The DigiKidz Medialab and DigiWorkz

Media lab workshop one-stop motion video editing with kids St. Dominic Primary School students in the medialab IMG_2068
Media lab workshop one-stop motion video editing with kids
St. Dominic Primary School students in the medialab
IMG_2068

Foresee Foundation financed the construction of the DigiKidz Medialab at the Philipsburg Jubilee library of St. Maarten, providing children and youngsters with the opportunity to follow workshops and courses relating to multi and social media. With this, youths have the chance to get familiar with the increased possibilities that these medias provide. By the end of  2017, over 2,500 students from 20 different schools  had received at least one or more 3-hour workshop that was taught by local and international multi-media education specialists.

After its succesful start, dedicated staff members of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library took over most of the workshops mastering skills in a variety of workshops. The latest technologies on with the green screen, coding and programming with makey makeys, Arduinos, photoediting were popular workshops.

A  Digi Summer- time camp was organized in 2016 and 2017 where youth between 12 and 16 enjoyed a variety of multi-media and makerslab activities.

The “DigiWorkz” Program is as part of the strategic goals of the Foresee Foundation for 2015-2020 the roadmap to improve innovation and creativity amongst the youth of Sint Maarten. The DigiWorkz Program consists of projects, maker-labs and events in line with the ‘Makers movement’ where students learn to think creatively and produce (make!) from their ideas in so-called Maker Labs of Maker Spaces.

Goals and activities of the DigiWorkz program may include:

  • creating and maintaining Makers Labs (under ownership)
  • organizing workshops in and with the Makers Labs
  • organizing a Makers Fair (different from a Science Fair), create a platform for showcasing makers talents.
  • giving grants to innovation, science, technology, engineering and/or math projects
  • assisting schools and organizations with their makers labs, technology/innovation initiatives and events
  • create a platform and knowledge center for the whole community with regards to making, innovating, coding, engineering and researching

The program started with several activities and workshops in the Medialab and schools. Experiments were done with 3D printing and laser cutting, coding and programming and some basic desgining was done with making simple robots, Littlebits and Arduinos.

In 2017, with the financial assistance of UNESCO, a serie of Arduino workshops was conducted with the MAC school Campus in Betty’s Estate.

Because of hurricane Irma, this program was interrupted. However Foresee Foundation hopes to further define and implement this program in the next few years.

Link:  www.facebook.com/DigiWorkzSXM/

The link to the medialab which was a joint effort with Curacao. Foundation/Stichting Cultuur Kameleon can’t be found any longer….