Yesterday, NewTechKids kicked off a very exciting project: teaching digital literacy to all 475 students at the Wereldwijs Primary School in Amsterdam southeast. We'll be teaching students in groups 1 - 8. Older students will be taught in a combination of Dutch and English since the language of technology is English. Wereldwijs has been designated an 'Excellent School 2022-2025' for primary education by the Dutch Ministry of Education in 2019 and 2022. Led by a
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NewTechKids is excited to join an expert research group which is exploring how critical making (maker education tied to the ability to evaluate the consequences, implications and ethics of technology) encourages students to be active and informed digital citizens. The project is being spearheaded by Waag, a Dutch futurelab which critically examines technology, develops technological and social design skills, and encourages social innovation, in partnership with the Rathenau Institute, a Dutch research institute which researches
Read moreNo time like the present to start encouraging your child(ren)'s interest in science and technology. Luckily, several great events are taking place in the Netherlands. Night of Discoveries: Leiden, September 17, 2022 This special night will feature "performances, exhibitions, debates, workshops, and inspiring lectures by young creators" at different venues in Leiden. Visit a mobile planetarium, an Animaltroniek installation of transparent technology, 3D models of human tissue and disease and more. The Night of Discoveries
Read moreNewTechKids has wrapped up our computer science and robotics bootcamp for high-potential teens from Amsterdam southeast, a low-income, largely immigrant community. According to one of our teachers, it was "one of the best classes" he's taught over his seven year career at NewTechKids. The magic ingredient? The kids themselves. Every Sunday, these kids rode the subway for 25 minutes to the Library, often accompanied by their parents and group mentor. Many came early and they
Read moreDutch IT Company Supporting Development of Future Technologists NewTechKids is pleased to announce that Schuberg Philis, a leading IT company headquartered in Amsterdam, has decided to support our technology education activities. Schuberg Philis' support will include a financial donation which will allow us to extend our offerings to more children, including from low-income communities, and to develop new curriculum aimed at engaging both girls and boys with technology, computer science, programming and robotics in primary
Read moreThe concept of "summer school" is foreign to many Europeans. Many think that kids should relax, have fun and take a complete break from school rather than continuing to study. European national summer school holidays tend to be shorter than those in North America which can last between 2-3 months. In The Netherlands for instance, the school summer vacation lasts six weeks because school holidays are distributed throughout the year. There's a big difference between
Read moreNewTechKids is pleased to open up registration for its Summer 2021 bootcamps. We're again partnering with the Amsterdam Public Library to offer kids in Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands the chance to learn computer science, a subject which is not taught in most primary and high schools in the Netherlands, and develop 21st century skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, communication and creativity. We will be offering six, week-long bootcamps
Read moreNewTechKids is making it easier for kids to experience computer science and programming education and discover why it's so much more than sitting behind a desk and coding boring stuff. We will organize two, separate 'Try It Out' workshops for kids ages 7 - 12 at the Amsterdam Public Library on Tuesday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 25 from 16:15 - 17:25. During each workshop, kids will discuss technology and then work in small groups
Read moreThis week, NewTechKids started a new 'Problem-Solving with Computer Science & Programming' at a primary school in Amsterdam. Our first lesson: how technology helps us automate tasks so we can free up our time for other things. We discussed 'smart' household devices, what tasks they automate and how to design one. Then we challenged kids to design, build and program a robot to automate a specific task. What a difference props make! We provided a
Read moreWhile some formal education is an important aspect of preparing for future careers, it’s not the path for everyone. Many people working in the tech industry and creating/producing/making with tech tools are self-taught, relying on books, online resources, YouTube tutorial, free software, coding forums, and hands-on experience. Shaquille Veldboom, a young black man who grew up in Amsterdam Southeast, a low-income, predominantly black community, was the recent subject of a PreparationTech interview. At the age
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