BUKU ABSTRAK - Universiti Putra Malaysia

Science, Technology & Engineering
A Method for Mass Producing of High-purity Graphitic Carbon NanoSphere
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Robiah Yunus
Mahta Sadegh Vishkaei, Mohamad Amran Mohd. Salleh and Dayang Radhiah Awang Biak
Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
+603-8946 6266; robiah@eng.upm.edu.my
A low cost method of producing graphitic carbon nanosphere (GCNS) in large quantities and low temperature
is revealed. The present invention illustrates the improved synthesis of carbon nanostructure by a fixed bed CVD
procedure. From the typical concentrations of gaseous species in the stainless steel vertical reactor, hydrocarbon
circumstance including C2H2 and nanoparticle of iron oxide can be the precursors for the formation of GCNS in
the CVD chamber.
Keywords: Onion type of carbon nanoparticles graphitic carbon nanospheres
Models of Students’ Mathematical Beliefs, Self-regulated Learning and Thinking
Skills on Mathematics Ability of Malaysian University Students
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rohani Ahmad Tarmizi
Velo Suthar, Habshah Midi and Mohd. Bakri Adam
Institute of Mathematical Research, University Putra Malaysia,
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
+603-8946 6889; rht@educ.upm.edu.my
The Malaysian history shows that the first wheel of science and mathematics education began to turn in
1823, when the scientific department was established to teach astronomy, mechanics and botany in Malaya.
Today, Malaysia can boast as an industrialised country which has emphasised on quality science and mathematics
education in order to ensure that the Malaysian society is well prepared to face the challenges of being a
developed nation. Mathematics has been accepted as an instrumental body of knowledge in the development of
science and technology. Concurrently, the nation’s science, technology and mathematics education has undergone
complex and comprehensive changes considering the aspirations and challenges of Vision 2020 and the National
Education Philosophy. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of students’ mathematical beliefs, selfregulated
learning (SRL) and thinking skills on mathematics ability of Malaysian undergraduate mathematics
students using prediction models. A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess students’ mathematical beliefs,
SRL and thinking skills. Logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of students’ mathematical beliefs,
SRL and thinking skills on the likelihood that respondents have high or low mathematics ability. The complete
model containing all predictors was statistically significant, chi-square (15, N= 473) = 287.55, p = .000 indicating
that the model was able to distinguish between respondents of high or low mathematical ability. The model as
a whole explained between 45.6% (Cox and Snell R square) and 64.5% (Nagelkerke R squared) of the variance
in undergraduate students’ mathematical ability. This model also correctly classified 85.4% of the cases. Overall
analysis indicated that eight independent variables made a unique statistically significant contribution to the
model at 5% level of significance. The strongest predictor of mathematical ability was critical thinking, recording
an odd ratio of 5.91.
Keywords: Mathematical beliefs, self-regulated learning, mathematics ability, survey data
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