1

IDEAS AND IDEALS

OF STEM EDUCATION

KEMENTERIAN PENDIDIKAN TINGGI

Dato’ Prof Dr Asma Ismail, FASc

Director General of Higher Education

Department of Higher Education

Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia

2

SCOPE OF

TALK

WHY STEM EDUCATION MATTERS

WHERE ARE WE IN MALAYSIA?

WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD?

Local /National

Global

Hunter-Gathering

Agricultural Age

<Manual>

Knowledge-based Economy Age < Knowledge >

Bio-Green Economy Age

(Bioeconomy + Green Economy)

< Synthetic Capability :eg IT

Ubiquitous – Humanization Economy Age

< Wisdom, Moral, Spiritual >

19C 20C 21C Time

Industrial Age < Mechanical >

Develo

pm

en

t

Centers of

economy always

revolved around

S&T

Injection of soul and values

World/Global Economic Agenda

Malaysia’s vision

4

To survive in the innovation based economy and Bio-economy we

realised the need to move into ICT, Manufacturing, Engineering,

Robotics, LED, 3D digital printing, Biotechnology and

pharmaceutical, bio-diagnostics, vaccinology industry and

therefore need to acquire a new set of skills and a new breed of

21st century workforce

The innovation economy and the Bio-green economy are heading

towards being people-focused and people growth. RMK 10 and

RMK11 is moving in the right direction.

In our endeavour to become a high-income Nation, Malaysia is

focused on innovation economy by 2020 and bio-economy by

2025.

In other words the future industries will be about providing green

/sustainable solutions to the needs of the people

WHY STEM EDUCATION MATTERS

5

The future needs Science,

Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics (STEM)

STEM cannot solve all of

the worlds problem but

neither can we face the

future without it.

Hence many countries

have started to provide

STEM education to equip

their future generation to

be solution providers and

Malaysia should not be an

exception

Global

Challenges

in the 21st

Century

The problems of climate

change, poverty, food

security ,water security

and the growing world

economy, all depend on a

population well-educated

in STEM

STEM EDUCATION: TODAY

Science. The study of the natural

world

Technology. Any product created that

was used to solve a problem is

technology.

Engineering. The design process

used to solve problems

Math. The language of numbers,

shapes and quantities

STEM education

TODAY is a

movement to develop

STEM fundamentals

that students would

need in order to be

competitive in the 21

st century.

STEM education as we understand it is about the

teaching of pure sciences like, physics, chemistry,

mathematics, biology.

Each is a stand alone discipline taught to students in

silos.

Students are taught to solve the problems using each of

the discipline. It gets worse when there are no

practicals performed. No new discoveries of knowledge.

As a result STEM subjects are perceived to be difficult

and boring. The students did not undergo experiential

learning and will also think in silo to solve any problems

HARNESSING AND CONNECTING

KNOWLEDGE IN STEM

Addressing the new generation of

students

Rethinking

Teaching

Redesigning

learning

Need to ensure that the curriculum is relevant

to the Z generation : The future is now

11

STEM education today is not about teaching the subject

disciplines but rather HOW do you harness knowledge in the

STEM subjects to provide solutions to real-life problems

How do you CONNECT the knowledge learnt in the disciplines

concerned to provide creative and innovative solutions to real

life problems and even to the extend that the solutions be of

commercial viability so that we can create new and

competitive industries for the country

In other words we do not want the students to learn about

electrons but cannot connect how TV functions

We also cannot have students learn about biology but cannot

connect with teenage pregnancy

STEM EDUCATION TODAY

As we move into the era of globalization and the

digital age, thinking skills become absolutely

crucial in order for the educated person to cope in

the rapidly changing world.

We need thinking skills to be able to differentiate

what is fact and what is fiction; to differentiate

noise from signal

We need thinking skills in order to make good

choices

In the current job market there is a need for

thinking skills to ensure job employability

So today’s education must emphasize on

creative and critical thinking.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

STEM lessons focus on real-world issues and

problems. Students will address social, economic and

environmental problems and seek solution eg. Climate

change causing malaria on the rise

STEM lessons are guided by the engineering design

process.

