STEM EDUCATION SCIENCE OF SMART

COMMUNITIES
Dr. Mohamad Sattar Rasul
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
drsattar@ukm.edu.my
017-3140962

In Collaboration with:

Research Team
Program/Project Leader
1
Dr. Mohamad Sattar Bin Rasul

FAKULTI PENDIDIKAN, UKM

Project team members

2
Prof. Dr. Lilia Bt. Halim
3
Prof. Dr. Ruhizan Bt. Mohammad Yasin
4
Prof. Madya Dr. Kamisah Bt. Osman
5
Dr. Zanaton Binti H Iksan
6
Prof. Madya Dr. Hafizah Bt. Husain
7
Roseamnah Binti Abdul Rauf
8
Asnul Dahar Bin Minghat

UKM
UKM
UKM
UKM
UKM
UM
UTM

Start date: 1 / 12/ 2014

End Date: 31/8/2015
Revised date/extension
date (if any)

STEM
Workforce

STEM
Field

STEM
Education

Concept of UKM BITARA STEM

Enhanced Research,
Societal Context,
Communication Skills,
Leadership and
Teambuilding, Enhanced
Teaching Skills

Graduate
Fellows

Transformed Graduates
Programs, Sustained
Partnerships, (Schools,
Districts, Industry,
Non-Profits), larger
Institutional Impact
of Graduate Research
on Society

Program
BITARA
STEM
UKM
IPT (RU &
IPTA)
R&D P&P

Students,
Peachers,
Parents

Professional
Development,
Content and
Pedagogy
Enrichment,
Enhanced STEM
Teaching and
Learning,
Mentorship, Greater
STEM Career
Awareness

STEM In Cambodia
STEM Edu. GROWING
SLOWLY

DECREASING
ENROLLMENT

In Cambodia, Pol Pot's regime has

destroyed the system of human
resource development between
1975 and 1979 and abolishing
school and cleaning (murder)
competent personnel, including
teachers and intellectuals.
High dropout rates, and the lack of
competent teachers, which directly
affects the quality of education and
the lack of financial resources and
relied on donations from other
countries. (Sideth, 2004).

OF SCIENCE STUDENTS AT
HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL

LAGGING IN

Research shows that integrated STEM Education

have positive effects on the students interest and
learning in STEM (Becker & Park 2011) .

In Cambodia only about 27

percent majoring in science,
while the rest are pursuing a
degree in social science.
Although science is difficult
and opportunities are vast,
but Cambodian students
choose other routes, such as
law, although job
opportunities are lacking.

STEM Curriculum

(1) science and math curriculum is too difficult and high;

(2) The relationship between each unit in the curriculum
is not clear. For textbooks it does not contain the key
concepts to be emphasized, terms and symbols are not
uniform in every grade, and (3) there is no explanation
of concrete with the help of a diagram or table and
instructions abstract and obscure (Barom and Mitsuru,
1999).
6

Bitara STEM UKM- Science of Smart Communities (UKM, NYAS & NYU POLY) : 2013-2014

FASA 4 - 2014
OUTREACH
PROGRAM

In the 4th phase, UKM in collaboration with

FELDA - Bitara STEM UKM-FELDA Camp.
The program involved 226 students of FELDA
children from schools in 10 FELDA provinces.
Students (13 to 14 years) with average academic
ability, 20 school science teachers, 51
facilitators who are STEM UKM postgraduates
and 20 UKM lecturers as mentors.
Launching of Bitara STEM Camp by Dato Sri
Mohd Najib Tun Haji. Abdul Razak on June 6,
2014
Students showcase their projects at the STEM
Festival to parents, guests and students from
other schools.
Public Lecture by Scientists; 10 students selected
to New York Sept 2014

FASA 3-2014
ToT & Pilot
Bench Marking Visits
to New York (18 21
March 2013) VisitsSUNY,
American
National
History
Musuem,
NYU-Poly,
College
of
Nanotechnology and
Engineering, AndreaEarly College Schools

