STEM Teacher Capacity Building in Batam, Indonesia

The goal of this programme was to scale up our current STEM teacher capacity work in West Java to Batam. We collaborated with 100 STEM teachers in Riau province, including those in Batam, Bintan, and Tanjung Pinang. A total of 20 schools with a strong interest in STEM education were identified and 5 teachers able to spearhead STEM curriculum in the school were selected to attend the programme. These teachers had the responsibility of teaching their fellow teachers within their school and school district. The chosen teachers acquired knowledge and skills in coding devices such as micro:bit and integrated STEM curriculum design, enactment, and assessment.

The programme developed the teachers’ capacity in harnessing technologies in creating and enacting technology-based integrated STEM lessons. This was aligned to Indonesia’s reformed Merdeka Curriculum rolled out by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (MOECRT) in 2022.

The Programme consisted of four phases that offered STEM learning progression for Indonesian STEM educators through hybrid learning modes. The hybrid structure of the lessons ensured that Programme content continues to be delivered and overcomes the limitations of only face-to-face interactions with the meriSTEM@NIE team. Additionally, it served as a model for the Grade 9-12 STEM teacher participants, demonstrating practical approaches to virtual lesson delivery.

Programme Highlights

Foundational Courses

Mastery Level Workshops

STEM Lesson Package Development

STEM Educators Symposium

On-site Lesson Observations

2024

2025

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Foundational Courses on STEM Curriculum Integration and STEM Pedagogical Practices

4 January – 29 February 2024

At the Foundational level, participants accessed online micro-lessons, consisting of bite-sized videos, enabling independent and self-paced learning. These micro-lessons covered essential STEM content and e-pedagogies crucial for crafting integrated STEM lessons that fostered students' digital literacy, encompassing knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

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Mastery Level Workshop on STEM Curriculum Integration, STEM Pedagogical Practices, and Coding

4 — 5 March 2024

The first session of the mastery level workshop was held at Golden View Hotel, Batam, from March 4 to 5, 2024. One hundred participants from 20 schools, comprising an average of five teachers per school, participated in intensive training sessions.

Throughout the two-day workshop session, participants attended lectures conducted by meriSTEM@NIE consultants and participated in hands-on and facilitated sessions (e.g., using Internet of Things [IoT]- enabled devices, coding software/platforms). Participants engaged in computational thinking, design thinking, inquiry, heuristic thinking, and engineering design thinking. The face-to-face engagement with meriSTEM@NIE consultants consolidated participants’ understanding of the knowledge acquired at the foundational level.

Associate Professor Teo Tang Wee delivering the lecture on Introduction to STEM Education

Associate Professor Tan Aik sharing an example of learning activities

Participants were then given a task to create a cutting tool for blind individuals using the provided materials to design. Here is a meriSTEM@NIE consultant testing one such prototype

Dr Timothy Tan was invited as judge to test out the prototypes. Here he is testing the prototype from SMAN 7 Tanjung Pinang

Associate Professor Tan Aik Ling giving out prize to the winning team for the blind man activity

Participants coding during the micro:bit workshop conducted by Dr Timothy Tan

Participants coded the micro:bit to function as a magnetometer and send measurement data to the computer

Participants pitching their school’s lesson plan during the STEM Lesson Planning with a focus on Pedagogical and Curricular Considerations session conducted by Associate Professor Tan Aik Ling

8 — 9 March 2024

The second session of the Mastery level workshop was held at AP Premier Hotel, Batam, from July 8 to 9, 2024. The participants delved deeper into the technology of micro:bit and discussed how to develop their proposed lesson plans further. In this session, participants continued their learning from Part 1, advancing their skills in coding and using the Grove Inventor Kit for micro:bit. They also explored the integration of these technologies into their STEM lesson plans. The session included detailed discussions and hands-on activities to reinforce their understanding and application of the tools. The workshop emphasised computational thinking, design thinking, inquiry, heuristic thinking, and engineering design thinking. Participants engaged in practical activities, solidifying their ability to integrate STEM concepts into their teaching practices. The hands-on sessions allowed participants to experiment with IoT-enabled devices and coding platforms, ensuring they were well-prepared to implement these technologies in their classrooms.

Group photo with participants, special guests, and partners

Opening address by Mr Robert Gardiner, Academic Advisor and Operation Counsel, Prestasi Junior Indonesia

Mr. Vignesh Louis Naidu, Director Operation, THF, Singapore addressing the participants

Dr Timothy Tan delivering his lecture on micro:bit

Participants during the micro:bit workshop

Participant from SMKN 1 Sri Kuala Lobam asking a question during the workshop

Mr Ng Yong Sim delivering continuing the micro:bit lecture focusing on the Grove Inventor Kit

SMKN 2 Batam’s representative presenting their lesson plan on making smoke detector in students’ toilet

SMAN 7 Tanjung Pinang representative presenting on mapping a STEM lesson learning for the proposed lesson on energy saving

SMAN 20 Batam’s representative presenting their lesson plan on upkeeping of the school environment and cleanliness with micro:bit due to students’ low awareness of environment cleanliness

Associate Professor Teo Tang Wee with the winners from SMKN 2 Tanjung Pinang

Associate Professor Teo Tang Wee with the winners from SMAN 1 Toapaya

Associate Professor Teo Tang Wee with the winners from SMKN 6 Batam

Associate Professor Teo Tang Wee with the winners from SMKN 7 Batam

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STEM Lesson Package Development and Consultations

March — July 2024

Following the mastery level workshops, this phase focused on refining participants' Technological Content Knowledge (TCK) and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK), empowering them to design and implement integrated STEM lessons that cultivate digital literacy. The participants collaborated in school-based teams to apply their learning from both phases and created comprehensive lesson packages. These packages integrated e-pedagogies informed by participants’ TCK and TPCK, fostering a sense of ownership in STEM curriculum development. Following the workshop, teachers began developing STEM lesson packages. Each school was required to submit one STEM lesson package for evaluation and feedback from meriSTEM@NIE consultants. 20 draft STEM lesson packages, one from each school, were meticulously crafted, incorporating innovative teaching methodologies and hands-on learning experiences.

