SERI ISKANDAR, 15 MARCH 2015 – In today's world of lightning speed information and ideas exchange, being ahead of the curve is a definite advantage, and those with the skills and ability to capture powerful ideas and develop them into usable, downloadable mobile applications will be able to ride this curve to success. With that in mind, PETRONAS recently collaborated with Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) to train Form Four students from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanjung Datuk in Pengerang and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Adela, Kota Tinggi, Johor; in designing mobile phone applications.
The brainchild of UTP, in collaboration with PETRONAS' Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), the Young Scientists @ Pengerang 2.0 programme was developed as another Human Capital Development initiative by PIC to nurture and nourish interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) among the young in Pengerang, Johor. Conducted over a period of four days from March 12 to 15, 2015, thirty five (35) students from the selected schools were housed in UTP hostels at the campus in Tronoh, Perak and hosted by lecturers and student facilitators from UTP's Business Information Systems and Information & Communication Technology students.
"It is PETRONAS' DNA to develop the community wherever we operate. Utilizing UTP's avant-garde Computer Science laboratories; the students were exposed to university style teachings conducted by full-fledged UTP lecturers injecting discovery learning methodologies. The students had to carry out phone application hands-on experiments, which they then had to formally present to a panel of lecturers. This is essential not just for the logical thinking skills development of these students but also their soft skills such as ability to articulate and present their ideas," stressed Juniwati Rahmat Hussin, Vice President and Venture Director of Pengerang Integrated Complex during her closing speech.
The students' transformation into young scientists and future leaders of Pengerang started as early as 8.00 a.m. on the first day when they left their hometown of Pengerang for the university. Once at UTP, the students were exposed to not just campus life but also university style learnings. The students had to create an interesting phone application using an open-source web application called App Inventor, on the Android operating system (OS) App
Inventor for Android is an open-source web application originally provided by Google, and is now maintained by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The classes were conducted in UTP's state of the art Computer laboratories, where groups of four students were assigned a facilitator each to assist and guide them during the sessions.
Their learnings did not just end there. Once they have completed the phone application, the students had to formally present their project to a panel comprising of lecturers from the Computer Science faculty. Despite such an experience being new to them, the students of SMK Tanjung Datuk and SMK Adela did their schools proud with their presentation skills and abilities to answer the questions posed.
Farhan Alwi, 16, of SMK Tanjung Datuk was very impressed with the programme. "I really learnt a lot. I wish Young Scientists @ Pengerang can be continued for others." Farhan and his team mates Azmira Halid, Faranaziya Masri and Hee Han Chuen created an animal quiz application for children, and will be exploring and creating more innovative applications via the App Inventor when they are back in school.
For Rosdiana Selamat, a Mathematics teacher from SMK Tanjung Datuk, the programme will allow students to be more innovative in creating phone applications. She is planning to propose this programme to her school's Information Technology (IT) teacher so that it can be incorporated as part of the IT teaching module.
It was not all work though for the students. On the second day of their stay, the students were treated to a night of wonder and entertainment, the International Cultural Night, with special performances by UTP's group of international students. On the way back to their hometowns, the students were also taken on a tour of the historical Kelli's Castle to expose them to a part of Perak's colorful heritage.
PETRONAS hopes that programmes such as this which aims to inculcate creativity and programming skills among students through discovery-based learning will inspire these students to carry on learning and to be change agents in their own community. A change for a better world for the generations to come.
Prepared by,
Strategic Communications, Stakeholders Management Department
Pengerang Integrated Complex, PETRONAS
