Sabrina’s Technovation Journey – Technovation
Please read this wonderful article on Sabrina. Sabrina spent a year working with Oysters and Pearls, one of Technovation’s partners that implements their program in Uganda.
3-D Designs Make Difference for Gulu Primary Blind Annex
3-D Original Designs Make a Difference for Primary Learners at Gulu Primary School Blind Annex.
Gulu Annual Tech Camp
Please read the article by Lindsay Craig about the class he taught in Gulu at the annual Oysters & Pearls Technology Camp.
I’m starting a robotics toy company called QuestBotics (which is another story), but in my copious free time every year I go to Uganda, Africa to teach a Technology camp with Oysters & Pearls – Uganda. It’s a two-week event and kids in northern Uganda flock to a school called Gulu High where they get to play with sensors, tiny robot brains (microchips), Legos, video games, motors and virtual reality.
With over 120 students and 50 staff members at the camp in Uganda, we have our hands full just getting the power turned on, but that didn’t stop us – this year, we found the time to add four new subjects for the students–shortwave radio, audio, art and solar energy.
Pushing the boundaries in Uganda Tech Education
We’re always pushing the boundaries of what we can teach at the Gulu Annual Tech Camp. The second year of its existence we were teaching printed circuit board design as a part of the prototyping course. Students had clamored in the past for the opportunity to work with Bluetooth and other wireless technology. So, we bought a bunch of low-cost short-wave
2016 National Technovation Challenge in Uganda
Please read the article regarding the “2016 National Technovation Challenge in Uganda” in which Oysters & Pearls sponsored the participation of the Gulu High School team.
Click to read an article about the Gulu Team from New Vision – “Girls Create App for Bodabodas” by Jeff Andrew Lule
New Vision – “Uganda will be technology hub for Africa by 2030” by John Agaba, 5th August 2016
The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Elioda Tumwesigye said Uganda will be a hub for science and technology in whole of Africa by 2030 during a technovation challenge at the Makerere University School of Public Health-powered ResilientAfrica Network.
It was Tumwesigye’s first day out in the field after he was appointed to the office as inaugural minister by President Yoweri Museveni late June.
During the technovation challenge that attracted teams from over 15 girl secondary schools from across Uganda, the new minister reiterated the need for science and innovations, pledging support to the network. – READ MORE
Coverage also included the Resilient Africa Network website: “The 2016 Uganda Technovation Challenge”
This year’s
2016 Robotics and Animation Training
2016 Robotics and Animation Training
The curriculum for 2016 includes pcDuino, Raspberry Pi, Android Apps, and Animation using several open source software programs. We’ll be using laptops, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 smartphones as well.
The program is open to beginners and advanced users. Several vendors have supported the program through donations and discounts. The teachers include Professor Carl Twarog and one of his students from East Carolina University, Linz Craig and 18 experienced programmers and teachers from within Uganda.
The program runs from Sunday Jan 10 until Saturday Jan 23.
Read the post from Lindsay Craig. You will read about half-way down in this article about his involvement with Oysters and Pearls! Thank, Linz!
As Uganda’s End of Year Exams Approach – 2015
As the Ugandan school year comes to a close, our High Schoolers are on leave for another week before returning for Third Term. For Secondary Four (S4) and Secondary Six (S6) students this will bring the moment of truth starting in October and November, respectively. A week or more of National Exams, in up to nine subjects for the S4 and three or more for the S6 students.
Performance on these standardized tests will define eligibility for continuing education, which can have a determining impact on one’s future. Leading up to this, students have been revising (reviewing) their notes which they made in the prior weeks, months and years. Most students don’t have their own copy of any textbooks and, in fact, sometimes teachers don’t even use books. Instead, a carefully cultivated set of notes is one of the keys to success.
The better schools will have prepared their students to think critically about questions while the majority have simply emphasized memorization of the 3-18 (depending on the question) bullet points which form a top-scoring answer. Those who learned critical thinking skills in the Ordinary Level (O-Level is comprised of S1-S4) will start their Advanced Level (A-Level is S5-S6) at an
Thanks to Hockaday for Introducing Us to EiE
We are so proud of our Engineering is Elementary program and the difference and influence it has made on our young students. I came to find out about this fantastic program from Amy Banks, a science teacher at the Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas.
The Hockaday School now has a post on their website recounting our initial discussion and how they were instrumental in introducing this wonderful program to Oysters & Pearls and sending us and our students on a great road of discovery and priceless learning. Here is a bit of what they have to say:
On October 12, 2012 Lower School science teacher Amy Banks met with Jennifer Nantale, Country Director or Nyaka Aids Orphans Project in Southwest Uganda and Sandra Washburn, Executive Director of Oysters & Pearls. Ms. Banks shared the Engineering is Elementary program and discussed how it is used with students in grades 1-4 at Hockaday. Ms. Banks encouraged her visitors to contact EiE at the Museum of Science in Boston to learn more about the program and how to apply it to their own organizations. Ms. Washburn took this advice, and met with EiE, who arranged to send two volunteers to Northern Uganda to train six teachers at the Gulu
What a Cool Shade
“What a cool shade I have got from she providing proper canopy from the blazing sun!”
The eloquence of Komakech Denis’ passage captures the heart of our mission whether it is to protect from destructive elements or cultivate and build on the helping and nurturing ones. Denis finished his A-level in December 2013 and we are awaiting confirmation that he will be granted a full scholarship to Makere University to start the journey to becoming a lawyer in August 2014.
Komakech Denis first lessons on the computer with teacher Marilyn Bland
Having access to a computer can be a real game-changer to a blind or visually-impaired person on so many levels. Being able to type and print one’s schoolwork for submission to a sighted teacher, accessing the internet, “listening” to a vast amount of content whether it is scanned books or downloaded material and even the chance to write an email that is received across the globe can have a big impact.
Denis is 20 years old; he was a peer computer teacher during Holiday trainings for 2 ½ years and the students have always praised his technique. He has started a
Fine Arts Training April 2014
I’d like to share some photos I just received of the Fine Arts Training. This session was taught by Brianna Schuyler and Odoch Daniel to the blind students. Brianna related that some of the students didn’t know what to do when they began, but they eventually started playing with the wiki sticks and made some great stuff. I agree!
Nyaka Aids Orphans Schools & More
Whenever and however we can, we support the Nyaka Aids Orphans Project in Southwestern Uganda. With two Primary Schools in operation, a health clinic, a water pump, libraries that are inclusive of the community under their belt, they are building a vocational school and a Secondary School at the Nyaka campus. You can read the story of their founding in “A School for My Village” by Jackson Kaguri. In June 2013, we purchased 18 computers, 8 of which went to the teachers in Nyaka and 10 of which are used in partnership with Fundi Bots, an NGO teaching Robotics to schoolchildren throughout Uganda.
Here are some of the emails I received after the teachers received the laptops:
Hullo Sandra,
How are you doing? I wish to appreciate for your donation.
Sincerely, I am very happy using a computer which has helped me in teaching and compiling classwork.
May God bless you.
Ahumuza Annet
Dear Sandra
I am very happy for the good services you normally render to us.
The computers you gave us are contributing much towards our desires of performance.
This means that you want us to succeed in life. May the good Lord continue to protect