Parents, teachers and caregivers often ask NewTechKids' team members how they can prepare kids for a world of pervasive technology which is shaping almost every facet of life. They want to give their kids the best opportunities for success yet are overwhelmed, confused and don't feel well-equipped because they did not grow up in a tech-driven world. This causes a lot of anxiety so here are our top four tips for preparing kids for an
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With Big Tech and businesses increasingly targeting children in terms of advertising, marketing, sales, data mining and surveillance, NewTechKids encourages parents, caregivers and teachers to start thinking more critically about how technology impacts children and teens. We are one of the supporters of the Dutch Code for Children's Rights in the Netherlands. Drawn up by the University of Leiden and the Waag and commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Code outlines 10
Read moreNewTechKids and the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) strictly adhere to the COVID-19 social distancing recommendations issued by the Dutch government. Our bootcamps take place in OBA's Junior Lab, a large, well-ventilated room. NewTechKids is using AI-based software to design our classroom layout and the placement of tables and chairs, location of teacher, etc. Tables and chairs are spaced apart to encourage social distancing. Each class, NewTechKids' teacher checks the temperature of all children with a
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On May 28th, Deborah Carter, NewTechKids' Founder, spoke at the SheSays Amsterdam event with the theme 'Inclusion Starts with I'. https://vimeo.com/339092617 Here's a quick summary of her presentation and the key points raised during the roundtable discussion she facilitated: Many women work in the technology industry and in industries driven by technology. Taken all together, our inclusion is powerful. Women are technologists such as computer scientists, data scientists, programmers, developers and engineers. They are also lawyers,
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NewTechKids is super excited to announce two new 2019 summer bootcamps which will combine computer science and maker activities. The workshops will be taught in partnership with Maakplaats 021, the Maker education initiative of the Amsterdam Public Library, the largest public library in Europe. During the all-day bootcamps, kids ages 8-12 will enjoy hands-on activities related to creating tech prototypes and designing and producing physical objects in the Maker Lab. Bootcamp #1: July 15-19, 2019
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Click here for more information and to register. The world is receiving a major wake up call. Hundreds of thousands of students from around the world have been marching to tackle climate change. Hashtags such as #FridayforFuture and #SchoolsStrike4Climate dominate social media. If we are going to tackle problems like climate change, pollution, extreme weather and other environmental challenges, we need to change our habits and invent new technologies. In recognition of the fact that
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More attention is being given to the harmful effects of staring at device screens for prolonged periods of time. According to a recently-published article on the Popular Science Web site, researchers are connecting screen exposure to sleep disruption and eye problems. "Researchers have connected the high-energy visible light, which emanates from both the sun and your cell phone (and just about every other digital device in our hands and on our bedside tables), to disruptions
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Preparing children, starting in primary school, to be successful technologists requires parents and teachers to make them aware of the benefit of studying computer science, programming, technology systems and design. Case in point: any child interested in working in a sports-related profession. Technology is transforming the sports industry. Examples include: Web sites which provide stats, stream live games and competitions and provide the latest news; Online games which enable players to play sports virtually and
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LEGO Mindstorms is one of our favourite tools for teaching children ages seven to 12. It is a tangible tool which provides children with a realistic experience of designing, building and programming technology. It also teaches children that hardware and software influence each other and need to work together in order to develop successful technology prototypes. Many of our students say that they first realised the power and fun of computer science after they built their
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Computer science is all around us through our use of technology: systems, devices, software, etc. Unfortunately, we often take technology for granted and don't think about it until it doesn't work or it causes serious headaches. NewTechKids has compiled these three tips to help parents encourage their children to become more aware of the technology around them to think like technologists in creative ways. By discussing technology on a daily basis, parents can start helping
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