The Faculty of Aviation, Science and Technology (FAST) at Nilai University in collaboration with St. Uriel Education (STU) and the Education Society of Singapore (ESS), successfully conducted a Professional Development STEM Workshop for Teachers on 26 June 2025. The workshop brought together 22 teachers from secondary and international schools across Negeri Sembilan.
This workshop is designed for educators who are teaching Robotics, Science, ICT/Computer Science and STEM subjects. It is also ideal for teachers responsible for implementing KSSM’s (Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah) coding, electronics and design technology modules, as well as those overseeing STEM clubs, robotic clubs or innovation programs. The workshop's icon-based Visual Programming Language (VPL) approach proved especially useful for special education teachers introducing robotics and logic.
Dr. Song Kuok Thong, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of Nilai University, opened the session with an overview of the university’s commitment in advancing STEM education through industry and international partnerships.
“This workshop isn’t just another training session about learning a tool. We’re giving teachers real and usable ways to get students excited about solving problems because that’s the skill that will keep mattering, no matter how tech changes or evolve,” he added.
Marcus Lim, President of the Education Society of Singapore, highlighted the workshop’s impact, “it’s inspiring to see teachers embrace STEM with such enthusiasm. Our post-workshop survey showed 100% of participants found it both useful and enjoyable, particularly praising the hands-on activities and collaborative challenges. Their commitment assures us that Malaysian students will soon benefit from world-class learning experiences especially through our upcoming STEM Workshop for Students in September and R2T2 Malaysia in November.”
“When teachers are empowered with the right tools, they don’t just teach, they inspire innovation. The energy today proves how ready Malaysia’s educators are to lead this shift,” Desmon Yeo, Director and Chief Trainer of St. Uriel Education added.
By the end of the workshop, participants gained essential knowledge and practical skills, including an understanding of the Thymio robot’s core features, sensors and behaviour, along with its learning progression from VPL to more advanced coding. They explored how Thymio and VPL align with Malaysia's KSSR/KSSM curriculum, while discovering effective teaching strategies for supporting diverse learners in computational thinking. Participants also gained hands-on experience programming the Thymio robot for tasks like movement, obstacle avoidance and light response as well as engaging in real-time problem-solving scenarios based on the R2T2 challenge. Finally, they developed assessment tools like rubrics and checklists to evaluate student progress in robotics and programming, reflecting on how to integrate these tools into classroom lessons and curriculum activities.
The workshop marks the first step in a broader initiative to strengthen STEM education through industry-academia partnerships. With plans already underway for student-focused sessions later this year, Nilai University and its collaborators are poised to become a hub for practical and future-ready learning.
