Month: June 2024

JPA JJPK, MARA Young Talent Program, Petronas PESP 2024

I recently had the opportunity, Alhamdulilah, to accompany my eldest daughter to her scholarship interviews with three prestigious sponsors – Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA), MARA Young Talent Program, and Petronas PESP. It was a humbling yet proud experience to be there for her, although at times it felt like it added a bit of pressure, hehe.

Throughout her schooling years, I missed several of her milestones due to work commitments ;( . She achieved so much, from championing state-level hockey and Taekwondo tournaments to receiving academic awards. Last year, I made a pledge not to miss any more of my children’s milestones. Since then, we made trips to taekwondo tournament in Johor, rugby championship in Mentakab, and last week’s back-to-back interview sessions with JPA, MARA, and Petronas.

The nerves definitely got to me, even though it was their games and interview! I suppose it’s natural for a mother to feel this way.

The JPA interview was held on campus in Gambang, with a dress code requiring all black attire—trousers, shirt, and tudong. Candidates were tasked with discussing and deliberating several topics related to the scholarships they applied for. My daughter applied for a scholarship in France, much to my surprise! I had been promoting the UK and Germany, where I had experienced and been impressed by the teaching and learning facilities. Although it has been 11 years since I returned from the University of Edinburgh, I still cherish the joy, ambiance, and view of UoE.

The MARA interview took place in Taiping, a city near Ipoh. Candidates were asked to deliberate on the declining interest among students in pursuing STEM. My daughter had been preparing her pitch on various topics, from the OceanGate submersible implosion tragedy to AI in education, wars, and climate change—but not STEM education, haha. I hope she did well in presenting her ideas, insyaAllah. Declining interest in STEM is a global issue, and I have seen firsthand how challenging it can be, especially in rural, underprivileged areas.

The final interview was with Petronas PESP, held at the prestigious Petronas Leadership Center in Bangi. The ambiance and competitive aura were distinct from the first two interviews. Even only as a chaperon, I felt humbled. The drop-off lobby was filled with continental and European cars, though this did not necessarily reflect the socio-economic background of the candidates. Here, she was tasked with proposing and deliberating innovative ideas to make Petronas resonate with youngsters.

While the candidates were being interviewed, parents attended a parallel briefing session. The 360-degree hall and iMac experience were impressive. Parents were briefed on the scholarship requirements, Petronas’ main business, previous alumni, and targeted universities. It was a privilege to reach this stage.

To Cha, umi hope, pray, and believe the best for you. This experience was felt by the whole family – abah, umi, adik2, mami, maktok and tokba, who came all along the way to support. Whether you pursue dentistry or space engineering or mechanical engineering or chemical engineering, do your best and be kind to everyone.

Where we come from may differ—some may not have the same privileges, and some may have the whole support in the world — remember, where we are heading depends on what we do and how we react. Everything that happens is only by Allah’s will. Shukr ‘ala kulli hal.

Umi  – July 1st

Movie Review 2024/4 – Podcast – The Exercise Neuroscientist NEW RESEARCH, The Link Between Exercise And Dementia!

A good podcast session.

Here, Prof Wendy Suzuki, a neuroscientist shared about things that matters to your brain, which include regular exercise =), of course.

Another one that caught my attention is how the brain learn the best (how human learn and memorize stuff) which includes:-

  1. Repetition – that involve consistent practice and review, aligning with behaviorist learning theories in education.
  2. Association – connecting new information with existing knowledge, similar to the use of metaphors in teaching and learning.
  3. Novelty – introducing new and unique elements to capture attention.
  4. Emotional resonance – creating emotional connections to make information more memorable.

This episode is highly recommended:-

BTE1522 – Week 14 Project Assessment – Integrating Gallery Walk and Reciprocal Teaching

 

In today’s class – BTE 1522 – Innovation Python Programming and Raspberry Pi, we engaged in a dynamic and interactive learning session that combined elements of Gallery Walk and Reciprocal Teaching. This approach not only fostered collaboration and deeper understanding but also enhanced students’ ability to explain and defend their projects. Here’s a breakdown of how the session unfolded and the learning theories behind it.

