The world is digital, but life is analog..
*UMP STEM Lab Robot Literacy – Introduction to Robot and Robotics can be found here.
33 school children from Rumah Casa Harapan Kuantan had participated in this program. Students have gone through activities including robot anatomy, actuators and sensors.
Thank you Datin Seri Fazia for coordinating the communication between STEM Lab and the participants.
Today I had the opportunity to speak at a gathering of primary and secondary school headmasters from the Kuantan District, an event organized under the Exploria, Pahang State Education Department and Kuantan District Education Department. The focus of my talk was “Pembudayaan STEM di Sekolah” (Fostering STEM Culture in Schools), where I shared UMPSA STEM Lab’s experience in promoting STEM education through our philosophy of See, Think, Explore, Marvel.
While STEM is typically defined as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, at UMPSA STEM Lab, we believe it goes beyond just disciplines. Instead, we see STEM as an interdisciplinary and experiential learning approach that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving.
Our philosophy—See, Think, Explore, Marvel—guides our approach –
At UMPSA STEM Lab, we embed this philosophy into our digital making skillset activities, ensuring that students and educators engage in practical, hands-on learning that enhances their understanding of STEM concepts.
During my talk, I shared a personal story about my journey in learning to play a musical instrument. As a child, I wanted to learn the piano, but at the time, music classes were expensive. However, thanks to the inclusion of music education in formal schooling, I had the opportunity to learn using a recorder—a much more affordable instrument. That experience gave me the confidence to later join the school marching band and eventually learn more complex instruments, such as the saxophone.
This experience mirrors the motivation behind UMPSA STEM Lab’s approach to developing cost-effective learning kits for STEM education. Just as the recorder served as a stepping stone to mastering musical instruments, our affordable learning kits serve as a foundation for students to develop their skills in areas like programming, robotics, and physical computing. By providing accessible tools, we lower the entry barrier for students, enabling them to explore and build confidence in STEM learning.
Beyond outreach and engagement, UMPSA STEM Lab is also actively involved in research on STEM education, particularly in digital making. During the session, I highlighted some of our key research efforts:
Following my talk, I had the privilege of joining a panel discussion on Pembudayaan STEM. The discussion emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between the education community, industry, and higher learning institutions. I shared my vision for working closely with schools in both STEM outreach programs and STEM education research. By fostering stronger networks and sharing best practices, we can ensure that STEM education remains accessible, engaging, and impactful for students across Malaysia.
At UMPSA STEM Lab, we believe that STEM is more than just subjects—it’s a culture of learning and discovery. Moving forward, we will continue to:
We look forward to working with schools, educators, and policymakers to build a vibrant and dynamic STEM culture in Malaysia. Together, let’s empower the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and critical thinkers.
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the UMPSA, faculty members, fellow academicians, collaborators (locally and internationally), teachers, school children, and student mentors who have been with UMPSA STEM Lab throughout this journey. The curiosity, enthusiasm, and unwavering support in participating in our STEM activities have been truly inspiring. It is the young mind’s eagerness to explore, learn, and innovate that fuels our passion to continue developing engaging STEM experiences. Seeing the excitement and creativity you bring into the classroom motivates us to keep pushing boundaries and making STEM education more accessible, hands-on, and impactful. Thank you for being a part of this journey—together, let’s continue to See, Think, Explore, and Marvel in the world of STEM!
A synopsis of the program can be retrieved via the following link.
In today’s program, 38 participants from SK Cenderawasih Pekan were introduced to mBlock programming, learning to use its graphical interface to create sequences of instructions. They explored sequential programming, conditional statements, and loops through hands-on tutorials. These foundational skills were applied in two projects: a Snake game and a Pac-Man game. In the Snake game, they programmed the snake’s movement, growth, and collision detection, while in the Pac-Man game, they navigated a maze, collected points, and avoided ghosts. This approach provided a comprehensive understanding of programming concepts and their practical applications.
Appreciation to Cikgu Rogayah for coordinating the communication between the participants and UMPSA STEM Lab.
Looking forward to the upcoming programs. Do join us.
UMPSA STEM Lab Arduino Programming can be found here.
Throughout the course, 34 participants from Kolej Vokasional Seberang Perai were introduced to the concepts of programming loops, conditional statements, and sequential execution. Activities include controlling multiple LEDs, understanding the concept of digital output, using a photoresistor to expand their understanding of sensor interfacing, integrating analog sensors with Arduino and controlling digital outputs based on sensor readings. Towards the end, participants visualize data and messages using an OLED display.
Thank you En Rizal and Pn Zamzurina for coordinating the communication between UMPSA STEM Lab and the participants.
*UMPSA STEM Lab Raspberry Pi Programming Synopsis can be found here.
In the Raspberry Pi IoT session, 30 students from SHAH Pekan were introduced to the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) using Raspberry Pi on the UMP STEM Cube, a pico-satellite learning kit specifically designed to facilitate engineering learning.
The content covered basic digital input/output operations on onboard LEDs, as well as topics such as dashboard design using gyro meter and BMU280 sensor data, including collecting and storing data in a cloud database. Participants learned to interface sensors with Raspberry Pi boards and develop IoT applications for real-world scenarios. The session provided students with valuable insights into IoT technology and its applications in various domains.
A special appreciation is extended to Cikgu Syakir and Cikgu Rita from SHAH Pekan for coordination in facilitating communication between the participants and the UMPSA STEM Lab :).
Dec 19th
In the IoT Dashboard Design session, 100 students from Pekan District explored the fundamentals of creating real-time dashboards for IoT applications using the UMP STEM Cube, a pico-satellite learning kit designed to enhance engineering education.
The session covered essential topics such as sensor integration, data visualization, and cloud-based data management. Students utilized gyrometer and BMU280 sensor data to design interactive dashboards using Streamlit, a powerful Python framework for building real-time web applications. They also learned how to collect, process, and display data effectively, gaining hands-on experience in dashboard development for IoT systems.
The importance of dashboards in satellite systems was also emphasized, as they play a crucial role in monitoring and visualizing critical data such as altitude, orientation, and environmental conditions. Dashboards enable real-time decision-making, ensuring optimal performance and reliability of satellite operations.
Special appreciation goes to Tn Khairul for coordinating and facilitating smooth communication between the participants and the UMPSA STEM Lab team.
Dec 17th.
