Future Today Edutech Hub (FuTEduH)

FuTEduH is committed to provide quality learning opportunities of “Gamified-Education” that Strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment. We are presently working six peri-urban communities of Lagos State (Owode-Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Igbogbo, Mowo-Nla, Imota and Owutu).

Our Gamified-Education (solution) utilizes MIT Scratch etc. to implement the report from  World Bank that “New technologies have the potential to disrupt education for the better”, claiming “At the classroom level, machine learning technology can enhance the effectiveness of teachers and can allow students to learn at their own pace.” 

This will positively change lives contributing to lower youth-unemployment rate to that of adults that would translate to a 10 to 20% increase in Africa’s GDP, by Creating 25 Million Jobs and Equipping 50Million YouthAfDB Strategy(2016-2025).

Also assist “to establish a strong convergence between technology, economic development and governance” in Lagos.

FuTEduH is committed to provide quality learning opportunities of “Gamified-Education” that Strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment. 

Our work will help actualize AfDB Strategy of lowering the youth unemployment rate to that of adults that would translate to a 10 to 20% increase in Africa’s GDP, by Creating 25 Million Jobs and Equipping 50 Million Youth (2016-2025). 

The commitment of The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu “to establish a strong convergence between technology, economic development and governance” to serve 17.5-million Lagosians are major factors contributing to the problem relating to our solution.

We are at present working with over fifty participants among low-income families in six peri-urban communities in Lagos State with a 61% Registered Female in 1year.

Our trainees have expressed confidence that they are better equipped to access and create good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves.

Our overall Objective is aimed at the fulfillment of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) 4 on equitable education and skills development, UNSDG 5 on Gender Equality, UNSDG 8 on inclusive growth, productive employment and decent work for all and UNSDG1 on ending poverty.

FuTEduH guides students to form collaborative Gamified-Educational gangs to explore the use of MIT-Scratch, Stempedia-PictoBlox and NILabview for development that Strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital-literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment.

We respond to relevant market needs by investing in open-access resources adapted to local-contexts and curricula as prescribed by UNESCO (2018) (DOI: 10.1596/978-1-4648-1260-6)

 https://drive.google.com/open?...

 https://drive.google.com/open?...

https://drive.google.com/open?...

We engage our Gamified-Educational gangs to explore at their own pace the potentials of Games (new-technologies) to disrupt education for the better, rather than explain using machine learning technology at the classroom level that enhances the effectiveness of teachers. They turn facts into visible action in the simplest, sustainable, collaborative and most beautiful way possible to make knowledge acquisition a joy.

To achieve our purpose of improving lives and transforming the African continent we run “code-to-learn” classes and boot camps aimed at developing Gamified skills for marginalized students in our hub and also collaborates with community based (e.g. NASFAT), to offer same to their members most especially girls and young women. https://drive.google.com/open?...

We aim to ensure that all of our students have an exceptional and distinctive experience while at the Learning Hub.

FuTEduH is guiding marginalized Girls, Young Women and the vulnerable populations of school age to Strengthen their competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for effectively transition from education to employment.

We are working in six peri-urban communities (Owode Ajugunle, Ikorodu, Owutu, Igbogbo, Imota, Mowo Nla) in Lagos State in partnership with community based organisation (e.g NASFAT), government Ministry and Institution with a 61% Registered Female in 1year. 

We engage learners to Gamify their Educational needs to aid assimilation with a simple, sustainable collaborative platform at a reduced cost. Through the deployment of Gamification-technology ( MIT-Scratch, Steampedia-PictoBlox, NI-Labview) to turn facts into visible action in the simplest, sustainable , collaborative and most beautiful way possible to make  knowledge acquisition a joy. Our Gamified-Educational gangs explore at their own pace the potentials of Games (new technologies) to disrupt education for the better, rather than explain using machine learning technology at the classroom level that enhances the effectiveness of teachers.

We aim to ensure that all of our students have an exceptional and distinctive experience while at the Learning Hub.