Activity Overview
1 – Project Development

Students were divided into groups (1 through 5).
Each group developed a project using on Raspberry Pi, integrating sensors like BME280 & cameras, building databases, and creating dashboards.

2 – Reciprocal Teaching with a Twist

Instead of presenting their own work, each group was tasked with presenting the project of another group. For example, Group 2 (Angelina & Syarah) presented the work done by Group 1 (Amir, Azhad, Aiman).

This approach required students to thoroughly understand projects created by other groups. By presenting and understanding projects from other groups, students applied their Python coding knowledge to analyze and interpret how different groups implemented solutions using Raspberry Pi. This hands-on experience allowed them to see real-world applications of Python in sensor integration, data handling, and project implementation on the Raspberry Pi platform. It reinforced their learning by showing them diverse approaches to coding, problem-solving, and integrating hardware components like sensors, cameras, and GPS modules into functional systems.

3 – Gallery Walk Elements

After Group 1 presents their project on the Environmental Monitoring and Imaging System, the session transitions into an interactive phase. Students from Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 ask one question each about the presented project. These questions delve into various aspects of the system, such as the integration of sensors like the BME280 for environmental data collection, the methodologies employed in Python programming to process and visualize this data, and the techniques utilized for imaging purposes.

This structured Q&A session serves multiple purposes. First, it allows students from other groups to gain deeper insights into the technical details and methodologies employed by Group 1. By asking pertinent questions, students from Groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 not only expand their understanding of different project components but also evaluate the comprehensiveness and innovation of Group 1’s work.

For Group 1, this session becomes an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and depth of knowledge regarding their project. By articulating clear and detailed responses to the questions posed by their peers, Group 1 showcases their understanding of Python programming techniques applied to sensor integration, data processing, and system implementation. They also highlight their proficiency in problem-solving and innovation within the context of environmental monitoring and imaging systems.

This approach fosters a collaborative learning environment where students engage critically with each other’s work, exchange ideas, and enhance their technical and communication skills. It aligns with the assignment topics by emphasizing the application of Python programming in real-world IoT (Internet of Things) projects involving environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, GPS tracking, and photography with weather data integration.

Evaluation Criteria

  1. Marks were awarded based on the quality of the presentation by the presenting group.
  2. The ability of Group 1 to answer the questions accurately and comprehensively.
  3. The ability of the presenting group to explain another group’s project clearly.
  4. Learning Theories and Techniques

Reciprocal Teaching

By having students present projects they did not create, we leveraged the principles of reciprocal teaching. This method encourages active learning, critical thinking, and the ability to teach others, which in turn reinforces their own understanding.

Gallery Walk

Incorporating a Q&A session akin to a gallery walk allowed students to engage with multiple projects, ask insightful questions, and provide constructive feedback. This technique promotes active engagement, observational learning, and peer-to-peer interaction.

Peer Teaching

This hybrid approach facilitated peer teaching, where students learned from each other by presenting and questioning different projects. Peer teaching is known to enhance comprehension and retention of material as students explain concepts to their peers.

Collaborative Learning

Working in groups to understand and present different projects encouraged collaboration. Collaborative learning helps develop teamwork skills, enhances problem-solving abilities, and fosters a sense of community within the class.

 

 

 

 

Benefits of the Approach

  1. Improved Understanding – Students gained a broader perspective by engaging with multiple projects, understanding various approaches and solutions.
  2. Enhanced Communication Skills – Presenting another group’s work and answering questions honed students’ communication and presentation skills.
  3. Critical Thinking – The Q&A session encouraged critical thinking, as students had to think on their feet to ask relevant questions and provide accurate answers.
  4. Engagement and Motivation – This interactive approach kept students engaged and motivated, as they were actively involved in learning and teaching processes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To all the BTE1522 students (Sem 1 2024 2025), thank you very much for your active participation throughout the semester. I hope you’ve enjoyed the classes as much as I do =).

Nurul – June 16th 2024