Nabilah Safira
TechInPacific – A Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF) sponsored digital code camps, Indigitech:Pacificode has welcomed a hundred young indigenous students from PNG into its Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning program.
As an initiative supported by Code Avengers, Flying Labs PNG, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Education Perfect, the first code camp lasted for three days in the Port Moresby International School, with 20 students joining the session.
According to Code Avengers COO Ray Allen, their team’s survey revealed a particularly increased interest in the digital technology subject and the percentage of indigenous females participating in the session.
“The metrics were positive, where the majority of the students who took part in the code camps had their interest in subject elevated,” says Allen.
“When it came to gender, over 50% of those students were female, which is great because that’s an area that’s underrepresented, so Indigenous people are underrepresented in STEM and particular Indigenous females.”
The coding camp allows students to experience the joy of project-based learning, such as the making of health-themed video games and personal webpage to apply the coding skills they’ve learned, while also cross-blending the curriculum to provide them with a flexible learning curve.
A second code camp was hosted in Sabusa Primary School in the Central Province and guided by the Flying Labs PNG team, Kevin and Sophia Soli, two soon-to-be Code Avengers Certified Facilitators.
“Our children, the future workforce needs to be digitally literate for opportunities within the digital ecosystem and economy and most importantly being socially responsible citizens,” Kevin said.
“Children need to be educated about the opportunities and especially how to mitigate risks that might endanger them while sharing personal information publicly.”
The next code camp will be held by E3 Rural Trust, a charity organization that bridges internet connectivity within schools and communities in rural areas.
Allen also said that the new code camps will reflect on the Samoan students’ interest, so they could feel more at home. The incorporated theme will relate to fishing and gardening in families.
Source: Rnz.co.nz
