I'man here's a low cost/high impact/scalable project 4 u....

[Don1]

Seeit yah:

Mission: Creating a cadre of Morant Bay HS students with real world 3D design skills...and educating JA on our ability to master modern tech apps
Modus: Launch a 3D Design & Build Club @ the school

Project Rollout:

* Start with a global competition as an objective. That will drive student enthusiasm and school stakeholders' interest... Recommend EXTREME REDESIGN CHALLENGE ..a worldwide 3D contest by Stratasys. Cost: FREE

* Tech Tools (required) .... 3D design software. Recommend SIEMENS SOLID EDGE CAD (as you know from back in the day ) Cost: FREE

* Computers able to run Solid Edge (pretty sure that's already available)

* Tech Tools (optional) ... 1 or 2 3D printers & peripherals. This will add to the vibes and students' knowledge base. Recommend MAKERBOT STUDENT bundle. Cost ~US$3000/unit (Can link you to our contact)

* Students will be self-motivated & able to self-educate on CAD ...but someone familiar with CAD could oversee the project...even if from a remote location. Teachers will be clueless re the tech of course...but they're necessary to oversee club discipline

* Operations.... Since it's so low cost there's the opportunity to engage a good number of students....Say you aim at 30/year in the dev program

* Organize 10 design teams of 3 students. They're to learn the software and evaluate product design problems to solve. Once each team selects a problem....start designing their solution on Solid Edge.

* At close of your design period...the solutions should be judged. The winning design can be the school's entry into the Extreme Redesign Challenge. If you go with Makerbots...the solutions can be printed and preserved for posterity...or even tested in the real world for form & function

* Using that methodology you get an internal design competition which should lead to higher quality working designs and higher quality skill dev.

* Over a few years if the program takes off and is sustained....you would have created hundreds of students with real world, cutting edge 3D design skills....at a VERY moderate cost. For some it would be life-changing.

* That program would be guaranteed to make a significant impact on the school, community, Jamaica....and perhaps beyond

[Islandman]

Hmm, I will have to chew on this one

The requirements don't look imposing. Actually though computers are a big problem at the school so solving that would have to be a starting point. I expect some funds to be made available during this school year to address that. The presence of a 3D printer on campus would be ideal but in the short term they probably could submit CAD files to be printed somewhere in Kingston.

The school has been going through a challenging time for the last few years, there has not been a long term principal in place since 2011. The last one that was appointed was chased out of town after showing gross incompetence and losing the confidence of his staff, not to mention taking certain arguments to the students which were considered, let's say, a bit fishy. He is still fighting the case so no principal can be appointed until his firing is settled. I am still pushing through with some initiatives but it has been difficult and not surprisingly the school has begun to suffer from a lack of long term direction.

Incidentally one of the better athletes at the school just completed his CSEC and qualified for 6th form but he told me that he wanted to do mechanical engineering in CAPE and Morant Bay doesn't offer it, so when JC came a calling with an offer of a "scholarship" for 6th form he decided to take it. Of course I had not hesitation in telling him that he did the right thing. For some reason I didn't remember to mention the robotics club to him, but I will definitely do that.

[Don1]

Islandman;564081]Hmm, I will have to chew on this one

The requirements don't look imposing. Actually though computers are a big problem at the school so solving that would have to be a starting point. I expect some funds to be made available during this school year to address that. The presence of a 3D printer on campus would be ideal but in the short term they probably could submit CAD files to be printed somewhere in Kingston.

Ok the computer thing is clearly an issue. You guys should try the Digicel Foundation for assistance...STAT. They've been helpful to us and others in the past. If you have an alum there with some pull...that might be a good place to start. Yuh dun know seh evvyting is who yuh know A proposal to them could also include or even be centered around the 3D project. That would pique their interest. Bear in mind though that since it's all digital...students can work on the project from any location with a computer & internet....e.g. @ home. But of course a central control point at school is key

The school has been going through a challenging time for the last few years, there has not been a long term principal in place since 2011. The last one that was appointed was chased out of town after showing gross incompetence and losing the confidence of his staff, not to mention taking certain arguments to the students which were considered, let's say, a bit fishy

.

Oh no say it aint so

He is still fighting the case so no principal can be appointed until his firing is settled. I am still pushing through with some initiatives but it has been difficult and not surprisingly the school has begun to suffer from a lack of long term direction.

Mek di Fishy one tek whe imself Hope y'all can get it together ASAP

Incidentally one of the better athletes at the school just completed his CSEC and qualified for 6th form but he told me that he wanted to do mechanical engineering in CAPE and Morant Bay doesn't offer it, so when JC came a calling with an offer of a "scholarship" for 6th form he decided to take it. Of course I had not hesitation in telling him that he did the right thing. For some reason I didn't remember to mention the robotics club to him, but I will definitely do that.

LOL!

[Don1]

D1 connecting the dots....once more

Seeit yah:

Mission: Creating a cadre of Morant Bay HS students with real world 3D design skills...and educating JA on our ability to master modern tech apps
Modus: Launch a 3D Design & Build Club @ the school

Project Rollout:

* Start with a global competition as an objective. That will drive student enthusiasm and school stakeholders' interest... Recommend EXTREME REDESIGN CHALLENGE ..a worldwide 3D contest by Stratasys. Cost: FREE

* Tech Tools (required) .... 3D design software. Recommend SIEMENS SOLID EDGE CAD (as you know from back in the day ) Cost: FREE

* Computers able to run Solid Edge (pretty sure that's already available)

* Tech Tools (optional) ... 1 or 2 3D printers & peripherals. This will add to the vibes and students' knowledge base. Recommend MAKERBOT STUDENT bundle. Cost ~US$3000/unit (Can link you to our contact)

* Students will be self-motivated & able to self-educate on CAD ...but someone familiar with CAD could oversee the project...even if from a remote location. Teachers will be clueless re the tech of course...but they're necessary to oversee club discipline

* Operations.... Since it's so low cost there's the opportunity to engage a good number of students....Say you aim at 30/year in the dev program

* Organize 10 design teams of 3 students. They're to learn the software and evaluate product design problems to solve. Once each team selects a problem....start designing their solution on Solid Edge.

