Feature Stories
YTL Foundation Classroom Makeover Programme
COMMUNITIES 4 November 2014
It is every students dream to have a nice classroom where they can learn and groom themselves. However, it was a merely a dream for Sekolah Menengah Puchong Batu 14 (SMK Puchong) students as the class is really run down. The dream was made reality by YTL, where several YTL Groups can in hand to hand like YTL Foundation, FrogAsia Sdn Bhd (FrogAsia) and the design and architectural department of Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn Bhd (SPYTL Design Group). It was like being in a fantasy storybook, but this time it was real. YTL launched the school’s new Frog Classroom.
The Foundation believes that the learning environment is very important in raising performance levels in students and teachers. The Foundation initiated a classroom makeover in SMK Puchong as it was a low performing school with the majority of students from low income families. The classroom was not at its best state as there are many broken furniture that is not conducive for learning. Hence YTL Foundation threw in a challenge for the SPYTL Design Group to develop the "Frog Classroom" where the classroom should be one of its kind that it can be replicated easy, cost effective and a classroom that can fulfill the requirement for teaching and learning of the future.
It is every students dream to have a nice classroom where they can learn and groom themselves. However, it was a merely a dream for Sekolah Menengah Puchong Batu 14 (SMK Puchong) students as the class is really run down. The dream was made reality by YTL, where several YTL Groups can in hand to hand like YTL Foundation, FrogAsia Sdn Bhd (FrogAsia) and the design and architectural department of Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn Bhd (SPYTL Design Group). It was like being in a fantasy storybook, but this time it was real. YTL launched the school’s new Frog Classroom.
The Foundation believes that the learning environment is very important in raising performance levels in students and teachers. The Foundation initiated a classroom makeover in SMK Puchong as it was a low performing school with the majority of students from low income families. The classroom was not at its best state as there are many broken furniture that is not conducive for learning. Hence YTL Foundation threw in a challenge for the SPYTL Design Group to develop the "Frog Classroom" where the classroom should be one of its kind that it can be replicated easy, cost effective and a classroom that can fulfill the requirement for teaching and learning of the future.
SPYTL took the challenge and this project was done stage by stage. The team visited the school, interviewed the teachers and students and spent many hours researching and brainstorming to establish their vision of a classroom of the future. Over a week during the school holidays the design was coming alive and taking into shape of a "Frog Classroom". The team sacrificed their weekend and holidays and did the most tedious job from painting to washing the windows and also managing to get hold of other suppliers to be part of the project. Kian Furniture, Ica Innovation Sdn. Bhd., Regal Ambience Sdn. Bhd., Ascon & Services Sdn. Bhd., Goodrich Global Sdn. Bhd., Bristol Technologies Sdn. Bhd, and others contributed chairs, flooring, air conditioning units, curtains and funding for the project.
The response from the students was unbelievable; the students were filled with curiosity and eagerness to learn. They love their new classrooms and wanted to learn. To support the Frog Classroom, YTL Foundation has also donated a Chromelab that has 42 Chromebooks to the school. The Chromelab comes in with a mobile Chromecart where it conveniently charged and stored safely.
The Chromelab is also provisioned with Yes 4G mobile connectivity, enabling the entire class to be connected to the Internet. YTL further supports the school through the 1BestariNet project by providing training on the use of Frog Virtual Learning Environment (Frog VLE) as well as teaching and learning resources from the Frog Store.
The goal of the Frog Classroom breaks the physical boundary of the classroom and allowing students to get first-hand information which can be sourced using the internet. That is not all connecting and collaborating students from various schools and making them a part of FrogAsia’s Connected Classrooms which will bring the world to the tip of the student’s finger.
Find out more: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Education/2014/10/19/The-future-is-now/
http://www.nst.com.my/node/41359
http://ytlfoundation.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZjgAjwsxwo