Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnologías Aplicadas (I-CTEC)
The problem we are committed to solving is the educational disadvantage in Latin America, evidenced in digital, mathematic and oral/written communication
A possible solution is the implementation of transversal educational programs that involve the use of technology in areas with socioeconomic disadvantages
The development of skills of children and young people through this type of program can open up their future possibilities and social mobility in the community.
Latin America currently registers a considerable educational lag in literacy, mathematics and digital skills.
The latter will be the ones that will further complicate the employment possibilities of today's children and youth due to the increased use of hardware and software in today's workplace. To address the problem, it is necessary to develop educational programs with cross-curricular contents that, in turn, involve the use of educational technology such as robotics, programming and maker labs, among others, not only as means of generating an environment of stimulating learning, but to make technology responsibly available to disadvantaged areas.
For this, it is necessary to develop responsible educational programs, thought of the specific needs of the participants, taking into account their socio-economic and emotional cognitive situation.
We are currently implementing educational programs that involve knowledge of mathematics, oral and written communication, digital skills and problem solving through a maker lab system that involves the use of programming, robotics, and 3D printers, among other technologies.
These programs involve content that, on the one hand, is necessary to reinforce their school performance, but is also focused on the future needs of the labor field in which children and young people go to work.
In order to understand the problem and propose solutions, an analysis of the results of group evaluations has been carried out, in addition to punctual monitoring of their cognitive progress through a integral evaluation system.
To provide communities with study programs, it is necessary to use government infrastructure that has classrooms with electricity and a capacity for 20 students and two instructors.
The technology we propose per group is:
- 7 3D pens + 10 rolls of colored filament (3 meters each).
- 6 robot kits (Lego Educativo We Do, Krypton 3, K’nex or Neuron).
- 6 tablets for programming (Scratch).
- 5 3D printers + 14 rolls of colored PLA.
- 10 electronic equipment (Arduino, motors, drivers, BlueTooth), controllers, sensors, 9v battery).
- Computer lab with 6 computers (Core 3, minimum 8 gigabytes RAM, DD 500 gigabytes minimum).
Through these tools, groups can work by applying the system of learning based on challenges during a complete school year, with the outcome of an integrating final project.
- Deploy new and alternative learning models that broaden pathways for employment and teach entrepreneurial, technical, language, and soft skills
- Provide equitable access to learning and training programs regardless of location, income, or connectivity throughout Latin America and the Caribbean
- Pilot
The antecedents of application of educational technology in developing countries have been efforts that do not take into account the full contextual schema and specific needs of the commuitie where they are implemented, and involve pedagogical processes and technologies that start from an idea that contexts are homogeneous.
The proposals made by the Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnologías Aplicadas are based on meeting emerging needs, seeing technology as a means to solve a problem and not as another problem.
The study programs are built through a model based on reverse engineering, in which the learning objective and the acquisition of competence is the basis from which the development of the challenges starts.
Activities.
- Development of transversal study programs using maker lab technology as a vehicle for learning.
- Group diagnostic evaluation.
- Implementation of an educational program in disadvantaged communities.
- Formative evaluation of the groups in the transversal skills.
- Summative evaluation
- Comparison of school progress (crossing between immediate previous vs. immediate subsequent school year scores).
Outcome
- Participant performance indicators.
- Work team exit projects.
Short-term results.
- Improving student achievement in key subjects (language and mathematics).
- Socio-emotional development of students.
- Interpersonal and teamwork skills.
Long-term results.
- Social mobility on the communities.
- Opening of employment opportunities with higher incomes for the participants.
- Children & Adolescents
- Rural Residents
- Urban Residents
- Very Poor
1. Currently we serve around 500 children and young people through various educational programs in different modalities.
2. The intention is to double the amount in one year.
3. We hope that the number of children and youth benefited will reach 10,000 in 5 years and will be in Latin America.
At the institute, we have worked collaboratively with governments and local education departaments to serve the largest possible population.
In addition, we have had a direct approach with basic level schools.
That is why for us, generating working partnerships with these kind of partners is a priority to be able to expand our work.
The intention is to grow exponentially towards other states in Mexico, and later, to other Latin American countries to replicate the results we have obtained.
To achieve this, we are in the process of expanding our list of key partners.
The main barrier is the economic one. We work with the philosophy of "less is more" in terms of the number of technological implements, since our goal is the development of skills and not the saturation of equipment in a classroom.
Although the investment requirements are not as high as those focused on technology, the implementation of a maker lab obviously implies funds that only governments and companies with social responsibility can finance.
That is why, in addition to pedagogical work, we must carry out communication work with authorities and private initiative to raise awareness about the relevance of addressing the educational gap at this time, through the integration of new digital skills within the competences that are presented as a problem for decades: mathematics and language.
Our work to overcome these barriers is the collaboration with educational authorities, social responsibility companies and schools at all levels.
Increasing the number of our partners is the fundamental strategy to be able to grow exponentially in Mexico and other countries.
- I am planning to expand my solution to Latin America/Caribbean
The possibilities for expansion are adequate because the needs for developing skills are similar in Latin American countries, in addition to the fact that we share linguistic, political, socio-economic and cultural characteristics.
That is why our educational model was generated with expansion as a central goal, taking into account the areas of opportunity that the educational systems of the main countries of Latin America have.
- Other e.g. part of a larger organization (please explain below)
El Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnologías Aplicadas is an organization dedicated to training in the industrial area.
Following the detection of educational needs of graduates involved in companies in the region, an internal program called 4dot0 was developed, which serves as the organization's educational innovation center.
At 4dot0 we develop future-oriented study programs designed to address the educational backwardness of children and young people.
18 full-time staff.
About 50 teachers and external instructors
At the Institute, we have 20 years of experience working in the technology sector, which gives us the ideal experience to detect how the labor sector has evolved, and project what its future requirements will be.
Our structure brings together not only technical specialists and engineers, but pedagogical work teams involved with basic, middle and higher level education.
It is through this close collaboration that we design responsible study programs that are consistent with the social needs of the community.
We are currently working with San Pedro Garza government and the Education Department of Nuevo León State.
With them we have developed educational intervention programs in community centers and robotics competitions.
On the other hand, we have worked with socially responsible companies such as Caterpillar or Ternium, which have sponsored basic education schools with the intention of involving educational technologies and transversal programs in their classrooms.
Key resources.
- Educational program development team made up of the technical and pedagogy area.
- Infrastructure.
- Technology.
Key partners.
- Educational authorities
- Socially responsible companies.
Key activities.
- Development of study programs.
- Community implementation of programs.
Type of intervention.
- Educational service.
- Beneficiary: groups impacted by educational programs.
- Client: educational authorities and companies.
- Evaluations of participating groups.
- Social development statistics in impacted communities.
The educational development area for children and youth of our organization is 100% financed by educational authorities and socially responsible companies.
Our main interest is to expand our number of partners and generate a greater chain of collaboration, focused on expanding the implementation of our model to other countries in Latin America.
- Incubation & Acceleration
- Connection with Experts
- Funding
- Latin American state and national education departments
- Socially responsible companies from all over the world.
- National and international educational institutions