Curtin E-FacT empowers SK Kpg Bakam kids
MIRI: The Curtin Educational Excellence Facilitating Team ( Curtin E-FacT), a studentrun volunteer student mentors’ group at Curtin University Malaysia, recently organised an empowerment programme for 75 pupils of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Bakam here.
The ‘ Level Up!: SK Kampung Bakam Empowerment Programme’ included a visit to the university’s campus and a two- day, one-night camp at the school.
The programme was aimed at exposing pupils in Year 4 to 6 to university life and inspiring them to pursue tertiary education in the future.
At the Curtin Malaysia campus – Curtin University’s largest international campus and global hub in Asia, and also the world’s largest Australian international campus spanning 1,200 acres – the pupils were able to experience first-hand its modern learning and teaching facilities and technologies.
They visited the Fluid Mechanics and Structures & Statics laboratories at the Faculty of Engineering and Science, where lab technicians demonstrated some of the equipment there, including a new Instron Testing machine used to test the static tensile strength of metal rods.
They also toured the university’s three- storey library where they were shown the group study, discussion and audio-visual, as well as its vast collection of printed books, audio-visual items, print journals, electronic books, electronic journals and online databases.
Following the tour, the pupils attended programming workshop sessions in one of the university’s state- of- the- art collaborative learning spaces.
The first session, titled ‘Binary Bauble’ and conducted by Foundation in Engineering and Science lecturers Kamaroizan Mohamad and Nong Nurnie Mohd Nistah, introduced the children to the concept of data representation in computer systems, which is the use of binary numbers in storing information. They also got to practise encoding their names using the binary system.
The second session, ‘ Maths Madness’ facilitated by engineering mathematics lecturers Shubashini Krishnan and Bejay Ugon, exposed them to the application of technology in teaching mathematics using a popular online learning game, Kahoot.
During the camp at their school, the pupils participated in various activities to develop their leadership, teamwork and criticalthinking skills. Designed to be fun learning activities, they included modules titled ‘Oops, What’s The Number?’, ‘ Expand Your Ideas’, ‘Alphabetical Life’, ‘ Draw What You See’ and ‘Lead A Ship’.
Programme organising chairperson Wan Muhammad Shahmi Wan Abdul Rahim said Curtin E-FacT is always keen to
Wan Muhammad Shahmi Wan Abdul Rahim, ‘Level Up!: SK Kampung Bakam Empowerment Programme’ organising chairperson
work with other interested parties in support of primary school pupils.
He said the training modules they have run over the past 12 years have been highly successful in helping children develop good communication and leadership skills.
“Facilitating this empowerment programme with staff of Curtin Malaysia allowed us to end our year’s activities on a high note. It is always nice to work with people who share our conviction to develop young minds, and we look forward to more opportunities for collaboration with the lecturers in the future,” said Wan Muhammad.
E-FacT facilitator and computer systems and networking student Sajit Shekhar from India commented that he was proud to have been involved in almost every camp organised. He said he really enjoyed engaging with the local communities and helping children improve their English.
Curtin E-FacT is a studentrun, non-profit organisation of Curtin Malaysia that provides free facilitating programmes throughout the nation to promote the importance of education to young people.
It also helps them develop critical academic, leadership, communication and criticalthinking skills to be more effective in their ongoing studies and future careers.
To find out more about Curtin E-FacT, visit its Facebook page (Curtin E-FacT) or its Instagram (curtinefact).
For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit its website (www. curtin.edu.my), its Facebook page (CurtinMalaysia), Twitter profile (curtinmalaysia), Google+ page ( Curtin Malaysia), Instagram (curtinmalaysia) or YouTube channel (Curtin Malaysia).