Students required to IDENTIFY the problem,

conduct background research, DEVELOP multitude

of ideas for solutions, develop and CREATE a

prototype, test and evaluate and redesign them.

Students come out with their own research ideas ,

take different approaches, make mistakes, accept

and learn from them, try again.

They focus on developing the solutions.

IDEAL STEM LESSON

Real-world issues

IDENTIFY Problem

Background research

Provide SOLUTION

DESIGN the solution

CREATE prototype

TEST and EVALUATE

RE=DESIGN

Hence today’s STEM lesson goes BEYOND

preparing students for the job market.

STEM lessons develop thinking skills, reasoning,

rationalization, teamwork, investigative and

creative skills that students can use in ALL

aspects of their lives

CONCEPT of STEM lesson should be for all

disciplines

It is OK to fail

You learn from your failures

IDEAL STEM LESSON

Real-world issues

IDENTIFY Problem

Background research

Provide SOLUTION

DESIGN the solution

CREATE prototype

TEST and EVALUATE

RE=DESIGN

The workforce needs in the 21st Century have

also changed and the schools and university

curriculum have to keep up with these changes

The workforce situation has raised the need for

increased education in STEM

But as the number of STEM students continued

to be produced by the schools and universities,

the industries say we do not produce enough

students and the number of jobs continue not to

be filled.

This is known as the STEM paradox.

WORKFORCE NEEDS

Do we have enough STEM

Talents

Do we have enough STEM talents?

Country Percentage of Degrees

China 41%

India 26%

Britain 22%

Japan 18%

Brazil 14%

United States 13%

Where will All the STEM talent come from? The Global STEM Paradox , NYAS

Globally we find the number of students taking up

STEM is plateauing, or declining or mismatch in

terms of location. But in the job market, the need

for STEM skills continues to grow

NYAS using the think tank from Harvard revealed

that its not that there is not have enough STEM

graduates but rather there is not have enough

WORK-READY graduates.

So why does the STEM paradox happen?

STEM PARADOX

18

Shortage of graduates competent with technical and

interpersonal skills. They also lacked professional skills

like team work and problem solving ability

Lack of qualified technicians needed by industries. Most

graduates are overqualified for the job. Not skilled

based.

High loss of skilled workers due to brain drain.

Companies search for talents globally to fulfill their

needs.

Untapped pools of talent eg women, rural populations,

minority ethnic groups, the poor who do not have access

to STEM education will also not able to participate in the

STEM workforce.

Why STEM paradox

19

The need for a strong STEM ecosystem of

enabling govt. policies, business

incentives and cultural attitudes

We need cross sector collaboration to

create a strong STEM ecosystem to align

the skill and ambitions of graduates with

jobs of tomorrow and the solutions to

society’s growing needs.

Overcoming STEM paradox

MALAYSIAN SCENARIO

STEM IN MALAYSIA

DECREASING

ENROLLMENT OF SCIENCE

STUDENTS AT SECONDARY EDUCATION LEVEL

LAGGING IN SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT

AND LITERACY OF MALAYSIAN SECONDARY

STUDENTS IN INTERNATIONAL ASSESMENT

STUDIES

LAGGING IN MATHEMATICSACHIEVEMENT AND LITERACY OF MALAYSIAN

SECONDARY STUDENTS IN INTERNATIONAL

ASSESMENT STUDIES

4• Poor Critical thinking skills

• Inability to connect STEM knowledge to

real-life problems

SPM

2015

SPM

2014

SPM

2013SPM

2012440,688 455,839 470,402 472,524

132,540 308,148

30% 70%

Sains Sastera

31% 69%

Sains Sastera

31% 69%

Sains Sastera

31% 69%

Sains Sastera

143,327 312,512 145,080 325,322 147,202 325,322

STATISTIK CALON SPM YANG MEMENUHI

KRITERIA SAINS

Daripada jumlah calon menduduki SPM, penentuan aliran Sains mengikut

pengkelasan kategori aliran kemasukan ke UA adalah EMPAT (4) daripada

LIMA (5) mata pelajaran di peringkat SPM

MathematicsAdditional

MathematicsPhysics Chemistry

Biology atau Peng Kej Awam/ Elektrik & Elektronik/ Mekanikal/ Reka Cipta/ Lukisan Kejuruteraan/ Tek Kejuruteraan/ Ekonomi Rumah Tangga/ Sains Pertanian/ Tek Maklumat/ Prinsip Akaun/

