New East Digital Archive

Support the STEM revolution in Croatia

23 January 2017

Introducing Croatian Makers, the initiative fuelling a STEM revolution in Croatia’s schools with the help of micro:bit technology.

Croatian Makers aim to introduce an integrated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM subjects) curriculum into the national school system, based upon real-world applications.

1,800 robots have already been donated to 360 Croatian schools, with more than 8,000 children benefitting and each of these schools now taking part in the Croatian Makers League competition.

Underpinning the scheme is micro:bit — is a pocket-sized computer that you can code, customise and control, developed by the BBC and Microsoft. Croatian Makers plan to donate 3600 micro:bits to schools within the first stage of their project.

“We are excited to see Croatia on its way to a nation-wide deployment of micro:bit like the UK and Iceland and we are happy to have found such enthusiastic and capable partners in Croatian Makers,” said Zach Shelby, the CEO of the Micro:bit Foundation.

Croatian Makers have been able to achieve this progress largely due to an effective crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, where they have already raised over $90,000 — with further financial support they hope to see every 6th and 7th grade pupil in Croatia schooled in micro:bit technology.

“With this we can radically close the technological and mental gap between what the Croatian education system offers and what contemporary young people need. This means we are talking about 40,000 micro:bits,” Croatian Makers said in a statement.

You can support Croatian Makers here.


Source: Croatia Week