New Tech Kids | teaching

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

29 Jun 2024

NewTechKids Available to Teach for Schools and After-School Clubs this Fall

By NewTechKids

Do you know of any schools or after-school clubs in the Amsterdam area looking to integrate technology lessons during the 2024-2025 school year? If so, NewTechKids has time slots open for Fall 2024. NewTechKids is expanding the number of classes it teaches in Amsterdam during the 2024-2025 school year. Our teaching team is available to teach during school hours (our preference) or after school. We can teach children ages 4-12 in Dutch, English or a

1 Sep 2023

Starting 2nd year of teaching digital literacy in primary school

By NewTechKids

Next week, NewTechKids will begin our second year of teaching digital literacy programs at Wereldwijs primary school in Amsterdam Southeast. We learned a lot from teaching all 650 students in groups 1-8 (ages 4-12 on average). We taught the youngest students in Dutch and the older students in a combination of Dutch and English. Here are some of our takeaways: Our youngest students are using apps which should not be legally available to them. Students

14 May 2021

NewTechKids featured in Book about Teaching Kids Tech Ethics

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is featured in a recently-published guide to teaching students about the ethics of technology. The book, "Ethics in A Digital World: Guiding Students Through Society's Biggest Questions", was written by Kristen Mattson and published by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). We contributed a case study describing how we integrate critical thinking about technology in our curriclulum. Specifically, we co-developed a six-lesson curriculum module for students ages 8-12 called "Thinking about the

1 Sep 2020

Math for the 21st Century: Data Science by YouCubed

By NewTechKids

Like computer science and programming, math is a polarizing subject. People either like it or they don't. At least that's what most people think. Thankfully, people like Dr. Jo Boaler, a professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University, is busy challenging kids and teachers who don't like math to view it differently. Jo and her team at YouCubed, a non-profit startup, are busy transforming math education by developing new math teaching methods, lessons and teaching resources

20 Mar 2019

NewTechKids heading to the United Arab Emirates

By NewTechKids

Next month, NewTechKids will head to the United Arab Emirates to teach a week-long series of computer science workshops for primary school students. We'll be teaching kids ages 4-12 during the 2019 Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, an annual mega-event dedicated to learning, reading and discovery. Themes will include algorithms and algorithmic thinking, computer and programming logic, and rapid prototyping and best practises in the field of technology design. Students will come from a mix of

5 Feb 2019

NewTechKids Teaching at High School Attended by Creator of Python

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids is pleased to announce that it is collaborating with Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem, a prestigious Dutch high school in the city of Haarlem, to offer a new programming and robotics course. We'll provide students with a general introduction to programming, technology systems and design in the broader context of automation. The course will combine deep analytical thinking about the implications of technology with hands on design and programming experience through a series of class challenges.

20 Nov 2018

New Advisor: Phil Rynearson, technology teacher

By NewTechKids

Super happy to announce our newest NewTechKids advisor: Phil Rynearson (aka Mr. Phil). Phil is a technology teacher in Early Childhood Education at the American School of The Hague in the Netherlands. He gained valuable experience as a classroom teacher for 17 years before devoting the last eight years to supporting students and teachers in finding authentic and empowering methods of integrating technology into school settings. He has worked in public schools in the United States

14 Aug 2018

Teaching Systems Thinking & Tech Systems to Primary School Students

By NewTechKids

This year, NewTechKids kicked off a series of computer science summer school programs with a program focused on teaching kids ages seven to 12 about systems thinking and technological systems. Technology systems are all around us: from the smart energy systems we use to cool our homes to the traffic lights we obey, the self check-out counters we use at grocery stores and the PS4 systems on which kids spend time playing. Yet, we take

17 May 2018

Steps to introduce computer science education in schools

By NewTechKids

NewTechKids works with a variety of primary schools to help them integrate computer science and technological literacy into their curriculum. While all of the schools are enthusiastic, each school is different in terms of understanding, commitment level and available resources. NewTechKids has prepared this list of suggested steps for primary schools which are interested in introducing computer science education. It's a big undertaking and success will eventually come down to recognising the need for this