* At close of your design period...the solutions should be judged. The winning design can be the school's entry into the Extreme Redesign Challenge. If you go with Makerbots...the solutions can be printed and preserved for posterity...or even tested in the real world for form & function

* Using that methodology you get an internal design competition which should lead to higher quality working designs and higher quality skill dev.

* Over a few years if the program takes off and is sustained....you would have created hundreds of students with real world, cutting edge 3D design skills....at a VERY moderate cost. For some it would be life-changing.

* That program would be guaranteed to make a significant impact on the school, community, Jamaica....and perhaps beyond

Just suppose JA were success-oriented enough to widely adopt this INEXPENSIVE, HUGELY SCALABLE & INNOVATION BUILDING project?? Say a mere 50 schools @ 30 students per year?

That's 1500 potential CAD designers, product developers & innovators pushed out every year.....from HIGH SCHOOL! With a pool of cheap talent like that.....foreign manufacturers would soon come running to set up outsourced design teams. And our BPO business could move up the value chain from the low level stuff i.e. customer service calls. JA thinks that bottom level business is "great"

But dumb JA "leaders" are in love with Black people doing low level service jobs.....so that's what our people are prepared to to do....into infinity. And that's fine with virtually everyone. ...as long as we can also beat our chests when we run fast, play ball, sing chune and generally entertain a global audience. Then we feel "proud" or "important"....like tings ah gwaan fi wi

Pathetic

[Islandman]

We have our national emotions and identity heavily invested in sports and entertainment culture. No doubt about that.

[Islandman]

Sometimes I wonder how much our ability to do anything like this at scale is constrained by the lack of a core educational foundation in so many of our students though. Social media has made me realize how much our people lack the skills to do even rudimentary critical thinking and reasoning. They cannot tell the difference between satire and a real news story. Sarcasm is a concept that is totally foreign to them. They see a ridiculous story about someone or something and they immediately take it seriously and share it among their peers. Absolutely no concept of research and investigation. These are the ones with access to an internet connected device. Imagine those who are not that fortunate.


It is very depressing. I don't think we can get too far in anything other than brainless activities if we don't raise the level.

[Don1]

We have our national emotions and identity heavily invested in sports and entertainment culture. No doubt about that.

In the absence of achievements in the far more important sectors of education, industry, enterprise, innovative product development and science & technology....we hyperventilate endlessly over sporting, singing & dancing matters.

That's called OVERCOMPENSATING for and masking of our overall development failures imo. It's a perfectly understandable human reaction...but still ridiculous
That idiotic thinking led PJ to declare a NATIONAL HOLIDAY when the RBZ made WC98 Businesses lost JA$BILLIONS in production

I saw a newspaper report where Babsy was waxing poetic about doubling down on sports & entertainment in order to "drive economic growth". I haven't seen anything as asinine in many a moon...yet the nonsense passes without any criticism from our "intelligentsia"

These are the kinds of idiots who lead us into perpetual backwardness

[Don1]

Sometimes I wonder how much our ability to do anything like this at scale is constrained by the lack of a core educational foundation in so many of our students though. Social media has made me realize how much our people lack the skills to do even rudimentary critical thinking and reasoning. They cannot tell the difference between satire and a real news story. Sarcasm is a concept that is totally foreign to them. They see a ridiculous story about someone or something and they immediately take it seriously and share it among their peers. Absolutely no concept of research and investigation. These are the ones with access to an internet connected device. Imagine those who are not that fortunate.


It is very depressing. I don't think we can get too far in anything other than brainless activities if we don't raise the level.

What you say is very true....BUT

Di pikney dem love play wid technology....dem excited bout it.

Once wi show dem how fi use dem wizzy and CREATE dem owna technology...plus COMPETE wid others even ah foreign....it's a layup.

We need to leverage the fact that Jamaicans are creative & uber-competitive folks. Kids just need the chance

That's why any project I get involved with must have a competition to aim for at the back end

Instead Portia led a government that spent US$10 million on giving tablets to kids....supposedly to "boost education". Since then we've heard NOTHING about it or any positive outcomes. I predicted that the program was boneheaded....and would be an expensive disaster. I have zero doubt it is.

The simple plan I outlined would cost maybe US$500K max for 100 schools....fish head not included

The outcomes would be outstanding

[Islandman]

I agree it has to start with the youngsters. I just wonder sometimes how much catching them younger would improve the positive outcomes. Nothing wrong with starting with the existing cohort of trainable secndary school students. It is tragic to watch the others waste away though.

[Don1]

I agree it has to start with the youngsters. I just wonder sometimes how much catching them younger would improve the positive outcomes. Nothing wrong with starting with the existing cohort of trainable secndary school students. It is tragic to watch the others waste away though.

The younger the better!! Less backwardness to unlearn. Upgrading the primary and pre-primary levels are the killer solution for instilling the proper culture towards science

Unfortunately I have to start @ HS levels where I have easy and very supportive access....But wish the means were available to penetrate the primary levels. Have an idea for how to serve that cohort...but it's too complicated/expensive to execute at the moment. Too pricey for me I mean

One of these days....