title: "In this class automatic my words come out":  Implementing process drama in two Malaysian  English language-learning contexts

authors: Abdul Samat, Norhanim

subjects: process drama

abstract: This thesis looked at the impact of process drama implementation in two English language-learning contexts in the southern part of Malaysia. My aim of this study was to examine whether process drama was a possible method for producing learners who are more confident in speaking English. This study attempted to fill a gap in using process drama in ESL contexts particularly in Malaysia. 
The school system in Malaysia that expects students to do well in reading and writing exams has encouraged many teachers to neglect teaching the speaking component.  Moreover, students are only tested on the spoken component in a standardized way that can be memorized before they leave high school for tertiary studies or for career purposes. Generally, it is rare to find novelty and authenticity in the teaching speaking in second language classrooms. The challenge for teachers in Malaysia is to motivate students so that they participate actively in classroom discussions and to build up students’ confidence levels so that they can use English without feeling self-conscious about the errors they make. 
The research took the form of a mixed method action research case study where I used a class of secondary school students and a class of undergraduate students as the contexts for my study.  Participants were 31 students enrolled in a Basic Communication class at a public university and 32 secondary-school students at a public school in the southern part of Malaysia. Data collection lasted three months. Quantitative methods were adopted to find out the impact of process drama on the participants, while qualitative methods sought the perceptions of the participants with regard to the intervention program implemented. The tools I used for data collection were pre- and post-questionnaires, pre- and post-tests, the PRCA-24 (Personal Report of Communication Apprehension), the Non-Verbal Immediacy Self-Scale Report (NIS-S), individual interviews, stimulated recall interviews, journal entries and transcriptions of video and audio data. The statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and thematic analysis were used for analysing data. 
Results indicated a positive attitude change and heightened motivation and confidence levels, and positive affect and social emotional skill effects, thus confirming earlier research findings showing that process drama can be a successful tool for second language learning in different contexts. The intervention appeared to improve the communicative ability of both groups. The study also found that in general the language performance of the secondary-school participants did not significantly improve over the course of the intervention. In fact, their self-perception of their level of satisfaction showed that they were not satisfied with their overall writing and speaking performance. One possible reason for this lack of change was because they were used to learning English via ‘chalk and talk’. 
On the other hand, findings from participants from the undergraduate class proved otherwise. They were satisfied with their overall writing, speaking, listening and reading performance. In fact, they perceived that their language abilities had improved. This self-perception was consistent with results of the pre- and post- tests that aimed at assessing their language competence. On the whole, the pre- and post-tests findings indicated that the process drama intervention coincided with an improvement in these undergraduate learners’ accuracy and fluency in language use. 
This research has several important pedagogical implications, particularly for the Malaysian context. First, this research explored the use of process drama in an area where process drama has never been used as a classroom pedagogy. The findings of this study have the potential to influence the development of new policies involving the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. If process drama cannot be used as pedagogy by itself, perhaps it can be incorporated into the present English syllabus to complement the textbooks used at different levels. In addition, higher learning institutions may consider offering process drama as a credit-earning subject. Many undergraduates in tertiary institutions need more exposure to spontaneous spoken language to prepare them for their future careers. Such institutions should recognise that students whose proficiency levels are only average are likely to benefit the most from process drama.

