Creativity, innovation the focus at teachers’ institute
KUCHING: Creativity and innovation will continue to be the focus at the Teachers’ Training Institute of Tun Abdul Razak Campus (IPGKTAR) in Kota Samarahan in line with the Malaysia Education Development Plan (PPPM) 2013 – 2025.
Head of the institute’s Department of Research and Innovation in the Professionalism of Teacher Education, Dr Clarence Jerry said one of the ways to incorporate these elements into the working culture in IPGKTAR is by holding Innovation Day.
The event features presentations of creative and innovative methods of teaching and learning by teams comprising lecturers and trainees.
Held recently at the campus, Clarence said this year’s Innovation Day attracted 56 teams, consisting of 49 trainees’ teams and seven lecturers’ teams competing for the accolades in the Teaching and Learning Innovation Competition for various subjects.
“Through this competition, teachers and teachers-to-be can help make teaching and learning more effective and in line with the demand of the changing times. They must be bold in exploring and applying new ideas and knowledge so that classroom learning environment can be greatly improved,” he said.
Meanwhile, Innovation Day coordinator Zaliha Musa said the competition provided good exposure and platform especially to the trainee teachers to prepare themselves for the challenges awaiting them when posted to schools.
A team of lecturers from the Physical Education and Health Department comprising Dr Chin Ngien Siong, Candrawati Ibrahim and Salmi Lilek won the Best Innovation (Platinum Award) for the lecturers category with their entry ‘Agility Reaction Aid’.
The winners for the trainee teachers category for Best Innovation (Platinum Award) were PISMP PJK (Lee Sing Ching, Alexwealth Egun and Caristy Sigah Ekong) with their entry ‘Reaction Towards Light’ and PISMP Matematik (Yeo Rou Xuan, Chan Ling Fang dan Wu Weng Yan) with their entry ‘Jam 3S’.