IJLTER.ORG Vol 20 No 8 August 2021

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Vol.20 No.8

International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research
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VOLUME 20 NUMBER 8 August 2021
Table of Contents
Washback Impact of the MUET: The Before and After Effect of a High-stake University English Test in Malaysia 1
Najihah Mahmud, Nor Hazwani Munirah Lateh, Nazirah Mahmud, Ariezal Afzan Hassan, Amaal Fadhlini Mohamed, Siti
Amirah Ahmad Tarmizi
The Efficacy of Promoting Financial Literacy with MOOC among Economics Pre-Service Teachers ...................... 18
Khoo Yin Yin, Derek Watson, Rohaila Yusof
The Relationships between Experience, Qualification and Subject Specialization and Content Knowledge Mastery
of Economic and Management Sciences Teachers: A Case of Accounting Teaching................................................... 36
Habasisa Molise
Effect of the Use of WebQuest in a Chinese for Tourism Course at a Thai University: An Exploratory Study .......50
Pairin Srisinthon
Multiple Means of Engagement Strategies for Maximising the Learning of Mathematics in Pandemic-regulated
Classrooms............................................................................................................................................................................. 68
Matshidiso M. Moleko
Online Design Thinking Problems for Enhancing Motivation of Gifted Students....................................................... 91
Ayed H. Ziadat, Mohammad Abed Sakarneh
Teaching-Learning Strategies to Production Planning and Control Concepts: Application of Scenarios to
Sequencing Production with Virtual Reality Support ................................................................................................... 108
Fernando Elemar Vicente dos Anjos, Luiz Alberto Olibveira Rocha, Rodrigo Pacheco, Debora Oliveira da Silva
Medical Students’ Evaluation of Online Assessment: A Mixed-Method Account of Attitudes and Obstacles ..... 126
Abed Alkarim Ayyoub, Oqab Jabali
The Systematic Implementation of an Innovative Postgraduate Online Learning Model in the Middle East....... 139
Nessrin Shaya, Laila Mohebi
Autonomy and Creative Thinking Skills of Prospective Elementary School Teacher Students in Learning
Mathematics with Science Phenomena assisted by the Learning Management System ........................................... 160
Suprih Widodo, Turmudi ., Rizki Rosjanuardi
E-Learning Implementation Barriers during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Survey Design.................................... 176
Ishaq Al-Naabi, Abdullah Al-Abri
Implications of Social Media Addiction on Academic Performance among Generation Z Student-athletes during
COVID-19 Lockdown......................................................................................................................................................... 194
Wan Ahmad Munsif Wan Pa, Muhammad Sofwan Mahmud, Mohd Syazwan Zainal
The Role of Non-Academic Service Quality in an Academic-Oriented Context: Structural Equation Modeling
amongst Parents of Secondary Education Students....................................................................................................... 210

Thao-Thanh Thi Phan, Ha-Giang Thi Tran, Le-Huong Thi Nguyen, Tam-Phuong Pham, Thang-The Nguyen, Hiep-Hung
Pham, Thai-Quoc Cao
Developing A Framework Peace Education for Primary School Teachers in Indonesia........................................... 227
Sahril Buchori, Sunaryo Kartadinata, Syamsu Yusuf, Ilfiandra Ilfiandra, Nurfitriany Fakhri, Sofwan Adiputra
The Measurement of Knowledge Construction in A Course of Diagnostic Evaluation of Learning Disorders in
Psychology Students........................................................................................................................................................... 240
Guadalupe Elizabeth Morales-Martinez, Michelle Garcia-Torres, Maria del Carmen Castro-Gonzalez, Yanko Norberto
Mezquita-Hoyos
The Effect of Resource-Based Instructions on Pre-service Biology Teachers’ Attitudes towards Learning Biology
............................................................................................................................................................................................... 262
Josiane Mukagihana, Catherine M. Aurah, Florien Nsanganwimana
The Effectiveness of a Self-Questioning Strategy at Developing Academic Achievement and Critical-Thinking
Skills among Secondary-School Students in Saudi Arabia............................................................................................ 278
Ali Tared Aldossari, Mohammed Msnhat Aldajani
The Implementation of Formal Assessments in Intermediate Phase Mathematics at Primary Schools in South
Africa .................................................................................................................................................................................... 300
Senzeni Sibanda, Awelani M. Rambuda

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. 8, pp. 1-17, August 2021
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.8.1
Received May 31, 2021; Revised Aug 16, 2021; Accepted Aug 30, 2021
Washback Impact of the MUET: The Before and
After Effect of a High-stake University English
Test in Malaysia
Najihah Mahmud and Nor Hazwani Munirah Lateh
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Malaysia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7938-1499
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6968-0513
Nazirah Mahmud
Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah, Malaysia
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6343-6555
Ariezal Afzan Hassan, Amaal Fadhlini Mohamed
and Siti Amirah Ahmad Tarmizi
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Malaysia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9806-0874
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8559-4618
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4932-6007
Abstract. This study seeks to explore the washback effect of the Malaysian
University English Test (MUET), a high-stakes compulsory university
entry test in the context of Malaysia. As simple and linear as it commonly
appears, washback has been found to be far more complex than simply
looking at the impact that a test might or might not have on the
stakeholders. Therefore, this study aims to fill in this knowledge gap by
systematically re-examining the beliefs on washback by investigating the
relationship between the students’ perceptions of the MUET in terms of
its importance and difficulty, with their language learning strategies
whilst preparing for the test and after sitting the test. Using a mixed
methods approach, a student questionnaire and student interview were
utilised to elicit data from 30 male and 46 female students. The students
were further divided into two groups, specifically those who were
preparing for the MUET and those who had already sat the MUET. The
findings suggest that preparing for the MUET encouraged the students to
utilise a certain language learning strategy more compared to the others,
specifically focusing on language skills that had not been formally tested
before. Although the students’ perception did not significantly shape the
students’ course of action when preparing for the test, it still had an
impact on their overall view of the whole test-taking matter. This study is

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http://ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter
intended to add more insights to the less explored areas of washback,
specifically the students’ perceptions and washback over time.
Keywords: washback; language assessment; high-stake test; language
testing; backwash
1. Introduction
In the field of education, it is well known that tests, especially high stakes tests,
have a huge influence on the teaching and learning process. Specifically, in
language education, the influence that the tests exert over teaching and learning
is known as ‘washback’ or ‘backwash’. Washback has always been associated with
the negative consequences of tests. However, this phenomenon was not
empirically investigated until the 1980s. Since then, language education
researchers have been looking at washback differently as the findings from the
previous research on washback continually reveal how complex it is (Dong, 2020;
Khan et al., 2019; Hughes, 2021).
Alderson and Wall (1993), in their pioneering study on washback in Sri Lanka,
hypothesised that “Tests that have important consequences will have washback”
and conversely “Tests that do not have important consequences will have no
washback” (p. 120). In other words, the higher the stakes of a test, the more of an
impact it will have on the teaching and learning process. According to Qi (2007),
the authorities are always tempted to resort to manipulating high stakes testing
in the name of ‘curriculum innovation’ for an immediate outcome as it is claimed
to be a “quick and most cost-effective way to improve education” (p.52). Studies
on the washback of high-stakes testing reported that the test could change the
students’ learning behaviour by motivating them to put more effort into their
learning (Cho, 2004; Pan & Newfields, 2012; Thomas, 2005) while also promoting
learner autonomy (Pan, 2014; Stecher, 2002) when preparing for the test if the
stakes are sufficiently high.
2. Literature Review
The connection between (1) testing, and (2) the teaching and learning practices
has been commonly explored based on the research in the field (Barrows et al.,
2013; Cheng et al., 2011; Gebril & Eid, 2017; Luong-Phan & Effeney, 2015) sparked
by the ground-breaking study on washback by Alderson and Wall in the late
1980s. Alderson and Wall (1993), in their significant publication on washback,
raised the notion of the complexity of washback and the needs for more in-depth
research attempting to not only describe what washback looks like but also to
account for what occurs. They also pointed out that although it is widely known
that a relationship between testing, teaching and learning practices does exist, the
complexity of the washback concept itself makes it difficult to prove how directly
tests affect the teaching and learning practices without considering other
mediators or variables that may or may not contribute to the change. Similarly,
Stoneman (2006) observed that the washback phenomenon has yet to be clearly
explained and deeply explored despite the abundant literature on language
assessments focusing on the impact of testing on teaching and learning.

