Teaching Robotics in Africa
Linz Craig from SparkFun was invited to teach a course in robotics to our students. Here are his thoughts and a great video of his journey.
Please enjoy Linz Craig’s blog: Teaching Robotics in Africa.
Holiday Training – August 2013
This break is the most important one of the year for academics because the O-Level (Secondary Four) and A-Level (Secondary Six) candidates will take their National Exams just a few shorts weeks after returning in mid-September. We have limited the Holiday Training to those candidates and the two forms below them.
Many, but not all, of our students have the Booksense player which enables them to listen to the day’s lessons or books that have been scanned during their off hours. Others will read their Braille notes, which have been typed over the past few years, bound and carefully guarded. Achieving a Division I or II result is extremely important for these students to reach their dream of attending college. Their aspirations range from lawyer to journalist to teacher and other careers.
Even with their parents help, to afford the travel and living expenses associated with university level, some scholarship will be needed. Achieving at least three scores at the top level will assure a spot and some scholarship funding.
We are particularly proud of our brave A-Level candidates who have chosen to sit for the Sub-Computer Mandatory Test from which they are exempt. These three are path-breakers for all
Engineering is Elementary: What Makes a Strong Mortor?
This week, the students are Materials Engineers, exploring the properties of various materials used in building a strong wall. Three types of soil – Clay, Loam and Sand – are explored for their adhesive properties and durability. Using their hands, mixing the different soil types with varying amount of water, the students made “rock sandwiches” which dried overnight. The following day, these were given the earthquake test (how many shakes to make them fall apart?) and observations about cracking were shared with the group.
The teachers opened the “store” for students who had prepared their Engineering Diagram and list of supplies requested. They could choose up to six scoops of the various soil types and up to 10 tablespoons of water. The gravel was already rationed in bowls.
Wall construction began in earnest outdoors with everyone getting down and dirty in the lower field. The walls were transported to the Director of Studies office for overnight drying. Friday, the students will test to failure, and a very large crowd is expected to observe.
Additional photos are in our Gallery
Engineering is Elementary: Do you know this word…Process?
Engineering is Elementary is a program designed to be used within Elementary Schools to relay the concepts of Engineering, using a hands-on approach. Two experienced teachers from Boston Museum of Science arrived in Gulu last Saturday evening and will be teaching two of their 20 modules to two groups of students.
The first stop on Sunday morning was breakfast at San Kofa Café to fortify ourselves for shopping in the market for custom designed clothes in the local African fabrics.
Orientation at the school, for Kate Sokol and Erin Fitzgerald started on Sunday afternoon with a complete tour of the campus, including visiting the inside of each dorm and classroom, the athletic fields, the kitchen and the small pine forest planted in 2005 from seedlings. Every room was orderly and swept spotlessly clean. As far as the eye could scan, there was not a single piece of trash. Our hosts, Rev Ochola and Deputy Headteacher Dolly Oryem gave a detailed history of the school, including events leading up to their Centenary in 2014.
Sixty students in two classes of 30, inclusive of blind and visually impaired students as well as sighted
Holiday Training – Ropes Course
Blind Annex Students at The Recreation Project, pass a Hula Hoop without unclasping hands.
During an unscheduled holiday, several Blind Annex students returned to Gulu High School for math and computer training. One morning, students visited The Recreation Project and loved the challenges of the Ropes Course. Here, they are passing a Hula Hoop around the circle while keeping their hands clasped. Ben, the leader is timing the passing, so everyone is focused on cooperating to pass it swiftly.
