Internal Workshop 13/3/2020

          For First Year Group 2, their first internal workshop for Social Engagement was held on 13 March 2020, from 3PM until 7PM. At 3PM, every group members were asked to gather at Seminar Room of the Department of Biomedical Science to start the internal workshop. This workshop is based on module 1 and module 2 which explain about Microbes, and was guide by our coordinator, Dr. Puah. In order to ensure that all of the group members fully understand about both modules, all members were asked to perform the hands on by themselves. This is to prepare themselves before they present about these two modules at SMK Sri Pantai.

         To begin, Dr Puah first give a brief explanation regarding Module 2 (How does bacteria look), which is to assemble a foldscope that resembles a mini microscope. After Dr Puah has taught them how to assemble the foldscope using the paper provided, the first year students were given the chance to do it themselves. Then, the foldscope was used to view microbe slides, such as Amoeba sp. which are prepared earlier by Dr. Puah.

The first year group 2 members were assembling the foldscope using the paper provided.

         Moving on, they continued with Module 1 (Microbes and Hygiene), which consists of three different activities. First, they were each given different shapes of balloons that resembles the shape of bacteria such as sphere (coccus), spherical and rod (bacillus) shape. They then used double-sided tape to stick the balloons together in order to show the shape of microbes. For example, for Streptococci sp., they combined several sphere shaped balloons into a long chains.

The students with their balloons representing the different shapes of bacteria.

         Following that, they continued with the second activity which was to imitate the spread of aerosol through sneezing. Tables were arranged in a row and covered by plastics and mahjung paper. They then used a spray bottle to spray coloured water on the table and watch how far the water could spread. The distance was then measured using a measuring tape. After that, they were asked to vary the ways that is used to spray out the liquid, such as covering the mouth of the spray bottle or adjusting the pressure by using tissue papers. This activity actually imitate the effect of sneezing and how far it can spreads depending on the different ways we act when we sneeze. 

The student were measuring the distance of the sprayed liquid.

Dr. Puah giving an explanation about the second activity.

Trying different variables of spraying out the coloured water.

        Last but not least, the final activity was the handshake effect. One of them was asked to put some powder on his hand and then proceed to shake the hands on the next person to him. The second person then continued to shake the hands of the next person and the handshakes went on until the last person. They then used UV light to view how the powder has spread from one person's hand to another person. In this activity, the powder here represent the germ that we might be spreading to other person if we are not hygienic. To end the activity, they then tried cleaning their hands using just tissue and later using water and soap. Then, they view their hands under the UV light again to determine which method of cleaning was more effective to kills the germ (to clean the powder used earlier).

Viewing their hands using UV light to see the powder.

         This internal workshop was initially done as a preparation before visiting SMK Sri Pantai. However, due to the movement restriction because of Covid-19, they are not able to visit the school. Despite that, all of them had a good time and enjoyed themselves while gaining new knowledges.