World Bank reported "learning poverty" is responsible for inability to read a basic story at the age of 10 for as many as 80% of children's in some African countries? (https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/africa-needs-seize-golden-chance)

FuTEduH engages our Gamified-Educational gangs to explore at their own pace the potentials of Games to disrupt education for the better, rather than explain using machine learning technology at the classroom level that enhances the effectiveness of teachers as proposed by the World Bank. http://documents.worldbank.org...

This Strengthen their competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment.

FuTEduH innovatively guides students to Gamify their Educational curriculum needs as an improved variant of the code Lagos Initiative of the Lagos State Government.

We coordinate unique Gamified-Educational gangs to explore at their own pace the potentials of Games (new technologies) to disrupt education for the better, rather than explain using machine learning technology at the classroom level that enhances the effectiveness of teachers, improve daily lesson planning and delivery, foster collaboration, and support long-term development.

Our Gamified-Educational gangs examine verified facts that are relevant to market needs by investing in open-access resources adapted to local contexts and curricula as advised by World Bank. They archive this in a fun filled manner through deployment of technology to turn these facts into visible action (Games) {change that creates} in the simplest, sustainable, collaborative and most beautiful way possible to make knowledge acquisition a joy. {a new dimension of performance}. 

We take a unique, cohesive, inclusive and personalized approach to enhancing the student experience - one that encompasses all subjects, all modes of learning, all student services, a clear improvement over teaching of coding as a single subject practiced under code Lagos Initiative of the Lagos State Government.

This Strengthen our students competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment. 

The core technologies that power our Gamified-Education gangs are MIT Scratch, Stempedia Pictoblox and NI Labview. 

According to MIT Scratch Team the “group at the MIT Media Lab designed and developed Scratch for learning through exploring, experimenting, and tinkering. Scratch coding blocks are designed like LEGO bricks. This makes it easy as “children learn by putting blocks together and taking them apart. They also pick up new ideas by seeing what others are making and collaborating to make something together.”

Furthermore educational pioneer Seymour Papert emphasized: Using comes before understanding. Researcher at MIT has found this to be true as young people who have developed broad creative, computational, and collaboration skills with Scratch usually first learned by “playing” or “messing around” with it, trying things out and seeing what worked. This playful approach helped them build their confidence in their ability to learn and problem solve. 

According to Stempedia PictoBlox was developed from the latest version of Scratch as graphical programming software that makes coding fun and easy. It has a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, and is the ideal companion for setting the first step into the world of programming. PictoBlox has found use in learning to code, make interactive animations and games, interesting projects based on IoT, program actions for robots, and much more!

LabVIEW is a comprehensive development environment that contains all the tools engineers and scientists need to design and deploy measurement and control systems. 

Our Gamified-Education gangs utilize widely used and acceptable technologies: MIT Scratch, Stempedia Pictoblox and NI Labview. 

Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. According to Mitch Resnick “We developed it so that people could easily create their own interactive stories and games and animations, and then share their creations with one another”. He stated that “three million projects” have been created using scratch.

Available statistics shows scratchers are worldwide and are mostly adolescents. Other researcher claimed “Scratch is incredibly versatile–it's not just for computer science classes! Scratch can be incorporated into any content area in any classroom. Whether you teach English, Science, Math, History, or Art, Scratch can contribute to your students' learning in a number of ways!” 

The result of case study using scratch carried out at GameStudio at Boise State University, United States “using this developed intervention shown that this intervention has a great possibility as an alternative way to teach mathematics in ways that stimulate learners’ various abilities, such as creativity, problem solving, logical thinking and the like, as well as that build a positive attitude toward mathematics” 

PictoBlox “has found use in learning to code, make interactive animations and games, interesting projects based on IoT, program actions for robots, and much more!” 

Research shows a few of the many applications that students aged around 11 years and over Using National Instruments LabVIEW™ Education Edition in schools

FuTEduH innovatively guides students to Gamify their Educational curriculum needs to make them (learners) assimilate more (Immediate output) with an easy, sustainable and simple collaboration platform that is also fun to use.

