A webinar titled “Numeracy with SMART brain power” was conducted on 3 July 2021 via Zoom. Held as part of Virtual Mind & STEM Festival 2021 programme, the webinar aimed to introduce SoroTouch, a new learning method to help train mental imaging skills for faster calculation, as well as to provide a fun learning experience for participants. 

Present to deliver the webinar was Malaysian Human Calculator West Wong. In his talk, he said, “The world is moving so fast into automation intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and automation. STEM education is a news feed that the kids need to master today. The foundation of STEM is about mathematics.” 

He mentioned that mathematics is about calculation ability. “We want to help kids build strong confidence in numbers. In the process of learning SoroTouch through the SoroTouch system, we are cultivating a strong growth mindset and grit values for the kids,” he said, adding that these two values would be helpful for kids to build passion in learning other STEM subjects. 

He provided some math tricks and examples on how to perform calculations quickly and easily. He mentioned that the best way to learn calculation, which is aligned with brainpower, is the mental calculation method, “There are two ways of doing mental calculation in the market, one is using the writing method while the other is using an abacus. The abacus method has been proven to be the fastest way of learning calculation. It has more than a thousand years of history. It is one of the most effective ways to learn the calculation.” He then explained how the abacus calculation method with the combination of education technology SoroTouch makes the calculation learning process more effective and engaging. 

He further explained the development of SoroTouch and how the technology could enhance the kids’ learning experiences as well as the learning outcomes. Besides, he also talked about the essence of STEM and 21st-century skills, and how it is critical in shaping young minds that are key drivers to tackle global challenges such as climate change. He shared his personal story and answered the participants’ questions before the webinar ended.

To view the full video, click here.