3
In a doctoral study by Mahmud (2018), it was hypothesised that the students’
perception of the test has an impact when it comes to determining the students’
course of action when preparing for the test as opposed to their actual proficiency
level. For instance, even if a student has a weak command of the English language,
if the students think that they can perform well in the test, they will be very
motivated when preparing for the test and vice versa. In a more recent study
undertaken in China involving 3,105 high school students, Dong (2020) found that
the students’ positive perception of the test increased the positive washback of the
test. Test preparation activities may help to increase the students’ probability of
success but it only works in the short-term. If it is too excessive, it can be
counterproductive regarding the students’ achievements in terms of their test
score. Aside from being a waste of the students’ time and energy, Dong (2020)
emphasised that it defeats the purpose of learning and in turn, creates negative
washback.
The MUET was first introduced in 1999 with the aim (1) of “bridge the gap in
English language needs between secondary and tertiary education (Malaysian
Examination Council); and (2) to consolidate and enhance the English proficiency
of students preparing to enter Malaysian public universities” (Lee, 2004, p. 1). The
four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are tested in the
MUET. It is designed and administered by the Malaysian Examination Council
and it is recognised in Malaysia and Singapore (Othman & Nordin, 2013). This
test is significant for pre-degree students as it serves as an indicator of their
English language proficiency which enables them to enrol on their desired course
(Kaur & Nordin, 2006). This study aimed to investigate the washback effect of a
high-stake language test, the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), while
preparing for the test and after sitting the test.
This study investigated the Malaysian students’ perception of the MUET by
exploring its relationship with the language learning strategies that they
employed when preparing for the test. In addition, it also explored how long the
washback effect of MUET lasted after the students sat the test. The research
questions guiding this study were as follows:
1. What are the students’ perceptions of the MUET?
2. To what extent do the students’ perceptions seem to have a washback
impact on the students’ language learning strategies?
3. Is there a difference in the washback impact before and after sitting for the
MUET?
3. Methodology
The use of both quantitative and qualitative data gathering techniques assisted
the researcher in illuminating different aspects of the same issue and providing a
more complete picture of the study (Denscombe, 2014). As this study aimed to
generate data on the students’ perception of the test and their language learning
strategies in relation to the washback effect of the MUET over time, an analytical
comparison was carried out between the students who were preparing for the
MUET and the students who had already sat the test. To provide multiple
perspectives and methods, the data was gathered through the collection of the

4
students’ perceptions using a questionnaire and through interviews. Two groups
of students were recruited for this study, specifically students who were
preparing for the MUET (Group A, n=30) and students who had already sat the
MUET and who were currently undertaking a general English language course at
a public university in Malaysia (Group B, n=46).
Table 1: Participants
Data from Group A was used to describe the washback effect of the MUET whilst
data from Group B was used to explore the washback impact over time, also
known as the washback length.
For this study, the questionnaire was adapted from established questionnaires
from relevant previous studies as detailed in Table 2.
Table 2: Questionnaire
Sections Sources
Cronbach’s
alpha (α)
Background information N/A N/A
Section 1 : Perception of the
Test
Xie & Andrews
(2013)
N/A
Test Importance
Bodas (2006) .833
Test Consequences
Bodas (2006) .805
Section 4 : Language Learning
Strategies
Oxford (1990)
Green (2007)
.890
In general, the questionnaire consisted of two main sections. The first section
covered the demographic questions such as gender, field of study, English
proficiency level etc. Section two consisted of four sub-sections, dealing with the
students’ (1) perception of the test (MUET) in general, (2) their perception of the
test importance, (3) their perception of the test consequences and (4) Language
Learning strategies (Oxford, 1990). All of the variables in section two were
assessed using a Likert scale.
This study also utilised the students’ individual interviews to gather the
qualitative data. As pointed out by Atkins and Wallace (2012), interviews not only
allow the researchers to engage with the participants individually, but it also
allows them to collect various types of in-depth data, for example, factual data,
views and opinions, personal narratives and histories. According to Ary et al.
(2013), there is no general rule for determining the number of participants for the
purpose of collecting qualitative data. For this study, 12 open-ended questions
with several probing questions on the students’ experiences of learning English
were prepared for the student interviews. The questions were adapted based on
Gender Group A Group B Total
Male
Female
11 13 24
19 33 52

5
the previous studies on washback (Hsu, 2010; Mahmud 2018; Shih, 2013) focusing
on the learners’ general perception of their English language learning and the test
under investigation, the MUET.
4. Findings
Item analysis of the mean scores of the students’ perceptions for all constructs was
carried out to better understand how the students responded to each item
individually before analysing the items according to their grouping. The student
questionnaire consisted of four constructs: (i) the perception of the MUET in
general, (ii) the perception of the test importance, (iii) the perception of the test
consequences and (iv) the language learning strategies. In the item analysis, the
constructs were treated as the dependent variables, with gender as fixed factors,
and English language proficiency and experience within the test as covariates.
Taking into consideration that the data was not normally distributed, non-
parametric analyses, the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskall-Wallis test were
employed to analyse the aforementioned constructs both as individual items and
as an overall scale. To ensure a greater level of reliability, only significant
differences in the mean scores (p < .05) were taken into consideration. The
findings were arranged according to the sub-sections as follows.
4.1 Students’ Perception of the MUET
4.1.1 Perception of the MUET in general
The mean scores for all items were calculated and arranged in descending order
as illustrated in Table 3. A Likert scale (comprised 5 for strongly agree, 4 for agree,
3 for undecided, 2 for disagree and 1 for strongly disagree) was used to score the
items.
Table 3: The MUET in general
Items
Mean
Std.
Deviation
1.4 The MUET made me practise my listening skills more than before.
Strongly
Agree
4.30 .611
1.12 More speaking activities should be conducted in MUET
preparation class.
4.29 .629
1.5 The MUET made me practise my speaking skills more than before. 4.24 .671
1.11 More listening activities should be conducted in MUET
preparation class.
Agree
4.16 .590
1.6 The MUET made me practise my reading skills more than before. 4.11 .723
1.13 More writing activities should be conducted in MUET preparation
class.
4.11 .759
1.10 More reading activities should be conducted in MUET preparation
class.
4.03 .765
1.3 The MUET made me practise my writing skills more than before.
Agree
3.99 .721
1.2 My English language learning was improved by practising MUET
past year questions.
3.89 .665
1.9 I think that the MUET preparation class that I took was not very
helpful.
Disag
ree
2.46 1.113

6
The trend seems to be that the highest-ranking items with mean scores that are
within the range of ‘Strongly Agree’ are those related to the listening and speaking
skills. These two skills are seldom tested in other standardised English language
test in Malaysia as opposed to reading and writing. This clearly indicates the
washback that the MUET had on these students, especially towards the two skills
which were not tested before. The mean scores for the set of items regarding the
students’ increase in effort connected to their reading and writing skills ranges
from 3.99 to 4.11, which are ranked very high. Item 1.9 has the lowest mean score
(2.46) which falls under the ‘Disagree’ range. This indicates that most of the
students perceived the MUET preparation class that they took as being beneficial
to them.
Next, the analysis of the overall scale was carried out. The Mann-Whitney U-test
was run and the analysis revealed there to be no significant differences in terms
of the students’ general perception of the MUET in relation to their (i) gender, p =
.906, (ii) experience with the test, p = .074, and (iii) proficiency level, p = .442. The
result suggests that the students' general perception of the MUET did not change
even after they had already taken the test. The students’ proficiency level in
English did not affect their general perception of the MUET as well.
4.1.2 Perception of Test Importance
The perception of the test importance construct consisted of five items as shown
in Table 4.
Table 4: Test Importance
Items
Mean
Std.
Deviation
2.3 It is very important for me that I do well in the MUET
Strongly
Agree
4.42 .753
2.4 It is very important for my future undertakings that I do
well in the MUET
4.38 .816
2.5 Every student who wants to get into the university should
pass the MUET
Agree
4.13 .900
2.2 It is very important for my teacher that I do well in the
MUET
3.97 1.045
2.1 It is very important for my parents that I do well in the
MUET
3.70 .980
The top two items are items relating to the students’ priority of their own self, as
opposed to external factors like their teachers (item 2.2) and parents (item 2.1),
which were ranked as the bottom two.
At the item level, both the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test
showed there to be no significant differences across gender (p = .506), English
proficiency level (p = .619), and experience with the test (p = .619) for each item in
the perceived test importance construct. This shows that the students of all
English proficiency levels regarded the MUET as an important test. This finding
confirms the status of the MUET as a high-stakes test. The students were also

