For our second professional sharing session, Dr. TamilSelvan Ramis (Selvan) shared with MEPS members about the importance of fostering positive emotions specifically within teaching and learning contexts. He explained how joy, interest, awe, and love can help enable learners to navigate the learning process with greater ease by having a sense of belonging, and he also shared practical strategies for eliciting these positive emotions in educational settings. Additionally, Dr. Selvan introduced his recently published e-book, "Positive Emotions in Teaching and Learning," and shared some insights from his self-publishing journey.

Speaker Profile:

Dr. TamilSelvan Ramis serves as the Chief Design Officer (CDO) of Ideavit and is an HRDC-accredited trainer, educational psychologist, education consultant, and psychology lecturer. His impressive academic credentials include a PhD in Educational Psychology from Universiti Malaya (UM), a PGCert in Higher Education Practice (Distinction) from Sunway University, an MEd in Educational Psychology from UM, and a BA (Hons – Class 1) in Psychology from the University of British Columbia. As a Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA), Dr. Selvan is deeply committed to transformative teaching and learning, with more than a decade of experience teaching across various educational levels.

For our first session of this year, we explored various myths about teaching and learning and how educational psychologists can critically evaluate research claims and distinguish evidence-based practices from those lacking substantive support. To facilitate our discussion, we reflected on Dr. Daniel Willingham's webinar on "Truthiness" in Educational Psychology" which is available on YouTube. 

The discussion highlighted how easily misleading or oversimplified claims can gain traction, emphasising our responsibility as educational psychology practitioners to scrutinise methodologies and consider contextual factors. While many thought-provoking questions were raised and remained unanswered, the session has inspired us to explore those questions and continue the conversation about evidence-based practices in our field.

Once again, thank you to everyone who participated in this engaging session! We look forward to continuing these important conversations throughout the year and having you to join us in our upcoming professional sharing series!

The Malaysia Educational Psychology Society (MEPS) successfully conducted its Annual General Meeting on 21st January 2025, welcoming a new Executive Committee who will lead us through the next two years. We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter with a dynamic team committed to advancing educational psychology in Malaysia. 

Read more about our committee members here!

The Sektor Pendidikan Khas, Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sembilan (JPNS) conducted a specialised training session for members of the Malaysia Educational Psychology Society (MEPS) on the screening process for identifying students requiring special needs support. The training focused on equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to assess students effectively and determine their eligibility for special needs programmes and classes. Key topics included understanding the screening criteria, administering appropriate tools and assessments, recognising early indicators of special needs, and interpreting results accurately. This initiative aimed to enhance the capacity of MEPS members to support the early identification and placement of students in suitable educational settings.

We welcome new members to join our growing community of mental health advocates - your involvement will further strengthen our capacity to support students in need whilst gaining valuable professional experience in psychological assessment.

We couldn't think of a better way to end the year than spending a wonderful afternoon with our amazing MEPS family! Looking back, 2024 has been quite the journey and we watched our community grow in ways we couldn't have imagined. 

As we get ready to welcome 2025, we're bubbling with excitement about the fresh possibilities ahead. New projects, innovative ideas, and more opportunities to make a difference - we can't wait to embark on this next chapter with all of you!

Thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Here's to making 2025 even more remarkable! 🌟

In this 6th MEPS Professional Sharing Series, Ms. Chin Mei Shi shared her expertise on recognising and understanding early signs of behavioural challenges in children. Throughout the session, participants explored the subtle indicators that often precede more significant behavioural concerns. Ms. Chin emphasised the importance of early intervention, sharing evidence-based strategies for recognising key warning signs, such as changes in social interaction patterns, emotional regulation difficulties, and variations in daily routines. 

The interactive format encouraged meaningful dialogue amongst participants, who shared their own experiences and challenges in supporting children with behavioural needs. Ms. Chin addressed specific scenarios raised by attendees, providing tailored guidance that reflected both current research and practical wisdom from her years of experience in the field. Feedback from attendees highlighted the session's practical value, with many noting how the strategies discussed could be immediately implemented in their professional practice. 

2024 marks the second year of the collaboration between MEPS and Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Selangor for the meaningful Program Saringan Penentuan MBPK - PROSPER Programme!

Once again, it was an enriching experience for our members to contribute their psychoeducational assessment skills whilst supporting the identification of over 800 special educational needs students in the public school system.

We look forward to future collaborations again to support the educational and psychological growth of students in Malaysia!

