Teaching technology at Amber Trails

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This article was published 30/11/2015 (3667 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Amber Trails Community School got its geek on last week.

On Nov. 23, Amber Trails Grades 7 and 8 students received a visit from the Geek Squad Academy, an educational program offered by Best Buy Canada.

“Geek Squad Academy is a hands-on learning program where we reach out to kids aged 10 to 14 and teach them everything from 3D printing to Lego robotics to digital music to digital citizenship, which is all about cyberbullying and internet safety,” said Karen Arsenault, Best Buy Canada community relations manager.

To offer Geek Squad Academy, Best Buy partners with non-profit organizations and schools across Canada.

The classes are conducted by Geek Squad Agents from local Best Buy stores who enlist the students as “junior agents”, guiding them through technological activities like 3D printing and GarageBand music production.

Arsenault said Best Buy has offered Geek Squad Academy in the U.S. since 2007, but that this is the program’s inaugural year in Canada. She said 156 Canadian schools and non-profit organizations applied for Geek Squad Academy this year, with only four receiving the program, including Amber Trails.

Arsenault said Best Buy hopes to visit more schools and organizations next year.

“Our community investment mandate is to connect kids with technology, empowering their education,” Arsenault said. “We want to provide them the opportunity to see what is out there in the world and give them that hands-on experience.”

The Times spoke to Amber Trails Grade 7 student Nicklas Sarran while he was preparing a miniature house for 3D printing. He said learning about digital technologies is important because those skills are essential for today’s and tomorrow’s top jobs.

“They (digital technology skills) can pretty much follow you anywhere,” Sarran said. “If you’re a doctor, you use the computer to show someone they have a broken leg. If you’re a teacher, you have to show kids how to do stuff on the computer. It’s good learning about technology.”

Sarran, who recently got braces, said he’d like to one day be an orthodontist, a career he’ll need some digital technology skills to do.

“I saw them (orthodontists) using computers. They have to mould your braces and they use computers for that,” Sarran said.

Arsenault said Geek Squad Academy is also a chance for local Geek Squad Agents to learn from the students.

“It’s a huge engagement and professional development piece for them,” Arsenault said.

“They get to get out of the store and do something they normally wouldn’t do while giving back to their local community.”