STEMi Makers Africa and the USA Consulate General train Educators in STEM

In a quest to cultivate a world-class STEM workforce by improving Educator's competence with modern STEM Integrated tools and Innovation in Classrooms, STEMi Makers Africa partnered with the United States of America Consulate General, Lagos to train 100 Educators from three Underserved Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State, Nigeria. This project was also supported by IBM and held in its Innovation Center, Churchgate Towers, Victoria Island on the 26th to 29th of November 2019.

Educators were offered a rigorous, diverse, hands-on workshop training in Design Thinking, Additive Manufacturing, Data analytics, AI, Space Science, Capacity Building, Digital skills, Applied pedagogies in practical teaching by STEMi Makers Africa, Stimulating Critical Thinking, Emotional Intelligence by andI Innovation Bringing ideas to life.

A total of 84 Educators and Guests were present on the first day and 100 Educators/Guests present on the last day of the event. These Educators were selected from 32 Pre-tertiary schools in Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin and Ifelodun Ajeromi Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State. One of the objectives of this project is to \"Train-the-Trainer\" and build Educators with exemplary practices who will serve as STEM Ambassadors for promoting STEM Education in their respective schools by Training their fellow colleagues and expanding the learning Community for effective sharing and knowledge transfer of practical Education.

The Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate General; Lagos, Russell Brooks was present on the first and last day of the program. He spoke to Educators about the importance of STEM Education. He cited examples of emerging technologies and how they are shaping today's world. \"The world is moving at a very fast pace and may not wait for Nigeria to catch up with it\". He further encouraged these Educators to embrace applied Innovation in teaching to stimulate better learning in their Students.

Educators were also introduced to the IBM Digital Nations Africa platform where they can access free Courses, professional opportunities and develop solutions given STEM resources.

Amanda Obidike, the Strategy Lead for STEMi Makers Africa emphasized that STEM Integration and Development Training for Educators is enabling Educators to be risk-takers, to redefine failure, to collaborate, and think deeply on what will actually better prepare young Scholars for assessments than traditional models of learning. We want them to be thinkers. When they apply innovation and design thinking, they empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test — to design and build their own bridges.

The project objective was also to prepare Educators who will serve as mentors and assist young Students with transferable skills effective to deliver Economic opportunities for Communities to flourish and match world-standard pathways.

At the end of the 4-day Workshop training, these Educators assured STEMi Makers Africa and the Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate that they will start Science clubs in their schools and redesign their Curriculum to stimulate effective learning.

The STEMi Makers Africa had proud partners who contributed to the Successful planning and execution of the program. They are the United States of America Consulate General, Lagos, the IBM, Calal Global, TheAfricanDream LLC. USA, Nestlé Waters, STAMPAR3D, Design 460, NASA, Space Generation Advisory Council, Desert Bloom Advisory, Fields of Skills and Dreams VTE.