In this 5th MEPS Professional Sharing Series, Dr. Nur Amali Aminnuddin from Universiti Brunei Darussalam shared how social media platforms, specifically X and its advertising services, can be leveraged for large-scale data collection in the disciplines of psychology and others.

Key highlights from the session:

• Social media platforms offer both advantages and limitations as research data collection tools

• Online participant recruitment can yield reliable, high-quality data when properly executed

• Large-scale data collection efforts benefit significantly from collaborative partnerships

Dr. Amali also welcomes collaboration inquiries from interested researchers on his ongoing projects. Those interested in potential collaboration may contact him directly. 

On 8 October 2024, MEPS held a general meeting, bringing together members to reflect on our achievements and plan for the future. The virtual gathering, hosted via Zoom, has witnessed a large attendance and engagement from our diverse membership.

Some of the key highlights from the meeting include:

• 2024 Committee Introduction: The meeting kicked off with a formal introduction of the 2024 MEPS committee. Members had the opportunity to meet the individuals steering our organization and learn about their roles and visions.
  
  

• Reflection on Past Activities: We took a journey through MEPS's recent history, celebrating our successes and learning from our challenges. Notable events and initiatives from the past year were highlighted, showcasing the impact of our collective efforts.
  
  

• Future Directions: The committee presented an outline of MEPS's strategic goals for the coming year. This sparked a lively discussion on potential new initiatives, partnerships, and areas of focus.
  
  

• Member Insights: One of the most valuable portions of the meeting was hearing directly from our members. Attendees shared their ideas, concerns, and aspirations for MEPS, providing crucial input that will shape our future plans.
  
  

The insights and discussions from this General Meeting will be instrumental in guiding MEPS's activities and focus areas in the coming months. The committee has committed to reviewing all suggestions and incorporating member feedback into our strategic planning.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all members who attended and contributed to this important event. Your engagement and passion for MEPS continue to be the driving force behind our organization's success.

In this 4th MEPS Professional Sharing Series, we ventured into the world of dyslexia assessment with two speakers who are also part of the current MEPS Committee:
👨‍🏫 Mr. Chean Khai Teow

 👩‍🏫 Ms. Lee Yik Peng

Our speakers shared their valuable experiences in:

✅ Receiving training as Certified Dyslexia Assessors from Brainbow USM Spin-off 

✅ Using the MyBacaUji© assessment tool

Key highlights from the session:

🔍 Introduction to the creators behind MyBacaUji©

 🇲🇾 Importance of developing tools specifically for the Malaysian context

🧠 Detailed walkthrough of the certification training process

📊 Insights into the requirements for becoming a Certified Dyslexia Assessor with MyBacaUji©

The session ended with a very engaging discussion with the audience who are inspired to learn more about the tool and other assessments available in Malaysia. With this in mind, MEPS is working towards organising more sharing sessions focusing on various assessment tools. We'd love to see more members join us for these insightful sessions in the future!

On August 15, 2024, MEPS and ABRIR joined forces to offer a free workshop on Open Science and Big-Team Science. The event was open to everyone, attracting students, lecturers, and researchers interested in research collaboration. 

The workshop was conducted by Dr. Brendan Ch'ng, who shared insights on how engaging with Open Science and Big-Team Science practices could help increase Malaysian researchers' visibility in the fields of psychology and education. The workshop provided opportunities for attendees to discuss ideas on how they would like to participate in big-team science projects. The event was well-received, fostering a collaborative atmosphere and encouraging open dialogue among professionals and aspiring researchers in the field.

For those who missed the live session or wish to revisit the content, a recording of the workshop is available on our YouTube channel. We also encourage interested individuals to check out the workshop's resources to benefit from the valuable discussions and insights shared during the event. 

In this 3rd MEPS Professional Sharing Series, Dr. Brendan Ch’ng introduced the world of Open Science and Big-team Science. The session focused on how Open Science practices play a crucial role in enhancing psychological research as well as its relevance for students, educators, and researchers. In addition, the session talked about how collaborating in Big-team Science projects can help increase the visibility and participation of psychological researchers from the Global South including Malaysia. 

In the second MEPS Professional Sharing Series, Dr. Brendan Ch'ng (Vice-Secretary of MEPS) introduced the concept of sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) and provided a brief overview of this personality trait that characterises highly sensitive people. Dr. Ch'ng explained that individuals with high levels of SPS are easily affected by their immediate environment and experience life differently from others. These experiences could then affect various aspects of their day-to-day lives, for better or for worse. He also showed how SPS and the quality of the environment could influence behavioural, emotional, and performance-related outcomes in various educational contexts. Additionally, he offered possible strategies to better support the needs of children and adults with high SPS.

