NEWSROOM
Bright young things: School students unlock innovation potential with CIE summer programmes
16 February 2023
Students in Years 3-12 made the most of innovative learning at the University of Auckland this summer, thanks to two educational programmes.
This summer, hundreds of young Kiwi school students were able to spark their innovative potential with two programmes supported by the Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE): the Rotary National Science & Technology Forum and the MindPlus Clubs Day.
The Rotary Forum took place from 7-21 January in partnership with the Rotary Clubs of New Zealand. Over the course of the two-week immersive programme, selected Year 12 students from around the country explored their passion for science, mathematics and technology, attending lectures and taking part in interactive workshops.
On 18 January, the University also hosted the first ever MindPlus Clubs Day in association with the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education (NZCGE). The day brought together a total of 140 neurodiverse and gifted students from Years 3-10 to explore, learn and connect with each other.
“The ethos of CIE is all about equipping everyone with the resources, skills, and most importantly, mindset to engage with innovation, so that was the main focus of the programmes we delivered,” says Lead Creative Technologist Nova Jackson.
“The young people involved in both of these groups tend to be high achievers, so we wanted to shift them away from outcome-focused, competitive activities, and instead challenge them to think about the problems laterally, use iterative development, and work with limitations; to encourage them to stretch beyond the most immediate solutions.”
Rotary Forum students engaged in a workshop on design thinking and how to use creative processes in innovation and technology settings. CIE’s Creative Technologists also designed challenges for the students using LEGO and robots to fire up their problem solving and adaptability skills.
The NZCGE kids were grouped into ten different clubs, covering everything from coders and readers to artists, designers and changemakers. Each club had three separate sessions tailored just for them, based around their club theme.
“Some clubs were doing problem solving tasks to emphasise prototyping and testing, using robots, LEGO, and DIY fruit and playdough game controllers. Others were making stickers or masks, but trying to use symbology, colours, textures, and form to convey an idea or a story visually and figuratively,” says Nova.
“It was crucial with this cohort to support and extend their curiosity, rather than being adult-driven; giving them space to make discoveries themselves, leading to some fascinating insights and discussions!”
The day was a rousing success, says Justine Munro, CEO of NZCGE.
“The buzz right throughout MindPlus Clubs Day was incredible. Over 140 kids, most of whom had never met each other before, were collaborating, sharing and experiencing a whole new world with people just like them (including university students and staff) – and they relished every moment,” she says.
Sean Kelly, Unleash Space Manager, was happy to see both programmes coming together thanks to the capable team of Creative Technologists, comprised of paid University students who work at CIE’s innovation hubs on shifts around their study commitments.
“They are the ‘face’ of our Maker Space and we pride ourselves on our model of student-to-student support and facilitated learning. Our creative technologists are talented and relatable role models to other students and great exemplars of future-ready students that have learnt to use technology, tools and design techniques regardless of which faculty they come from.”
16 February 2023
Students in Years 3-12 made the most of innovative learning at the University of Auckland this summer, thanks to two educational programmes.
This summer, hundreds of young Kiwi school students were able to spark their innovative potential with two programmes supported by the Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE): the Rotary National Science & Technology Forum and the MindPlus Clubs Day.
The Rotary Forum took place from 7-21 January in partnership with the Rotary Clubs of New Zealand. Over the course of the two-week immersive programme, selected Year 12 students from around the country explored their passion for science, mathematics and technology, attending lectures and taking part in interactive workshops.
On 18 January, the University also hosted the first ever MindPlus Clubs Day in association with the New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education (NZCGE). The day brought together a total of 140 neurodiverse and gifted students from Years 3-10 to explore, learn and connect with each other.
“The ethos of CIE is all about equipping everyone with the resources, skills, and most importantly, mindset to engage with innovation, so that was the main focus of the programmes we delivered,” says Lead Creative Technologist Nova Jackson.
“The young people involved in both of these groups tend to be high achievers, so we wanted to shift them away from outcome-focused, competitive activities, and instead challenge them to think about the problems laterally, use iterative development, and work with limitations; to encourage them to stretch beyond the most immediate solutions.”
Rotary Forum students engaged in a workshop on design thinking and how to use creative processes in innovation and technology settings. CIE’s Creative Technologists also designed challenges for the students using LEGO and robots to fire up their problem solving and adaptability skills.
The NZCGE kids were grouped into ten different clubs, covering everything from coders and readers to artists, designers and changemakers. Each club had three separate sessions tailored just for them, based around their club theme.
“Some clubs were doing problem solving tasks to emphasise prototyping and testing, using robots, LEGO, and DIY fruit and playdough game controllers. Others were making stickers or masks, but trying to use symbology, colours, textures, and form to convey an idea or a story visually and figuratively,” says Nova.
“It was crucial with this cohort to support and extend their curiosity, rather than being adult-driven; giving them space to make discoveries themselves, leading to some fascinating insights and discussions!”
The day was a rousing success, says Justine Munro, CEO of NZCGE.
“The buzz right throughout MindPlus Clubs Day was incredible. Over 140 kids, most of whom had never met each other before, were collaborating, sharing and experiencing a whole new world with people just like them (including university students and staff) – and they relished every moment,” she says.
Sean Kelly, Unleash Space Manager, was happy to see both programmes coming together thanks to the capable team of Creative Technologists, comprised of paid University students who work at CIE’s innovation hubs on shifts around their study commitments.
“They are the ‘face’ of our Maker Space and we pride ourselves on our model of student-to-student support and facilitated learning. Our creative technologists are talented and relatable role models to other students and great exemplars of future-ready students that have learnt to use technology, tools and design techniques regardless of which faculty they come from.”
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