MIRI: The Department of Built Environment at Curtin University Malaysia’s Faculty of Humanities and Health Sciences recently conducted a knowledge transfer programme workshop aimed at empowering teachers at SMK St Columba.
The workshop is facilitated by Rona Bang Tan, head of the Health Science Department.
This initiative particularly focused on supporting early career educators by enhancing their digital skills.
The workshop, led by senior lecturer Sr Dr Low Wai Wah, provided valuable training in fundamental and intermediate Microsoft Excel skills, a vital tool for quantity surveyors and construction managers.
By equipping teachers with these skills, the programme aims to improve their efficiency in managing administrative tasks within their educational roles.
“Microsoft Excel is a fundamental software for quantity surveyors and construction managers, essential for tasks such as preparing bills of quantities (BQ), cost estimating, and creating evaluation reports,” remarked Sr Dr Low.
“Professionals typically develop these skills during their undergraduate studies and further refine them in the industry through self- learning.”
Sr Dr Low emphasised the significance of digital literacy support for teachers in Sarawak, highlighting that such skills have proven benefits according to past research.
She stressed that initiatives like this are crucial for developing sustainable communities and are aligned with Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities
for all.
“Through this programme, we strive to enhance the digital skills of secondary teachers, enabling them to sustain these practices in their daily routines and pass on this knowledge to their colleagues and students,” Sr Dr Low added.
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