B+, B
and B- grades respectively in their English Language courses in the university.
The combined total of this grade range, 37.7%, reflected the highest number of
employed graduates for 2016. Low proficiency graduates (C+, C, and C-) made
up the rest of the employed graduate count with 3.4% (Table 6).
This pattern was repeated for the “Unemployed” category whereby the bulk of
graduates without job placements had obtained English Language course marks
in the B+ and B range with 13% having B+ results and 13.7% with B grade. 7.7%
of the overall total of unemployed 2016 graduates had B- results. 4% of the jobless
graduate total had low proficiency English Language grades (C+, C and C-). 9.9%
of the jobless graduate figure were those who had obtained A and A- in their
English Language courses.
Employability in 2017 was highest among graduates with English Language
results of B+ (15.7%), B (14.1%) and B- (6.4%) while 10.5% of those working had
obtained A (3.3%) and A- (7.2%). 2.1% of the employed total had grades in the low
proficiency range (C+, C and C-) (Table 6). Again, as in 2015 and 2016, the highest
unemployed percentage at a combined 31.4% were among graduates with B+
(15.7%) and B (15.7%) English Language achievements. 9% of the unemployed
graduate total were from the proficient English Language user range with 2.4% A
grades and 6.6% with A-. Only 2.8% of the unemployed were low proficiency
English Language users.

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