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[TOA] Beyond the Typical Classroom Learning Experience

The One Academy’s School of Digital Media Design organised an exciting, informative event for their students this year. Monocon 2022 was a five-day event jam-packed with enjoyable activities from start to finish. From team games to lifestyle workshops and inspiring talks from industry experts, the students not only enjoyed themselves but learned a lot throughout the event as well. Monocon created a platform for lecturers and students to come together and bond beyond the four walls of their classrooms. Redefining learning experiences by conducting events that link students with industry experts and getting them involved in hands-on activities is something The One Academy has always prioritised and encouraged.

Students who attended the event underwent a fun ice-breaking session on the first day. They were split into eight groups and the members were a mixture of Digital Media Design students from different batches. They got to know their members more as they were involved in exciting activities and games that involved brain teasers, creativity and strategic thinking. Throughout the ice-breaking session, students participated in games such as tic tac toe with paper cups, escape room and solving riddles as a team.

On the second day of Monocon, guest speaker Jun Ong, a light artist based in Kuala Lumpur shared his experience in programming and creating impactful art through light installations. He shared some of his most prominent works that gained a lot of attention. One of them was a light installation titled “Quantum” in the ArtScience Museum, Singapore in 2018. The entire section of the museum that was dedicated to this installation had green laser beams shooting from every corner and 50 mirrors were used to reflect these beams throughout the space. “Art is more than visual, use it to create conversation, make them think and create an impact,” with that Jun Ong ended his inspiring presentation on his career that left students feeling inspired and motivated to pursue their dreams in installation art.

Once the talk ended, the students prepared for the crafting workshops on campus. Some got their hands dirty in the pottery workshop and others got involved in the tie-dye workshop. The rest of them experimented with tufting for the first time. The students went all out on their projects, letting out all their frustration and creative juices while participating in these therapeutic activities. There was a lot of laughter and excitement throughout the entire session.

The students gathered in their respective groups and started the third day off with a series of station games. After the games, NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) expert Michael Chuah shared his knowledge with the students in his talk “Understanding NFT”. He talked about the advancement in technology over the years and the significant role NFTs play in it. On the same day, the founder and director of Kurechii, an award-winning game studio in Malaysia and The One Academy alumnus, P’ng Yi Wei shared his expertise in game development. He shared his famous works and the creative process?that went into making them. The projects he shared were Tiny Guardians, The King’s League Odyssey, Postknight and The King’s League II. Apart from their successful games, there were also some games that received lukewarm response. However, he shared the importance of staying motivated and passionate. “You can’t do something that is completely original in the game industry but you can make it unique,” he says, encouraging students to create games that set them apart from others.

Jim Chuah, founder and director of FNL PRJCT, a multidisciplinary independent studio made up of illustrators, motion-graphers and web designers shared his experience managing a team and clients. In his talk titled “Trust the Process”, he talked about the behind-the-scenes of some of the company’s biggest and most complicated projects. He shared the tedious process of presenting storyboards to clients and dealing with changes. By the end of the session, the students left with a clearer picture of what the industry is like and how to deal with teammates. They were reminded by Chuah to always play by each other’s strengths.

From group activities that built stronger relationships amongst the juniors and seniors, to inspiring talks by renowned artists and crafting workshops, Monocon was truly an event that brought everyone who shares the same passion for Digital Media Design together. The thought process and effort put into planning this entire event collectively by lecturers and students not only strengthened their bond but created a whole new learning experience that was fun and informative. The One Academy believes in coming up with creative ways to enhance the students’ campus life and learning experience involving different environments, exposing them to knowledge and experiences outside their classrooms.?

The One Academy is committed to providing the best art education programmes and continues to nurture its students passionately through its “Masters Train Masters” coaching philosophy, which has been practised for over 30 years, by providing diploma and degree courses in Advertising & Graphic Design, Digital Animation, Digital Media Design, Film Visual Effects, Interior Architecture & Design, Illustration, Fine Arts, Paris Fashion Design & Pattern Making, Computer Science, Game Design and Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation. For more information on The One Academy, visit or call +603-7875 5510 or e-mail your enquiries to [email protected].