Bytesize & brAIn_waves with Junior Achievement Ireland and Microsoft
Year Awarded
2024
Amount
€297,994
- Organisation:Junior Achievement Ire Ltd
Project Summary
JAI works with industry and education partners motivating and inspiring young people to value their education seeing a future for themselves in the working world. Bytesize & brAIn_wave are primary/secondary school STEM, IT programmes for 6-8 year old students and 15/16 year old students comprising five 45 minute modules.
The project developed by Microsoft Dreamspace included input from NCCA. Plugged and unplugged activities focus on computational thinking for young students and the fundamentals of AI for older students. With SFI’s support JA will develop, pilot and evaluate a supporting programme allowing tech volunteers to facilitate in classes nationally and teachers to continue student learning. Programme content will be co-created in collaboration with students and expert advisers from industry and education. Students receive workbooks with extended learning opportunities involving families. Targeting senior primary students attending national and DEIS schools it helps educate them at a young age, about technology, AI and tech careers. Programmes are facilitated by volunteers from Microsoft and 150 JAI supporting organisations, many are leaders in the STEM sector. Dynamic facilitation by business volunteers enhances learning underlining links between STEM education and the world of work.
Outputs include:
• Ca. 6,300 students 2025/2026. Microsoft plans to continue investment in the content
4,000 primary students, 2,500 secondary students
• ca. 275 business volunteers
• 275 classes
There will be a focus on localities identified by SFI as needing STEM engagement and females as the numbers of females working in technology and engineering is both an Irish and a global issue.