Our STEM initiatives emphasized computer science and programming as well as how Technology will be used to solve energy problems and clean water problems in Africa, using integrated inquiry-based learning heavily based to hands-on learning experience. We give girls a chance to explore STEM disciplines while being introduced to technologies that use locally available resources to solve significant problems in their local communities.
GIRLS BUILT WEBSITES
During our 2016 STEM camp, there was an in-class project to design a website describing a science experiment which was used to teach the HTML, they were introduced to website designing using “Yola”. These are some of the sites developed by the girls:
GIRLS BUILT MOBILE APPLICATIONS
The camp curriculum was entirely centered on building interesting projects that reinforce every concept introduced. The only way to learn basic developmental skills was to build and during our camp, all students got the experience of building a diverse set of apps. Over 40 applications were built and published to the store for users around the world to download them. The following are screenshots of some applications created by campers. These were their first applications after the training and they were all published to the Microsoft Windows Store.
(TalkToMe App). This app is able to recognize and read to the user whatever he/she has written in English language (e.g. alphabets, word, and sentences). There is no limit as to the length of text this app can read.
RENEWABLE ENERGY SESSION
Students learnt basic energy concepts, identifying forms of energy and energy conversions, described polarity and understood the effect that a magnetic field has on electrons, and the basic concepts of how a generator works.
- Girls built Generator
After discussing forms of energy they see in everyday life and naming different forms of energy, the girls made small generators.
- Girls built mini Windmill system to pump water
The girls were able to construct their very own wind turbines using materials that can be gotten from their environment like cartons, empty plastic bottles etc. which when connected to the simple generator they built themselves, was able to generate enough voltage to power LED bulbs and pump water.
- Girls built Solar system to generate electricity
SCRATCH PROGRAMMING SESSION
Our girls created Animated stories and games using the Scratch programming tools. View sample of our girls’ SCRATCH projects that were submitted on MIT at https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/11819511/
ROBOTICS
Girls designed, programmed and tested LEGO Robotics during the course of our summer STEM camp in Lagos, Nigeria. Campers built small robots, controlled motors, and collected feedback providing them with programming data.
ENGINEERING AND PROGRAMMING USING ARDUINO PLATFORM
Students worked with an Arduino Board to combine components like LEDs, motors, and sensors. They used the Arduino microcontroller to develop interactive objects, take input from a variety of switches or sensors and control lights, motors and other outputs. These are some of our students learning electronics, computer programming and building Arduino projects.
