Sunway College Johor Bahru Pre-U Team Introduces ‘Lab@Home’ Initiative

The Covid-19 pandemic and series of lockdowns have disrupted learning as we all know it.

While most lessons have smoothly transitioned online, a group of pre-university students undertaking science subjects have been denied access to sufficient lab practical sessions with the extended restrictions on face to face learning since May.

“Our academic colleagues from the Pre-U science team have been very concerned about the students’ preparation for their up-coming practical assessments, given the very short time they were on campus. Since we really do not know when they can be allowed back for lab practice, the situation has called for innovative solutions by the team.” explains Mrs Hor Poh Choo, principal.

The lecturers and the Science Lab team at Sunway College JB have been hard at work, planning to make the Lab@Home initiative a reality. All students undertaking Biology, Chemistry and Physics subjects across the AUSMAT, Cambridge A-levels and MUFY programmes will participate in the Practical EMPHASIS Month, where students can bring the lab home!

“A lot of thought and deliberation went into the process as we recognised our students' need to develop practical skills and to ensure they receive sufficient hands-on time before the assessments. I commend my colleagues for really thinking out of the box with this initiative and extend my greatest appreciation to the Science Lab team for their enthusiasm and willingness to take on such a mammoth task!” continued Mrs Hor.

To ensure each student was issued with the correct equipment, apparatus and supplies to perform the experiments at home, the Science Lab team of three staff together with some volunteer colleagues prepared, packed and recorded inventory for over 15,000 items which would be collected by the students via drive-thru at the campus Block B foyer over the course of three days. The work, although extremely tedious felt greatly rewarding knowing that students would benefit from the effort.

Following the successful roll-out of the very first Practical EMPHASIS Month initiative, students and their lecturers no longer have to be concerned about intensive catch-up lab practicals as online lessons can progress in tandem with the Lab@Home practical classes according to schedule.