7
asked about their perception of the consequences that they had to face if they
failed the MUET, which has been presented in the next section.
4.1.3 Perception of the Consequences of Exam Failure
The perception of the test consequences construct consisted of six items as shown
in Table 5. A Likert scale (comprising 5 for extremely to 1 for not at all) was used
to score the items.
Table 5: Consequences of Exam Failure
Items
Mean
Std.
Deviation
3.2 How upset would you be for letting your teachers down?
Very
4.14 .948
3.1 How upset would you be for letting your parents down? 3.99 1.052
3.3 Will your chance to get into top universities be affected? 3.93 1.037
3.4 Will your chance to enrol on your desired course be
affected?
3.91 1.048
3.6 Will your ability to communicate in the English language
affected?
Undecided
3.03 1.376
3.5 Will your motivation to learn the English language be
affected?
3.03 1.366
Interestingly, the top two items with the highest mean score for the test
consequences construct are the items that are extrinsic in nature, pertaining to
living up to others’ expectations, namely their teachers (item 3.2) and parents
(item 3.1). Following very closely are the items related to the main objective of the
MUET, which is where it acts as an entry test into university. The students agreed
and were aware that their application to their desired university (item 3.3) and
courses (item 3.4) would be affected if they performed poorly on the MUET.
However, they appeared to be unsure whether their ability to communicate and
their motivation to learn English would be affected if they did poorly in the
MUET. Based on the overall ranking, it is safe to assume that the severity of the
consequences of exam failure for the MUET is perceived to be quite threatening
to the students.
Next, the Mann-Whitney U-test was run to determine whether there were any
differences in the perception of the test consequences between the three
independent variables of gender (p = .699), experience with the test (p = .321) and
English language proficiency (p = .496). The findings revealed that there were
differences between the variables, but they were not statistically significant.
Similar to the findings for perceived test importance, the students’ proficiency
level in English did not seem to affect their perception of the test consequences.
The findings thus far show that there were no significant differences reported
between the students’ perception of the test and the three independent variables.
However, at the item level, the Kruskal-Wallis test revealed there to be significant
differences across the English language proficiency levels for item 3.6 (Will your
ability to communicate in the English language affected?, p=.042) with the mean

8
ranking across the grouping in an ascending manner being as follows: Low
(22.83), Average (39.60) and High (47.06). Interestingly, the findings reveal that
the students might regard the MUET as one of the main determinants of their
English language ability, especially for high proficiency students.
4.2 Relationship between the students’ perceptions and washback impact on
language learning strategies
In order to explore the washback impact of the MUET on the students’ learning,
item analysis was carried out to determine the students’ pattern of responses
based on the frequency of their perceived language learning strategy usage. The
mean scores for all items were calculated and arranged in descending order as
illustrated in Table 6. A Likert scale (comprising 5 for all the time, 4 for most of
the time, 3 for undecided, 2 for sometimes and 1 for never) was used to score the
items.
Table 6: Language Learning Strategies
Items
Mean
Std.
Deviation
4.15 When writing in English, I tried to translate from my
language.
High
4.08 1.043
4.10 When reading in English, I tried to translate it into my
language to help me understand.
4.00 1.007
4.6 If I couldn’t think of an English word, I used a word or
phrase that means the same thing.
3.99 1.026
4.16 I thought about the goals that I wanted to achieve in this
English language course.
3.97 1.078
4.18 When I received corrected work from the teacher, I
thought about how to improve next time.
3.89 1.078
4.14 To understand unfamiliar English words, I tried to guess
their meaning.
3.82 1.186
4.8 I encouraged myself to use English even when I was afraid
of making a mistake.
3.82 1.055
4.17 I tried to improve my writing by analysing the work of
other writers.
3.71 1.198
4.2 I tried to find better ways of learning English. 3.70 1.178
4.3 I tried to improve my English by asking others to correct my
mistakes.
3.66 1.250
4.12 I used new English words in sentences so then I could
remember them.
3.54 1.259
4.13 When I learned a grammar rule, I tested myself to make
sure that I really knew it.
3.51 1.301
4.1 I memorised English words by saying or writing them
several times.
Medium
3.09 1.246
4.11 I was NOT sure how to improve my English skills. 2.92 1.393
4.4 I did the MUET practice tests in my free time. 2.83 1.320
4.7 I reviewed my English class notes or textbook in my free
time.
2.82 1.230
4.9 I read English without looking up every new word. 2.75 1.406
4.5 I studied extra English outside of my MUET preparation
class.
2.67 1.258

9
The findings revealed that the students reported a moderate-to-high frequency of
using language learning strategies to prepare for the MUET. Specifically, the
students used meta-cognitive strategies (items 4.2, 4.11, and 4.18), often associated
with learning success, at a high frequency. A high frequency of usage was also
reported for cognitive strategies related to rote-translation (item 4.15 and 4.10). As
depicted in Table 6, in terms of the individual learning strategies for all of the
strategy items belonging to the meta-cognitive (planning, organising and
evaluating learning) and compensation (to overcome difficulties in
communication) categories, the students reported a high frequency of use with a
mean score ranging from 3.70 to 3.99. Meanwhile, none of the language learning
strategies were reported at a low frequency of use. For the strategies used at
moderate frequencies, the findings show that most of the strategies were related
to the learning activities that the students did in their free time, for example, item
4.4 (I did MUET practice tests in my free time) and item 4.7 (I reviewed my English
class notes or textbook in my free time). Finding opportunities to practice outside
of the classroom (item 4.5) was the least used strategy among the students, which
is not surprising. This strategy requires self-initiation and courage, which many
young learners in a second language context might not possess.
To determine the relationship between the students’ perception of the test
importance and their language learning strategies, Kendall's tau-b correlation was
carried out. There was found to be a weak positive association that was not
statistically significant between perceived test importance and language learning
strategies as a whole, τb = .140, p = .089, and direct learning strategies, τb = .149,
p = .076, and a very weak positive association between perceived test importance
and indirect language learning strategies, τb = .091, p = .283. There was no
statistically significant association between the students’ perceived test
importance and their use of language learning strategies.
Next, there was found to be a weak positive association, which was not
statistically significant, between the perceived test consequences with language
learning strategies, τb = .154, p = .058 and direct learning strategies, τb = .153, p =
.065, and a very weak positive association between the perceived test
consequences and indirect language learning strategies, τb = .082, p = .326. There
was no statistically significant association found between the students’ perceived
test consequences and their use of language learning strategies. Therefore, the null
hypothesis cannot be rejected, and the alternative hypothesis cannot be accepted.
The data suggests that the students’ perception of test importance and the test
consequences did not seem to affect the students’ usage of language learning
strategies.
4.3 The before and after effect of the MUET
This section presents the analysis of the individual interviews with two students
from Group B, which consisted of students who had already taken the MUET. The
two students were labelled R1 (Female, MUET Band 2) and R2 (Male, MUET Band
3) to ensure anonymity. Students R1 and R2 were randomly chosen from a list of
the students who volunteered to be interviewed.

10
When it comes to English language learning, it was evident from the qualitative
data that both students seemed to be particularly concerned with grammar:
“For me it’s difficult, in terms of grammar. And also, the usage of the
words.” (R2)
“Even when we enter the university, we still have to learn grammar
because it’s easy to forget. We have to really focus in the class.” (R1)
This finding can be attributed to the washback effect of the 11 years of formal
English language education in Malaysia. This is because grammar comes first in
the syllabus before any of the four language skills. Therefore, most Malaysian
students are under the impression that before they work on their language skills,
they must make sure that their grammar is good.
Another skill that they were concerned with when it comes to English language
learning was speaking skills. Both agreed that for them to improve their speaking
skills, they had to practice:
“We have to practice it a lot. We have to make it a habit. For example,
when communicating with the teacher, we are supposed to use the English
language.” (R2)
“For speaking skills, we have to always use it. If we want to improve our
speaking skills, we should mix around with the Chinese students, that’ll
help.” (R1)
The interview participants were also asked about their current English language
learning experience. When asked to describe how their current English language
class is, the following are their descriptions:
“Normally the teacher would emphasize on the syllabus from the textbook.
For example, we were involved in drama production for an event called
‘Drama Night’, so the teacher asked us to develop our script which took
months to finished. Then, after the event, we continued with the syllabus
from the textbook.” (R1)
“The teacher taught us based on the textbook, and if there was any
question, we would discuss it together. Then, the teacher also asked us to
present in front of the class.” (R2)
Obviously, emphasis was given to the activities in the textbook. However, these
particular students prefer something more interactive as opposed to being
constrained or restricted by the syllabus. They mentioned the activities that were
conducted in their previous semester’s English class, which was English I. They
seemed to like it and perceived it as helping them to improve their English
language skills:
“I remember last semester’s English teacher, for example, when we were
learning about grammar, the teacher would make up a story about it or
the teacher would create songs about the grammar that we were learning.

