Malaysian University English Test (MUET) had undergone a revamp in 2021 when it was aligned to Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) in order to make it globally recognised as an entrance requirement for English language in higher education institutions. With this alignment, the MUET papers have seen a change in its format and MyLinE as one of the leading service providers for online materials for MUET took this opportunity to look into the reading component of the exam; specifically its sub-skills. The research was funded by UTMSPACE under the Quick-Win grant. The product, in the form of a microsite in MyLinE (http://myline.utm.my) where quizzes on sub-skills in reading are parked. The multiple-choice quizzes are designed according to CEFR levels, starting from A2 to C1 and each question is provided with feedback.
SMK Skudai was chosen as our collaborator for the pilot-testing of the product. The project started in January 2023 until September 2023. Fifty-four upper Form 6 students of the school participated in the project. They were exposed to how to access the question on MyLinE portal and complete the quizzes. A unique feature, Award of Marks (AoM), in MyLinE enables the students to check their progress and creates a sense of competition and motivation among themselves. The effectiveness of the product was measured based on a comparison of the students’ MUET trial results conducted by the school and the actual MUET results by Malaysia Examination Council (MCE).
The students found the quizzes useful to help them identify their weakness in the specific reading sub-skills, based on the questionnaire and interview conducted at the end of the project. The project that was implemented for nine months had given valuable insights to the MyLinE Task Force on how to make the design more appealing and relevant materials to the students. A special thank goes to Ms Rostena, the principal, and Ms Lua, the MUET teacher as well as the English language Committee of SMK Skudai for their cooperation on this collaboration.
Disediakan oleh: Dr. Hema Rosheny Mustafa, Nurul Na’immah Hamdan, Rika Diana Busri, Abu Izzat Jalaluddin, Abd Rahim Ahmad, Nurhidayah Reman, Nur Syuhadah Rusni & Muhammad Redza M.Nasir.