Binary Pursuit: Tracing the Trail of the Robot’s Nemesis

The Binary Pursuit competition was not a normal academic exercise. It was an exciting adventure to find the robot nemesis and a Problem-Based Learning concept competition that allowed students to learn and build new skills in a fun and engaging environment.

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) through the School of Business (SoB), School of Computing (SoC), and School of Technology (SoT) have taken a unique approach to infusing learning with fun and camaraderie by introducing an innovative concept of Problem-Based Learning (PBL).

Ms. Michele Shivaani Sundra Raj, Ms. Tham Hoong Ching and Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Vinothini Kasinathan, spearheaded the Binary Pursuit competition, a testament to their commitment to embracing new and creative teaching methods.

The competition was open to all Level One Business Law students, and it challenged the participants to uncover an unknown stalker lurking in a web of mystery and danger in which APotic, the diligent university robot, discovers that her day-to-day operations are disrupted by the stalker’s disturbing presence.

From her nonchalant feasting on Ayam Penyet at the cafeteria to her swift pit stops at the APU coffee vending machine, the perpetrator has meticulously documented her every move.

Even her habitual diversions to the APU waffle stall and convenience shop are not exempted from the stalker’s all-seeing gaze.

To help uncover the stalker’s identity, students are given a thrilling challenge. Equipped with a set of QR codes hidden across the university grounds, they must navigate through a series of intriguing multiple-choice questions based on corpus delicti law.

By answering these questions correctly, they will unlock vital binary numbers that reveal the enigmatic alphabet representing the identity of APotic’s relentless pursuer.

APU’s state-of-the-art campus morphed into a thrilling quest as 40 teams of 80 participants embarked on a mission to uncover the identity of APotic’s shadowy stalker.

Amidst the excitement and friendly rivalry, the team of Koo Jun Hao and Jared Wong Jun Bin emerged victorious, followed closely by Lian Horng Xuan and Chin Hui Shan in second place, and Adel Mohammed Rafeaque Shaikh and Osman Nadim Maklai in third place.

Jun Hao and Jun Bin, students of Banking and Finance specialism in Fintech and Business Law, commented that this competition exceeded their expectations and was enjoyable.

“We learned decision-making skills, how to control our time, and gained more knowledge on criminal law.

“It really strengthened our memory on the learning process, and we surely will participate in it again,” the two of them explained.

Horng Xuan and Hui Shan, Banking and Finance specialism in Fintech students, were initially sceptical about the Binary Pursuit competition.

However, as the competition progressed, they found it to be quite engaging and enjoyable as the competition has the potential to strengthen team communication and teamwork for future course projects.

“We learned how to observe and analyse other people’s behaviour. For instance, when we saw a bunch of people crowding in a place, we interpreted that there is a code.

“We also learned some business law knowledge as well as the importance of teamwork,” they stated.

Adel Mohammed and Osman Nadim, Digital Marketing students, enjoyed taking part in the competition since it was both tough and enjoyable.

As athletes, they enjoyed running from one location to another with the given clue after each answer, which was very interesting and fun.

“We hope that this competition happens again in the future, and of course, we would love to enter again as we are very into competitions and challenges,” both concluded.

The Binary Pursuit competition was far from a dull and mundane academic exercise. It was a dynamic and engaging way for students to pursue their knowledge and hone their abilities while working together to crack the code and unmask the identity of the elusive perpetrator before it was too late.

This innovative teaching approach not only enhanced students’ understanding of concrete evidence of a crime, binary numbers, but also fostered camaraderie and a spirit of adventure.

The success of Binary Pursuit stands as a testament to APU’s vibrant culture of collaboration and inter-school engagement.

Ms. Michele, Ms. Tham, and Assoc. Prof. Ts. Dr. Vinothini’s vision has materialised into a memorable event that has left a lasting impact on APU’s academic landscape, showcasing the power of innovative teaching methods to transform the learning experience.