Preparing the Future Scientific Generation in Facing 21st Century Challenges
STEM EDUCATION AND CIVILSATION CLUSTER
Preparing the Future Scientific Generation in Facing 21st Century Challenges
As education and the processes of teaching and learning (T&L) are becoming more challenging in time, the outcome of the T&L should lead to the production of first class human capital. These individuals are concern about the critical global crisis, which involves the exploitation of energy and resources, pollution and climate change, agriculture and food adequacy, health, and welfare of the community in preserving development and generating global economy. A holistic and integrated education that should be developed to produce this human capital should no longer view niched areas of specialization as leading to exclusive individuals’ career, but as a cross-field approach to the construction of more comprehensive humans that are more willing and ready to confront and solve global problems. In an effort to produce human capital as was envisioned in approaching the Malaysia Negara Maju 2020, scientific knowledge should no longer be taught discretely as was customarily practiced, however it should be integrated with knowledge that are based on Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). As the National University of Malaysia that supports the philosophy of human development that integrates faith, science, technology, practical and theory, a sustainable effort is required in producing STEM learning experiences that would not only integrate the latest findings in research on science education, but also would be based on the knowledge of the Quran and Hadith. This integration would be expressed and translated more concretely and by hands-on learning experiences; where this effort would also be targeted to the younger and budding generation so that finally, knowledgeable humans, Ulul Albab are developed. This particular enthusiasm was what has been cultivated by the Research Group of Civilizations and STEM Education, consisting of STEM Education Research Group, STEMind (STEM Islamic and Missionary) and Mathematical Sciences Ruhiyy Education (PRISMa). Strictly speaking, in realizing this noble effort, the attention given by the Civilization and the STEM Education is to ensure the synergy in pooling efforts towards meaningful mastering of the STEM basic concepts, STEM pedagogical skills enhancement towards the restoration and enhancement of interest in these subjects, and to produce a comprehensive and holistic human through STEMind enrichment activities.
The interest in science and technology can only be fostered if a student has meaningful background understanding and mastery of the basic concepts of science and mathematics. In this context, the Ruhiyy Education Group of Mathematical Sciences (PRISMa) has taken proactive measures to increase the interest of the community especially the school students towards mathematics subjects. These efforts include making a paradigm shift in the subjects of mathematics, popularizing mathematics among the public, encourage students to specialize in the field of science in general and mathematics in particular, and demonstrating the role and viewpoint of mathematics in everyday life. These efforts are then coupled with the attention given by the STEM Education Research Group towards improving the quality of students’ learning and teachers’ teaching in the basic subjects of science and mathematics. The confidence and knowledge level of the teachers were discovered and their pedagogical skills and talents were polished. The students’ engagement through active learning were strengthened via the provision of various learning modules, such as the Problem-Based Learning, Game-Based Learning, Learning Using Graphic Calculator, Pedagogical Agent Mediated Learning, Brain Based Learning, and various others which has been accumulated in the STEM Education research directory. Not to forget, the research also focuses on isolated and disadvantaged students so that the knowledge gap in science and mathematics can be reduced, thus opening educational opportunities for all. In order to ensure that the mission is realized significantly in the context of glocal science education development, the STEM Education Group is also concerned about the teachers’ professional development by initiating researches that focus on improving the formal and informal teaching content pedagogical skills of the teachers. Trusts were also given to the STEM Research Group to spearhead researches related to Lesson Study in Malaysia, which among others, aims to improve the pedagogical skills of teachers through assessment and peer collaborative efforts, as well as the evaluation of the effectiveness of STEM teacher training in Malaysia.
Besides, the research conducted by the STEMind Group is a unique cross-field research that has combined the translation field with interpretation and apprehension (tadabbur) of sentences from the Quran and Sunnah, which are integrated with View of Nature (Pandang Alam) and its technological publications as envisaged in the National Education Policy. The group that was joined by academics from various field and levels have the objective to integrate elements of STEM-based faith (tauhid) or Tauhidik (Faithly) Science through research, development, evaluation and intervention of integrated T&L; and to be delivered to the younger generation through direct and mediated knowledge transfer processes. Moreover, the national identity that is rooted in the Malay world is also being rebuilt with the awareness of the wealth of the world and Malay culture in shaping the values of the national culture. Since the establishment of the group in 2012, STEMind has built Ulul Albab empowerment modules based on the understanding of the verses of the Quran and AlSunnah, which was grouped into six development parts: 1) Human Self-Identity and Consciousness as a Caliph Modules (I Am A Caliph Module) as a combination of Sunnatullah and Sunnah Rasul powerful approaches with relaxed and innovative approach; 2) Daily Prayers modules, which their understanding has been strengthened by scientific discoveries and the development of the latest technologies to improve the feelings of submission and humbleness. This includes an understanding of the water life cycle analysis and water-saving technologies, the study of biomechanics (mathematics) in prayers’ practical (fi’li) pillars and laser technology (infrared) in the correction of the qibla direction. 3) Modules for the strengthening of the physical body and spiritual that involves the outcomes of food and nutrition researches mentioned in the Quran and the Hadith, the method of disease detection through micro surgeries and digital imaging sensors in 2D and 3D, as well as physiology, biophysics and mathematics in running, swimming, horse riding, archery and strength match recreation Sunnah. 4) The nature view and apprehension (tadabbur) modules that consist of the observation of the sky, the rocks, the plants, animals and social insects, which creates the understanding of biomimetic technologies; 5) Community issues (maslahah ummah) technology modules that begins with the translation of environmental view to the nature- and life-inspired technology; the particular technology which has created the technology of aviation, mobility and artificial intelligence in robots, towards modern agriculture biotechnology, which causes the outbreak of sustainable and tauhidik (faithly) development; and finally 6) Islamic Scholarly modules that build soft skills to convey the message of wisdom, which includes writing, public speaking, identifying cyber propaganda and the sharing of experiences by the researcher, author, inventor and unpopular preacher.
Since its establishment, STEMind has received much attention from a variety of presentations and discussions invitations as well as having been interviewed several times for appearances in the mass media. These spotlights include an invitation to the FST and P&P Congress and Forum, UKM P&P Congress, Pahang Islamic Colloquium Series and Islamic Museum Concept Workshop and Mosque of Sultan Abdullah (MSA) Spiritual Talk by the Institute of Museum Pahang, Congress of Islamic Education, Secondary Tahfiz Science Schools Convention, VIP invitations to the Maahad Tahfiz programs, the PERMATAinsan Quranic Garden Living Lab Discussion, as well as several appearances in the Majalah Infiniti Kumpulan Utusan, and Slot Perspektif TVAlHijrah. Moreover, STEMind also acts as a supporter and a ruhiyy component in the UKM STEM Bitara Programme that have successfully been implemented together with FELDA. The STEMind researchers have been identified as Mentors for Student Research Mentoring program (SRMP) to the New York City. Thus, it is not surprising that in the near future, the results of researches on T&L outcome evaluation and the development of the STEMind concept will be first published to become a model shared in the academic world and would grab the global attention.
