New Tech Kids | Design

1 jul 2016

New Lessons on Smart Energy Systems

Last week, we engaged our students in some serious challenge-based learning in order to understand systems thinking and how computers are embedded into all kinds of systems. We challenged the 7-12 year old kids in our 'Computers and How They Work' summer bootcamp to work in teams to design and program a smart energy system which could respond to different temperatures and activate a heating system when the room temperature dropped. In the process, they learned about conditionals and if-else statements.

11 dec 2015

Museums: A New Frontier for Tech Education

By NewTechKids

(Image from"Keith Haring: The Political line" exhibition at Kunsthal Rotterdam) This week, I stepped on stage and gave a presentation which required more out-of-the-box thinking than I've had to do in a while. I was invited by the Rijksmuseum to give a talk at the Hands On! Conference organised by the International Association of Children in Museums. More than 350 participants from museums around the world converged in Amsterdam to learn about the latest trends and see firsthand how innovative museums

12 okt 2015

Leraren geven programmeerles aan 2000 scholieren

By NewTechKids

Tijdens de EU Code Week (10 t/m 18 okt) geven 75 basisschoolleraren de programmeerles van NewTechKids aan hun leerlingen. NewTechKids is een onderwijsinstituut in Amsterdam dat kinderen van 4 tot 12 jaar leert over technologie en heeft daarnaast het programma ‘Intro in Coderen’ ontwikkeld voor basisschooldocenten. Tijdens EU Code Week laten de leerkrachten de leerlingen spelenderwijs kennis maken met aspecten als coderen, ontwerp, commando’s, algoritmes en automatisering. Zo ontwerpen de kinderen van kartonnen dozen robothoofden

22 sep 2015

EU Code Week 2015: Training the Trainers

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids achieved a major milestone last week. Over the course of five training sessions, we trained 75 primary school teachers in Amsterdam and Delft to teach our 'intro to coding' lesson to students aged 4-8 during EU Code Week 2015 (October 10-18). Our lesson doesn't focus on technical coding skills. Instead, we focus on exposing young kids to concepts such as coding, commands, algorithms and automation. It was so encouraging to see teachers from Dutch and international

17 sep 2015

NewTechKids: a research platform

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is happy to announce an academic research partnership with Leiden University. Under the partnership, NewTechKids' programs will become a platform where quality control research will be conducted on our pedagogy, teaching approaches, curricula and lesson plans. Tessa Slim, a Master's of Education student at the University, will conduct the research to assess whether NewTechKids' technology, programming and computer science programs for primary school aged children help kids improve their higher order thinking and problem-solving

25 aug 2015

EU Code Week 2015 voor leerkrachten

By NewTechKids

(Complete information in English.) Code Week is een Europees initiatief om kinderen en volwassenen programmeren en coderen te laten ontdekken. NewTechKids is een academie in Amsterdam die technologie-onderwijs biedt, gericht op het aanspreken van het probleemoplossend en innovatieve vermogen van kinderen. Gezamenlijk met TomTom, een nederlands technologiebedrijf, bieden wij basisschoolleerkrachten in Amsterdam training aan om een introductieles in coderen te kunnen geven aan kinderen in groep 1-4 (leeftijd 4-8) tijdens de EU Code Week: 10-18

2 jul 2015

NewTechKids @ NEMO Codestarter

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids was pleased to be invited by NEMO to participate in its inaugural Codestarter event on May 28th. In case you haven't heard, Google Netherlands donated $1 million to Science Center NEMO in Amsterdam to stimulate interest in coding, technology and computer science amongst primary school children. NewTechKids' teachers taught two of our popular 'Robot Boogie' workshops at the event. Rather than focusing on hardcore programming or more technical activities, the workshops exposed kids to a structured design process

14 jun 2015

NewTechKid@Hand’s On Conference

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is pleased to announce that Deborah Carter, its co-founder, will be speaking at the Hands On! Conference which takes place in Amsterdam from October 13 - 16th. More than 300 museum professionals from around the world will gather to discuss and be inspired by the latest developments in children’s education in museums. Under the theme ‘Touch and Learn’, participants will explore how museums in the 21st century can touch the hearts and minds of children. The

5 jun 2015

NewTechKids @ Leonardo da Vincischool

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Leonardo da Vincischool, a primary school in Amsterdam, to deliver technology and programming courses to its students. The programs will begin in mid-August after the summer holidays. Groups 1 and 2: NewTechKids Robot Boogie Bootcamp Students will be introduced to concepts such as computational thinking, design, commands and systems thinking. They'll learn the basics behind programming and automation through crafts, games, and physical activity. Taught in

21 apr 2015

Brainstorming a la NewTechKids

By NewTechKids

One of the nice things about launching a technology and programming academy is asking for input from different kinds of professionals. In NewTechKids' case, we organised a brainstorm session last week which brought together teachers, international education experts, designers, programmers, city government policy makers, branding specialists, event curators and executives working for technology companies. Our goal: sharing information and ideas on how to get kids and their parents excited about technology and programming education. Here are some of the ideas we shared.