Perdagangan/ Ekonomi Asas/ Peng Sains Sukan/ Peng Makanan

Kriteria Calon Sains Bagi Permohonan Kemasukan Lepasan SPM/Setaraf Ke UA

No of students sitting for SPM is

decreasing Percentage

taking science is plateauing but no of students

taking up science is decreasing

Statistik Mohon dan Layak Permohonan Kemasukan ke

Universiti Awam Bagi Lepasan SPM/Setaraf Mengikut Aliran

(Sains & Sastera) Untuk Tempoh 7 Tahun

Peratusan Penawaran Berbanding Calon Layak Kemasukan Ke UniversitiAwam Bagi Lepasan SPM/Setaraf Mengikut Aliran Bagi Tempoh 7 Tahun

Masalah kekurangan calon Sains di peringkat sekolah bagi

memenuhi dasar 60:40 Sains:Sastera

472,524 470,402 455,839459,044459,398

444,829

188,914 187,157 184,309143,941 142,914 141,384148,061 146,239

144,531

115,755 120,179 117,666

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

Tahun 2012 Tahun 2013 Tahun 2014

Bila

ng

an

Ca

lon

Perbandingan Data Calon SPM Mengikut Subjek Sains Yang Diambil

JUMLAH CALON SPM MATEMATIK ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS PHYSICS CHEMISTRY BIOLOGY

1. Calon SPM yang mengambil subjek Sains (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) di bawah 60% setiap

tahun. Pada tahun 2012, jumlah calon yang mengambil subjek Biology – 24.50%, Physics –

30.46% dan Chemistry – 31.33 %

2. Ada sedikit peningkatan pada 2014 bagi peratusan calon yang mengambil subjek Sains iaitu

Biology – 25.81%, Physics – 31.02% dan Chemistry – 31.71 %

3. Namun, peningkatan yang ada masih TIDAK memenuhi dasar 60:40 untuk Sains:Sastera

30.46%

31.33%

24.50%

31.02%

31.71%

25.81%

Sumber Data : Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia

Biology Physics

Chemistry

Biology Physics

Chemistry

Daripada jumlah calon menduduki SPM, penentuan aliran Sains mengikut

pengkelasan kategori aliran kemasukan ke UA adalah EMPAT (4) daripada

LIMA (5) mata pelajaran di peringkat SPM

MathematicsAdditional

MathematicsPhysics Chemistry

Biology atau Peng Kej Awam/ Elektrik & Elektronik/ Mekanikal/ Reka Cipta/ LukisanKejuruteraan/ Tek Kejuruteraan/ Ekonomi Rumah Tangga/ Sains Pertanian/ Tek Maklumat/

Prinsip Akaun/ Perdagangan/ Ekonomi Asas/ Peng Sains Sukan/ Peng Makanan

2012147,202 calon Sains

31.15%

30.84%

31.44%

2013 145,080 calon Sains

2014143,327 calon Sains

Statistik calon SPM yang memenuhi kriteria Sains

Jumlah ini tidak cukup menampung keperluan

UA dan institusi lain seperti Bahagian

Matrikulasi KPM sebagai feeder kepada UA

yang mensasarkan ambilan Sains sebanyak

60% bagi ambilan ke Ijazah Sarjana Muda

UA dari calon STPM dan

Matrikulasi/ Asasi

STPMMATRIK/ASASI

JUMLAH'POOL'CALON

STPMMATRIK/ASASI

JUMLAH'POOL'CALON

TAHUN 2013 TAHUN 2014

Sastera 53,439 6,761 60,200 41,178 7,373 48,551

Sains 4,947 22,235 27,182 7,434 21,013 28,447

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Statistik Bilangan Calon Yang Ada Untuk Kemasukanke Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda UA

8.47%

76.68%

31.11%15.29%

74.03%

36.95%

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

4.00 3.50 -3.99

3.00 -3.49

2.50 -2.99

2.00 -2.49

JUMLAH

SAINS 2,409 6,635 7,792 6,402 2,827 26,065

SASTERA 862 5,767 9,890 10,921 5,929 33,369

JUMLAH 3,271 12,402 17,682 17,323 8,756 59,434

26,065

33,369

59,434 Statistik Calon Layak & Unjuran (STPM/ Matrik/Asasi)

Sesi Akademik 2015/2016

Unjuran Sastera – 14,945

Unjuran Sains - 27,596

1

2Pool calon Sains

bagi 2014 –

28,447. Hanya

26,065 yang

layak ke UA.