We coordinate unique Gamified-Educational gangs to explore at their own pace the potentials of Games (new technologies) to disrupt education for the better, rather than explain using machine learning technology at the classroom level that enhances the effectiveness of teachers, improve daily lesson planning and delivery, foster collaboration, and support long-term development.

Our theory of change follows scientifically sound standard emphasized by educational pioneer Seymour Papert: Using comes before understanding

Our pre-course survey of participant at our joint Boot camp with our partner NASAFT Lagos Zone 1, revealed that 91.3% of participants were unable to code using our base Technology, MIT Scratch.

The coding blocks of MIT Scratch Software are designed like LEGO bricks, and was designed and developed by MIT Media Lab for learning through exploring, experimenting, and tinkering.

During post-course review; most of students claimed that the program has:

• Increased their Learning Time.
• Increase Leadership Effectiveness
• Increase Family and Community Engagement.

They also view the program to have positively

• Increase Family and Community Engagement.

Peer review of projects carried out by another set of our students posted on  Teaching with Scratch, a Facebook group by ScratchEd Team at HGSEearned us Two Facebook badges: Visual Story Teller and Conversation starter for three consecutive months in 2019.

We are currently serving fifty-five(55) students in six peri-urban communities Owode-Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Igbogbo,Mowo-Nla, Imota, Owutu  in Lagos State with a 61% Registered Female. These include Gamified-Educational gangs taking classes in our hub and those receiving training in partnership with a community based faith organization NASFAT, Lagos Zone-1.

Based on the positive report from our collaboration program with NASFAT, Lagos Zone-1, and all the other elements, We are to scale up to reach an estimated Two-Thousand Five (2,500) students Nationwide courtesy of the office of National Empowerment Secretary of the society in the next one year.

We are developing joint products and programs with the University of Maiduguri (Prof. Mohammed Dauda. Department of Mechanical Engineering) to enhance our training with 3D-Robotics, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligent, Machine Learning and others. We plan to implement National Ideathons targeting Ten-thousand (10,000) Students in the next five years, with a minimum 80% Female population.  Furthermore we look forward to form partners with other solve community after this course to scale up to Tanzania, Uganda, USA, Portugal.

Through these we hope to strengthen our students’ competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment and birth Gamified Robotics Gangs (MSME) that are better equipped to access and create good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves.

We plan to strengthen at least Twelve Thousand Five-Hundred (12,500) students’ competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment and birth Gamified Robotics Gangs (MSME) that are better equipped to access and create good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves in Five years.

This will be our contribution to actualize AfDB Strategy of lowering the youth unemployment rate to that of adults that would translate to a 10 to 20% increase in Africa’s GDP, by Creating 25 Million Jobs and Equipping 50 Million Youth (2016-2025).

In the next year, we will inaugurate our present Alumni Network online. Also implement joint-scale-up of our Gamified-Educational Gangs with NASFAT and University of Maiduguri Nationwide. To archive this amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we will strengthen our remote training capabilities; empower our present Fifty-five (55) Alumni with Game Development enterprise (MSME) under Rent-to-Own Buyer or Aaro agreement. We will scale-up by appointing them to mentor remotely the next set of Students under our joint National project with NASFAT. Each Alumnus will be guided to mentor Fifty Students in the next year to archive a minimum Two-Thousand Five-Hundred Students. The First Alumni will receive further training in AI, ML and 3D-Robotics with special focus on the use of Local Languages e.g. Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo.

This will be implemented under our joint National project with University of Maiduguri and will involve enriching our curriculum through international collaboration e.g. https://youtu.be/z96jxXfll_Q , WHO, UNESCO, World Bank etc.

