BACKGROUND

The Department of Foundations of Education is one of six departments that were established when the Faculty of Educational Studies was restructured in 2002. The mission of the department is to be a world class center of knowledge and learning that contributes to human advancement in the field of education. Its objective is to produce graduates who excel in their fields, to conduct quality research and to provide professional services in the field of education.

TEACHING

Bacelor Degree Courses
This department does not offer Bachelor Degree programmes but rather various core courses in education as well as teaching electives for the Bachelor's degree. These courses are as follows:

• Philosophy of Education
• Sociology of Education
• Educational Psychology
• Educational Technology
• Testing and Evaluation
• Educational Research
• Educational Leadership
• Thinking Skills
• Teaching Practice in the Major and Second Option Fields

Teaching Electives are as follows:

• Introduction to Philosophy
• Special Education
• Psychology of Learning
• Child and Adolescent Psychology
• Introduction to Multi Cultural Education
• Educational Innovation
• Data Analysis
• Educational Management
• Curriculum Theory and Practice
• Learning Strategies

Besides the teaching and learning facilities provided by the faculty, the department has two (2) Educational Technology Laboratories and two Micro Teaching Laboratories.

Graduate Programme
The Department of Foundations of Education offer Master of Science, Master of Education and Doctoral degrees in the fields:

• Pedagogy
• Sociology of Education
• Psychology of Education
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Technology
• Educational Administation

RESEARCH

Lecturers in the department are actively involved in research projects in the field of education. These projects are conducted with funding from various national and international agencies.

Among research projects that have been completed or are being conducted include Policy and Opportunities of At-Risk Children; Diagnosis of the Acquisition of Basic Competencies among Children; Teacher Beliefs and Skills Knowledge; Compatibility between Teacher Beliefs and Practice; Teacher Efficacy; Evaluation of the Management System of Bestari Schools; Evaluation of the NILAM Programme; Effectiveness of the Remedical Class Programme; Enhancing Mathematics Learning for Lower Secondary School Students Using Multimedia Mathematics Courseware; Design and Development of Learning and Research Math Lab; Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning in Malaysian Secondary Schools; Work Motivation of Educational Technology Division and Networks Staff, Ministry of Education; Development of an Interactive Web-Based Learning Environment for Enhancing University Students' Learning in genearal Chemistry; and Development of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Environment in an Educational Technology Course.

Lecturers have also contributed many articles to journals and academic texts for higher institutions. Among the international journals that have published articles written by academic staff of the department include the Journal of Teacher Education, Journal of the Southern Psychologist, The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, International Journal of Learning, International Journal of Leadership Education, Malaysian Online Journal of Instructional Technology, and British Journal of Edcuational Technology.

CONSULTANCY AND EXTENSION SERVICES

The Department of Foundations of Education provides consultancy and extension services; conducts courses, workshop and seminars; as well as publishes texts and articles in the field of education at the national and international levels. Among the agencies that have received services from the department include the Curriculum Development Centre, Teacher Education Division, Educational Technology Division, Technical Education Division, Matriculation Division, Text Book Beaureau, Examination Syndicate, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Ministry of Education, KEMAS, JAKIM, private colleges, LPPKN, YPEIM, PETRONAS University of Technology, UNICEF and UNESCO.

For further information, please contact:

Head
The Department of Foundations of Education
Faculty of Educational Studies
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor D.E.
Tel: 603-89467908 Fax: 603-89468246
Email: mnawawi@putra.upm.edu.my , kjap@putra.upm.edu.my