Dengan unjuran

Sains 27,596,maka unjuran

tidak dapat

dipenuhi oleh

UA

Masalah kekurangan calon Sains di peringkat

sekolah bagi memenuhi dasar 60:40 Sains:Sastera

81,98258,386 28,996 76,99848,612 28386

We face STEM

crisis

CRADLE

CAREER

STEM career is a leaky pipeline

STEM surriculum that

does not address current

needs STEM crisis

LACKING IN STEM GRADUATES

STEM paradox

HOW SHOULD

WE ADDRESS

THE STEM

AGENDA IN

MALAYSIA

STEM EDUCATION

We have devised strategies to enhance the number

of students interested in science enrolling into the

universities

Providing scholarships in science both locally and

internationally

Establish RUs to move the agenda for

Postgraduates and innovation economy

The government has also created policies to

incentivize the private sector to be involved in R&D

based on STEM.

1

2

We cannot be expected to turn the

students around in the 3-4 years that the

students are in the university

We are at the receiving end of the

students trained by schools. We cannot

provide the STEM training piecemeal

We need to review our STEM education

framework

STEM GAP

We need to start STEM education from primary to

secondary to tertiary education

In other words STEM education must be from cradle to

career.

It must be coupled with innovative and entrepreneurial

thinking.

It must be seamless

With the launch of both blueprints MOE and MOHE are

seriously starting STEM education from cradle to

career

We need to re-train the teachers and lecturers in the

teaching of STEM

Cradle to career

Teaching students to become effective thinkers become

the immediate goal for education in Malaysia.

Our curriculum now emphasizes on HOTS, higher

order thinking skills that stresses on synthesis, analysis

and evaluation.

Thinking skills are an absolute necessity for a society

that is faced with rapid changes.

It has been said that for tomorrows curriculum its better

not just to teach about the specific knowledge since

technology change so rapid but perhaps better to teach

the students about HOW to make sense of the new

information.

DO WE HAVE THINKING SKILLS

ON THE GROUND?

We also need to inculcate values and

creation of balanced graduates.

While the graduates are driven to

undergo wealth creation for the country

there is a need to balance that with

values and obligations to do good for

society.

