Enhancing STEM Interest through IoT based Smart Farming Hands-On Workshops at SMK Bandar Sri Permaisuri

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The Enhancing STEM Interest through IoT based Smart Farming Hands-On Workshops program was sponsored by the IEEE Pre-University STEM Portal Grant Program 2023 and co-sponsored by Multimedia University. The program targets to create awareness on 5G, IoT and IoT based smart farming technology among secondary school students in Malaysia. 

The program consists of workshops with a target audience of students aged between 14-18 and their educators. The workshop was separated into two parts. In Part 1, knowledge on the role of 5G in IoT technology was shared, and hands-on demonstration sessions on basic experiments using various sensors like the ultrasonic and humidity sensors were conducted. The role of 5G in the connectivity of the sensors to the cloud was highlighted during this workshop. In Part 2, smart farming fundamentals theory was shared. Students got a hands-on feel on how to plant their own hydroponic based plants at home. The workshops concluded by demonstrating how IoT can be used to monitor various parameters in a smart farm such as reservoir water level and soil moisture sensor.  Students were also exposed to the roles of engineers in the IoT based smart farming scenario of the future. The effectiveness of the knowledge transfer to participants were tested using pretests and post-tests.

The participating school was provided with one NFT hydroponics structure for them to manage. An IoT system was installed in each NFT structure. Participants were taught how to use the IoT dashboard for monitoring and to respond to the data analyzed from the dashboard.  After the workshops, the participants were able to manage the IoT based smart farms in their schools. It is envisioned that the students will eventually sell the harvest for a profit or use it for their own consumption. 

In conclusion, these workshops will stir an interest in STEM among secondary students, with an anticipation to create more interest for them to select an engineering, IT or STEM based tertiary education and career. Since more than half of secondary school students in government schools of Malaysia come from low-income backgrounds, this workshop is a platform that provides an opportunity for these students to participate in STEM based workshops and upskill themselves.

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