As we scale-up our impact in the next five year we need to upturn the following barriers:

• A) Financial:
  • Funds to strengthen (Hardware, Software subscription) our Hub for remote learning (on Microsoft Team, Zoom, Slack etc.) in compliance with Covid-19 Protocols.
  • Funds to empower (Hardware, Software subscription) our fifty-five Alumni with Game Development enterprise (MSME).
  • Cost of Incorporation of FuTEduH
  • Overhead Cost of remote workers.
  • Cost of Rent and Utilities

B) Technical

• • Hardware, Software subscription to strengthen our Hub remote learning capacities (on Microsoft Team, Zoom, Slack etc.).
  • Hardware, Software subscription to empower our fifty-five Alumni with Game Development enterprise (MSME).

C) Legal: Achievement of Incorporation of FuTEduH under the Company Limited by Guarantee (LTD/GTE)/ Not for Profit business ownership structure, to operate on sound commercial principles and to be managed by a Board of Trustees.

D) Cultural:

• Securing parental permission for girls and young women to participant in our Gamified-Education gangs as mentors and students.

E) Market:

• • Securing patronage/ collaboration with international organizations with messages to translate to Local Languages and Robotics e.g. WHO, UNESCO.
  • Securing adoption of our Gamified-Education Gags by relevant government agencies.

We plan to overcome these barriers as follows

A) Financial:

• • We have successfully completed the application assessment and accepted into the Disruptor category of the TEF 2020 Program. If we successfully scale prerequisite training we will receive seed capital of $5,000.

• Also we have successfully submitted our proposal titled: “Future.Today Interactive code to learn online series during and After Covid-19 Pandemic” to ISDB TRANSFORM FUND 2020 - INNOVATIVE IDEAS WITH PROOF OF CONCEPT.  We applied for a seed funding of $100,000.
• Income from our Game Development enterprise (MSME) under Rent-to-Own Buyer or  Aaro 

• Items B- E will be funded from fund that accrue from a) above.Legal: Achievement of Incorporation of FuTEduH under the Company Limited by Guarantee (LTD/GTE)/ Not for Profit business ownership structure, to operate on sound commercial principles and to be managed by a Board of Trustees. 

B) Technical:

• Hardware, Software subscription to strengthen our Hub remote learning capacities (on Microsoft Team, Zoom, Slack etc.).
• Hardware, Software subscription to empower our fifty-five Alumni with Game Development enterprise (MSME).
• Securing parental permission for girls and young women to participant in our Gamified-Education gangs as mentors and students.
• Securing patronage/ collaboration with international organizations with messages to translate to Local Languages and Robotics e.g. WHO, UNESCO.
• Securing adoption of our Gamified-Education Gags by relevant government agencies.

C)  Cultural:

Securing parental permission for girls and young women to participant in our Gamified-Education gangs as mentors and students.

Our solution team comprises of:

Full-time staff -5,

Part-time staff-10, and

Other workers- 5

WE have a multidisciplinary team with diverse skills, background, and experiences that uniquely position us to deliver a cutting edge Gamified Education:

 Engr. Wasiu Oyedepo, the Team Lead is a highly motivated and experienced Engineer with over 20 years of expert proficiency in directing, organizing and administering industrial, STEM and research programmes. Skilled in identifying and supervising innovative projects in the areas of  Gamified Education, STEM, IoT, Renewable Energy Production, Design and Manufacturing etc. He is regarded for the ability to deliver outstanding results with the highest degree of service and professionalism. Specialties: Gamification, STEM, IoT, AI, ML, Biodiesel Production, Design and Manufacturing, Production Management, Simulation, Teaching & Research etc.

Wasiu serves as Branch General Secretary of NASFAT and a committee member of NASFAT Lagos Zone 1. Through these positions he attracts the opportunity to run joint Boot camps between FuTEduH and NASFAT.

Mrs. Ramota Giwa is an astute Educationist with over Thirty five years of meritorious service in the Nigeria Public School Sector in Oyo State Education Service. After retirement she ventured into Fish Farming and sits on the BoG of FOMWAN School Ibadan. She is our Mentor and advisor.

