Curtin Malaysia empowers school leaders to bring STEM learning to life

Miri, Sarawak – 26 October 2026 – How can a candle, a cup and a simple engineering challenge spark greater interest in science and engineering? Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) demonstrated how hands-on learning can transform STEM education during a campus workshop for 52 school principals and counsellors from secondary schools across Northern Sarawak.

Held as part of the Teachers’ Day Conference, the workshop equipped educators with practical approaches to making Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) more engaging, accessible and relevant to students, while strengthening collaboration between schools and higher education institutions.

Academics from Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Engineering and Science led interactive sessions demonstrating how real-world engineering challenges can bring scientific concepts to life. The participants explored experiential learning approaches that encourage students to investigate scientific principles, design and test prototypes, analyse results, and refine their solutions rather than rely solely on theoretical instruction.

The workshop opened with an introduction to Curtin Malaysia’s Energy Engineering programme by Professor Ir. Ts. Bridgid Chin Lai Fui, the Faculty of Engineering and Science’s Associate Dean of Research and Development. Her presentation explored fundamental energy conversion concepts and their engineering applications, illustrating how complex principles can be translated into engaging learning experiences for secondary school students.

The highlight was “Candle + Cup = Chimney Magic!”, an interactive engineering challenge facilitated by Dr. Ir. Jenney Ngu Lim Song, Programme Coordinator for Chemical Engineering, and the Faculty of Engineering and Science academic team.

Working in teams of four with simple materials, the participants built and tested prototypes to investigate heat transfer, convection, hot-air movement, the chimney effect and energy conversion. The activity also introduced key engineering practices, including measurement, data analysis and iterative design, as the teams evaluated their prototypes and explored ways to improve performance.

Beyond the experiment itself, the challenge demonstrated how low-cost, accessible materials can be used to create meaningful STEM learning experiences in schools. The participants also examined ways to assess students’ scientific understanding, creativity, problem-solving, teamwork and communication through practical tools such as rubrics, checklists, observation forms, worksheets, and peer and self-assessment.

To put their learning into practice, selected teams delivered three-minute engineering pitches outlining their prototypes, intended learning outcomes, improvement strategies, assessment methods and classroom applications. The exercise encouraged the participants to consider how hands-on activities could be integrated into lessons with clear educational objectives and measurable student outcomes.

The programme also included a sharing session at the Curtin Engineering Classroom led by Kamaroizan Mohamad and Donna Peterus, teaching fellows from Curtin Malaysia’s School of Pre-University and Continuing Education (SPACE). They shared insights into the university’s student learning experience and demonstrated how interactive teaching approaches can support engagement and learning in engineering education.

Participant feedback highlighted the value of the workshop’s practical and interactive format, alongside opportunities for further support in assessment design, curriculum integration and the development of classroom-based STEM activities. The discussions also pointed to potential for deeper collaboration between Curtin Malaysia and secondary schools across Northern Sarawak.

Professor Ir. Ts. Chin said the workshop provided an opportunity to share teaching approaches and experiential learning practices from higher education, helping educators explore ways to introduce engineering concepts in accessible and engaging ways.

“By connecting classroom learning with real-world engineering applications, we hope to inspire teachers to create meaningful STEM experiences that develop students’ curiosity, creativity and problem-solving skills, while preparing them for future studies and careers in STEM,” she said.

Professor Raymond Chiong Choo Wee, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Science, commended the academics for sharing innovative STEM teaching approaches with secondary school educators across Northern Sarawak.

“This initiative reflects our commitment to strengthening school-university partnerships, supporting educators, and inspiring the next generation of STEM talent through engaging, hands-on learning experiences,” he said.

Through initiatives such as this workshop, Curtin Malaysia continues to strengthen partnerships with schools and support educators in creating more engaging, practical and relevant STEM learning opportunities for Sarawak’s future scientists, engineers and innovators.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit curtin.edu.my or follow Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or TikTok.

School leaders take on the “Candle + Cup = Chimney Magic!” STEM challenge.

A team pitches its prototype and classroom applications.

Curtin Malaysia academics with participating school leaders.