Vodafone Turkey Foundation Will Reach 6,000 Children by Establishing 30 New Technology Classes

TECHNOLOGY CLASSES FROM THE "CODING TOMORROW" PROJECT TO RURAL SCHOOLS

The "Coding Tomorrow" project, which was implemented by Vodafone Turkey Foundation and Habitat Association five years ago, introduced its new project. Thanks to the project, well-equipped technology classes were opened in 20 rural schools to expand the accessibility of technology for students in rural areas. Aiming to reach 30 schools by the end of October, the project will provide training on technology, especially coding, to 6,000 children, including the surrounding villages, with 60 teachers in one year.

Launched to raise generations ready for the digital future byVodafone Turkey Foundation andHabitat Association, the "Coding Tomorrow" project has taken a new step to provide equal opportunity in education. As the project enters its fifth year, well-equipped technology classes were opened in 20 rural schools to expand the accessibility of technology for students in rural areas. Students will receive training on various technology topics, primarily coding, in the classrooms equipped with projectors, 3D pens, computers, 3D printers, education and STEM kits, and communication & event tools for Zoom. Aiming to reach 30 schools by the end of October, the project is expected to reach 6,000 children, including the surrounding villages, with 60 teachers in one year. Also, the project aims to reach around 2,500 parents with special training and meetings to be organized for families.

The opening ceremony of the technology classes established in the rural regions as part of the "Coding Tomorrow" project was held at Kocaeli Derince İshakcılar Secondary School with the participation of Kocaeli Deputy Governor Abdul Rauf Ulusoy, Kocaeli Provincial Director of National Education Ömer Akmanşen, Mayor of Derince Zeki Aygün, Derince District Director of National Education Turgut Cüre, the Chair of Vodafone Turkey Foundation Hasan Süel, the Board Chair of Habitat Association Sezai Ready , and well-known actor Aras Bulut İynemli.

Mr. Hasan Süel, the Chair of Vodafone Turkey Foundation , stated:

"At Vodafone Turkey Foundation, we believe that each work we do should serve a purpose. As part of the 'Coding Tomorrow' project, which we launched five years ago in collaboration with the Habitat Association to increase the technology literacy of children under the umbrella of Vodafone Turkey Foundation, we have provided coding training to nearly 195,000 children in 81 provinces to date. Last April, we took another significant step and announced that we would open fully-equipped technology classes in 30 rural schools in various provinces of our country. Today, we are happy to keep our word and open technology classes in 20 rural schools for our students. Our goal is to open our technology classes in our remaining ten schools by the end of October. As part of our Rural Schools project, we implement three different education programs, including students, teachers, and parents. Our goal with these programs for next year is to reach 6,000 children and 2,500 parents, including the surrounding villages, with 60 teachers in 30 provinces. By opening technology classes in rural schools, we are happy to have technology brought to them and create an opportunity for our students who need digitalization but do not have access. For the future, our greatest wish is to hear new success stories that will come out of these classrooms and make us all proud. As Vodafone Turkey Foundation, we will continue to leverage the power of technology and mobilize our resources to provide our children with equal opportunities in education."

Mr. Sezai Hazır, the Board Chair of Habitat Association, stated:

"Five years ago, we, with the collaboration of the Vodafone Turkey Foundation, launched our 'Coding Tomorrow' project to contribute to raising generations that are not only the users of technology but also the producers of it. Now, we feel proud that we constantly expand its scope. In this regard, we opened fully-equipped technology classes in different rural schools in various provinces of our country and continue to do so. Particularly with the pandemic, access to education and technology for our children in disadvantaged areas has become even more challenging. With these classes, we believe that our children will access information readily and increase their opportunities of learning with technology and acquiring the competencies required by the 21st century. That is because we know that the 21st century will be a period of competent individuals who will transform societies. With this valuable project, whose contents we enrich and aim is to reach more children, we will support the raising individuals who transform and lead nations."

Mr. Aras Bulut İynemli added:

"Knowing how to code will be among the critical requirements of our children in the digital future. Thanks to these coding skills, they will be able to lead the digital world. Coding is a universal language. Thus, it is highly significant for each child to learn how to code. Technology classes opened today are also extremely valuable for providing equality of opportunity in education to the children studying in these rural schools. I sincerely support this project. I would like to thank Vodafone Turkey Foundation and Habitat Association for providing all these opportunities to our children."

The technology classes will be established in 30 provinces

The provinces in rural schools where technology classes were opened as part of the project are Kocaeli, Trabzon, Çankırı, Karaman, Kırklareli, Çanakkale, Manisa, Uşak, Aydın, Denizli, Burdur, Amasya, Ordu, Ardahan, Kars, Istanbul, Bilecik, Bolu, Ankara, and Sivas. By the end of October, the technology classes in Tunceli, Siirt, Hakkari, Van, Şırnak, Adana, Hatay, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, and Adıyaman are expected to be completed as well.

Training on 35 different topics under 3 primary headings

The technology classes offer students the opportunity to receive training on 35 different subjects under three primary headings. Accordingly, primary and secondary school students receive training under topics such as "I Write My First Code", "I Draw My Puppet", "Visual Effects", "I Develop My Own Game", and "Fishing Game". While primary school students receive Tinkercad training on topics such as "Making Keychains", "Making Gift Boxes", "Patterned Pencil Holder Design", "Championship Cup", and "Lego Design", middle secondary students receive Micro:bit training on topics such as "Micro:bit and Sensors", "Using Dot Matrix", "LED Control with Two Buttons", and "Working with Development Board". Each class also has a science library corner.

2 teachers in each school will provide volunteer support

A staff of 60 private trainers, 2 in each rural school, volunteered to support the education processes in technology classes. These teachers included in the Coding Tomorrow Project's Instructor Training received training in the titles of "Learning How to Code with Scratch", "3D Worlds with Tinkercad", "Electronic Worlds with Micro: bit", "Digital Pedagogy", and "Production with 3D Printer and 3D Pen". Also, the project aims to provide teachers with up-to-date information via monthly meetings.

Digitalization training for families

As part of the Rural Schools project, families will also benefit from special meetings and training to be organized. At these meetings, parents will receive training on topics such as "Using Digital Safely", "Electronic Applications such as E-government and E-banking", and "Digital Parenting". Thus, they will learn 21st-century competencies, resources they can leverage in the digital world, and significant issues to consider.

The project will create a "Technology Fellowship"

Besides enabling to launch of "Coding Tomorrow" schools and clubs, technology classes established in rural schools will provide an opportunity to perform activities regarding "technology fellowship," such as inter-school expert meetings. These classes will allow giving in-depth education to children with teachers, monitor the project's effects and changes in children, and create success stories. Besides contributing to the creation of a culture of sharing, the technology classes also create an opportunity to produce solutions for the needs of the rural areas with 3D printers and 3D pens, build a collaborative working culture with other villages via digital processes, and allow other students and parents to leverage the classes and materials.

The project has reached over 195,000 children

Within the "Coding Tomorrow" project, children between 7-14 across Turkey receive theoretical and practical training by volunteer trainers on various subjects, including the introduction to programming, algorithm logic, application development, storytelling, and game development. Our training helps our children understand programming, work to bring out their creativity, create their imaginary worlds, and produce their games. While the project achieved 6,6 million TRY of social value in one year, each investment of 1 TRY for the project yielded a social return of 4,4 TRY. Until today, the project has reached about 195,000 children in 81 provinces.