Teaching to Create Leaders in Malaysia

December 2021

HP employee volunteers in Malaysia combined personal experience with HP LIFE courses to create a masterclass for teachers on using technology to deliver engaging content to students.

During the height of the pandemic, educators had to quickly familiarize themselves with a range of technology platforms in order to connect with their students at home. Eighteen months later, technology continues to play a pivotal role in the learning experience and teachers, who are relying on it more than ever, need support to understand how to use it effectively to create engaging learning environments for their students.

“If we want our students to be the leaders of tomorrow, we need to support teachers to use technology confidently to teach the digital and leadership skills required in the workplace today,” said Saravana Praveen, HP Malaysia’s head of Human Resources, who led the volunteer team. “That’s why we created a project aimed specifically at them for 40 Days of Doing Good.”

40 Days of Doing Good is the HP Foundation’s annual global employee volunteer campaign. It provides an opportunity for HP employees to come together to support local communities through volunteering. As a result of the pandemic, volunteer activities are predominately virtual.

The HP Malaysia employee volunteer team partnered with JA Malaysia, a non-profit that equips young people with the employment and entrepreneurship skillsets and mindsets they need to succeed. Together they developed a series of six virtual workshops which were offered to teachers from 55 secondary schools in six different states (Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, and Pahang) in Malaysia

Fifty-four HP Malaysia and Greater Asia employee volunteers delivered the workshops which were attended by169 teachers. Workshop content focused on three areas: the HP LIFE program, how to prepare a business plan, and digital skills training.

HP LIFE is a free IT and business skills training program from the HP Foundation. It is accessible online, offline, and in person (where safe) offering more than 30 courses in eight languages for entrepreneurs, business owners, and lifelong learners all over the world.  It is also an adaptable educational resource used on the ground by trainers, educators, and mentors.

“Our volunteers introduced the teachers to the HP LIFE program showcasing the multiple ways it can be incorporated into a class,” said Praveen. “They used the Starting a Small Business course to familiarize  them with the core elements of a business plan—a mandatory assignment for secondary school business students—and shared ideas for integrating the concepts into their classes in engaging ways.”

Volunteers also showed the teachers a wide array of software applications and programs—such as Canva and Kahoot—which they could use to enrich their classes and give their students a grounding in the digital skills that will position them for success in the workplace.

“The teachers who attended the workshops expressed their delight in being exposed to the digital training resources available in the market and also to having access to the great content on the HP LIFE portal. HP’s commitment to education, youth, and social impact is truly inspiring,” said Shanthi Kanthaswamy, executive director, JA Malaysia.