BALANCED STEM EDUCATION

MOVEMENT

OF STEM

EDUCATION

IN MALAYSIA

SHOWCASE

Innovative Human Capital through Education

Pre-School Primary Secondary Pre-Tertiary

TEST: Certificate Diploma

IHL: BSc Masters PhD

Required Core

Knowledge& Skills

Required Core

Knowledge& Skills

Required Core

Knowledge& Skills

Required Core

Knowledge& Skills

Required Core Knowledge

& Skills

Need for a seamless continuum from pre-school to tertiary level

Creative

Creative & Innovative,Collaborative, Entrepreneurial

Creative & Innovative, Collaborative, Entrepreneurial

Creative & Innovative

MOHEMOE

JAWATANKUASA KABINET MENGENAI PEMBANGUNAN MODAL INSAN BIL. 1/2011

STEM EDUCATION FRAMEWORK IN MALAYSIA

Pre-School Primary Secondary Pre-Tertiary

TVET: Degree Diploma Certificate

IHL: Degree Masters PhD

Nurture /

inspire

interest

Make

connections/

build

foundations

Developing and

building STEM

skills

Enhancing

STEM Skills

Challenge

and

prepare

Nobelist

Mindset program

STEM

Teacher

Training

with

NYAS

Science

Conclave

Young scientist

Summer Camp

Nobelist Mindset

Workshop

Summer

Science Institute

at NY

Laureate-in-

Residence

CreativeCreative and innovative Creative and

innovative

Collaborative

and

entrepreneurial

Collaboration with

industry and community

Nobelist MindsetCOMPONENTS OF CRADLE TO CAREER - GSIAC-KPM-UKM-NYAS

Nobelist mindset

workshop by

Permata Pintar, UKM

Conducted with the help of

NYAS

The objective of this

program is to expose and

train students, teachers,

and young scientists’ in the

mindset necessary to

become a Nobel Laureate

Students will learn how to navigate the pathway from high school to college

and gradute school and create a profesional development plan. Participated

by 450 students , 60 teachers and 60 young scientists

NOBELIST MINDSET WORKSHOP

Postdocs and new faculties will assess their

strengths and weaknesses and apply this

self-knowledge to become more effective

leaders and communicators.

NOBELIST MINDSET WORKSHOP

High school

students will

develop skills in

scientific

communication,

collaborations,

networking and

harnessing

STEM

knowledge to

provide solutions

to real-life

problems

Real-life problems

pertaining to

renewable energy,

wireless connectivity,

transportation and the environment

NOBELIST MINDSET WORKSHOP

Participants visited world class laboratories,

introduced to the scientific culture, meeting with

young scientist role models and discussion with

world class scientists.

Summer Science Institute

Program in New York

Meeting with

experts at NYAS.

Discussion with

James Watson, a

Nobel Laureate at

the DNA learning

Center at Cold

Spring Harbour

Summer Science Institute

Program in New York

Meeting with

world class

scientists at

Cold Spring

Harbor

Laboratory

SUMMER SCIENCE INSTITUTE

PROGRAM IN NEW YORK

Discussions @ Rockefeller

University

Replica of the

program to be

conducted by

the 5 RUs

Interaction with

Sir Richard

Roberts in

Malaysia

LAUREATE-IN-RESIDENCE

PROGRAM

Young scientists and high school

students were able to present their

research proposals to the Nobel

Laureate and get immediate feedback

from the Laureate.

Laureate-in-Residence

Program

Pre and Post tests

conducted before

and after the

workshops

Nobelist mindset

workshop

Students’ interest in

STEM increased from

43% to

aspire to be

Nobel Prize winners

Bitara STEM UKM-FELDA

Consequent to the success of the piloted program, the

Prime Minister launched STEM-focused school

programs in FELDA and MARA schools

Sept 2013

May/June 2014

BENCHMARKING

Feb 2014

STEM focussed schools- STEM

Co-Curriculum

Young STEM researchers

Young Scientist Program

Science Conclave

STEM teacher s’ training

EDUCATION

PHASE 1 ToT & PILOT

ToT & PILOT OUTREACH PROGRAM

PHASE 5

WAY FORWARD

PHASE 2

PHASE 3PHASE 4

March 2013

STEM TEACHER TRAINING

BACKGROUND Need for upskilling of STEM practitioners

WAY FORWARD

To prepare STEM teachers with knowledge and pedagogical skills on

STEM education

To strengthen teaching instructions and application of STEM

principles in classrooms

To develop hands-on STEM activity training modules

STEM TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

Pedagogical approach

on effective STEM practices in classroom

AIMS

52

10 Shifts

to support the

attainment of

System and

Student

Aspiration

Malaysian Education Blueprint (Higher Education)

HOLISTIC,

ENTREPRENEURIAL AND

BALANCED GRADUATES

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10SHIFT 1

Integrated CGPA▪ Assessment of all the 8 domains of learnings

displayed in the form of spiderweb▪ Transcript that indicated the outcome of all the 8

domains of learning.

Entrepreneurial Mindset▪ Embedded in the curriculum/stand alone.

JobSeeker

Job Creator

Experiential Learning/service learning• Alternate periods of academic study with periods

of work experience (2U+2I)

1

Creation of

Learned

values-

driven talent

Spirit of Volunteerism• Embedded in the curriculum/stand alone

Integrated CGPA (iCGPA)

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

FLEXIBLE EDUCATION

asma@mohe.gov.my

Thank you

57

Way forward: Dare to dream care to

share since tomorrow is not about

what we are building but what we

are creating