NewTechKids is busy preparing to give summer camps at the Amsterdam Public Library beginning next week. Keeping kids healthy and safe is our number one priority (on top of teaching them about technological innovation) so we are adhering to social distancing and hygiene rules mandated by the Library. This also applies to the space in which we will teach. We are limiting the amount of kids in each camp and camps will take place in
Read more
For kids and teens who love the performing arts, computer science, programming and design combined with digital skills can take them in many interesting directions. Case in point: Miral Kotb, Founder of iLuminate, a light dance and technology company. iLuminate came in third on 'America's Got Talent', has worked with artists including Chris Brown, the Black Eyed Peas and Christina Aguilera, and is launching a Vegas show. Miral is also a study in perseverance and resilience as
Read more
https://vimeo.com/408410161 JP van Seventer is passionate about all things related to online gaming. JP is Co-founder and Managing Director of Dutch Game Garden, a game incubator and business centre for small gaming companies and independent game designers located in Utrecht, the Netherlands. In this interview, JP talks about his own experience in game development. He also shares his thoughts on: the kind of people who thrive in the gaming industry and their knowledge, skills, characteristics and mindset
Read more
Sesame Street offers great online resources which provide learning activities for younger children. (Also a great resource for older, non-English speaking kids who want to learn English in a fun way.) Sesame Street has launched a new Web site called "Caring for Each Other" which provides songs, games, free eBooks, video, art, discussion topics, printable worksheets and more and features both Sesame Street characters and celebrities such as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tracee Ellis Ross and Anne
Read more
NewTechKids discussed the pros and cons of video games and gaming with Matteo Rinaldi, who graduated from the University of Amsterdam with a Master's of Science, specializing in Communication Science, Persuasive and Entertainment Communication. One of his research areas focused on media and children's development. He wrote the blog post below based on his Masters research. It outlines his views on the benefits of gaming and his top recommendations for video games and gaming apps
Read more
Today, NewTechKids kicked off a week of classes for kids ages 8-12 which will encourage students to think critically about how technology can be used to screen and monitor the Coronavirus and help people who contract it. We started with a class this afternoon at an Amsterdam primary school where we teach a weekly computer science program for kids ages 10-12. We began with students talking about the symptoms of the Coronavirus and ways to
Read more
During next week's school vacation (February 17-21), NewTechKids and Maakplaat021, the Amsterdam Public Library's Maker education initiative, will teach a computer science/maker camp for kids ages 8-12. We'll use the theme of technology in space to engage kids and make the potential of technology come to life. Spaces are still open. Register here. Under the theme "Lost in Space", kids will explore how computer science and programming work by designing, building and programming robots and
Read more
How are school systems in the Netherlands dealing with teacher shortages, teacher burnout and the shrinking number of people choosing to become teachers? Some Dutch primary schools in Amsterdam are considering an emergency measure: shifting to a four-day teaching week. Why? Amsterdam has been hit particularly hard by teacher shortages. At the beginning of this school year which began in August 2019, the city was short 280 teachers. This shortage has now grown to almost
Read more
We reached out to Leah Plunkett, author of the book "Sharenthood: why we should think before we talk about our kids online", and she had this advice for parents, caregivers and teachers engaged in social media activities. "Use a holiday card rule of thumb to decide whether, when, how, why, and with whom to sharent: if you would put the photo or news update into a hard copy letter, print and mail out hundreds of copies
Read more
NewTechKids is pleased to announce that in 2020, we are expanding our line up of programs focused on teaching kids ages 7-12 about technological innovation. We've hired new teachers with different specializations in order to continue developing innovative ways to teach kids ages 4-12 about computer science, programming and design while helping them develop critical thinking about technology and its implications. Some of the big changes: We will introduce kids to basic, on-screen programming using the
Read more