AS coding becomes an increasingly important skill for students to learn from a young age, schoolmates Chin Ling Yan and V. Priyangka, both 15, are eager to stay in the loop.
“This is completely foreign to us as we have never learnt coding or how to build software.
“I want to learn as it is interesting. It would be good to at least know the basic skills required to code.
“Doing it in a group makes it less daunting,” Ling Yan said at the Science, Technology and Innovation Awareness and Cultivation Programme (SciTech4U-Mosti Stem Camp) held at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Priyangka said she had always liked learning new technology.
“I find that artificial intelligence (AI) has many uses.
“It helps with homework when I do not understand the gist of the task.
“It would be great to learn how to use it for other things.”
The SMK (P) Methodist student said it was important to learn about technology as it advanced.
“We must learn it now when it is new, as it keeps evolving.
“Programmes like this help give us exposure to new things that may not be available in school.”
The one-day programme organised by Yayasan Bina Ilmu Pulau Pinang Bhd and Edusteems Sdn Bhd, with the support of USM and Yayasan Amal TYT Pulau Pinang, saw the participation of nine primary and secondary schools from the northeast district.
Yayasan Bina Ilmu Pulau Pinang Bhd chief executive officer Ahmad Shafneezal Abdul Rashid said there were plans to hold this programme statewide.
“This is our pilot project and we hope to secure funding to hold this statewide, or franchise it to other districts.
“The objective is to get them to embrace AI technology in a functional way.
“We want them to learn to use it to solve everyday issues rather than just consume its content.”
He said participants could learn to solve issues using AI, engaging their own creativity.
“It is more of an analytical understanding of how AI can be used to solve an issue.
“This is important as AI is a broad subject and has positive and negative implications.”
He said it was important for those in school to learn how to use AI in a positive way, especially since they had been exposed to advancing AI.
“It has been used for commercialisation of businesses or ideas which might not be good for them,” said Ahmad Shafneezal.
“Here, they will realise these tools can be used to make their lives better,” he added.
