InSTEM@home 2020

Welcome to our InSTEM @ home program, launched in May 2020 in order to engage Indigenous youth with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) while staying safely at home during the COVID-19 pandemic response.

AAE InSTEM @ home Summer 2020 programming includes ROBOTICS and INDIGENOUS ENGINEERING DESIGN!

Aboriginal Access to Engineering is offering a variety of summer online camps and workshops to Indigenous students from the greater Kingston Area and Tyendinaga. Camps and workshops are available for students entering grades 3-8 in September.

Robotics will run in "camps" over two week timeframes, with four (4) live online Zoom sessions and a robotics kit that will come to stay at your home for the duration of camp! AAE Staff will deliver the robotics equipment to your home at the start of the two-week series and pick it up at the conclusion of the course. Online content along with offline challenges will encourage your child to experiment and have fun while learning to physically code robots.

There is an equipment deposit required for most robotics camps, which will be refunded once equipment is returned whole and in working order. Deposit amounts vary depending on the value of equipment being used for each particular camp. Space is limited

Indigenous Engineering Design workshops are hands-on design workshops which will use materials provided by the program to engage students with concepts in engineering by and for Indigenous communities. You must sign up for each individual workshop separately; there are six different workshops planned in the series.

Register here for InSTEM@home Summer 2020 programming! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why is there a deposit for the camp? Your programming has always been free.

The equipment used for the Robotics camp is expensive and will be on loan to you in your home for the duration of the camp. The deposit is required to ensure the equipment is well taken care of and returned once the camp is over. Once equipment is returned in working condition with normal wear and tear, the deposit will be refunded to your credit card.

Will I get all of my deposit back?

Yes, provided the equipment loaned to you is returned completely and in working order. If pieces are missing or if the entire kit has been lost, damaged, or destroyed, portions of your deposit up to the entire deposit will not be returned, in order to pay for the missing/damaged equipment replacement.

Do I need a credit card to make a deposit?

Yes, at this time credit card is the only way we can handle deposits.

Are there any free camps?

Yes, the Indigenous Engineering Design series of workshops are free, as well as the TinkerCAD camp for grades 7 and 8 students.

Can I enroll in the programs if we don't live in Kingston?

At this time, participants must live in the greater Kingston area, between Gananoque to the east, Sydenham to the north, and Tyendinaga in the west, to facilitate equipment distribution. If you live beyond those boundaries, you cannot enroll in our summer 2020 offerings.

What about COVID-19 - is the equipment clean?

All technology equipment provided by the program will be cleaned with surface anti-bacterial wipes ahead of distribution and when it is turned back in. Staff will wear gloves and masks while handling the equipment. With approximately 10 days between sessions where the equipment will remain untouched, it is highly unlikely any viral transmission can occur.

What about Zoom - is it secure? Why aren't you using Google Classroom/Meets like the schools do?

We are using Zoom as it is the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science's videoconferencing application of choice for interaction with participants outside the university. We have a professional Zoom account, which enables password protection and other premium features. Our IT Team assures us it is the best solution, and it is linked to our professional email accounts. Google Classroom affords the same protection, but only *within* the school board setting with users and e-mail accounts owned by the school boards. We are not affiliated with the school boards, we are affiliated with Queen's University.