11
That way, we could memorize it better. Well actually we memorized the
song, but at the same time, we were learning grammar as well.” (R1)
“My teacher last semester conducted some sort of game. In my opinion,
after we played that game, it has somehow helped improve my English
because throughout the game, the teacher made it compulsory for us to
use English language, forcing us to speak in English. I think that’s quite
helpful.” (R2)
Moving on to the MUET, the students were asked to recall their experience
preparing for the high-stakes language test. Questions pertaining to what they did
inside and outside of their classes were asked to see what kind of learning
activities and strategies they used, and to determine the intensity of the washback
of the MUET. The participants were first asked about their perception of the
MUET in general compared to the other English language tests that they had taken
before. The following were their responses:
“For me, MUET is important because it helps us improve especially our
speaking skills, it encouraged the students to speak in English more
because they definitely did not want to get low marks, so they would try
to speak with other people to practice. And then for listening skills, for
example my friends, if previously they were mostly listening to Malay
songs, but because listening was tested in MUET, they started to listen
to English songs more.” (R1)
R1 described the MUET as having more challenging questions for the writing
component and more questions for the reading component. She also mentioned
that the MUET encourages students to speak more in English because they do not
want to get low marks for the speaking component. Being tested on all four
language components forced the students to work on all four skills. Improvising
the four skills required different learning strategies as mentioned by R2 below:
“MUET does not consist of only one test, but it has different papers for
listening, speaking, writing, and reading, so for each of these skills,
different preparation strategies are required. For example, when I took
SPM in the past, it was more on the writing skills only, but for MUET,
we must be able to grasp all of the skills, and for speaking, we have to be
able to communicate well.” (R2)
R2 mentioned that the previous English language test that he took mainly focused
on writing skills. Since the MUET also tested his speaking and listening skills, he
had to apply different learning strategies to prepare himself for it. He stated that
his teacher devoted one whole period of the English lesson to teaching each
language skill separately:
“For example, if for this period, the teacher decided to focus only on
listening skills, for other period, the teacher will focus only on speaking
skills and so on.” (R2)
He also mentioned the use of textbooks in the MUET preparation class. In R1’s
case, her teacher emphasised the listening and speaking activities more in the
classroom:

12
“The teacher focuses more on the listening and speaking skills. For
listening skills, the teacher provided us with MUET text book. The teacher
would play the CD in the classroom for us, then the teacher would ask us
to answer the questions in the text book. For speaking skills, the teacher
divided us into groups of four, because in MUET speaking test, the
students are divided in the same way, so the teacher would imitate the real
situation in MUET speaking test.” (R1)
Similar to R2’s MUET preparation class, R1’s teacher also utilised textbooks to
prepare the students for the test. The textbook that R1 mentioned is a
commercialised MUET preparation textbook sold at ‘Popular’, one of the main
bookstore chains in Malaysia. In her comment, R1 mentioned that for speaking,
her teacher mimicked the real MUET situation to familiarise the students with the
format. However, her teacher only did this when the date of the MUET drew
closer, which was two weeks before the actual test took place:
“The teacher would act as the examiner. But, during that time, it was just
two weeks before the actual test took place. Before that, the teacher just
asked us to practice on our own.” (R1)
The researcher also asked the students to comment on the importance of the
MUET to them. R1 initially was not aware of the purpose of the MUET or the use
of the MUET result, not until after she had taken the test:
“When I sat for MUET at the matriculation college, I did not even know
that MUET result would affect my university admission result. My
teacher did not say anything about it. My teacher just mentioned that it
is important, that is all.” (R1)
R1 stated that the reason why her teacher did not say anything on the importance
of the MUET was because her teacher did not want to pressure her students. Her
teacher thought that there would not be any problem for the students when it
came performing well in the MUET as most of them managed to score above Band
3 in the mock-MUET practice test.
“My teacher did not tell us about it because he did not want us to be
stressed out. It was also because when we did a pre-test for MUET, he told
us that all of us would be able to get Band 3 and above. That was why my
teacher did not say anything.” (R1)
For R2, the only thing that he knew about the objective of the MUET was that it
was one of the requirements of applying to tertiary education in Malaysia.
“All I know is MUET is compulsory to gain entry into the university,
that’s all.” (R2)
R1 specifically described her difficulties when applying for her desired course as
most of the degree courses required at least Band 3 results in the MUET:
“When I was applying for the university, there were a lot of courses that
I could not apply because these courses require at least Band 3. It was
quite difficult for me. So, I just chose Band 2 courses because I only got
Band 2 in MUET.” (R1)

13
She ended up choosing courses with a set minimum requirement of MUET Band
2, as those were her only options. However, despite getting a low MUET Band,
she did not let her MUET Band define her English language proficiency:
“For speaking skills, the percentage for the overall score is less than
reading and writing, hence, those who like to read books, or overly focused
when answering the questions, they would be able to perform well. I mean,
unless if the percentage for all skills are equal, then maybe MUET can be
used to really measure the overall English language ability. For me, no.
Imagine those who manage to get Band 4, but are not able to speak
fluently, it’s still the same.” (R1)
She stated that since the MUET has different weightages for the different
components, like the reading component contributes the highest percentage to the
overall Band, students who have good reading skills might be able to perform
better. For her, getting a higher Band in the test with no ability to speak the
language well would still be pointless.
5. Discussion
5.1 Students’ Perception of the MUET
As can be seen in the findings of this study, although limited in scope, there is
clear evidence of the washback effect of the MUET especially for the listening and
speaking skills as indicated by the quantitative data. Although the MUET consists
of all four language skills, reading and listening have not been formally tested
before in any standardised English language test in Malaysia other than the
MUET. Therefore, once these two skills were added to the test, the learners started
to pay more attention to those two skills as well. A scrutiny of the qualitative data
showed that the students were particularly concerned with their speaking and
listening skills as well as opposed to their writing and reading skills. They also
mentioned that their teachers focused more on these two skills during the English
lessons. As suggested by Nambiar and Ransirini (2012), both the teachers and
students tend to focus more on the tasks that they consider to be imperative to the
outcome of the test. Different washback effects depend on the perceived task
importance. Although the MUET tested all four skills, it is safe to assume that due
to the novelty effect, the students and teachers decided to focus more on the
listening and speaking skills because they have been dealing with reading and
writing skills for the past 11 years of formal education in Malaysia. This was also
the case in Dong’s (2020) study where the students were found to rarely engage
in communicative learning, for instance speaking, as it was not tested.
The quantitative findings also suggest that the students’ general perceptions
about the MUET were not influenced by either their gender or their English
proficiency level. Their perceptions of the MUET also did not change even after
they had taken the test. Similarly, when it comes to the students’ perception of the
importance of the MUET to them, their gender, English proficiency level, and their
experience with the MUET did not seem to affect their perception as well. This
shows that regardless of their English language proficiency, the students regard
the MUET as an important test. This confirms the status of it as a high-stakes test.
The findings also revealed that failing the test threaten the students’ chances of
enrolling on their desired course and to their intended university. This frustration

14
was clearly expressed by one of the interview respondents as her choices when
applying to tertiary education were limited due to her low MUET score.
However, when it comes to the test consequences, the students who were
preparing for the MUET appeared to be more worried about the consequences of
failing the test and how it would affect their motivation to learn and their ability
to use the English language. This can be attributed to a phenomenon known as
test anxiety, as they had yet to sit for the MUET and did not know what to expect.
Those who had already sat the MUET seemed less concerned. This might be due
to the fact that they have gone already through the whole experience of the MUET
and managed to pull through well in the tertiary level as they were currently
studying in a university at the time that this study was conducted.
5.2 Language Learning Strategies
One of the objectives of this study was to see if the MUET encourages students to
employ more language learning strategies when preparing for it. The quantitative
findings revealed that the students reported a moderate-to-high frequency of
language learning strategy use to prepare for the MUET. None of the language
learning strategies were reported at a low frequency of use. A closer analysis of
the quantitative data disclosed that specifically, the students used cognitive
strategies related to rote-translation at a high frequency. The qualitative data
revealed similar findings in that the students utilised translation techniques to
help them learn. Cognitive strategies like rote-translation are forms of direct
learning strategies that, according to Pan (2014), are not deep learning strategies
that can really help the students acquire the necessary language skills. In his
study, he found that most of the students reported to have frequently used
traditional language learning activities such as reading textbooks, memorising
vocabulary and idioms, and practicing sentence patterns to name a few. A
moderate obsession with grammar was also observed in the responses given by
the interview respondents in this study. Similar findings were reported by Shih
(2013). He found that most of the students in his study seemed to employ more
surface strategies in their English language learning process rather than deep
strategies. This type of strategy is mostly geared towards scoring on the test and
will not benefit the students in the long run.
To see whether the students’ perception of the MUET could be associated with
their language learning strategy use, correlation analysis was carried out on
perceived test importance and perceived test consequences in relation to the
language learning strategies. The results suggest that the students’ perception of
the test importance and test consequences are not statistically significantly
associated with the students’ usage of language learning strategies.
5.3 The before and after effect of the MUET
As reported by the qualitative data in this study (see section 4.3), it can be seen
that the students were made to practice the skills that had not been tested before
in their formal education in Malaysia more, which were speaking and listening
skills. This is because the MUET tests all four language skills. However, they
perceived that their speaking skills had particularly improved since they
practiced both at school and in real life. Although the students expressed a