FASA 1- 2013
BENCHMARKING

Bitara
STEM
UKM
Program in the
3rd
phase involves the
Transportation, Wireless
Network and Urban
The 2nd phase of Bitara STEM Infrastructure units. A
UKM program covers the Energy total of 35 STEM UKM
Unit. A total of 34 STEM UKM postgraduates and 90
postgraduates from five (5) school students from 10
faculties, namely the Faculty of schools and 8 teachers
Education, Faculty of Engineering sponsored by FELDA
and the Built Environment were involved. Feb 2014
(FKAB), Faculty of Science and
Technology (FST), Faculty of
Health Sciences (FSK) and the
Faculty of Information Science
and Technology (FTSM) and 89
school students (13 and 14 years
old), four (4) practicing science
teachers were involved.- Sept
2013

FASA 2-2013
ToT & Pilot

FELDA
/EXXONMOBIL/
CLMV/ MRSM
2014-2020

INITIATIF BITARA STEM UKM 2015

CLMV (Cambodia, Laos Myanmar,
Vietnam) Program
Geran dari Institut Penyelidikan
Pendidikan Negara (IPPTN) - RM90,000
Kolaborasi bersama UKM, UM, UTM
dengan Norton Universiti, Cambodia
Lokasi program di Norton University,
Phnom Penh & Maahad AlFickry Sec
Sch. Kg Cham, Cambodia
Peserta terlibat
24 fasilitator UKM (pelajar siswazah)
8 Pensyarah
20 pelajar pra-siswazah Norton
University,
15 guru dan
120 pelajar di Daerah Kg Cham

CLMV PROGRAM: 3-9 Mei

2015

2016 -2020

EXXONMOBIL-UKM
STEM Exploration
Journey on
Sustainable Energy
30 Mei 4 Jun 2015
Kolaborasi
bersama
EXXONMOBIL - RM 329,00
Program dilaksanakan dari
31Mei-4 Jun 2015
Lokasi di Kampus UKM
Peserta Terlibat
142 pelajar dari 10 buah
sekolah di Selangor terlibat
62 fasilitator UKM (pelajar
siswazah)
20 Mentor dalam kalangan
pensyarah

FELDA STEM Lab

TEGAS

Mac 2015
Kolaborasi
UKM
bersama
FELDA
Sedang merekabentuk Makmal
STEM untuk 3 buah sekolah di
Wilayah Felda
SMK Triang 3, Pahang
SMK Jengka Pusat,
Pahang
MRSM FELDA Trolak,
Perak

Training of
Trainers
(Undergraduates)

Phase 1 2 days in Norton University of

Cambodia

STEM Camp

Phase 2 2 days at Maahad

Haji Fickry Secondary
School Chumnik,
Krochmmar. Kg Cham

Impact Study

Collaboration between UKM, UM, UTM dengan Norton Universiti of Cambodia

24 fasilitator UKM (pelajar siswazah)
8 Pensyarah
20 pelajar pra-siswazah Norton University,
15 guru dan
141 pelajar sekolah di Daerah Kg Cham

Phase 3

Bitara STEM
Modules
ENERGY
Introduction- Newtons Law &
Electrical Basic
Worldly Environment
Power Generation
Power Storage
Biomimicry

TRANSPORTATION
Modes of Transportation
Smart Transportation
Smart Highwaysa and Cars
Intelligent Transportation
Systems
Traffic Engineering

Science of Smart Communities

WIRELESS NETWORK
URBAN
INFRASTRUCTURE

Environmental Engineering
Soil and Land Development
Building Towards the Future

Recycling and Waste

Management

Natural Disaster

Smart Electronic Basics

Real Time Communicatio
Space based Wireless
Communication
Internet Communication
Network and Smart Wireless
and Communication

Creative & Innovative,

Collaborative,
Hands-on

Module characteristics
-Project-based
-Integrated STEM
-Engineering Design Process

Training of Trainers
With Norton University Undergraduates

STEM Science of Smart Communities

Camp at Kg Cham

13

Findings & Discussion

1. Level of Interest toward STEM career
Percentage (%)
Aspect

Interest
toward
STEM
career

Pre
Post

Min Score
1.00-2.33
(Low)

