Kuala Lumpur: The introduction of innovations in teaching and learning (T&L) is highly encouraged to enhance students’ knowledge acquisition and comprehension construction, as emphasized in the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025. STEM subjects are even more in need of innovative teaching approaches. These subjects contain abstract concepts that may be difficult to comprehend if students learn them solely through conventional T&L methods, that is, by reading textbooks or PowerPoint slides.
The plunging admission to STEM field among our youth adds another huge reason for STEM teachers to employ innovative T&L strategies to raise students’ interest, motivation and assurance that they can do well in STEM subjects. The thing is, when the term “innovation” is mentioned, oftentimes technology, electronic devices and Internet are what spring to our mind. Not all schools have the privilege of having instructional technologies and Internet access, especially the schools in rural areas. How do rural schools implement innovative T&L approaches then?
Well, teachers need to have a clear apprehension of what counts as an innovative T&L approach — it can be any alternative instructional strategy that goes beyond the traditional T&L methods; it does not always have to revolve around the incorporation of technology or the Internet. So instead of getting frustrated with how they cannot integrate technology or Internet properly in their classrooms, and just be resigned to traditional teaching methods, why not think of the ways they can use whatever is available around them as their innovative T&L materials?
To compensate for the lack of access to instructional technologies at rural schools, teachers can simply utilize their surroundings as apparent examples to explain their content. Take the students out of the classroom to observe how physics laws work around them. Watch how ripple effect is formed in the pond, how a bicycle continues to move with the same velocity even after pedalling is stopped, how the centre of gravity works on a seesaw and so forth. Learning through clear daily life examples can greatly reinforce students’ comprehension of the topics, easing them to relate the scientific theories with practical applications while also promotes inquiry learning.
Innovative T&L tools in STEM do not need to be costly or high-tech. Teachers can try to create DIY T&L tools from recycled materials. For instance, a DIY lungs model made up of a water bottle, two straws and three balloons, to demonstrate the concept of how the volume of thoracic cavity affects air pressure in the breathing mechanisms. When the students can observe the mechanisms before their own eyes, albeit through a DIY model, the concept becomes much easier to grasp compared to only reading books and imagining how the mechanisms work in their mind.
Although there are indeed challenges for rural schools to incorporate instructional technologies in their classrooms, understanding the disciplines in STEM and coming up with practical innovative T&L approaches can help the teachers to deliver their content more effectively with what they have and within their capabilities. STEM teachers, regardless of their locality, must be critical in enriching their T&L strategies to increase students’ interest in STEM. With these implementations, we might see a hope in saving our declining student admissions in STEM and boost our national STEM achievements overall.
Authors: Muhammad Syahrizal Theng bin Abdullah, Dr Mohd Mokhzani bin Ibrahim
Email: syahrizaltheng@gmail.com
