FOSTERING NUTRITION EDUCATION AMONG YOUTH THROUGH STEM AND HEALTH

Background of the Project

Fostering Nutrition Education among Youth through STEM and Health or known as FRESH is one the initiatives that will be developed by the UniSZA team with the aim to increase the youth's level of knowledge, interest and motivation towards STEM-based nutrition education by demonstrating a positive attitude towards learning and a desire to explore further in related fields. The programme will be conducted in five secondary schools in Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu and will involve 10 STEM teachers and 100 youths. At stage 1, educational materials will be developed by the STEM experts and nutrition professionals. The educational materials will cover seven topics such as food chemistry, plant growth and nutrition, food label analysis, data analysis and statistics, biotechnology and genetic engineering, sensory analysis and Kitchen Science. All those topics and activities will combine STEM principles with nutrition education, allowing students to develop a holistic understanding of the science behind nutrition and its practical applications in their lives. Each topic will provide students with personalized guidance, real-world insight, inquiry-based and hands-on activities in the field of STEM-based nutrition education, emphasizing on the High Order Thinking Skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity. At stage 2, the FRESH programme will be conducted weekly for two months among STEM Club students. The researchers will engage with students in hands-on projects, experiments, or activities in the FRESH module. At the end of the FRESH programme, each school will be invited for a NutriSTEM Challenge to assess the students’ essential HOT skills that they have gained from this programme. To sustain the programme, we hope that the Ministry of Education could help promote healthy eating habits among youth and support their long-term health and well-being by integrating the nutrition knowledge into STEM lessons at school. Overall, we hope that by promoting high quality STEM and nutrition education among youth in school, we can empower them to make informed decisions about their diet, health, and overall well-being (SDG 3: Good Health and Well- being). We also hope that, via the FRESH programme, the students' STEM skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, and scientific inquiry, through the lens of nutrition education can be developed. (SDG 4: Quality Education).

Problem Statement

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the critical role that STEM education plays in preparing students for the challenges of the modern world. STEM fields have driven innovation, economic growth, and societal development. As for that, researchers and policymakers worldwide are increasingly concerned with ensuring students persist and succeed in and students’ preparation for the labour market with STEM prominence. Empowering school students in STEM has become a crucial aspect of education, as it not only equips them with essential knowledge but also fosters problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and creativity. In Malaysia, nutrition education did not receive adequate emphasis in STEM-related programmes or initiatives among youth. While there are efforts to promote STEM education, nutrition knowledge might not be given equal attention. As a result, students may not receive the necessary education and skills to make informed decisions about their diet and health. Usually STEM and nutrition knowledge has been treated as separate domains without recognizing their interconnectedness. Students may learn about nutrition in health or biology classes but may not understand how STEM disciplines, such as chemistry or statistics, are relevant to nutrition science. This siloes approach can hinder students' ability to see the broader connections between STEM and nutrition.

Objectives

1.    To develop the students' STEM skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, data analysis, and scientific inquiry, through the lens of nutrition education.

2.    To increase the youth's level of knowledge, interest and motivation towards STEM-based nutrition education by demonstrating a positive attitude towards learning and a desire to explore further in related fields.

Methodology

The programme will be conducted in five secondary schools in Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu and will involve 10 STEM teachers and 100 youths. 

At stage 1, educational materials will be developed by the STEM experts and nutrition professionals. The educational materials will cover seven topics such as:

1.    food chemistry

2.    plant growth and nutrition, 

3.    food label analysis, 

4.    data analysis and statistics,

5.    biotechnology and genetic engineering, 

6.    sensory analysis 

7.    Kitchen Science. 

Each topic will provide students with personalized guidance, real-world insight, inquiry- based and hands-on activities in the field of STEM-based nutrition education, emphasizing on the High Order Thinking Skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity. 

At stage 2, the FRESH programme will be conducted weekly for two months among STEM Club students. The researchers will engage with students in hands-on projects, experiments, or activities in the FRESH module. 

At the end of the FRESH programme, each school will be invited for a NutriSTEM Challenge to assess the students’ essential HOT skills that they have gained from this programme.

The funds to be collected are as much as RM 60,862. 90% of the donated funds will be used to meet the needs to carry out this project/research/activity. 10% of the amount donated will be put into UniSZA's research endowment fund. These funds will be invested and the profits that will be generated will be used to fund UniSZA's research activities in the future.