By: Alif Ashraf Aini, Suzaliza Mustafar (FSM)
UPSI, Tanjong Malim – Project-Based Learning (PBL) is an instructional approach where students acquire knowledge and skills by actively exploring and responding to a real-world, engaging, and intricate question, problem, or challenge over an extended period of time.
Therefore, the Inorganic Chemistry II (SKT3023) course has taken the initiative to implement PBL as one of the continuous assessments for the A232 semester.
On the 10th of July, a total of 24 students under the supervision of Dr. Suzaliza Mustafar was organised a visit to School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) located in Gelugor, Penang.
This program serves as a platform for students to learn the hands-on technique of Single Crystal X-ray Crystallography (SCXRD), which is a crucial branch of knowledge in coordination chemistry.
Additionally, this program is also an initiative to encourage students to pursue postgraduate studies. The agenda started with a quick briefing given by USM Physics Department’s senior lecturer, Dr. Suhana Arsyad on the topic of crystallography, such as the use and operation of the Single Crystal X-ray Diffractometer (SCXRD) machine.
The session continued with an explanation of the tentative and students also took this opportunity to ask further questions to Dr. Suhana about the topic discussed.
All the students were enthusiastic and showed interest to participate actively in this short workshop. Dr Suhana’s expertise is in synthesis and crystal growth, spectroscopic characterization, x-ray crystallography analysis supramolecular hydrogen bond analysis and theoretical calculation (Harthree-Fock and Density Functional Theory).
The School of Physics generously sponsored a delicious lunch featuring authentic Penang cuisine, Nasi Kandar. After lunch break, the students were taken to the X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, where the students were divided into assigned groups.
Each group was taken to different stations, and each station explained the different steps in the Single Crystal X-ray Crystallography (SCXRD) process.
During this session, the students were given the opportunity to operate the SCXRD machine themselves using the crystals that synthesised by themselves. The students also did not waste the opportunity to ask questions about postgraduate studies to the postgraduate students who were the facilitators for the day.
The activity continued with a visit to USM’s Institute of Nano-optoelectronic Research and Technology (INOR). The students were exposed to various laboratories and research rooms located at INOR.
They also had the opportunity to learn and discussed about the research on the use of Zinc Oxide, (ZnO), to eradicate the larvae as an alternative to halt the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes and stop spreading of dengue fever.
Program director. Nabilah Ridzuan, 22, said she was very happy and proud because this visit has succeeded in fostering their interest to continue studying at the postgraduate level in the field of chemistry, and this trip also proved that learning is not limited only in the classroom.
This program has proven to be very beneficial to students, indirectly demonstrating that PBL is an appropriate learning method to be implemented in classroom.