Distribution Deal Will Expand Reach for Learning with Climate Action Kit
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 02/24/21
A Canadian company
that has created a kit to help students do climate projects" has
found a distributor that will make it available in other countries
too. InkSmith
has signed a global distribution agreement to sell its Climate
Action Kit with Farnell,
which distributes electronic components.
The $45 kit comes
with motors, sensors and accessories as well as a teacher's guide and
curriculum for five project-based lessons, including:
-
Deforestation,
in which students build an automated driving seeder to plant trees;
-
Advanced
agriculture, including indoor farming and hydroponics, in which
students build an automated watering system; and
-
Plants and
pollinators, covering the pollination process of bees, in which
students built a tracking device to monitor bee activities in their
own gardens.
The lessons have
been adapted to be compatible with in-class teaching as well as
remote and hybrid learning environments.
What isn't included
but is also needed is a micro:bit,
a pocket-sized sub-$20 computer developed by the Micro:bit
Educational Foundation. Those are sold by a number of
companies in the United States, including PiShop.us
and Parallax.
"The Climate
Action Kit is the ultimate tool for modern educators wanting to
stimulate inquiry-based learning and inspire students to solve real
world problems using technology," said Lee Turner, Farnell
global head of semiconductors and SBC, in a press release.
"Technology is our greatest asset to ensure our young leaders of
tomorrow have the skills and capability to overcome major global
issues such as poverty, climate change and societal justice."
"It's important
to us that while we empower the next generation of makers, coders,
and problem solvers that we do so in as equitably as
possible--regardless of economic, socioeconomic and now geographic
limitations," added Jeremy Hedges, CEO and founder of InkSmith.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.