text: "In this class automatic my words come out":  Implementing process drama in two Malaysian  English language-learning contexts This thesis looked at the impact of process drama implementation in two English language-learning contexts in the southern part of Malaysia. My aim of this study was to examine whether process drama was a possible method for producing learners who are more confident in speaking English. This study attempted to fill a gap in using process drama in ESL contexts particularly in Malaysia. 
The school system in Malaysia that expects students to do well in reading and writing exams has encouraged many teachers to neglect teaching the speaking component.  Moreover, students are only tested on the spoken component in a standardized way that can be memorized before they leave high school for tertiary studies or for career purposes. Generally, it is rare to find novelty and authenticity in the teaching speaking in second language classrooms. The challenge for teachers in Malaysia is to motivate students so that they participate actively in classroom discussions and to build up students’ confidence levels so that they can use English without feeling self-conscious about the errors they make. 
The research took the form of a mixed method action research case study where I used a class of secondary school students and a class of undergraduate students as the contexts for my study.  Participants were 31 students enrolled in a Basic Communication class at a public university and 32 secondary-school students at a public school in the southern part of Malaysia. Data collection lasted three months. Quantitative methods were adopted to find out the impact of process drama on the participants, while qualitative methods sought the perceptions of the participants with regard to the intervention program implemented. The tools I used for data collection were pre- and post-questionnaires, pre- and post-tests, the PRCA-24 (Personal Report of Communication Apprehension), the Non-Verbal Immediacy Self-Scale Report (NIS-S), individual interviews, stimulated recall interviews, journal entries and transcriptions of video and audio data. The statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and thematic analysis were used for analysing data. 
Results indicated a positive attitude change and heightened motivation and confidence levels, and positive affect and social emotional skill effects, thus confirming earlier research findings showing that process drama can be a successful tool for second language learning in different contexts. The intervention appeared to improve the communicative ability of both groups. The study also found that in general the language performance of the secondary-school participants did not significantly improve over the course of the intervention. In fact, their self-perception of their level of satisfaction showed that they were not satisfied with their overall writing and speaking performance. One possible reason for this lack of change was because they were used to learning English via ‘chalk and talk’. 
On the other hand, findings from participants from the undergraduate class proved otherwise. They were satisfied with their overall writing, speaking, listening and reading performance. In fact, they perceived that their language abilities had improved. This self-perception was consistent with results of the pre- and post- tests that aimed at assessing their language competence. On the whole, the pre- and post-tests findings indicated that the process drama intervention coincided with an improvement in these undergraduate learners’ accuracy and fluency in language use. 
This research has several important pedagogical implications, particularly for the Malaysian context. First, this research explored the use of process drama in an area where process drama has never been used as a classroom pedagogy. The findings of this study have the potential to influence the development of new policies involving the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education. If process drama cannot be used as pedagogy by itself, perhaps it can be incorporated into the present English syllabus to complement the textbooks used at different levels. In addition, higher learning institutions may consider offering process drama as a credit-earning subject. Many undergraduates in tertiary institutions need more exposure to spontaneous spoken language to prepare them for their future careers. Such institutions should recognise that students whose proficiency levels are only average are likely to benefit the most from process drama.

year: 2016

title: Experiencing and Learning from Entrepreneurial Failure

authors: Singh, Smita

subjects: venture failure

abstract: Entrepreneurship literature has long focused on stories of entrepreneurial success. However, in recent years consensus has begun to build around the importance of also studying failure in order to develop a more holistic understanding of entrepreneurship. It has been argued that failure can have an impact on entrepreneurial decision-making in subsequent ventures and can be a difficult experience for an entrepreneur to go through. In spite of such speculations and acknowledgements, failure remains a relatively underresearched area, except perhaps from the primary perspective of the reasons behind failure. While this is an important area of investigation − as understanding reasons behind failure can improve the probability of success in subsequent entrepreneurial endeavours – it is equally important to understand the experience of failure.  The primary aim of this thesis is to understand failure from the perspective of entrepreneurs who have experienced it.  Its second aim is to build a theoretical framework of failure based on those experiences.  

The overarching research question for this study is: “How do entrepreneurs experience venture failure and learn from this experience?” The three supporting subquestions are: “What do entrepreneurs experience when their venture fails?”, “How do entrepreneurs stay resilient when the venture fails?”, and “What do the entrepreneurs learn from experiencing venture failure?”  Using the philosophical position of interpretive, phenomenological symbolic interactionism and narrative as a strategy of inquiry, stories of failure as told by 21 entrepreneurs during in-depth interviews are analysed. Using the metaphor of fabric tear and repair, theoretical constructs developed from the findings are integrated into a framework and discussed in the light of relevant literature. The framework highlights that failure leads to considerable challenges for the entrepreneurs and triggers grief. After grief, however, comes resilience. In this journey, resilience came from acceptance and hope, states that shifted the entrepreneurs’ perspective on venture failure from one which saw it as a negative, end-all event to one that framed it as a challenging, survivable event. This resilience fuelled their efforts to adapt to their changed reality. Grief faded as entrepreneurs dealt with the challenges.  From this experience, the entrepreneurs learnt business lessons and transformed in such a way as to become more spiritually inclined.