15
reservation when speaking in English, it was encouraging to see a slight self-
realisation regarding the need to speak the language more in order to help them
improve their skills.
As a high-stakes test, the MUET results affect the students significantly, as the
MUET is one of the requirements for university entry in Malaysia. Certain courses
like medicine, engineering and TESL require a slightly higher MUET band
compared to others. Not being able to score the minimum MUET band
requirement for their desired course would result in the student having to take
another course at the university. This explains the strong washback impact that
the MUET can impose on the students due to its high stakes. If utilised correctly
by the stakeholders, especially the educators, the problems related to encouraging
the students to practice their language skills more can be tackled in due time.
5.4 Limitation of the study
It should be noted that the number of participants in this study was fairly small
and that the grouping was not normally distributed. The findings from the
analysis should not be taken at face value. More holistic data needs to be collected
when attempting to explore a complex phenomena like washback, hence, more
student interviews need to be carried out for both groups, not only two Group B
students.
5.5 Implications of the study
It can be seen in this study that the perception of the test could be one of the
important factors involved in determining test washback. According to Dong
(2020), among the stakeholders, the teacher is determined to be the most
important individual affecting the teaching and learning process. Hence, the
teacher can promote the proper perspective of the test among the students which
in return could help them to promote positive washback and improve the
students’ performance in the long run. Several studies tapping into washback
have indicated that washback changes over time, hence more research should
investigate this. The present study attempted to explore a part of the washback
length element by comparing the before and after effect of washback. This study
is hoped to add more insights to the less explored areas on washback, specifically
the students’ perceptions and washback over time.
6. Conclusion
It was apparent from the findings that the students’ actual proficiency in the
English language did not have a washback impact on the students’ course of
action when preparing for a high-stakes test like the MUET. Although the
quantitative data revealed a similar result in relation to the students’ perceptions,
the qualitative data appeared to reveal a glimpse into the relationship between
the students’ perceptions and their influence on their selected language learning
strategies when preparing for a test. This calls for further exploration regarding
the washback impact of a test utilising a much bigger sample with more diverse
participants and instruments.

16
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by a research grant provided by Universiti Malaysia
Kelantan (R/SGJP/A0400/01060A/001/2019/00596).
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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. 8, pp. 18-35, August 2021
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.20.8.2
Received Jun 29, 2021; Revised Aug 16, 2021; Accepted Aug 30, 2021
The Efficacy of Promoting Financial Literacy
with MOOC among Economics Pre-Service
Teachers
Khoo Yin Yin
Sultan Idris Education University
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4850-2184
Derek Watson
University Sunderland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1944-3544
Rohaila Yusof
Sultan Idris Education University
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5304-8970
Abstract. It is important to educate financial literacy to pre-service
teachers to manage their money well and to disseminate the knowledge
to their students. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of MOOC
in promoting financial literacy among pre-service teachers. This paper
also examines the correlation among the variables of financial literacy,
collaborative skills, problem-solving, accountability, and decision-
making. Pre-service teachers' views were discussed after attending the
MOOC. The study adopted a mixed-method research design. A total of
100 pre-service teachers were selected through a random-sampling
technique to participate in the survey. A purposive sampling technique
was used to pick five of the participants for the follow-up interview. The
quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential
statistics, while the qualitative data were analyzed on the basis of content
analysis. The quantitative method yielded favourable descriptive
statistics; and they also showed a significant relationship between
financial literacy and MOOC. The variables indicated some correlations.
The qualitative results also revealed the positive responses of financial
literacy, collaborative skills, problem-solving, accountability, and
decision-making. The course design and participants' engagement are the
key factors of the success of MOOCs. Future research should emphasize
the incorporation of financial literacy into different subjects. Educators
and researchers could well provide more online learning in addition to
those activities that combine financial literacy in other courses.
Keywords: financial literacy; Economics pre-service teachers; MOOCs;
collaborative skills; accountability; problem-solving

19
1. Introduction
Massive open online course (MOOC) is a widespread application of information-
technology education (Haron et al., 2019). Initially introduced in Malaysia in 2015,
MOOCs are now considered a new e-learning platform that was later
implemented by the Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (Kumar & Al-
Samarraie, 2018). By utilizing the platform of MOOCs, it is possible to create a
conducive learning forum that allows learning to happen anywhere and in any
place (Hassan et al., 2015 Qaffas et al., 2020). It is also recognized that MOOC
provides open learning to the enrolled participants; and the students can follow
the course at their own place and pace.
Most of the MOOCs in Malaysia offer academic courses; nevertheless, a minority
of courses have failed to embrace the essential skills, such as financial literacy. If
financial literacy is not prioritized, there could well be negative consequences. For
example, a total of 47% of bankruptcies in Malaysia involved young adults (Nurul
Afiqah, 2016; Khoo & Fitzgerald, 2017). There is a significant tendency for
millennials to spend beyond their means; since they are often easily influenced by
the social media; and, in consequence, they are inclined to buy expensive and
branded goods (Caixeta et al., 2016; Khan et al., 2019). For example, 38.8% of
young people between the ages of 20 and 24 repeatedly upgrade their
smartphones to the latest model (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia
Commission, 2015).
In contrast, the consequences of the financial crisis have elevated the importance
of financial literacy. The Organization of Economic Co-Operation and
Development (2014) raised the importance of financial literacy; and it was highly
recommended that it should be included within the school curriculum. The OECD
further stressed the importance of educating financial literacy to all citizens, in
order to instil better financial management of their own funds and to enhance
their financial well-being. The Malaysian Government supported this study; and
it is evident in other countries, such as the United States and Australia, which
have integrated these recommendations (Cordero & Pedraja, 2019).
Financial literacy has been the only cross-curricular element in Malaysia's
curriculum since 2017, resulting in the Financial Education Network being
launched in 2019 (Financial Education Network, 2019). Teachers are encouraged
to include financial literacy in their classes, in order to enhance their students'
awareness of financial literacy (Sawatzki & Sullivan, 2017). Evidence suggests that
teachers no longer regard financial literacy as not being a key priority; since it is
not a standalone subject in the Malaysian secondary-schooling system (Mohd
Aziz & Kassim, 2020). This view has influenced students’ perception in learning
financial literacy. Furthermore, teachers rarely attend developmental courses;
and consequently, they struggle to integrate this critical skill into their schemes of
work effectively. However, research in this area is rather limited; and this reflects
the research gap. In addition, the academic debate of utilizing MOOCs in financial
literacy is limited; and in consequence, there is a research gap to be filled. This
issue is the research gap that is yet to be filled in this study. Pre-service teachers,
who will become qualified teachers, should be exposed to an incorporated
financial literacy, which would later be transmitted to the students during class.

20
Unfortunately, some teachers claimed that they could not cover financial literacy
in class, due to time constraints (Rakow, 2019). The same study also mentioned
that many teachers are frequently pressed for time; and they are forced to omit
specific topics, such as financial literacy. These barriers could be bridged if
teachers were to undertake proper training on the pedagogical application and
positive impacts of financial literacy. However, due to the lack of financial literacy
for graduates, they must seek advice from financial planning services for personal
financial management.
On a more positive note, researchers have indicated that students, who studied
financial education developed financial literacy, when compared to those who did
not attend the class (Murugiah, 2016; Zhu, 2018; Haneger & Cude, 2019). The
OECD further stated that education could help bridge the financial-literacy gap,
and that financial education programmes have been found to successfully
improve students' and adolescents' financial knowledge and attitudes (OECD,
2013).
Many researchers only focused on pedagogical skills and on the content
knowledge of teacher-training courses; in fact, some essential life skills should
also be emphasized among them (Prajapati et al., 2017). Since every pre-service
teacher has both generic and bespoke learning styles, the practical learning
platform should be tailored, in ordered to meet the learners' needs. The learning
platform must have the necessary flexibility to encompass various learning
pedagogies, such as live-case studies, presentations, etc. MOOC is a popular
learning mode that offers such flexibility; and furthermore, it is an affordable way
to learn.
In addition, prior research showed evidence that financial literacy can be
effectively taught, together with the help of digital tools (Angel, 2018; Kuntze et
al., 2019). Angel (2018) and Kuntze et al. (2019) shared the same views that online
learning using different devices, could enhance financial literacy. Therefore,
MOOCs, together with words and videos, are the most suitable platform from
which to implement financial literacy.
The main contribution of the current study to the practical gap, is to help pre-
service teachers to acquire important skills, such as collaborative skills, and to
incorporate financial literacy into their lessons through practical activities. In
addition, this study has also contributed to the literature on Economics education
that focuses on community pre-service teachers. Despite the lack of financial
literacy among young adults, there has also been a lack of research that could
improve financial knowledge and promote financial awareness among pre-
service teachers. The population of pre-service teachers concerning the
effectiveness of financial literacy through digital platforms is the significant result
of this study.
2. Objective
This paper aimed to answer the following research objectives:
1. To explore the effectiveness of MOOC in promoting financial literacy among
pre-service teachers.

