Leaders and advocates of STEM education are making efforts to take learning beyond just the academics offered in the classroom. STEM Workshop and Community Engagement in Kampung Bali Village, Tronoh, Perak Malaysia was a program implemented by the IEEE Malaysia Section (R10) as a new student workshop in the area. This program aims to cultivate a strong interest in STEM education among school students in the community, which aligns with the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025, all while focusing on turning science learning into a more fun and enjoyable approach.
The program was conducted in Kampung Bali,a small village in Tronoh Perak, Malaysia.This two-day STEM workshop included the participation of 10 teachers, 5 parents, and 70 pre-university students ages 5-18. The event provided the community with the opportunity to have hands-on experience in a science workshop, especially with Arduino knowledge. On the second day of the event, a mini-robotic competition using recycled materials was held to assess the students’ understanding of STEM, particularly robotics. The activities of the workshop also helped to cultivate a strong interest in recycling education among all participants.
The event was considered a success in many ways. The school’s headmistress expressed her appreciation to IEEE and the organizing committee for their financial support, effort, and commitment in organizing such an important community event. Despite uncertainty regarding participants returning for the second day of the event, all returned and expressed an interest in recruiting other students to attend the event. Many participants also expressed interest in an additional event being held at a later date. A post-event survey was also conducted to assess students’ prior and post-event understanding of STEM education. Volunteers leading this program have concluded that for future events, they aim to provide more resources, particularly for the Arduino component. They would also like to recruit more volunteers to drive more engagement with younger student participants.
STEM Workshop and Community Engagement in Kampung Bali Village, Tronoh, Perak Malaysia was a recipient of the 2022 IEEE Pre-University STEM Grant Program.
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