[SMD IC DESIGN MAKE-A-THON 2024] Survey Form (for students)
Executive Summary¶
SMD IC DESIGN MAKE-A-THON 2024 powered by Chumbaka, funded by Sarawak Microelectronics Design (SMD), is a 3-day competition tailored for university and secondary school students across Sarawak. This event focuses on unraveling the intricacies of circuit design – a fundamental skill for aspiring chip designers.
There were 3 Make-a-thons: Kuching, Sibu, and Miri.
Key highlights:
Increased Interest in STEM: The program significantly boosted students' excitement and interest in STEM, with many expressing a stronger enthusiasm for STEM careers and integrating STEM concepts into daily life.
Improved Technical Skills: Participants showed marked growth in technical abilities, particularly in circuit design, troubleshooting, and using tools like LTSpice and Arduino, though some students noted room for further development.
Enhanced Life Skills and Self-Directed Learning: Students demonstrated improvement in essential life skills, including problem-solving, teamwork, and resilience, and became more proactive in seeking out additional STEM learning opportunities independently.
Setup¶
The orignal responses can be found at SMD - Survey Form (for student) (Responses).
Reach out to zhix.chong@chumbaka.asia for further information.
Responses¶
Total Respondents: 63 / 120 (52.50%)¶
Response rate of this survey is less than 80%.
A response rate of 80% and above is desirable to address non-response bias. Non-response bias refers to lack of response by potential respondents in a sample or population. Non-response bias is detrimental to the reliability and validity of survey study findings.
Part A¶
Part A: Technical Skills¶
Here, we focus on student's technical skills, particularly those related to the content and tools introduced in the program. We want to know how their capabilities in using technology and applying STEM knowledge have evolved.
| Before the program (%) | After the program (%) | Delta (% pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ('1', 'I am confident in designing circuits using software like LTSpice.') | 23.8 | 66.7 | 42.9 |
| ('2', 'I can optimize an audio amplifier circuit using LTSpice.') | 25.4 | 71.4 | 46 |
| ('3', 'I am confident in building and troubleshooting electronic circuits.') | 28.6 | 69.8 | 41.3 |
| ('4', 'I understand the theoretical concepts behind the circuits I designed and built.') | 33.3 | 74.6 | 41.3 |
The table above shows the percentage of responses rated above 3 among all respondents. Each question was answered on a 5-point Likert scale, where:
- 1 indicates the least agreement/most negative/lowest regard
- 5 indicates the most agreement/most positive/highest regard
These findings summarise changes among students in technical skills and confidence before and after the program, highlighting growth (shown as the 'delta' in percentage points) achieved during the program.
Part B¶
Part B: Motivation & Interest¶
We aim to understand student's motivation and interest in STEM-related subjects. We are interested in how the program has influenced student's passion for learning and enthusiasm for pursuing STEM fields. Their responses will help us to evaluate whether our efforts are inspiring a deeper interest in STEM.
| Before the program (%) | After the program (%) | Delta (% pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ('5', 'I feel excited about exploring new things.') | 69.8 | 85.7 | 15.9 |
| ('6', 'I enjoy learning how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) can be applied in my everyday life.') | 68.3 | 90.5 | 22.2 |
| ('7', 'I am interested in pursuing STEM (such as engineering, information technology, computer science, maths, sciences, medicine, and healthcare) in the future (secondary school, university, job & career)') | 74.6 | 87.3 | 12.7 |
| ('8', 'I will enjoy a job in the STEM field.') | 68.3 | 79.4 | 11.1 |
The table above shows the percentage of responses rated above 3 among all respondents. Each question was answered on a 5-point Likert scale, where:
- 1 indicates the least agreement/most negative/lowest regard
- 5 indicates the most agreement/most positive/highest regard
These findings summarise changes among students in motivation & interest before and after the program, highlighting growth (shown as the 'delta' in percentage points) achieved during the program.
Q5. I feel excited about exploring new things.¶
Q6. I enjoy learning how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) can be applied in my everyday life.¶
Q7. I am interested in pursuing STEM (such as engineering, information technology, computer science, maths, sciences, medicine, and healthcare) in the future (secondary school, university, job & career)¶
Q8. I will enjoy a job in the STEM field.¶
Q9. I am interested in STEM subjects because of ...¶
Part C¶
Part C: Self-Directed Learning¶
Part C focuses on student's ability to take charge of their own learning. Their response will provide insight into how well our program fosters independence and continuous learning.
| Before the program (%) | After the program (%) | Delta (% pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ('11', 'I actively seek out opportunities (competitions, STEM carnivals, seminars, internships, workshops, etc.) to expand my learning in STEM.') | 65.1 | 85.7 | 20.6 |
| ('12', 'I am good at using my time and staying focused during class.') | 61.9 | 81 | 19 |
The table above shows the percentage of responses rated above 3 among all respondents. Each question was answered on a 5-point Likert scale, where:
- 1 indicates the least agreement/most negative/lowest regard
- 5 indicates the most agreement/most positive/highest regard
These findings summarise changes among students in self-directed learning before and after the program, highlighting growth (shown as the 'delta' in percentage points) achieved during the program.
Part D¶
Part D: Life Skills¶
Life skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork are vital for success in any field. Part D will explore how the program has contributed to student's development of these essential skills.
| Before the program (%) | After the program (%) | Delta (% pts) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ('14', 'I am creative in coming up with ideas.') | 61.9 | 71.4 | 9.52 |
| ('15', 'I think deeply to solve problems.') | 58.7 | 82.5 | 23.8 |
| ('16', 'I can share my thinking with others.') | 71.4 | 87.3 | 15.9 |
| ('17', 'I do not give up when facing problems.') | 71.4 | 88.9 | 17.5 |
| ('18', 'I follow through on what I promise to do i.e. "walking the talk".') | 68.3 | 82.5 | 14.3 |
The table above shows the percentage of responses rated above 3 among all respondents. Each question was answered on a 5-point Likert scale, where:
- 1 indicates the least agreement/most negative/lowest regard
- 5 indicates the most agreement/most positive/highest regard
These findings summarise changes among students in life skills before and after the program, highlighting growth (shown as the 'delta' in percentage points) achieved during the program.
Part E¶
Part E: Demography¶
In Part E, we ask for some basic information about students to understand how different groups of students are benefiting from our program.
Conclusion¶
The survey responses indicate that the SMD IC Design Make-a-thon 2024, powered by Chumbaka and funded by Sarawak Microelectronics Design, successfully boosted participants’ interest in STEM fields, enhanced their technical skills, and developed essential life skills. Students reported significant increases in confidence with circuit design, troubleshooting, and using digital tools, though some desired further skill development. The event also fostered a deeper passion for STEM, with a notable rise in enthusiasm for pursuing STEM careers. Additionally, it encouraged self-directed learning and strengthened critical life skills like problem-solving, resilience, and communication. The program appears to have had a positive, holistic impact on students’ motivation, skill sets, and readiness for future STEM challenges.