Industry@CS USM Classroom (ICSC) is an initiative by the school in the hope to create a more industry-aware generation of students at the School of Computer Sciences, USM.

The initiative requires participations from industry either in computer science or those requiring computer science solution in their business model.

Thus, this platform is created for the interested parties (industries especially) to facilitate strategic planning on how ICSC idea can be realised.

The platform among other things provide background information in regards to CS USM’s curriculum (briefly) to allow Special Interest Group (SIG) from industries to assess which course(s) they would be interested to be involved in and how to be part of the goal. The platform will also allow the SIG from industries to reach the ICSC team in USM to be the catalyst in bridging the connection between industry and the dedicated instructor/lecturer of the course.

Overview

In conjunction with ITU’s Girls in ICT Day celebration, the School of Computer Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (CS USM) in collaboration with Telebort launched the Girls in ICT Campaign 2019. The campaign aimed to encourage and empower girls to consider studies and car​eers in ICT, thus enabling both girls and technology companies to reap the benefits of greater female participation in the ICT sector in Malaysia. The campaign consisted of two workshops on Animation Using Scratch targeting primary school girls aged in Penang.

Workshop 1: SJK (C) Union, Penang

We conducted an Animation using Scratch Workshop at SJK (C) Union, Penang on 25 April 2019. Thirty primary school students aged between 10 – 12 years old from three schools (SJK (C) Union, SK Methodist Girls and SJK (C) Heng Ee) participated in the workshop. The goody bags and prizes for the workshop were generously sponsored by L'Oréal Malaysia.

The goal of the workshop was to expose primary school students to programming and animation using Scratch, a visual programming language. We started by providing an overview of ICT and asked the girls about their ambitions. While aspiring to be doctors, teachers and lawyers remained popular, we did observe a shift in some of the girls aspiring to be “Youtubers”. Next, we explained how ICT is becoming more prevalent in our lives regardless of the profession and played ITU’s Girls in ICT Day 2019 Video Message. We then guided the girls on the basics of Scratch and how to animate characters to move and talk. The girls were also asked to put what they have learnt to test through the Animation Challenge.

Through this workshop, which is part of our Girls in ICT Campaign 2019, we hope to encourage young girls to further their studies in programming or multimedia in the future. Our female Computer Science students from the university also volunteered to become mentors and role models to the girls, which doubled the impact of our outreach efforts. Overall, the girls had fun learning Scratch and many expressed interests to learn more about technology. All the girls, teachers and student volunteers were awarded with a certificate of participation.

Workshop 2: School of Computer Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

As part of ITU’s Girls in ICT Day campaign in 2019, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in collaboration with Telebort conducted our second Animation using Scratch Workshop at the School of Computer Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang (CS USM) on 8 August 2019. For the second workshop, the task force thought it would be a good idea to bring the girls from nearby schools to experience learning coding at a university computer lab with high-tech computers. Twenty-eight primary school students aged between 10 – 12 years old  from seven schools (SK Minden Height, SK Sungai Gelugor, SK Bukit Gambir, SK Bukit Gelugor, SJKC Kuang Hwa, SJKT Subramaniya Barathee and SJKT Jalan Sungai) participated in the workshop. Again, the goody bags and prizes for the workshop were generously sponsored by L'Oréal Malaysia.

Overall feedback from the girls is positive. The goal was to expose young girls to coding and get them interested in ICT professions from a young age. This group of girls had more traditional notions of what they would like to be when they grow up (e.g., doctor, teacher, lawyer). Perhaps the few more non-conventional ambitions we heard were chef, businesswoman, scientist and fashion designer. Hopefully the campaign has helped the girls discover more options on the professions especially tech-related ones they can pursue down the road.

The second workshop is the final Girls in ICT campaign event in 2019. Many thanks to the task force for their hard work in putting together two Scratch workshops. There were many impossible challenges that were made possible and many valuable lessons learnt along the way. It is amazing to learn how different it is to teach primary school students as opposed to the more matured students we are used to.

Since the establishment of the School of Computer Sciences, the school has been actively carrying out the responsibility of cultivating as well as raising awareness of science and technology towards the community. Starting 2019, our community project effort is extended to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bawong. This specific secondary school was founded upon the idea of overcoming the issues of the Orang Asli community being neglected where this school houses the crème de la crème of the Orang Asli students from around Malaysia. Community Project with SMK Bawong is organised by USM Computer Science Society, in collaboration with Majlis Penghuni Desasiswa Restu (MPDR). 

This project is all about giving exposure and experience to indigenous students on living in the university and how the environment feels like. Besides, the purpose of this project is to expose the students to the advanced development of technology and raise their awareness about how technology can change their lives. This project is also intended to improve the younger generations’ potential, imagination and confidence besides encouraging them to learn more about the importance of the technology for the sake of their future. Most importantly, the USM students are also given opportunities through this program to approach the society and get to know them better as well as offering a helping hand.

Objectives

1. Giving the opportunity to the Orang Asli students (SMK Bawong) of experiencing the university culture.
2. Motivating the students of the Orang Asli community to excel academically as well as being able to further their studies into university through the motivational sessions that will be carried out.
3. Giving the opportunity to the Orang Asli students of interacting with university students (Computer Science & Residential College) via various activities that will be carried out.

Community project with OATC is a long-term commitment of the School of Computer Sciences (CS) community and the Orang Asli Tangkai Cermin (OATC) community.  The project started on 2013 and still ongoing till today.

The first project was held on 22 – 24^th Nov 2013 aiming on instilling awareness on the importance of education to the OATC community. Several activities were held such as Motivational sessions for the parents, youth and students of OATC. A special program called Bengkel Celik IT is held to enlighten them on ICT and how it can alleviate their socio economy status.

The second initiatives was held in 2014 under the program called Jejak Menara Gading OATC. This is a subprogram under CSICE 2014 where 30 participants from the OATC community were brought to USM to experience the university life. Amongst these participants are students, youth and parents of the OATC. The program is aimed at boosting the spirit to pursue tertiary education among the children and to expose the parents on the living hood that their student will be in if they are pushed to the higher education level.

In 2015, the OATC community has taken lead in organizing a family day by inviting the CS Family. A group of 13 staffs and students went to attend the invitation and participate in various activities listed for the day.

The OATC community is exposed to the world by including Japanese participants from the Evidence Based Approach Fieldwork program in 2016. A number of Japanese students together with local and international postgraduates’ students were involved in understanding the culture and heritage of the aborigines. They were also given tasks to investigate the problems and challenges faced by the community and brainstorm on possible solutions.

The 2018 initiatives focused on empowering the OATC with technology whilst maintaining their true identity.  This program brings together not just the CS community but also makers@usm and MDEC Data economy division. The emphasize was on TVET and income generation through LokaLocal Host Experience.

The CS community are very proud of this community engagement and we hope to be part of the sustainability of the OATC community in years ahead.

Watch the documentary here