AIMS Students Mobility Programme in Thailand: Empirical Evidence on the Wider Sphere of Students’ Perceptions in Regards with Student Mobility Program (Program AIMS di Thailand: Bukti Empirikal pada Sfera yang Lebih Luas dalam Mengenalpasti Kepelbagaian Persepsi Pelajar Terhadap Program Mobiliti)

Isma Rosila Ismail, Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim, Noor Zaitun Yahaya, Tan Min Pau, Yusof Shuaib Ibrahim

Abstract


The number of students participating in Asian International Mobility for Students (AIMS) programs has increased enormously over the years. The reasons are diverse and may range from personal growth to better employability prospects, together with improvement in foreign language skills and intercultural awareness. AIMS programs receive generous funding from Bahagian Education Malaysia (BEM) of the Ministry of Education, Malaysia, therefore their outcomes should be measured and evaluated. This paper focuses on students’ experiences and their lesson learned as an alumnus of AIMS program. Reports submitted by the students were analysed using Leximancer and Spider-web Configuration. The content analysis done using Leximancer shows nine variables that are "orientation", "Thailand", "internship", "training", "water", "people", "food", "excursions" and "important" that according to the students are of important in terms of their experiences and satisfaction of the AIMS program. While the Spider-web Configuration shows five items that make the AIMS program worth it and pays off for students to participate. In particular, the students’ international experiences caused them to reflect deeply on matters of different styles of education, gain valuable knowledge in their major and develop communication skills. In addition, they could live independently in another culture for an extended period, develop confidence and self-understanding, learn another language, gain a unique cultural experience and make new lifelong friends. The students’ reflections also offer the university sector some points to consider with respect to student mobility programs, particularly in how participants are supported in interpreting their overseas experience.

Keywords: AIMS program; AIMS alumnus; Experiences Lesson learned; Leximancer; Spider-web Configuration


Abstract


Bilangan pelajar yang mengambil bahagian dalam program Asian Mobility for Students (AIMS) telah meningkat dengan pesat sejak tahun kebelakangan ini.  Ini adalah dari keinginan peribadi, penawaran prospek pekerjaan yang lebih baik, disokong oleh keupayaan pelajar mahir dalam bahasa asing dan kesedaran antara budaya. Program AIMS adalah di bawah pembiayaan dari Bahagian Pendidikan Malaysia (BEM) Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia. Artikle ini memberi tumpuan kepada pengalaman pelajar dalam pembelajaran mereka dan sebagai alumnus program AIMS. Hasil daripada laporan yang dikemukakan oleh pelajar, dianalisis dengan menggunakan Konfigurasi Leximancer dan Spider-web. Analisis kandungan yang dilakukan menggunakan Leximancer menunjukkan sembilan pembolehubah iaitu "orientasi", "Thailand", "latihan", "latihan", "air", "orang", "makanan", "lawatan" dan "penting" pelajar adalah penting dari segi pengalaman dan kepuasan pelajar terhadap program AIMS. Walaupun konfigurasi web Spider menunjukkan terdapat lima item yang membuat program AIMS ini bernilai dan bermanfaat kepada para pelajar yang menyertainya. Khususnya, pengalaman antarabangsa pelajar yang terkesan dengan pelbagai gaya pendidikan yang berbeza, mendapat pengetahuan yang berharga dalam kemahiran utama mereka dan mengembangkan cara mereka berkomunikasi. Selain itu, keupayaan para pelajar ini menjalani kehidupan dalam budaya lain bagi tempoh yang panjang, menjadikan mereka berkeyakinan dan memahami diri dan mempelajari bahasa lain. Para pelajar juga memperoleh pengalaman budaya yang unik dan akan menjadi pengalaman berharga untuk mereka sepanjang kehidupan. Refleksi para pelajar ini juga dapat membantu pihak universiti dari segi input bagi merangka program yang lebih berkesan berdasarkan pada pengalaman pembelajaran para pelajar di luar negara ini.

Kata kunci: AIMS; Pembelajaran, Konfigurasi web spider; Leximancer; AIMS alumni


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