The journey of the program (Muhamad Imran - 17203007/2)

 

Muhamad Imran bin Abdul Aziz

KIG190520 (17203007/2)

BEFORE THE PROGRAM

PREFACE

From our social engagement class, we were supposed to form a group and fulfil the tasks handed to us through the group course work. We formed a group consisting of 8 members, all of whom study mechanical engineering and happen to be my batchmates. Initially, I only happen to know just a few of my group members, however the chemistry of the group gradually increased as we did some ice-breaking sessions via Google Meet.

Within days of group formation, we conducted several online meetings to discuss about exciting & feasible projects that can be done. We ended up choosing to teach high schoolers around the ages of 14 & 15 about Physics and its applications. We contacted a variety of different public schools and eventually a Tahfiz school agreed with our proposal to teach their students. Despite preparing ourselves for this, the principal of the school backed down and the program had to be cancelled. The decision was made due to the school having other issues to address. Besides, the cases of covid-19 infections were skyrocketing in Malaysia during those few weeks. Although it was unfortunate, retrospectively it must have been a hard decision to make for the principal at that time.

 PROJECT

 After the failure of the previous idea, we regrouped and brainstormed ideas for the project. New and interesting projects that can be done, were restricted due to the covid-19 pandemic. We asked Dr. Norhafizan, the coordinator of our class, about the types of projects that can be done and so on. He suggested us to help the students of SMK Seksyen 4 Bandar Kinrara with their aquaponic system. Through discussion, we eventually planned to teach the form 2 & 3 students of SMK Seksyen 4 Bandar Kinrara about Tinkercad and its effectiveness on improving the current aquaponic system of the school. 

          

Having contacted with their principal, Sofwan clarified to the rest of the group members about the gist of the program. We were told that the school has an actively working aquaponic system that it takes care of. It comprises of aquaponic plants which require constant flow of water to survive. Therefore, we were assigned to solve the issue of water in case of problems that might occur such as a blackout. Upon further discussion, we felt that the best way to go about this project is to teach the kids about the Tinkercad and showcase its applications in the real world. Tinkercad is a free & user-friendly software which we can use to guide the students about building and programming basic electronic circuits. By doing so, we essentially gave the students the knowledge and the tools required to fix the problem faced by the school. Furthermore, mentoring them about Tinkercad further increases their excitement to learn engineering and also create new things.

                           

 PREPARATION

 We discussed about the details of the program and separated tasks amongst ourselves. The program was designed for 4 days straight, from the 8^th of June of Tuesday, until the 11^th June of Friday. The ones joining our program are the form 2 & 3 students that take RBT (Reka Bentuk & Teknologi) classes. we engaged with the teachers that were in charge and explained to them about the proceedings of our program. We even formed WhatsApp groups for the mentors & the participants so that direct communication can happen always. Each one of us had specific things to present on specific days. During the final few days prior to the start of our program, we prepared and finished our parts of the slides which we will use for our presentation. We will act like mentors for each student for the whole duration of the program. We even did some test runs the night before the program to ensure it will go as smoothly as planned. The schedule of the event is shown below :

DURING THE PROGRAM

1^st Day

 The Google Meet meeting started of with some opening speeches by the principal and fellow teachers. We had Iman bless the event with a Du’a. The program itself started of with an introduction to Tinkercad circuits by me. I introduced the students about what Tinkercad really is, and how it came about. I then explained what Tinkercad is all about and the various applicational benefits of it. The program then continues with Treechawith guiding the students on how to sign in and use the software itself. Both my friends, Treechawith and Yusri taught the kids how to build and assemble basic electronic circuits using Tinkercad. The students understanding were tested as well. We found that the students really enjoyed as they were really interactive and focused on what we were teaching them.

 

2^nd Day

 In this day, Iman & Irfan presented their parts. They taught the kids about basic coding that is found within Tinkercad. Iman explained about the Arduino & the functions of the coding blocks among other things. On the other hand, Irfan taught the kids how to construct coding instructions onto the circuit using the Arduino. Just like planned, everything went smoothly and the students showed full understanding of what we taught them. Seeing the students being really interested in what we were teaching was really joyful for me.

                          

3^rd Day

    On the Thursday, Sofwan & Aiman were set to present their parts. They gave an exercise problem which the students had to solve in groups. Separate group meetings were formed so that each group could virtually discuss on how to solve the given problem. Being mentors, each of us joined separate groups to monitor and give helping hands to the students if needed. Within the given time, all groups were able to complete the problem and present it in front of everyone. The performance of each group was graded by Sofwan.

     

4^th Day

During the fourth and final day, Hazmie & Sofwan explained to the kids about the situation of the aquaponic system in their school. They showcased to the students how to build and code an electronic circuit that can be used to measure the flow of water through their aquaponic system. Then, we used Kahoot to test the students’ understanding of the lessons we taught them throughout the four days. Lastly, we ended the program with a prize giving ceremony for the best group and the best students. All participants receive e-certificates for their participation. We thanked the students for willing to take part in our program, and also the teachers for allowing such program to happen.

   

AFTER THE PROGRAM

Having done the program itself, we were assigned to make a formal report of our entire project, encapsulating our journey from the beginning all the way until the end. We created a short video summarizing the program. Each one of us recorded our part for the video, which was compiled and edited by our group leader, Sofwan. Our video is then published on Youtube, and can be tuned in using the link below :

 

https://youtu.be/cfwpABTBKh8

 

Summary

              

First & foremost, I would like to give out a special thank you to the principal of SMK Seksyen 4 Bandar Kinrara for giving us the opportunity to conduct our project in their school.

We are both humble and honoured to be given the trust of teaching their students about Tinkercad and also helping with maintenance of the aquaponic system of their school. Without the help and support of the fellow teachers, our program would not have been possible. All in all, it was a learning experience for the students and ourselves. Despite staying at home for a long time under lockdown, this program helped with our social interactions as well as polish our social skills. If such a project comes again in the near future, I would not hesitate to take part in it myself. Thank you.