21
2. To investigate the correlation among financial-literacy variables, collaborative
skills, accountability, problem-solving skills and decision-making.
3. To examine pre-service teachers' views on financial literacy after attending the
MOOC.
3. The Literature review
3.1 The Conceptual Framework
This study is based on Mayer's Multimedia Learning Theory. In Mayer's
Multimedia Learning Theory, the student engages in five important cognitive
processes. Mayer (2014) stated that meaningful learning from words and pictures
occurs, when the learner engages in five cognitive processes, which are:
1. Choosing the relevant words for processing in verbal-working memory;
2. Selecting relevant images for processing in visual-working memory;
3. Organizing the selected words into a verbal model;
4. Organizing selected images into a pictorial model; and
5. Integrating the verbal and pictorial representations with prior knowledge.
These cognitive processes determine what information is to be drawn upon in the
working memory, when knowledge is retrieved from one’s long-term memory and
integrated with new information, in order to construct new knowledge. The new
knowledge in the working memory will be relocated and transferred to long-term
memory through the process of encoding (Mayer, 2014). Refer to Figure 1. MOOCs
have met the criteria of Multimedia Learning; since they are colorful, animated
pictures and can transform words into pictures. Furthermore, students can cope with
the knowledge of financial literacy by utilising their tacit knowledge.
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework: Mayer Multimedia Learning Theory
3.2 Learning with MOOCs
Learners worldwide have benefitted from MOOCs (Sidek et al., 2019; Gabaree et
al., 2020;). During the Covid-19 pandemic, learners were able to evaluate their
courses at home. Consequently, MOOCs were elevated as a new teaching method
that overcame the limits of traditional teaching platforms, by allowing students to
learn from any place and at any time (Wang, 2021). Learners invariably benefit
from observing videos or by reading lecture notes online. This is a type of remote
learning that enables students to learn outside the physical classroom. As a result,
Long-Term
Memory
Sensory
Memory
Multimedia
Presentation
Pictures
Ears Sound
Pictoral
Mode
Verbal
Mode
Prior
Knowledge
Working Memory
Selecting
Words
Selecting
Images
Organizing
Words
Organizing
Images
Integrating
Words
Eyes Images

22
MOOCs are created under the open-concept or open-education umbrella
(Quiliano Terreros et al., 2009). This platform has demonstrated that it supports
lifelong learning, in acquiring key knowledge and skills and the much-needed
life-skill interactions with peers and live-project exposure (Sonwalkar &
Maheshkar, 2015).
Researchers have identified the key approaches to incorporate MOOCs into
classroom lesson plans and schemes of work, including explicitly defining the
content, selecting material and subjects, specifying the MOOC and its range, and
ensuring that the scope of the MOOC is easily accessible to learners. Additional
strategies, such as learning aim, objectives, teaching activities, and assessment, are
also central in the preplanning and in delivering effective lessons (de Jong et al.,
2019).
MOOCs grades, behavioral (Phan et al., 2016) outcomes and social engagement
were found to have favorable connections (Gillani & Eynon, 2014; Torres & Beier,
2018). According to these studies, educators and learning designers are
encouraged to include learning activities in MOOCs relevant to career demands,
in order to increase learners' extrinsic motivations (Deng et al., 2020). In this
report, the researchers also said that learners' engagement might be further
stimulated by cognitively engaging the course and by inserting suitable formative
assessment into such tasks. The length of MOOCs should likewise be kept to a
minimum, in order to maintain pupils’ attention. As with all online programmes,
the most challenging aspect of MOOCs is student dropout. Students would
invariably leave the course if they become demotivated; and if they fail to manage
their time effectively. To compensate for this, MOOCs should last between 1 and
16 weeks. However, the MOOCs’ inventor strongly suggests that programmes
should last no longer than seven weeks.
Various studies reported that financial literacy could be effectively enhanced
through online learning (Kalmi, 2017). All previous studies suggested that using
digital tools, such as videos or games, could effectively enhance students' financial
literacy. Additional studies also revealed that videos, or other digital tools, could
effectively improve financial knowledge, whether in college or in high school
(Zhu, 2019; Popovich et al., 2020). MOOCs with multimedia, in line with the
conceptual framework of this research, were selected as being the most suitable
platform for promoting financial literacy in this paper.
4. Methodology
4.1 Research Design
A mixed-methods research design was used in this study. A survey design was
used in quantitative research; whereas, in qualitative research, an interview was
used. The researchers selected the mixed-method research method; since they felt
a need to comprehend this topic throughout various research phases, and as part
of the validation process (Creswell & Clark, 2017).

23
4.2 Population and Sampling technique
The target population of this study is 100 pre-service Economics teachers in
Peninsular Malaysia. Consequently, a total of 100 pre-service teachers, majoring
or minoring in Economics, were selected as quantitative samples. Each sample
selected was between the ages of 20 and 21. A random sampling procedure was
used to select the respondents. The target respondents were represented with a
code number, and the selection was based on the randomly generated number by
using Microsoft Excel.
A method known as purposive sampling was employed for the interviewed
respondents. Five teacher candidates were also chosen for a follow-up interview.
The goal of the follow-up interview was to ensure the triangulation of the data.
The participants were selected on the basis of their daily expenditure. Although
gender was not considered in this study, two boys and three girls were selected
to participate in the interview.
4.3 Instrument
The principal researcher created a 50-item closed-ended questionnaire, with five
Likert scales, which were then checked by professionals: Financial literacy,
collaborative skills, accountability, problem-solving, and decision-making were
the five main components of this set of questionnaires. There were ten questions
in each section. The questionnaire's reliability was tested in a pilot study with 53
pre-service teachers; while a group of information-technology experts tested the
MOOC platform's functionality. All the items in this survey were found to be
reliable and acceptable, with a value of 0.70 or above (Sekaran & Bougie, 2010);
because the questionnaire's Cronbach Alpha was 0.832. The pre-service teachers
were given an online assessment with 20 questions regarding financial literacy, in
order to test their content understanding.
4.4 The Research Procedure
All of the pre-service teachers attended a six-week MOOC course. During hands-
on activities, the candidates were divided into 25 groups of four each. This
learning activity should improve their collaborative learning via peer dialogue
and debate.
The following was the schedule for the six-week course:
All pre-service teachers were required to attend a two-week course on
understanding fundamental financial literacy for the first two weeks. The pre-
service teachers progressed to learning how to incorporate financial literacy into
their lessons. Financial planning was also taught to the pre-service teachers. On
week three, the pre-service teachers were asked to choose a secondary school
economics sub-topic and to construct teaching activities relevant to financial
literacy. From weeks three to week six, the researchers peer-shared videos that
they had produced.
The pre-service teachers were responsible for designing teaching aids, based on
their lesson plan in week four. Pre-service teachers could construct a game on
conserving money and knowledge about trust and bonding for money and
banking. They evaluated their peers' work from different groups and provided

