OCTOBER 8 — Teaching in an international environment provides educators with meaningful opportunities to learn and grow alongside their students.

Under the Foundation in Science programme offered by the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science at Universiti Malaya (PASUM) at a university learning centre in China, my role extends beyond explaining chemistry concepts.

It involves guiding students through a major transition from traditional passive learning to an active English-medium university environment, all while navigating the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and reliance on digital tools in modern higher education.

My students came from a secondary education system characterised by a rigid and passive study culture.

Their high school learning experience was predominantly traditional, relying heavily on a chalkboard setup where teachers delivered one-way instruction and students sat silently listening.

When transitioning into an English-taught foundation programme, several major hurdles quickly emerged.

Because the course is delivered entirely in English, students initially felt overwhelmed and relied heavily on live translation apps on their mobile phones during class, creating a digital barrier that hindered direct scientific understanding and slowed real-time classroom engagement.

Additionally, in line with their previous schooling habits, asking questions during class was often perceived as interrupting the teacher, causing students to hesitate to speak up due to a fear of making mistakes or struggling with English vocabulary.

As generative AI tools became widely accessible, students began relying heavily on them for assignments, lab reports and tutorial exercises.

While AI can be a helpful study tool, depending on it too much creates serious learning issues in science education.

Relying on automated answers prevents students from thinking through problems for themselves and replaces genuine problem-solving with copied responses.

It also deprives them of the practice needed to master chemistry concepts and build their English communication skills.

Facing these combined challenges of language barriers, passive learning habits and AI dependency, I realised that traditional teaching methods would no longer be enough.

I needed to create an approach that would gently push students out of their comfort zones while still making them feel supported.

To help them overcome their fear of speaking English and step away from digital shortcuts, I focused on creating a classroom environment where learning was active, physical and collaborative.

To address these challenges and reduce digital dependency, I redesigned our classroom dynamic around hands-on activities.

For abstract chemistry topics, I introduced tactile model-building exercises using clay and stick sets.

Instead of relying on static diagrams or AI explanations, students physically built structural models and then gave short presentations to explain their work in simple English.

This provided a two-in-one benefit by deepening their scientific understanding while building their English-speaking confidence, all while keeping AI tools out of the equation.

To further redirect their interest in digital tools towards productive learning, I integrated real-time online game platforms for formative assessments during tutorial sessions, leveraging my students’ natural enthusiasm for gaming.

By transforming routine problem sets into live interactive competitions, students engaged in healthy peer rivalry that generated high levels of excitement in the classroom.

The fast-paced, timed nature of these live games required immediate recall and rapid problem-solving, making it virtually impossible for students to rely on AI tools or translation apps during the exercises.

This gamified approach provided instant feedback and transformed assessment into an enjoyable challenge, allowing students to test their understanding without the fear of making mistakes in front of others.

Combining hands-on activities with interactive games led to clear progress in both learning and student confidence throughout the semester.

Starting with small group presentations and fun quizzes helped students overcome their fear of speaking English, encouraging them to participate more actively in class.

Students told me that building models and taking part in live games made difficult chemistry concepts easier to understand and remember.

Instead of trying to ban technology, using games and physical activities channelled their energy into real learning, which naturally reduced their need to rely on translation apps and AI tools.

Technology and AI undoubtedly have a permanent place in modern education, but they cannot replace real-time problem-solving, tactile learning and genuine human interaction.

By blending hands-on activities with live gamified assessments, educators can help students step away from automated answers, master complex scientific concepts and build lasting confidence within an international academic setting.

The author is a Foundation Lecturer at the Centre for Foundation Studies in Science, Universiti Malaya (PASUM).

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.