LIM WEI YUE (MIC190019)

  During the first semester, Dr Puah gathered us for a briefing session on the activities to be done for social engagement. Social engagement was a totally new course for us, so I had no idea what this subject is all about. When I heard the word “social engagement”, my first thought was “boring”. To make matters worse, all activities were held during the weekends. I was really unhappy about this. However, Dr Puah’s speech totally changed my perspective on this course. I was truly impressed by her dedication in helping us in making these activities successful. Besides, the activities planned were informative and fun at the same time. Hence, I was looking forward to the upcoming activities. After the briefing, we continued to enjoy our semester break while receiving emails regarding social engagement from Dr Puah. She constantly updated us about the preparation for the activities and related information.

        On 13 March 2020, my teammates and I had a four-hour internal workshop session. The purpose of this internal workshop is to provide us with relevant information on the activities for our fieldwork and how to guide the students from SMK Sri Pantai. We were introduced to microbiology and the proper way of handwashing. We kick-started our workshop with a short briefing by Dr Puah. We were provided with materials for the activities such as balloons to resemble the shape of bacteria. We were also given the chance to build a Foldscope. I was so excited as it was the first time I saw this apparatus, it looks just like a toy! Next, we conducted an experiment about the effectiveness of handwashing and using wet tissue to block air droplets. After experimenting and witnessing the power of sneezing droplets’ transmission, Dr Puah wrapped up the internal workshop with a concluding speech.

        Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, our group was forced to cancel all our activities at SMK Sri Pantai. It was quite devastating to hear this as the preparation work is complete. Nevertheless, instead of being sad, we decided to share our contents on a blog so that it is still beneficial to others. We uploaded an infographic and video about hygiene and the proper method of hand washing. The purpose of doing this was to raise public awareness about the importance of knowing the correct hand-washing technique, especially for students. We also conducted an online survey to collect data for data analysis.

        I was responsible for the questionnaire part. We did not have the opportunity to meet each other so we discussed our task through Whatsapp. Our task focused on data collection via an online survey and data analysis. Then, we also carry out a data presentation to make those data understandable. It was quite difficult to conduct group tasks without any face-to-face discussion with my team. But with the cooperation of each member, we managed to complete our tasks on time.

        Even though we are unable to organize this activity physically, I still learned a lot through the preparation process. I was reminded of the importance of keeping the hands clean constantly, especially during this Coronavirus pandemic. What is more important than washing hands is to wash with the correct procedure, which is so often neglected by many. I was surprised to receive many active responses through our online survey. This shows that our respondents were curious to learn about proper ways to keep their hands clean, especially during the current condition where everyone has to stay at home due to the Movement Control Order. I would like to sincerely thank my teammates for their full commitment to these activities. Not forgetting Dr Puah, who gave us such a great opportunity to learn and grow.

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