Our recent visit was not just smooth but also enlightening! We delved into the intricacies of the 3PK structure and their impactful work. Here's a snapshot of the fruitful discussions:

1. Research Data Collection: MEPS Members from various universities can tap into 3PK's data for research, especially focusing on MBK interventions. Contact our committee to learn more!

2. Practicum/Training Placement: Limited spots available for psychology students for hands-on experience.

3. Training Sessions: Collaborate with 3PK to provide training to utilize KPM's instruments, benefiting preschool teachers, ed psych students, and more.

4. Home-Based Locum: Developing database for freelance educational psychologists to provide home interventions, bridging the gap for parents.

5. PROSPER Screening Program: MEPS will continue to provide trained volunteers with Educational Psychologist qualifications to join the ongoing collaboration with 3PK and multidisciplinary team to provide screening for elementary school students.

6. Curation of Credible Programs: Exploring ways to detect bogus practitioners and safeguard the integrity of educational psychology.

MEPS Vice-President, Dr. Wirawani Kamarulzaman, was honoured to be the first presenter for the 2024 MEPS Professional Sharing Series. In her presentation, Dr. Wira highlighted the importance of critical thinking in improving mental health through classroom assessments. She argued that enhanced critical thinking skills are connected to positive mental health outcomes and emphasised the role of assessments in this process. Dr. Wira also proposed strategies for fostering critical thinking, showcased benefits for students, presented case studies, advocated for change, and provided a call to action for educators and stakeholders to prioritise holistic student well-being by integrating critical thinking into assessments.

MEPS President Mr. Teow Chean Khai participated in a roundtable discussion to provide perspectives as an educational psychologist. This roundtable event is jointly organised by Malaysia Educational Psychology Society - MEPS, Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology MSCP, and the Malaysian Developmental Psychology Community, while the discussion was moderated by the Malaysian Association of Psychology Students (MAPS).

For those who missed the live session or wish to revisit the content, a recording of the workshop is available on our YouTube channel. We encourage interested individuals to check out the video to benefit from the valuable discussions and insights shared during the event. 

MEPS was given the privilege to visit Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta. It was an insightful and meaningful experience for our members, who learned about the hospital's history and the excellent work being done there.

During the visit, our members gained a deeper understanding of the ongoing efforts to destigmatise and promote acceptance of mental disorders within the community. One of the key highlights of the trip was the emphasis on the importance of community engagement and rehabilitation.

The experience was not only educational but also inspiring, reinforcing the commitment of MEPS to support mental health initiatives and advocate for better mental health care and understanding within our society. 

MEPS has recently participated in the Program Saringan Penentuan MBPK JPN Selangor organised by Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Selangor. 

It was a meaningful experience for public-private collaboration with an emphasis on understanding and nurturing the unique learning needs of every student, ensuring they receive the support they deserve. 

Looking forward to future collaborations and efforts towards providing essential support for the MBPK in Malaysia!

MEPS was recently involved in a job coach training organised by SEGi University, United Voice and Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Selangor with a special focus on supporting individuals with special needs and disabilities in their career journeys! 

We have gained invaluable insights into creating inclusive and accessible work environments, understanding unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, and providing tailored support to help them thrive in their careers. 

MEPS is looking forward to creating more inclusive and diversity-friendly workplaces in Malaysia.

We had our first trial training on Specific Learning Disorders and Dyslexia Early Screening Test conducted by Mr. Teow Chean Khai, who is a practitioner in the educational psychology field.  It was a full-day training attended by the MEPS committees and Dr. Aini.  

MEPS provided the study & career path talk, especially for psychology students interested in pursuing their Master's Degree in Educational Psychology.  

We had our first online meeting with Dr. Aini to discuss the collaboration between MEPS and Educational Psychology at UPM. Dr. Aini generously shared her knowledge to assist us in the establishment of the MEPS. She is also one of the MEPS advisors. 

A representative from MEPS participated in a voluntary training and forum organised by AIESEC HELP university. The mission of this program was to be a guest speaker to deliver mental health topics for parents and teachers in the Into Your Mind Forum.

A training session on the topic "Burnout". The training covered what is burnout, difference of burnout, depression and exhaustion. The training session also covers burnout prevention and some self-care strategies.  

A 2-hour emotional management training session with the AIESEC volunteers. The aim is to equip them with basic emotional regulation strategies and enhance their understanding of the triggers of emotions.