PALEMBANG, Apr 4 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), in collaboration with the Physics Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), Universitas Sriwijaya (UNSRI), organized a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and dissemination of community service results under the theme “FGD and Dissemination of STEM-IoT and Minecraft Education Community Service Outcomes to Enhance Energy Literacy and Computational Thinking.” The event was held on Saturday, April 4, 2026, at Batiqa Hotel Palembang and was chaired by Dr. Ketang Wiyono, S.Pd., M.Pd.

The activity was conducted as part of the implementation of the UNSRI EQUITY Program for 2025–2026. The program is funded through the EQUITY Program of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and managed by the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) under Contract Numbers 4316/B3/DT.03.08/2025 and 66/UN9/PKS/2025. The initiative contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), through the enhancement of learners’ competencies in energy literacy and computational thinking.

The collaboration between UTM and the Physics Education Study Program of FKIP UNSRI reflects a shared commitment to advancing STEM-based education, digital innovation, and international academic partnerships. Through this collaboration, both institutions promote the integration of STEM-Internet of Things (IoT) and Minecraft Education as innovative learning approaches to foster energy literacy, computational thinking, and 21st-century skills among students.

In his remarks, Dr. Ketang Wiyono, S.Pd., M.Pd., explained that the activity served as a platform for evaluating community service outcomes, exchanging best practices, and strengthening international collaboration in education, research, and community engagement. He highlighted that the program builds upon previous community service activities conducted at Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP) Negeri 5 Indralaya Utara, focusing on STEM-based learning media designed to improve students’ energy literacy.

The implementation results demonstrated substantial improvement in student learning outcomes. The average posttest score increased to 88.4 (high category) from a pretest score of 58 (low category), with an N-Gain value of 0.72 (high category). These findings indicate that STEM-based learning integrated with digital technology effectively enhances students’ understanding of energy-related concepts.

The FGD session emphasized the evaluation of program implementation and the formulation of sustainability strategies for STEM-IoT-based learning innovations and digital learning environments, including Minecraft Education. The discussion also focused on strengthening collaboration among universities, schools, and educational stakeholders to improve the quality of science education.

In his opening remarks, the Dean of FKIP UNSRI, Dr. Hartono, M.A., emphasized the importance of international collaboration in developing innovative educational practices and expanding opportunities for academic exchange and joint initiatives.

A significant highlight of the event was the participation of UTM as an international partner institution. Representing UTM, Dr. Nor Farahwahidah delivered a keynote presentation on the implementation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Malaysia. She discussed how interdisciplinary learning approaches integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to address real-world problems, enabling students to apply conceptual knowledge in practical contexts.

She further explained that STEM learning contributes to the development of higher-order thinking skills, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and computational thinking. The integration of digital technologies, including Minecraft Education, was highlighted as an effective strategy for creating engaging, project-based, and meaningful learning experiences.

The event was attended by various key stakeholders, including the Director of Academic Affairs of UNSRI, Prof. Dr. Ida Sriyanti, S.Pd., M.Si.; the Vice Dean I of FKIP UNSRI, Dr. Rita Inderawati, M.Pd.; the Coordinator of the Mathematics and Natural Sciences Education Department, Dr. Ketang Wiyono, S.Pd., M.Pd.; and the Secretary of the Department, Drs. Kodri Madang, M.Si., PhD. Representatives from the Palembang City Education Office, school supervisors, the Chair of the Science Teachers Association (MGMP IPA), school principals, science and physics teachers from Ogan Ilir Regency and Palembang City, as well as undergraduate and graduate students of Physics Education FKIP UNSRI, were also present.

The collaboration between UTM and the Physics Education Study Program of FKIP UNSRI represents an important milestone in strengthening international networks in education, research, community service, and scientific publication. Joint initiatives such as the implementation of community service programs at SK DARY demonstrate the commitment of both institutions to developing innovative learning practices that integrate STEM education and digital technologies.

The event concluded with an interactive discussion session moderated by Dr. Ketang Wiyono, which generated constructive recommendations for strengthening STEM-IoT integration in school curricula, developing contextual and problem-based learning media, expanding the use of digital learning platforms such as Minecraft Education, and enhancing teacher professional development programs.

Participants also emphasized the importance of sustainable partnerships among universities, schools, policymakers, and international institutions. Such collaborations are expected to ensure the long-term implementation of educational innovations and contribute significantly to improving the quality of science education.

Through this collaborative initiative, UTM and the Physics Education Study Program of FKIP UNSRI reaffirm their shared commitment to supporting SDG 4 by promoting energy literacy, computational thinking, and innovative STEM-based learning. The partnership is expected to strengthen international academic cooperation, expand opportunities for joint research and community service, and enhance scientific publications at both national and international levels.