The study extends the understanding of the phenomenon of failure in entrepreneurship by presenting an empirical evidence-based framework that incorporates failure-related challenges, entrepreneurs’ adaptation to these challenges, and the lessons learnt from this experience. Second, this study illustrates the importance of hope and acceptance in building entrepreneurial resilience, and how entrepreneurs’ social environment and sometimes spiritual beliefs play an important role in nurturing hope and an acceptance of adapting to the challenges. Policy makers, educators, and entrepreneurs can benefit from the findings of this study as it highlights factors leading to failure, the repercussions of it. The study also shows how failure, although an undesirable experience, can be utilised as a springboard to bounce into a satisfying career by tapping into one’s spiritual beliefs, support networks, and resources within the social environment.

text: Experiencing and Learning from Entrepreneurial Failure Entrepreneurship literature has long focused on stories of entrepreneurial success. However, in recent years consensus has begun to build around the importance of also studying failure in order to develop a more holistic understanding of entrepreneurship. It has been argued that failure can have an impact on entrepreneurial decision-making in subsequent ventures and can be a difficult experience for an entrepreneur to go through. In spite of such speculations and acknowledgements, failure remains a relatively underresearched area, except perhaps from the primary perspective of the reasons behind failure. While this is an important area of investigation − as understanding reasons behind failure can improve the probability of success in subsequent entrepreneurial endeavours – it is equally important to understand the experience of failure.  The primary aim of this thesis is to understand failure from the perspective of entrepreneurs who have experienced it.  Its second aim is to build a theoretical framework of failure based on those experiences.  

The overarching research question for this study is: “How do entrepreneurs experience venture failure and learn from this experience?” The three supporting subquestions are: “What do entrepreneurs experience when their venture fails?”, “How do entrepreneurs stay resilient when the venture fails?”, and “What do the entrepreneurs learn from experiencing venture failure?”  Using the philosophical position of interpretive, phenomenological symbolic interactionism and narrative as a strategy of inquiry, stories of failure as told by 21 entrepreneurs during in-depth interviews are analysed. Using the metaphor of fabric tear and repair, theoretical constructs developed from the findings are integrated into a framework and discussed in the light of relevant literature. The framework highlights that failure leads to considerable challenges for the entrepreneurs and triggers grief. After grief, however, comes resilience. In this journey, resilience came from acceptance and hope, states that shifted the entrepreneurs’ perspective on venture failure from one which saw it as a negative, end-all event to one that framed it as a challenging, survivable event. This resilience fuelled their efforts to adapt to their changed reality. Grief faded as entrepreneurs dealt with the challenges.  From this experience, the entrepreneurs learnt business lessons and transformed in such a way as to become more spiritually inclined.

The study extends the understanding of the phenomenon of failure in entrepreneurship by presenting an empirical evidence-based framework that incorporates failure-related challenges, entrepreneurs’ adaptation to these challenges, and the lessons learnt from this experience. Second, this study illustrates the importance of hope and acceptance in building entrepreneurial resilience, and how entrepreneurs’ social environment and sometimes spiritual beliefs play an important role in nurturing hope and an acceptance of adapting to the challenges. Policy makers, educators, and entrepreneurs can benefit from the findings of this study as it highlights factors leading to failure, the repercussions of it. The study also shows how failure, although an undesirable experience, can be utilised as a springboard to bounce into a satisfying career by tapping into one’s spiritual beliefs, support networks, and resources within the social environment.

year: 2011

title: Arts Festival: 'Moonwalking Backwards Into The Future: "Poi E", Music Video and Documentary'

authors: Perrott, Lisa

subjects: Art

abstract: Research presentation - an audiovisual presentation drawing upon my published research (book chapter: 'Moonwalking Backwards Into The Future: "Poi E", Music Video and Documentary'). This presentation presented a Matuaranga Maori perspective of the temporal travels of music video and documentary, framed by the concept of whakapap. This presentation took place as part of a panel of 4 presenters who represented Te Kura Toi at the Arts Festival during the University of Waikato Open Day, 2023. This was an oral presentation, which included projected slides and videos from a PPT presentation. The audience included prospective students, their teachers and family members, community members, and current students and academic staff from the University of Waikato. My presentation was documented and photographed.

text: Arts Festival: 'Moonwalking Backwards Into The Future: "Poi E", Music Video and Documentary' Research presentation - an audiovisual presentation drawing upon my published research (book chapter: 'Moonwalking Backwards Into The Future: "Poi E", Music Video and Documentary'). This presentation presented a Matuaranga Maori perspective of the temporal travels of music video and documentary, framed by the concept of whakapap. This presentation took place as part of a panel of 4 presenters who represented Te Kura Toi at the Arts Festival during the University of Waikato Open Day, 2023. This was an oral presentation, which included projected slides and videos from a PPT presentation. The audience included prospective students, their teachers and family members, community members, and current students and academic staff from the University of Waikato. My presentation was documented and photographed.

year: 2023-05-26