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USIM Podcast

USIM Journals are offering podcasting services for articles published in USIM journals. We will convert your article into 7-10 minute audiobook covering scientific research in a layman friendly language. Let’s create a podcast for your research article and turn your findings into an engaging and accessible overview that’s perfect for sharing on websites and social media – extending the reach and visibility of your research.

  1. 16h ago

    Knowledge Integration Model of Blockchain Technology in Higher Learning Institutions: A Rasch Measurement Model Approach for Pilot Study

    Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative tool in higher education, offering secure, transparent, and tamper-proof systems for credential verification, academic record management, and institutional data governance. Despite its potential, adoption remains limited due to technical, financial, and organizational barriers, alongside a lack of validated measurement tools to assess readiness and integration. This pilot study aims to validate an instrument grounded in the Knowledge Integration Model of Blockchain Technology for Higher Learning Institutions using the Rasch Measurement Model. A 50 item survey was administered to 31 purposively sampled stakeholders, including academics, researchers, and postgraduate students with blockchain related experience. Data analysis using WINSTEPS 3.92.1 assessed reliability, item-person fit, unidimensionality, and targeting through Wright Map analysis. The results showed satisfactory reliability (person = 0.82; item = 0.77). Four items (B5, B6, D8, C7) exceeded the acceptable outfit MNSQ threshold (>1.5) and were revised to enhance instrument quality. However, several items showed misfit and require refinement, and the Wright Map indicated a need for more challenging items to better target high ability respondents. Unidimensionality testing revealed a dominant construct with minor secondary dimensions, suggesting further refinement for conceptual clarity. These findings provide preliminary evidence the instrument’s potential for large scale application, providing a foundation for assessing blockchain knowledge integration and guiding policy and strategic implementation in higher education.

    22 min
  2. 16h ago

    Actuarial Reserve for Accumulated Leave Benefits (GCR) with Enhanced Mortality and Interest Rate Modeling

    The 2023 Malaysian Budget increased the maximum compensable unused leave for public employees from 160 to 180 days, significantly raising future liabilities for public sector employers. Under the Malaysian Private Entities Reporting Standard (MPERS), universities must recognise these benefits, which are payable upon retirement or death, as actuarial liabilities. Existing tools, such as the Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) calculator, offer limited accuracy as they do not account for mortality risk or interest rate fluctuations. This study introduces an enhanced actuarial reserve model that incorporates both uncertainties. The model considers two payment casesw which are upon retirement and upon death, using survival probabilities, interest discounting, and assurance factors to determine the expected present value of future cash awards. To evaluate model performance, a simulation study using a non-parametric bootstrap is conducted on 5,000 simulated employee records. Bootstrap resampling is repeated at increasing levels to measure bias and consistency. Results show that both bias and variance decrease as bootstrap iterations increase, indicating model stability and accuracy. This improved model offers a more realistic and reliable method for estimating future cash awards, ensuring better financial planning, policy compliance, and reserve adequacy for higher education institutions.

    23 min
  3. 16h ago

    Evaluation of User-Centred Design in the User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) of a Gamified Edutainment Application on Disaster Preparedness

    Recent years have witnessed a rise in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities, as reported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR, 2022). Public preparedness, particularly among youth and rural populations, remains limited due to the absence of accessible and engaging educational tools. Conventional approaches often lack interactivity, reducing knowledge retention and behavioural change. To address these gaps, this study developed DisasterPrep, a user-centred mobile edutainment solution designed to enhance disaster awareness and preparedness. The research pursued three objectives: (i) to identify knowledge gaps among target users, (ii) to design a gamified mobile application tailored to their needs, and (iii) to evaluate its effectiveness in improving preparedness and resilience. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including surveys, focus groups, and co-design workshops, followed by prototype testing with 30 participants in Malaysia. Quantitative data were collected through a structured survey measuring User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) using a 5-point Likert scale, with descriptive statistics computed for usability and engagement. Results revealed strong usability, with UI mean scores ranging from 4.04 to 4.60 and UX outcomes between 4.20 and 4.56. Tutorials, navigation flow, and progress tracking emerged as the most valued features, while simulation realism and quiz integration revealed more variable responses. Findings confirm alignment with Malaysia’s MySTIE strategic goals and contributions to SDG 3 (Good Health) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). This research demonstrates that gamified, user-centred mobile tools can significantly enhance disaster preparedness education, offering a scalable, inclusive model to strengthen community resilience. The novelty lies in integrating edutainment with structured evaluation, establishing a replicable framework for disaster education that bridges gaps in interactivity, engagement, and scalability.

    22 min
  4. 16h ago

    Identification of Key Parameters for Cover Audio Generation in Imperceptible Audio Steganography

    The security of data during communication is an ever-growing challenge, as outdated algorithms face increasing vulnerability. Audio steganography offers a promising alternative by embedding data within audio signals in a manner that is imperceptible to human listeners. Recent advancements in cover selection as well as cover generation techniques have improved the quality and suitability of audio for embedding, yet the parameters influencing imperceptibility remain underexplored. This research aims to identify and evaluate key audio parameters which are energy, the total and value distribution of silent samples. These parameters can be assessed prior to the embedding process which offer a potential advantage over existing metrics, typically require post-embedding analysis to accurately assess imperceptibility. The methodology of this research consists of five main stages: parameter identification, dataset preparation, parameter extraction, embedding, and evaluation. Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) was employed as the primary metric to assess perceptual transparency, with 20% data capacity embedded in each audio of total 220 audio. The first experiment revealed a positive correlation as high as r = 0.706 between energy and SNR, indicating that higher-energy audio benefit from auditory masking, resulting in improved imperceptibility. The second experiment showed a negative correlation, r = –0.787 between total silent sample and SNR, confirming that embedding in silent sample increases the risk of perceptible artifacts. Silent sample that has higher value exhibited superior SNR values compared to those with extremely lower value. These findings highlight the importance of pre-embedding analysis in identifying suitable samples for embedding. By identifying and evaluating these influential parameters, this research contributes to the development of intelligent cover generation strategies that enhance the transparency of audio steganography systems. The insights presented offer a foundation for future design, optimization, and real-world application of robust data-hiding techniques.

    23 min

About

USIM Journals are offering podcasting services for articles published in USIM journals. We will convert your article into 7-10 minute audiobook covering scientific research in a layman friendly language. Let’s create a podcast for your research article and turn your findings into an engaging and accessible overview that’s perfect for sharing on websites and social media – extending the reach and visibility of your research.