The STEMBucket Challenge is a cross-country competition looking at playful and frugal designs addressing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths based educational practice. Focused on creative, sustainable, and engaging activities, the competition provides monetary prizes to help support the great work showcased.
STEMBucket challenge winners have been selected from each country, as well as individual category winners that best embody playfulness, frugality, and learning. All shortlisted entries have been featured in the ACES educational eBook as stand-out examples of excellent practice!
Scroll down to see the results. Click each entry to explore their playful and frugal learning designs, complete with video and text-based summaries.
Many thanks to everyone who took part in the ACES Challenege!
Participating Countries
Malaysia
Vietnam
Indonesia
Competition Winners!
Ejection Rocket Experiment
Faiha Zhafira Aftani,
SDIT Nurul Fikri, Indonesia.
Learning Conductor and Insulator Through Maze Runner
Batu Empat Primary School, SK Batu Empat, Limbang, Malaysia.
Fish Intestines Compost Block (FICOB)
Megah Holdings, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia.
Malaysia
Learning Conductor and Insulator Through Maze Runner
Batu Empat Primary School, SK Batu Empat, Limbang.
Fish Intestines Compost Block (FICOB)
Megah Holdings, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS).
Food Attack
The FracMen, Sekolah Kebangsaan Mentu Primary School.
Indonesia
Ejection Rocket Experiment
Faiha Zhafira Aftani,
SDIT Nurul Fikri.
Simple Aesthetic Candle to Light the Dark World
Muhammad Khalis A’ufa Suyudi, SDIT Akmala Sabila Cirebon.
The Windmill of Life
Khusnul Niken and Rizky Julia Putri, SDN Kanyoran 2.
Vietnam
Making Mini Water Filtering Tools
Nguyen Lan Huong, Nguyen Thu Phuong, Cao Huyen Chang, Lipica kindergarten.
A Lesson for the Local Education Subject
Bui Van Thanh, Nguyen Tat Thanh High Quality Practical School.
Muong’s Language Lesson
Le Thi Thu Huong, Nguyen Tat Thanh High Quality Practical School.
Learning Outcomes
Fish Intestines Compost Block (FICOB)
Megah Holdings, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia.
Learning Conductor and Insulator Through Maze Runner
Batu Empat Primary School, SK Batu Empat, Limbang, Malaysia.
Ejection Rocket Experiment
Faiha Zhafira Aftani,
SDIT Nurul Fikri, Indonesia.
Simple Aesthetic Candle to Light the Dark World
Muhammad Khalis A’ufa Suyudi, SDIT Akmala Sabila Cirebon, Indonesia.
Air-Powered Toy Car with Balloons as Propulsion Motor
Maliq al Rayyan Putra Pradith, SDIT Akmala Sabila Cirebon, Indonesia.
Playful Aspects
Learning Conductor and Insulator Through Maze Runner
Batu Empat Primary School, SK Batu Empat, Limbang, Malaysia.
Ejection Rocket Experiment
Faiha Zhafira Aftani,
SDIT Nurul Fikri, Indonesia.
CHEM-P-JONG
Hedrawati Mohamad (IT GIRLS), SMK Pujut, Miri, Malaysia.
The Windmill of Life
Khusnul Niken and Rizky Julia Putri, SDN Kanyoran 2, Indonesia.
Frugal Aspects
Ejection Rocket Experiment
Faiha Zhafira Aftani,
SDIT Nurul Fikri, Indonesia.
Simple Aesthetic Candle to Light the Dark World
Muhammad Khalis A’ufa Suyudi, SDIT Akmala Sabila Cirebon, Indonesia.
Fish Intestines Compost Block (FICOB)
Megah Holdings, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia.
DIY Magic Water
Nur Ardini binti Noh, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia.
Making Mini Water Filtering Tools
Nguyen Lan Huong, Nguyen Thu Phuong, Cao Huyen Chang, Lipica kindergarten, Vietnam.
Runners Up
Walking Water
Jeehan Fatimah Asyakirah, SDIT Ummul Quro Bogor, Indonesia.
Simple Fountain
Shafwan Nauval Nuruddin, SDIT Akmala Sabila Cirebon, Indonesia.
Pumice Boat
Bayanaka Adyastha Kusuma Putra, SDN 1 Mangkujayan, Indonesia.