24
constructive feedback and remarks in week five. During the final unit of week six,
the pre-service teachers were required to prepare a short case relating to their
daily life, together with a financial literacy component. During this week, pre-
service teachers were required to complete an online quiz and a questionnaire
regarding financial literacy. Finally, five pre-service teachers, from various
groups, were selected to participate in the interview in week seven.
The five pre-service teachers were all third-year students at a public university.
Three females and two males were selected as interviewees. They all participated
in the MOOC as self-directed learners, devoting at least one hour every week to
the course. Although they were from various groups, they all completed and
submitted the tasks on time.
4.5 The Data-Collection Method
After watching all of the video clips, the questionnaires were handed out in
person, and the data were collected anonymously by using a code-number
system. This study was also conducted prior to the global pandemic; and it was
modelled on a real-life classroom scenario.
Five pre-service teachers were chosen to attend the interview session separately,
and each session lasted about 30 minutes. With the permission of the pre-service
teachers, the interviews were recorded. The following were the open-ended
interview questions:
• How do you incorporate financial literacy into teaching?
• Do you feel that your collaborative skills have improved after attending
MOOC?
• Could you understand the importance of accountability in financial
literacy?
• Could you tell me about the problem-solving skill that you learnt, after
attending the course?
• Do you agree that decision-making is an essential skill in financial literacy?
And if so, why?
4.6 The Data Analysis
The quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.
The five main components of the questionnaire were used to compare the mean
score; and a t-test was used to determine the significant difference after
implementing MOOC among the pre-service teachers. An unstandardized
coefficient model was developed to calculate the coefficient. The Pearson
correlation was also employed, in order to check the relationship among the
variables. SPSS version 23 was used to compute the data.
The qualitative data were then analyzed via content analysis. Content analysis
techniques were used to interpret the transcripts of each subject, both explicitly
and implicitly throughout the analytical process (Krippendorff, 2019). It
commenced with the process of making transcriptions for five interviews, after
the completion of three interview sessions. According to Miles and Huberman
(2019), the data that were collected from the interviews should be systematically
compiled after transcriptions had been made. The interview recording was

25
listened to several times, in order to ensure the comprehension thereof; and then
the data were stored electronically.
5. The Results
5.1 To examine the effectiveness of MOOC for promoting financial literacy
among pre-service teachers
The survey results were examined and summarized in Table 1. According to the
questionnaire summary, the subscales of the surveys were financial literacy,
collaborative skills, accountability, problem-solving, and decision-making. The
highest average mean score for ten categories was problem-solving (M=3.80,
SD=.776), followed by financial knowledge (M=3.75, SD=0.772). Accountability
received the lowest mean score (M=3.41, SD=0.934).
Table 1: Summary of the Questionnaire on MOOC
Sub-scale Item Average Mean Score S.D
Financial Knowledge 10 3.75 0.772
Collaborative Skills 10 3.36 1.033
Accountability 10 3.41 0.934
Problem Solving 10 3.80 0.776
Decision-Making 10 3.52 0.846
The results in Table 2 revealed that both the standardized and the unstandardized
beta coefficients were significant. The value of the unstandardized coefficients
was 69.238 (SD=6.837), and the t value was 10.097 (p<0.05). On the other hand, the
standardized coefficients showed a value of 0.073 with a t value of 0.721 (p<0.05).
According to the unstandardized coefficient, increases in the financial literacy of
one unit should boost students' use of MOOC. The variance in financial literacy is
examined through the semi-partial correlation = 20% (0.4522). The Tolerance value
is 0.751,which higher than 0.63 (1- R2), which showed that there could not be any
multi-collinearity.
Table 2: Coefficients
* significant at p < .05
DV: Financial literacy
Adjusted R2 = .37
5.2 To investigate the correlation among the variables of financial literacy,
collaborative skills, accountability, problem-solving and decision-making
The results of the Pearson correlation are shown in Table 3. There were ten
different correlations, which means that ten coefficients were statistically
significant. Financial literacy was significantly correlated with collaborative skills,
r = 0.118 (p < 0.05). In addition, financial literacy also correlated with
accountability significant, r = 0.216 (p < 0.05). In addition, financial literacy
Model Unstandardized
Coefficients
Standardized
Coefficients
t Sig. Correlations Collinearity
Statistic
Β Std.
error
Beta Zero-
order
Partial Part Tolerance VIF
Constant 69.238 6.857 10.097 0.00
0.478 0.45 0.37 0.751 1.315
MOOC 0.067 0.093 0.073 0.72 0.00

26
correlated with decision-making, r= 0.227 (p < 0.001) and problem-solving r = -
0.240 (p > 0.001).
On the other hand, collaborative skill was significantly correlated with all the
variables. For example, collaborative skills correlated with accountability, with r
= 0.288 (p < 0.001), problem-solving with r = 0.202 (p < 0.001), decision-making
with r = 0.346 (p < .001). Accountability was correlated with all the variables, such
as problem-solving with r = 0.369 (p <0.001), accountability with r = 0.327 (p
<0.001) and decision-making r = 0.494, (p <0. 001).
Table 3. Pearson Correlations among the variables
Correlations
Financial
literacy
Collaborative
skills
Accountability Problem
Solving
Decision
Making
Financial
literacy
Pearson
Correlation
1 0.118* 0.216** -0.240** 0.227**
Sig. (2-tailed) 0.018 0.000 0.427 0.000
N 100 100 100 100 100
Collaborative
skills
Pearson
Correlation
0.118* 1 0.288** 0.202** 0.346**
Sig. (2-tailed) 0.018 0.000 0.000 0.000
N 100 100 100 100 100
Accountability
Pearson
Correlation
0.216* 0.288** 1 0.369** 0.494**
Sig. (2-tailed) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
N 100 100 100 100 100
Problem
Solving
Pearson
Correlation
-0.040 0.202** 0.369** 1 0.327**
Sig. (2-tailed) -0.240** 0.000 0.000 0.000
N 100 100 100 100 100
Decision
Making
Pearson
Correlation
.227** .346** .494** .327** 1
Sig. (2-tailed) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
N 100 100 100 100 100
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
5.3 Pre-service teachers' views after attending MOOC
A total of five pre-service teachers attended the interview. To protect their
identities, they used pseudonyms. Their opinions on financial literacy,
collaboration, accountability, problem-solving, and decision-making were polled.
All of these enquiries were related to the questionnaires.
5.3.1 Financial literacy
Eighty per cent of the participants said that they strongly believed their financial-
literacy understanding had improved, and that they could incorporate the lessons'
skills. They were well-versed in how to instil financial literacy in students; and
they had created appropriate teaching aids. When asked how to incorporate
financial literacy into teaching, these individuals said:

27
"… select a suitable topic, like demand and supply, by using a video clip." (Male
1)
"… I would start with a story; and I would then give the class a problem-solving
task." (Female 2)
"… set an online platform, with an element of financial literacy, and then allow
students to have self-directed learning." (Female 3)
This cohort of pre-service teachers had mastered many skills through MOOC; and
they expressed their enthusiasm for MOOC learning. They had also gained
financial knowledge through the platform (Deng & Benckendorf, 2021). Pre-
service teachers created teaching aids, shared their ideas with their colleagues,
and commented on their peers' work.
5.3.2 Collaborative Skills
During group discussions, one can always improve collaborative skills. MOOC
provides a venue for pre-service teachers to learn and share. To finish the
assignment, they had to work together. Each of the participants has a certain role
to play, based on the work at hand. Each week, the group leaders were rotated
among the pre-service teachers. The job had to be distributed equitably among the
pre-service teachers by the leaders (Duret et al., 2019). For example, during a
session of creating teaching aids, one person would prepare the video's storyline
and script, two members would prepare the video, and a third member would get
the task of editing the video. The successful completion relied heavily on team
collaboration. When asked whether they had developed collaborative skills after
attending the MOOC, they expressed their delight; and they noted that they each
had contributed something:
"… I did my work, according to our leader's instruction, and I completed
my task within the allocated timeframe. We learnt how to help each other
every week, and we learnt from each other too. Everybody acquired
different strengths." (Female 1)
Aside from collaborative abilities, pre-service teachers were accountable for their
work. As a result, responsibility is a necessary skill in the teaching profession. It
also has a significant impact on financial literacy.
5.3.3 Accountability
Accountability is an important element in financial literacy (Rakow, 2019). All the
pre-service teachers agreed that they understood the importance of accountability
in financial literacy. They also practised it when they had completed the task given
during MOOC learning. They learnt the meaning of accountability in financial
literacy through the weekly videos provided. Some of them tried to incorporate
the value of accountability, when designing the teaching aids.
"… I put the value of accountability into my teaching aid. I made a music
video related to financial literacy for the chapter on money and banking;
then I incorporatedl this value." (Male 2)
All of the pre-service teachers agreed that accountability in financial literacy is an
important element. They practised it as well; since they completed the MOOC
learning activity. Through the weekly videos, they learned about the need for

