UTAR Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS) Kampar and Nan Hwa High School co-organised the 5cience Xplain workshop on 3 August 2019 at Nan Hwa High School, Ayer Tawar. The event was held in conjunction with Minggu Sains Negara 2019 Fase ke-2 and was supported by Kuala Lumpur Engineering Science Fair (KLESF).

The workshop aimed to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, and to engage school students in various STEM activities. A total of 37 staff and students from CFS and Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) participated in the workshop, along with 350 school students from Nan Hwa High School and other primary schools from Manjung.

Principal of Nan Hwa High School Major (R) Chia Hock Chye, in his opening speech, highlighted the importance of STEM knowledge in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and the impacts of STEM in life. “For the current generation of students to be able overcome future challenges in this 4IR, they must be able to think independently, think logically and to possess scientific knowledge,” advised Chia. He also thanked UTAR for their effort to provide a hands-on learning experience in STEM. He hoped that students were motivated to learn science and improve their problem-solving skills.

Meanwhile, CFS Kampar Director Tan Lee Siew mentioned that STEM education helps students to integrate knowledge across subjects, which allows them to think a more logical and holistic way. “Technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IOT) and data analytics are already challenging the workforce of the existing industries. Therefore, science knowledge and skills is no longer limited to only science students. Business commerce, publication, and other workforce are already facing transformation due to technological advancement. So students today must be flexible to learn new things, and to embrace the new trends, in order to excel in the future,” said Tan.

Led by CFS lecturer Chuah Puoi Choo, the workshop was part of CFS community engagement and outreach initiative. “There is a growing importance for students to be equipped with science knowledge and skills but many students still perceive science lessons being too boring. Therefore, we hope that through the activities prepared, students will be able to learn about STEM in a fun and engaging way. We focused using more hands-on activities to help students see the practicality of STEM knowledge and its application in real life,” commented Chuah.

Participants of the workshop benefitted from the various STEM activities organised. It provided opportunities for students to explore the world of STEM in and engaging, exciting and informal environment. The organising committee also received positive feedback from the school teachers and students, citing that the activities made learning Mathematics and Physics subjects more fun. Other students also commented that the activities helped them learn better and the hands-on experience was rewarding.