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STEM Educators Symposium

31 October 2024

This symposium served as a culmination of a structured programme aimed at enhancing the quality of STEM education through innovative lesson planning. This programme guided participants through several stages, including initial development, iterative feedback sessions, and the refinement of lesson plans tailored to foster critical STEM skills in students. At the symposium, 97 participants from the Riau Islands, primarily from Batam and Bintan, presented their finalised lesson plans. A distinguished panel of judges, comprising consultants from meriSTEM@NIE and officials from regional education offices, assessed each lesson plan using a comprehensive evaluation rubric. The rubric focused on criteria such as creativity, interdisciplinary connections, technological integration, and effective implementation of STEM practices. Based on these assessments, the top 5 teams received awards and prize money from Caterpillar Foundation for their exemplary STEM lesson packages.

SMKN 1 Tanjungpinang presenting their smart café prototype featuring automated technologies with Micro:bit and Grove Inventor kits for a futuristic dining experience

SMKN 1 Tanjungpinang’s smart café prototype

SMAN 6 Batam presenting their early tide detection device

SMAN 6 Batam’s early tide detection device

SMAN 7 Tanjung Pinang presenting their indoor fan shutdown detector that powers off fans in unoccupied areas, conserving energy

SMAN 20 Batam presenting their micro:bit system to monitor school cleanliness, encouraging a clean environment

SMKN 6 Batam presenting their S-T-E-M quartet for an emergency warning system prototype for heavy equipment

SMKN 6 Batam presenting their emergency warning system prototype for heavy equipment, using micro:bit to issue alerts in high-risk situations

SMKN 1 Seri Kuala Lobam presenting "Smartfish", an automatic fish counter that helps aquaculture facilities track fish populations effectively.

Opening speech by Mr Pribadi Setiyanto, Chairman of the Executive Board, Prestasi Junior Indonesia

Dr Andi Agung, S.E., M.M., Head of the Education Office, Kepulauan Riau Province addressing the participants

Participants from SMKN 6 Batam receiving their micro:bit coding challenge award, presented by Mr Ng Yong Sim

Participants from SMAN 7 Tanjung Pinang receiving their ranger games coding challenge award, presented by Ibu Dienovinky Sulandhi

Participants from SMKN 1 Sri Kuala Lobam receiving their the most creative STEM lesson plan award, presented by Dr. Timothy Tan

Participants from SMAN 20 Batam receiving their award for the best STEM project, presented by Ibu Lily Rosnawati

Participants from SMKN 1 Tanjung Pinang receiving their award for second runner-up for the best STEM educator, presented by A/P Teo Tang Wee

Participants from SMAN 6 Batam receiving their award for first runner-up for the best STEM educator, presented by Mr Robert Gardiner

Participants from SMAN 1 Toapaya receiving their award for the best STEM educator, presented by Dr Andi Agung

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Phase 4: On-Site Lesson Observations

28 – 30 April 2025

Participants' lesson plans and teaching strategies were evaluated through on-site observations. Consultants assessed the practical application of the integrated STEM lessons, offering real-time feedback and guidance. This phase was crucial for ensuring that the theoretical knowledge and pedagogical techniques gained during the workshops were effectively translated into classroom practices.

Teachers and students from SMAN 25 Batam with meriSTEM@NIE consultants, Assistant Professor Ong Yann Shiou and Dr Timothy Tan

SMAN 25 Batam — The teacher explains how the robot works to a group of students

Teachers and students from SMAN 19 Batam

SMAN 19 Batam — A student demonstrating their hand gesture-operated dustbin

SMKN 6 Batam — Assistant Professor Ong Yann Shiou roaming around the groups to ask questions

Teachers and students from — A group photo of the

SMAN 20 Batam — Project presentation of a self-watering system for plants

Teachers and students from SMAN 20 BATAM with merisSTEM@NIE consultant, Mr Ng Yong Sim

SMKN 2 Batam — Teacher conducting the lesson

SMKN 1 Tanjung Pinang — Associate Professor Tan Aik Ling providing feedback to students

SMAN 1 Toapaya — Dance performance by the students

SMAN 1 Toapaya — Mr Mohammed Habibullah facilitating the class discussion and providing feedback to students

SMAN 7 Tanjung Pinang — Mr Bagus providing feedback to the students

SMAN 1 Teluk Bintan — Teacher facilitating group work

SMKN 1 Sri Koala Lobam — Co-teaching by the teachers

SMKN 1 Sri Koala Lobam — The students designed a motion sensor to activate the lights outside the house automatically. The students demonstrated how the lights turned on when he placed his hands in front of the ultrasonic sensor. The lights will turn off after a few seconds to save on electricity.

SMKN 1 Sri Koala Lobam — Students presenting their idea of a auto-lighting system for the theme park tower. The motion is detected using the ultrasonic sensor. The lights will be auto-switched off after a few seconds.