Min Score
2.34-3.66
(Moderate)

Min Score
3.67-5.00
(High)

Mean

0.88

53.51

45.61

3.593

34.21

65.79

3.816

S.D

0.446
0.427

Level

Paired
Sample
t-test
T

6.623

.000*

Moderate
High

1. Significant increases in participants interest towards STEM careers

2. Level of interest has changed from moderate to high

Findings & Discussion

120

2.6%

100
60
40

22.8%

Min score

80

74.6%

20
0
low
post
pre

0
0.88

moderat
e
34.21
53.51

high
65.79
45.61

the number of participants who

are at high level increase in post
test

positive

negative

unchanged

74.6 % of participants showed an

increase in mean scores from pretest to interest post test

Findings & Discussion

Change perception that STEM is difficult

2(1.7)

Increase confidence/curiosity

3(2.54)

Facilitator helpful

4(3.39)

Challenging activities

8(6.78)

Can understand more deeply

8(6.78)

Realize that career in STEM are interesting

10(8.48)

Related to daily lives

16(13.56)

Learn new things/ knowledge/ skills

15(12.71)

Do many experiments/ build artefacts/

17(14.41)

37(31.36)

Fun/interesting activities
0

10

15

20

25

30

N(%)

Open ended questions: After completed the programme, what is the level of your
interest towards STEM? Why?

35

Appendix

Table 5 Student responses on their experiences participating in the programme

Reasons
Fun/interesting activities

Do

N(%)
Typical Responses
37(31.36%) after participating in this programme, I become more interested in
STEM because the activities taught here are very interesting

many

experiments/ 17(14.41%) I start to like science and mathematics because this programme do
a lot of experiments and interesting learning style
build artefacts/ handson
Learn
new
knowledge/ skills

Related to daily lives

things/ 15(12.71%) I become more interested because I have learn many new
knowledge about science, mathematics, technology and
engineering
16(13.56%) 1 am very interested because this programme has taught me a lot
about the importance STEM in my daily life

Realize that career in STEM 10(8.48%) This programme make me realize on how interesting the careers in
are interesting
this field
Can
understand
deeply

more 8(6.78%) because I see that my acquisition in these subjects has improves

Reasons
Challenging activities

N(%)
8(6.78%)

Typical Responses
before this I felt that those subjects very boring, but after
participating in this programme, I become more interested those
subjects because its challenge my mind to solve difficult problems

Facilitator helpful

4(3.39%)

because the explanation by facilitators were very interesting and

attract my attention, after getting clear explanation it becomes more
fun and interesting, facilitator here help me a lot and they increase my
interest

Increase
confidence/curiosity

3(2.54%)

because in the past I was not happy with my career choice because I
do not believe myself to pursue that career, but once I got into this
program , I am 100% sure to pursue my career in the future
It has was uplifting for me to continue studying ' STEM ' and find out
more about these sciences

Change perception that

STEM is difficult

2(1.70%)

before participating in this programme, I felt that science and

mathematics are difficult, after attending the programme, I learn
them easily
because this STEM programme make me realize that a career in math
and science is not that difficult and I think this program has changed
my interest. I 'm sure one day I'll be an expert in the fields of
mathematics and science

*Future plans: Planning future

activities/projects
Future direction- To roll out STEM in
CLMV country
Increase partnership
Looking for potential benefit
Potential publications
Potential commercialization
Model of STEM Education

CHALLENGES
for Researchers

Necessity for
Funding
Fund to
implement a
holistic
approach of
STEM
Challenges in
obtaining
sponsorship
from outside
sources

Grant for
Longitudinal
Research
To record best
practices and
effectiveness
of STEM
program

Access and
collaboration with
Ministry of
Education
Challenges in
getting teachers
involvement
and students
participation for
STEM program

Challenges to
Upscale STEM
Program
Incorporate all
RUs and
Industry player
to execute
STEM Program

Terima Kasih