Water Purification
Ruby Sesang Nur F, SDIT Al Lauzah, Indonesia.
Science Experiment To Make A Microhydro Power Plant Miniature
Absi mahandika zuchri, Sdit Al Mubarak Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia.
STEM Port
Arantxa Venessa Anak Derahim (Merapokians!), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Merapok, Malaysia.
Vitamins on Mission
Eric Tang Tien Yong / Dollar Bills (Team Name), SMK Limbang, Malaysia.
Interactive Lecturer Approach
Yuan Meng Yong, SMK St Columba, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
Pest Control Monitoring System
Neutron, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Malaysia.
Water (Water Wheel), Fire (Rainbow Candle), and Air (Air Bubbles)
Radinka Zahsy Ayunindya Riyanto, SDN 01 Pelem, Bungkal, Indonesia.
Identifying the Direction
Pham Thi Thu Hang, Nguyen Tat Thanh High Quality Practical School, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam.
Getting to Know 6th Grade
Quach Thi Thuy Thien, Nguyen Tat Thanh High Quality Practical School, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam.
A Lesson for the Local Education Subject
Bui Van Thanh, Nguyen Tat Thanh High Quality Practical School, Vietnam.
A Lesson on Vietnamese Medicinal Plants of the Muong Ethnic Group
Nguyen Vu A Sa, Nguyen Tat Thanh High Quality Practical School, Hoa Binh Province, Vietnam.
£500 prizes for Gold
One prize will be awarded for each participating country. One for Malaysia, one for Indonesia, and one for Vietnam!
£500 prizes for Gold
Prizes will also be awarded for standout examples of the use of playful aspects, frugal aspects, and impact on learning!
Additional £500 development grant
The overall winner will be selected from the various country and category winners and will receive an additional £500 development grant for use in supporting the delivery or expansion of their winning project!
Entry Criteria
STEM Learning
The activity must demonstrate the potential for, or evidence of, impact on learning and competencies in STEM.
Playful Aspects
The activity must promote the sense of curiosity, autonomy, and agency of learners to experiment, whilst engaging with fun challenges and social interactivity. Learn More…
Frugal Aspects
The activity must promote the inventive, resourceful, and environmentally conscious use of materials and resources to deliver creative, practical, and sustainable practice. Learn More…
Submission Requirements
In order to participate in the STEMBucket Challenge participants were required to provide the following:
- A video showcase of your activity (Max: 5 minutes)
- A written summary of your activity, consisting of:
- Activity title
- Summary description (200 words)
- Describe the learning and/or competency outcomes of your activity (100 words)
- Describe the playful aspects of your activity (100 words)
- Describe the frugal aspects of your activity (100 words)
Each video provided a summary of the activity and specifically talked about what STEM learning aspects were being addressed, as well as demonstrating any playful and frugal aspects within the activity.
All shortlisted submissions will be showcased on the ACES YouTube channel and in the ACES STEMBucket eBook!
Judging Panel
Nicola Whitton
Professor of Education at Durham University
Ann-Louise Davidson
Professor of Education at Concordia University
Dr. Ann-Louise Davidson is the Director of the Concordia University Innovation Lab and Concordia University Research Chair in Maker Culture. She is also Associate Director of the Milieux Institute for Arts, Culture, and Technology and directs #MilieuxMake, the Milieux makerspace initiative. She is the creator of Education Makers, a research group who works at the intersection of maker culture, social innovation, pedagogical transformation, and empowerment. Her children story book Amber the Maker has been supported by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and has been translated in ten languages.
Tom Gorman
Academic and Theatre Director at Coventry University
Tom Gorman is an academic and theatre director currently based at Coventry University. He is a Senior Lecturer on the BA Theatre and Professional Practice Degree at Coventry University. His work with the University of Tampere, Finland on immersive rehearsal spaces won prestigious Gold Awards from Reimagine Education in 2016 and 2018. Tom has since been a judge for the Reimagine Education Awards 2019-2022.
Partners
Coventry University
United Kingdom
Universiti Malaysia, Sarawak
Malaysia
Universitas Muhammadiyah Ponorogo
Indonesia
Universitas Negeri Malang
Indonesia
Hanoi University of Science and Technology
Vietnam
Funders
