Ed Tech for Littles Program Receives Cal Coast Cares Foundation Grant for New Robots

SDCOE’s Jessica Sierra awarded $1,200 to expand Ed Tech for Littles robotics exploration program for TK-1^st grade students

At the San Diego County Office of Education’s Linda Vista Innovation Center, Ed Tech for Littles program creator Jessica Sierra is helping bring hands-on technology experiences and concepts to the region’s littlest learners. Thanks to a $1,200 Educator Grant from the Cal Coast Cares Foundation, Sierra is able to expand the Ed Tech for Littles program by purchasing four new robots for her students to explore and learn with.

Unlike most STEM programs, which primarily cater to middle and high school students, Ed Tech for Littles is the first program in the county focused exclusively on early elementary students (TK through 1^st grade). Sierra’s initiative connects the region’s youngest learners with hands-on experiences that foster an understanding of engineering, coding, and computational thinking in an age-appropriate way.

With the grant funding, Sierra has purchased four new robots to help expand the lab experience to reach more students and diversify the equipment they interact with. The robots the students will now be able to interact with are: the KIBO robot, which gives students the opportunity to assemble a robot and explore the concepts of software versus hardware; the M-Tiny robot, which is used to teach basic coding; and the Code-And-Go-Mouse robot, which is often used in other older grade level classes and will expand the coding experience to more in-depth sequencing and understanding algorithms.

“Helping these young students develop technology skills early on can really open even more opportunities to future careers,” said Sierra. “Studies have shown that by 4^th grade students have already internalized what kinds of careers they might be interested in, and these lines are typically drawn on gender and socioeconomic norms. This grant really helps me expand our program and provide more opportunities for our littlest learners to have hands-on experiences with technology and concepts early on so that they know STEM careers like engineering and coding are accessible.”

Ed Tech for Littles utilizes lessons and hands-on lab experiences designed specifically for early elementary students, and explores topics including coding and robotics, design thinking, and podcasting. The program utilizes play-based strategies in a screen-free environment to teach students concepts such as computational thinking, innovative problem solving and collaboration.

By equipping young students with the tools to explore technology in a meaningful way, the Ed Tech for Littles program is helping shape the next generation of innovators, and thanks to the Cal Coast Cares Foundation’s support, more of these little learners from across San Diego County will gain access to the foundational skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.