Innovative STEAM Project Serves as Final School Assessment at SMA Labschool Jakarta

SMA Labschool Jakarta held a STEAM Exhibition as part of its School Final Assessment (AAS) for Year 12 students on Wednesday, 11 March. The event showcased various innovative student projects designed to address societal problems through a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) approach.

This year’s STEAM projects operated under the overarching theme of “Eco Future”, emphasising a sustainable and environmentally friendly future to address contemporary environmental challenges. Four key problems were identified: waste management issues in local environments, water drainage and flooding problems, water sanitation challenges, and limited land and green space availability.

The event was attended by Doni Koesoema, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, alongside assessors including Hadi Nasbey, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Jakarta State University, and Nuril Kusumawardhani Soeprapto Putri, Head of Business Information Technology & Digital Business Innovation Programme at Binus University.

SMA Labschool Jakarta Principal Badru Zaman explained that the STEAM-based School Final Assessment represents an educational innovation. “The School Final Assessment at SMA Labschool Jakarta introduces an update through the STEAM approach. Whereas previously assessments were conducted in written form, students now express their understanding through innovative projects focused on solving real problems in society. This assessment tests not only memorisation but also critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and innovation skills,” Zaman stated.

This marks the second year the STEAM-based AAS has been conducted at the school. The Head of the Labschool UNJ BPS, Totok Bintoro, praised the innovative work produced by Year 12 students, citing the inspirational story of inventor Thomas Alva Edison as an example of the spirit of innovation and perseverance in creating work beneficial to society.

Doni Koesoema, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, described the STEAM projects displayed by SMA Labschool Jakarta students as highly inspirational and exemplary for other schools. “The STEAM work produced by SMA Labschool Jakarta students is very inspirational and can serve as an example for other schools. The hope is that these projects will not remain confined to the school environment but can be applied in society as an implementation of the deep learning approach developed by the Ministry of Education and Culture,” he said.

Year 12 student Sharliz Cahya Rinaldi expressed pride in the lengthy process involved in developing the project. “Through this STEAM project, I learned to observe problems in the things closest to us in our surroundings. We began with group discussions, identifying problems that exist in society, and then attempted to solve them through a product or prototype that could serve as a solution,” Rinaldi explained.

Through this exhibition, SMA Labschool Jakarta hopes that students not only understand classroom learning theory but can also develop creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and generate innovations relevant to societal needs.