Goal: Develop a comprehensive curriculum for Micro:bit (donating 900 Micro:bits) and MIT App Inventor
Background: Coding is rapidly becoming the most important universal language. Across the world, students are encouraged to learn how to code from an early age and in Bulgaria, programming became an official part of the third-grade curriculum.
The CoderDojo Foundation was established in 2013. CoderDojo has built a global network of free, volunteer-led, community-based programming clubs for young people. Anyone aged seven to seventeen can visit a Dojo where they can learn to code, build a website, create an app or a game, and explore technology in an informal, creative, and social environment.
Project: In April 2018, Team4Tech partnered with a local CoderDojo club in Bulgaria. A local team of VMware employee volunteers developed a comprehensive curriculum for Micro:bit (donating 900 Micro:bits) and MIT App Inventor, making it the first of such a curriculum in Bulgarian. The team helped train 51 students, 43 teachers, and CoderDojo mentors on the new curriculum. The team also helped CoderDojo Bulgaria on its strategy and sustainability plans. Read more about the project in the news here.
Since the project:
- CoderDojo held an additional training where 48 teachers attended from 60 cities throughout Bulgaria. Teacher representation came from 11 extremely poor regions of Bulgaria.
- Three T4T Fellows developed a fourth curriculum on electricity and circuits. They have trained 112 teachers on this new curriculum. One T4T Fellow started a CoderDojo club in his own small town and has worked to ensure there are computers available in the club.
- 20 -22 new clubs were founded in Bulgaria after the project, 15 of which are located in public schools.