The university-led series of facilitator workshops inspired one school’s journey from after-class projects to state STEM competitions and a growing culture of hands-on learning.
A hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workshop at Wawasan OpenUniversity (WOU) has sparked an unexpected ripple effect at a Penang secondary school—culminating in its students qualifying for a national-level STEM competition.
For Nor Suhaila Binti Abdul Rahim, a teacher at SMK (P) Sri Mutiara, the bridge-building workshop she attended at WOU in May completely reshaped how she approached science and engineering in the classroom.
“Before this, I only relied on Google and diagrams to learn about bridge building. But during the workshop, WOU facilitators shared creative and practical techniques that helped me understand the process deeply. Using simple materials like wooden sticks, I successfully built a bridge model and brought that knowledge back to my students,” said Nor Suhaila.
The workshop was part of a district-wide initiative by WOU in collaboration with the Penang Northeast District Education Office. The programme, comprising four interactive sessions, has benefited over 120 teachers from 70 schools across the district, aiming to empower them with practical, hands-on STEM teaching methods.
Nor Suhaila described the workshop as a turning point, particularly for teachers with no prior experience in STEM, in helping them gain the confidence to embrace the field.
Armed with new insights and confidence, Nor Suhaila went on to establish a STEM Club at her school, introducing her students to hands-on challenges and bringing the workshop’s spirit directly into her classroom.
“With the guidance and teaching tips shared by the WOU facilitators, I was able to pass on what I learned to my students. Their enthusiasm motivated us to take part in the district-level STEM competition, and we were thrilled to qualify for the national stage. Although we didn’t win, the students were proud and happy because their hard work had taken them all the way to the state level.”
“The STEM Club gives my students a platform to explore science and engineering beyond the textbook. At the same time, it allows me to share what I’ve learned with them and and guide them to explore their creativity, think critically, and experiment with their own ideas,” she said.
Exuding the same spirit and passion for STEM, her students took on the bridge-building challenge with curiosity and determination—gaining not just technical skills, but also confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of teamwork.
“If our design didn’t work, we’d try again until we succeed. We did plenty of research, looked at different types of bridges, and kept practising. To friends interested in STEM, I’d say: keep going. It doesn’t matter even if you lose a competition — it’s all part of the learning experience,” said Form 3 student, Miz Natalyz Fandya Binti Mohd Noor Fazli.
Her schoolmate and fellow Form 3 student, Joey Heng Bee Xuen, echoed the spirit of collaboration:
“At first, I just focused on building the bridge without really thinking about how strong it needed to be. But as my friends shared their ideas, we put them all together and ended up with a stronger, better model.”
WOU’s commitment to STEM education runs deep, with a strong focus on equipping educators to spark change from the ground up.
According to Assoc Prof Ts Dr Sean Tan Koon Tatt, Dean of WOU’s School of Technology and Engineering Science (STE), the initiative is part of a broader mission to build Malaysia’s future STEM talent.
“As the country accelerates efforts to build a robust STEM talent pipeline, WOU is proud to play a role in laying the groundwork. Through these workshops, we’re not just training teachers—we’re empowering them to become catalysts of change in their schools and communities,” says Dr Tan.
“Seeing our participants transfer that knowledge and enthusiasm to their students is exactly the kind of ripple effect we hoped for. Ultimately, our goal is to cultivate a new generation of innovators, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers, starting where it matters most, with the educators. The momentum in classrooms like SMK (P) Sri Mutiara reflects the very impact we set out to achieve,” he adds.
By equipping teachers with the right tools to make STEM hands-on and relatable, WOU aims to bring the subject to life in more Penang schools, fostering a culture of curiosity, creativity, and innovation one classroom, one project, one student at a time.