28
accountability in financial literacy. When creating instructional tools, some of the
pre-service teachers attempted to incorporate the concept of accountability.
5.3.4 Problem-solving
One of the pre-service teachers provided a proactive problem-solving example.
During the MOOC, she used a case study, as a teaching tool. She asked the
students to assume the scenario that they were alone, without savings or
investments. The scenario included the visualization of their payday, in which a
snatch robber took their handbag/wallet. Meanwhile, they had to imagine that
they had received a call from their hometown, informing them that their mother
was gravely ill, and required financial assistance. The question that was posted
among pre-service teachers was: 'What are your options for resolving this issue?'
"… I try to figure out the suitable situation for high-school students who
had just started to learn financial literacy. I made the question a little
trickier; and I let them think that I had set a few learning activities for me
to incorporate into the lessons during my teaching practicum." (Female
1)
Other pre-service teachers provided a good example of problem-solving, too. The
activities that the pre-service teachers devised could be used during their
practicum. By doing so, the pre-service teachers gained further insights and
content knowledge through practical exposure and case-study analysis (Wright et
al., 2017).
5.3.5 Decision-Making
The comments of the pre-service teachers suggested that one of the components
they had to acquire in financial literacy and collaborative work in MOOC was
decision-making. They all agreed that financial literacy requires good decision-
making skills. Decision-making is an essential skill in financial literacy
(Sonwalker & Maheshkar, 2015). They also expressed their opinions on the
necessity of deciding to complete the work. For example, they chose their lesson
plan or learning activities and the teaching aids they created were based on
mutual agreement and decision-making. In order to meet the requirements of
incorporating financial literacy into lessons, they had to decide on a topic, what
materials to use as teaching aids, and what learning activities to implement.
"… I kept on discussing matters with my members, when I was the leader
of the group. I cannot decide on my own; I have to consider all their
abilities and strengths. Some of them are good in making videos, but
others are good in animation or singing." (Male 2)
6. Discussion
The effectiveness of MOOC in increasing financial literacy was investigated in this
study. In descriptive statistics, the quantitative results demonstrated positive
results for financial literacy. they showed a medium-high average, ranging from
3.41 to 3.80, because the MOOC was implemented in a short duration. On a short-
term basis, the influence of learning, particularly value, could not be seen.
However, in terms of regression, the results were significant (t value 10.097)
(p<0.05) for an unstandardized model and a t value of 0.721 (p<.05) for a
standardized model.

29
The Pearson coefficient revealed a correlation for financial literacy. The results
showed that financial literacy was statistically related to collaborative skills,
accountability, problem-solving, and decision-making. The results are consistent
with the literature review of Bakar and Bakar (2020) and Compen et al. (2020). It
was discovered that financial literacy might well be improved through MOOCs
and digital learning. MOOC is a learning platform that allows learners to learn
from professionals worldwide, and thereby go enhance their abilities (Clark et al.,
2017). In Mayer’s Learning Theory, students could learn new knowledge better by
combining words and pictures, for example, videos in MOOC.
The qualitative results revealed that MOOC could improve collaboration skills,
problem-solving skills, accountability, and decision-making skills. Previous
research had found that online or blended learning improves collaborative skills
(Compen et al., 2020). Studies also reported that online learning is able to enhance
problem-solving (Yeen-Ju et al., 2015). On the other hand, online learning also
promotes accountability (Pulukuri & Abrams, 2020), as well as the decision-
making ability of learners (Galvis, 2018; Compen et al., 2020).
During the course, pre-service teachers were required to create videos, in order to
obtain practical experience and to learn how to include financial literacy into the
curriculum. The videos were created by pre-service teachers; and they included
technology, animation, and problem-solving activities. These videos serve as a
wake-up call for students interested in learning about financial literacy. Pre-
service teachers also chose a problem that was relevant to their students' daily
lives. These qualitative results supported the conclusions of Kuntze et al. (2019)
that videos are an effective online method for delivering financial literacy
knowledge outside the classroom, and for reinforcing it.
Additionally, videos can be used as post-class reinforcement tools for increasing
students' learning interest, allowing them to study more interactively (Pulukuri &
Abram, 2020). The MOOC course also provided a forum for pre-service teachers
to socialize, share ideas, and engage in practical exercises. When pre-service
teachers were involved in the learning process, they developed a positive outlook
(Gurvitch & Lund, 2014). This mindset should benefit them in both their
behaviour and in their future teaching. This finding is consistent with the research
of Amagir et al. (2019).
In addition, previous research mentioned that ICT significantly benefits learners
(Gaboy et al., 2020), especially in financial literacy (Lusardi et al., 2015), which is
similar to the results found in this study. Both studies also mentioned visual tools;
videos that can enhance financial literacy more interactively. In addition, with the
assistance of fingertip technology, students can learn anywhere and at any time
(Shah et al., 2019). Moreover, universities can engage with schools and invite
students to engage in their learning platforms with the assistance of mobile phone
technology (Che Kob et al., 2020).
Furthermore, previous research has found that ICT benefits learners (Gaboy et al.,
2020), particularly in financial literacy (Amagir et al., 2019), which is consistent

30
with the results of this study. Both types of research addressed visual aids, as well
as videos that can help people to learn more about money. Furthermore, students
can learn anywhere and at any time, by using finger-tip technology (Shah et al.,
2019). With the advancement of mobile phone technology, universities may
engage with schools and ask students to participate in their learning platforms
(Che Kob et al., 2020).
The use of mobile phone technology might be a solution for teachers who claim
that they do not have enough time to incorporate financial literacy into the
curriculum because it explores a learning platform that allows self-directed
learning beyond the classroom.
7. Limitations
The following were some noticeable limitations in this study:
Firstly, the samples of this study were restricted to pre-service teachers from
major or minor economics only. Pre-service teachers from other courses were not
included in this study. Therefore, studies should be conducted among different
courses before any generalizations of financial literacy can be made. Secondly, in-
service teachers were excluded from this study. This scenario has limited the
results regarding the generalization of the efficacy of financial literacy for
MOOCs.
8. Future Research
Pre-service teachers should produce and share projects on various topics about
financial literacy across the curricula in various subjects when using MOOCs. A
possible issue to investigate the incorporation of financial literacy in different
subjects, such as Accounting and Business Management will probably become the
future research direction. Financial planning is another future research direction;
since this issue is only a small segment of the current research. In future research,
the researchers can consider doing in-depth financial literacy training for pre-
service and in-service teachers in terms of investment and possible retirement
plans.
9. Recommendations
From the results, we would like to make some recommendations that might be
useful to educators and researchers. These engagements were divided into two
categories: course design and participation engagement.
• Course design
Course design is an essential aspect of attracting and retaining
participants. A robust course considering the students to get the basic
knowledge and make the students learn with pleasure would result in a
better success percentage. The course content could consider elements
related to students' prior knowledge, whereas learning activities can
design familiar activities. When educators design any courses related to
financial literacy, learning activities such as videos, quizzes, and games
could be a good choice for initial learning.
• Participants’ engagement in participation

31
To make the course successful, one should try to include as many
activities as possible that need to be implemented in the participation.
Hand-on activities are one way to let students engage in the learning
activities; for example, students can work in a group to produce a video
related to financial literacy. Teachers' lively teaching approach, or group
activities coulc also attract students' participation. Students could gain
basic financial knowledge through a platform that attracts their interest.
Another option is to send a notification or a push button to participants
to inform them of the task's deadline.
10. Conclusion
In this study, pre-service teachers were exposed to various events that put them
in perspective and inspired them to be innovative in teaching their students'
financial-planning skills and principles. Alternatively, financial planning is a vital
part of children's discipline, which ought to be instilled. This study researched the
various approaches to teach pre-service teachers how to instil supportive ideals
in their students to become responsible for themselves. The positive results of this
study are encouraging, given the literature review related to financial literacy
related to collaborative skills, accountability, problem-solving and decision-
making. The mentioned skills are transferable skills that are needed to enhance
financial literacy. From the results, the study suggests that MOOC coulc promote
financial literacy among pre-service teachers effectively. Therefore, educators and
researchers could provide more online learning opportunities that combine
financial literacy in Economics, Accounting, Mathematics, or even in languages.
Personal finance is rarely discussed at school or at home; educators should seize
the opportunity to teach the future generation the importance thereof. We
are assisting parents in protecting the future of their children by shaping
the next generation.
Acknowledgement
This research has been carried out under the Fundamental Research Grants
Scheme (FRGS/1/2019/SS08/UPSI/02/3) provided by the Ministry of Education
of Malaysia. The authors would like to extend their gratitude to Universiti
Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), that helped to manage the grant. The authors also
would like to thank Vasiliki Kondou Watson for editing in this paper.
11. References
Angel, S. (2018). Smart tools? A randomized controlled trial on the impact of three
different media tools on personal finance. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental
Economics, 74, 104-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socec.2018.04.002
Amagir, A., Groot, W., Brink, H. M. V. D., & Wilschut, A. (2019). SaveWise: the design of
a financial education program in the Netherlands. Citizenship Social & Economics
Education, 18(2), 100-120. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047173419870053
Bakar, M. Z. A., & Bakar, S. A. (2020). Prudent financial management practices among
Malaysian Youth: The moderating roles of financial education. The Journal of Asian
Finance, Economics and Business, 7(6), 525-535.
http://doi.org/10.13106/jafeb.2020.vol7.no6.525

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