New Tech Kids | learning

10 Oct 2024

Internet Access in Class is Not a Good Idea for Some Kids

This past week, NewTechKids taught a class about interactivity. Students created interactive systems using the Makey Makey learning tool. This meant that the students had Internet access and had to navigate to Makey Makey's Web site to access the coding apps. Unfortunately, one student figured out a way to play games without coding the Makey Makey microcomputer. We observed a physical shift in him during which he went from being immersed in the Makey Makey

1 Sep 2023

Dutch government advises high schools to ban mobile phones during school day

By NewTechKids

On July 4, 2023, something momentous happened in the Netherlands. The Dutch Minister of Education Robbert Dijkgraaf issued an urgent guideline calling for the banning of all mobile telephones from Dutch high schools as of January 2024. It's just a guideline and not enforceable but it's a big deal that the Dutch government has taken this step. Individual high schools are expected to develop their own specific terms related to the ban based on input from

7 Dec 2022

Holiday activity with kids: Getting Creative with AI Art Generators

By NewTechKids

Can computers and AI create original art? What is better: art made by humans or art made by machines? Why? These are some questions you can discuss with your child(ren) while teaching them about Artificial Intelligence (AI) found in real life. To give a specific context to the discussion, play around with some of the free AI art generators which are available online. An AI art generator is a computer program which generates images based

7 Dec 2021

Latest COVID-19 Health & Safety Precautions

By NewTechKids

Register for NewTechKids bootcamps. Teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging, to say the least. But it has become even more challenging now that cases have risen rapidly in the Netherlands due to the Omicron variant. From the start, NewTechKids has taken serious measures to protect our students and teachers and reduce the risk of transmission in our after-school and holiday bootcamps. This includes requiring our students to wear masks for the duration of

2 Jul 2021

Parents and Caregivers: Informal Teachers & Task Masters

By NewTechKids

The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the central role that parents and caregivers play in the education of children. Virtual homeschooling forced these adults into the roles of informal teachers and task masters. The rapid transformation of education (pedagogies, subject matter, teaching environments, technology, etc.) means that the formal school system is largely outdated and struggling to align itself with 21st century reality. No more so than preparing kids and teens for a world of constant technological

2 Jul 2021

Summer 2021 Challenge: Keep Learning!

By NewTechKids

Parents and caregivers, self-directed, independent learning is one of the most important skills you can help your children develop. This is a skill that kids will need for their entire lives to acquire knowledge, strengthen their critical thinking and master new technical skills. The Internet is your friend! NewTechKids challenges you to use summer 2021 to start. We've curated this short list of free, online activities featuring premium content. Reading: Summer 2021 Learning with the New

5 Jun 2020

PreparationTech: for parents, teachers and school counsellors

By NewTechKids

The world is changing at a break-neck speed because of technological innovation. This makes it difficult for parents, teachers and school counsellors to keep up-to-speed on the study and training paths and career opportunities that are available when kids have technology-related knowledge and skills. NewTechKids has launched PreparationTech, a video interview series to fill this knowledge gap. Each week, Deborah Carter, NewTechKids' Founder and Managing Director, interviews technologists and professionals from around the world about

16 Apr 2020

Recommended Online Resource: Sesame Street

By NewTechKids

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

3 Mar 2020

Book Review: ‘Make it Stick: the Science of Successful Learning’

By NewTechKids

Being able to learn constantly and apply knowledge and skills throughout one's life will be the key to achieving success in the 21st century. It also reflects a mindset which needs to be nurtured from a young age, especially for future innovators. But how do you get to this point. Turns out that there are tried and true effective learning and studying techniques which are backed by science. Unfortunately, most people aren't using them. Which