A FIRST OF MANY
Last week, I was offered the opportunity to present at the third Torres Strait Economic Development Summit on Waiben, Thursday Island alongside our general manager, April. We offered to run our learning experiences with the young leaders while we were there. And we had a blast! Across the three days, we worked with 20 or more Port Kennedy Association (PKA) vacation participants each day, aged between four and twelve years old, sharing our robotics, online gaming and 3d printing experiences with the community.
The Torres Straits are definitely beautiful. But when we finally arrived on the Sunday 27th, I realised just how far away the communities are and how difficult it is to get resources there. We had 3 cases between the two of us, holding a 3D printer, 6 LEGO Mindstorm EV3 robots, 12 surface pros and all of the extra bits and pieces. It took 3 flights and a ferry before we reached our destination.
"I was so excited to finally meet some of the Thursday Island community. I was so thankful for the opportunity." - Zoe Betar, Learning Experience Designer
The sense of community and pride in culture was so strong that you couldn't help but notice.
seaside footpath
The first day, we shared online gaming. Learners built a canoe race game and animated their programs. They really enjoyed playing with the surface pros.
"... They didn't want to go home..." Miss Leah Lifu, Coordinator of PKA vacation care
The most impactful learning experience was of course, the robots which was run the following day. They were so excited about it and for young leaders that hadn't seen or used them before, they were naturals.
"They had them driving through obstacles, turning, reversing, racing and battling each other with little help from me! What was more special, was how the older students stepped up naturally, to help others with their robots. They worked together as a team and it was simply magical." -Zoe Betar
The young leaders were able to use the 3D printer on the last day, and printed their names or words of importance for them. There were so many questions about it and how it works, the excitement at seeing a 3D printer work was obvious.
At IDX, learning experiences with a Cultural focus in communities are our core business. And we're proud of doing them well. But as a team and initiative, we never stop learning. Each community will have a lesson for us. Each location will test the technology that we have and the way we teach it. There is nothing more rewarding for us as an initiative than seeing the excitement, the joy and the ability that the young leaders we've had the priviledge of working with so far, exhibit when they use the technology for the first time. There is so much potential. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been innovating for at least 70,000 years and we will continue to do so.
This generation have constantly surprised us in a lot of ways. They constantly reinvigorate the what and the how we do what we do. It comes from them, and their desire to learn, and hopefully how we inspire them to think outside the box and explore different careers and opportunities for them in STEM related fields.
9 year old Tura, one of the inspirational young leaders from the TI community stood up to help others, shared his discoveries with them and had this to say about his experience with us.
"I've been playing with robots, helping other kids, making a video game, writing my name ona 3d printer. I found it extraordinary. I never thought I could do that. When I grow up I want to be an inventor. I want to make a big robot that can help the world."
It was a priveledge to be a part of the community for a week.
We have officially launched our Flint program that sparks the interest, ideas and talent of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in making digital technology. It provides $25,000(AUD) worth of in – kind support from the IDX Initiative for regional communities through hands on workshops for young people, skills development for local facilitators as well as equipment and educational resources.
So if you would like to have our learning experiences in your own community, click the link and send through your expressions of interest.
Before I wrap up, a special thanks to the TSRA The Port Kennedy Assocation Vacation care Program, Miss K and Miss Leah and the Thursday Island community for having us. Miss K and Miss Leah were wonderful supports for us.
Can't wait to head back there!