Posted by : azudin
Saturday 14 October 2017
By Intan Suhana Che Omar
KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 (Bernama)-- Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) together with PINTAR Foundation, have rolled out the Kembara #mydigitalmaker initiative to provide exposure for some 100,000 students in rural, sub-urban and underprivileged schools.
Supported by the Ministry of Education, the Kembara #mydigitalmaker in collaboration with PINTAR, an organisation that spearheads school adoption programmes, aims to expose the target groups which include teachers, parents, and local communities in rural areas to digital making content and tools, said MDEC in a statement.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk P Kamalanathan said,At the rate digital ecosystems are accelerating, careers in digital technology will soon be a large part of Malaysia´s future, and filling these highly sought-after positions will be talents that are digital economy ready."
"The key approach to building a nation of digital makers begins with creating opportunities for students - wherever they may be - and equipping our educators to nurture and polish these untapped talents," he was quoted as saying at the launch of a #mydigitalmaker Model School at SMK Kompleks KLIA recently.
He said the ministry had trained nearly 20,000 teachers to effectively deliver the new computational thinking and computer science module integrated into the curriculum this year.
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING
"We are confident that the teachers are well-equipped to cultivate computational thinking leading to higher order thinking skills amongst our students. In years to come, more teachers will be trained in collaboration with MDEC, universities and other industry partners, said Kamalanathan.
MDEC Chief Executive Officer Datuk Yasmin Mahmood said Kembara #mydigitalmaker bersama PINTAR is a bus, customised to fit a range of exciting digital making tools as well as information about future digital technology careers and the safe usage of digital technology.
The bus will travel to most states throughout Peninsular Malaysia exposing students, teachers and local communities from rural, suburban and underserved schools to digital making opportunities, tools and content, she said, adding that the unit was expected to reach 100,000 students over a period of two years.
Yasmin said MDEC was currently in partnership with numerous strategic partners and universities to foster a digital maker ecosystem to provide project-based learning opportunities via co-curricular activities, digital maker hubs and competitions.
These companies offer expertise in digital innovation and creativity, tools and teaching materials as well as resources to host digital maker hubs, she added.
She also urged all Malaysians to support its future generation in embracing digital innovation and technology through the #mydigitalmaker movement. For more information, visit https://www.mdec.my/mydigitalmaker.
-- BERNAMA