Primary students of Mutiara Harapan Islamic School conducted the virtual event of STEAM Fair on 15 & 16 February 2021 with the theme “Promoting excellence and innovation about the world around us through STEAM”. This concept is inviting students to imagine new ideas and to encourage them

to be involved first-hand in project-based interdisciplinary programs. The process will integrate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) and English with

the objective of students being able to establish their own ideas to produce creative STEAM projects.

Grade 1 students came up with different ideas on how to be an agent of change during Pandemic time with the question in mind, ” How to keep our body healthy and fight against viruses”.  Some of them came up with an idea on how to share the healthy protocols through their vlogs. Other explored with their creative ideas on making their own maks, face shield and sanitizers. Some of them work in group and collaborate together. Students are very happy with the project making process and they can showcase their project to community and feel as an agent of changes for pandemic situation. The teaching and learning process in the new normal situation during the COVID-19 pandemic makes educators realize that improving 21st century skills for students is more important than ever. Students will face future challenges that cannot be predicted so they need to develop problem solving and innovative thinking skills. Therefore it is clear that skills such as collaboration and creativity are very important. 

Problem-based learning (PBL) is one of the strategies that can provide the opportunity for students to be involved in the process. The purpose of this method is to nurture students to think critically about the world around them and become problem solvers. And the more important thing is to change the concept from ‘learn this because you will use it someday’ to ‘use it now and own the learning at a deeper level to solve future problems’.