STEM education: robots and IoTs ignite learning

Operational strategy and educational outcomes of the "Robots and IoTs Go to Schools" program, executed from July to August 2024 across four selected schools in Johor, Malaysia. Supported by PPD Pasir Gudang and JPN Negeri Johor, with funding from APPGM-SDG, the third-year initiative was led by Dr. Arni Munira Markom alongside academic trainers and facilitators from UiTM Shah Alam and Pasir Gudang. The outreach program engaged 120 secondary school students through a dual-framework pedagogical model comprising theoretical seminars on Digital Technology, the Industrial Revolution, and Artificial Intelligence, paired with experiential technical workshops covering Tinkercad-based Arduino prototyping and an interactive Robotic Day. The findings demonstrate that university-led STEM interventions, sustained by local education authorities and inter-campus collaboration, effectively enhance technical literacy, foster computational problem-solving, and democratize access to emerging digital technologies among youth.