Children enrolled at Buk bilong Pikinini’s Library Learning Centres have had a busy week with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) activities because these disciplines play a fundamental role in setting the foundations for future learning.
International research suggests that STEM education allows even the youngest children to develop their communication and problem-solving-skills, especially when they are actively encouraged to talk about their ideas and observations.
Young children also benefit from STEM learning because they are generally naturally inquisitive and want to explore and make sense of themselves and the environment in which they live.
The children have been weaving baskets and mats (for patterns, sequencing and fine motor skills) and engineering structures out of jelly beans and tooth pics (for creativity and problem-solving) and have been making pretend telephones out of cups and string.
Today, the children enrolled at the UPNG Library Learning Centres will be piloting a coding class with the team from Niunet. They will learn coding basics and design their very first video game!
David Valentine from Niunet said: “Giving kids exposure to computing and the internet in a safe environment will encourage them to later pursue careers in ICT. Niunet is a PNG company that hopes to bring quality, free education to as many Papua New Guineans as possible.”
Buk bilong Pikinini’s Literacy Week theme “Merging traditional and digital learning”, reflects the organisation’s move to integrate digital learning into its curriculum from 2021.
Thanks to support from Deloitte Digital, Niunet and ExxonMobil PNG, BbP’s Teacher-Librarians will attend a week long training in digital skills, online platform learning, online child safety and basic computer troubleshooting.
Once the Teacher-Librarians have received the comprehensive training, they will be ready to deliver BbP’s new digital learning program to the children in 2021.
The digital learning program for children will be based on BbP’s Curriculum and will reinforce the literacy and numeracy lessons delivered by the Teacher-Librarians.
In addition to this, Buk bilong Pikinini is also looking forward to launching its very first Early Childhood Education App developed in partnership with the Australian Human Transformation App company Cogniss. The App will be built to provide the children with culturally appropriate fun educational games, which will further increase their literacy and numeracy acquisition.
BbP will also be continuing to work with Niunet to provide further coding class opportunities and online platform learning available in all Library Learning Centres.