Oyebade Oyedepo & Co: They provide Audit, Taxation and general financial services to the team.

Crownsec Consults Limited: Secretarial/Management consultants to the Team.

Prof. Mohammed Dauda is a highly motivated and experienced Engineer with over 25 years of expert proficiency in directing, organizing and administering educational and research programmes. 

Prof. Dauda is our Mentor and advisor.

FuTEduH currently has six set of partners for Gamified-Educational gangs’ development:

• The Scratch Team, Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, we have a verified Teachers account that qualifies us to use Scratch for teaching.
• STEMPEDIA, Product development in the area of AI, ML and Robotics.
• The Tony Elumelu Foundation as a member of the Disruptor category of the TEF 2020 Program. This means if we scale prerequisite training, we are qualify for a $5,000 seed funding.
• University of Maiduguri, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (CEED) (Engr. Prof. Mohammed Dauda FNSE) 3D-Robotics curriculum development and a broader research partnership.
• NASFAT Lagos Zone 1 and NASFAT National Empowerment Office are piloting the solution and using their capital and resources to support the deployments.
• Favoured Audio Visual Services are providing us with Marketing, media, and exposure on social media.

We plan to bring in money to fund our work, through the combination of grants, selling products or services, raising investment capital.

We have raised $7,500 in equity from our principal initiator Engr. Wasiu Oyedepo in the last one year. Also we have successfully completed the application assessment and accepted into the Disruptor category of the Tony Elumelu Foundation 2020 Program. This means we are eligible to go on to the training segment for Disruptors. If we successfully scale through we will receive seed capital of $5,000. Furthermore, we have successfully submitted our proposal titled: “Future.Today Interactive code to learn online series during and After Covid-19 Pandemic” to ISDB TRANSFORM FUND 2020 - INNOVATIVE IDEAS WITH PROOF OF CONCEPT.  We applied for a seed funding of $100,000. We are also applying for Solve’s seed funding.

We are developing joint products and programs with the UniMaid (Prof. Muhammed Daud ) to enhance our training with 3D-Robotics, IoT, AI, ML etc.

Through our pilot projects, we generated an income of $1,000 from services we rendered directly to students in our Hub and boot camp in partnership with NASFAT Lagos Zone1.

We plan to sustain our existing relationships, develop and expand our students’ and partnership base.  Also refine our business and revenue model (aaro and rent-to-own etc) from a prototype to a replicable service. Furthermore cultivate a marketing and social media presence to reach new partners and students.

We expect the business to become self sustaining in the third year of operation.

We are applying to Solve to

A) Financial: Build connections to investors and grantors to progress our fundraising strategy to

• Strengthen (Hardware, Software subscription) our Hub for remote learning (on Microsoft Team, Zoom, Slack etc.) in compliance with Covid-19 Protocols.
• Empower (Hardware, Software subscription) our fifty-five Alumni with Game Development enterprise (MSME).
• Incorporation of FuTEduH
• Overhead Cost of remote workers. 

B) Technical: Mentor and advise on Solution Technology acquisition and deployment in the area of

• Hardware, Software subscription to strengthen our Hub remote learning capacities (on Microsoft Team, Zoom, Slack etc.).
• Hardware, Software subscription to empower our fifty-five Alumni with Game Development enterprise (MSME).

C) Legal: Mentor and advise to Achieve Incorporation of FuTEduH under the Company Limited by Guarantee (LTD/GTE)/ Not for Profit business ownership structure, to operate on sound commercial principles and to be managed by a Board of Trustees.

D) Cultural: Mentor and advise to

• Securing parental permission for girls and young women to participant in our Gamified-Education gangs as mentors and students.

E) Market: Support marketing and communications to 

• Secure patronage/ collaboration with international organizations with messages to translate to Local Languages and Robotics e.g. WHO, UNESCO.
• Securing adoption of our Gamified-Education Gags by relevant government agencies in Nigeria and Globally.

To reach the goals mentioned above, FuTEduH seeks partnerships to:

• Mentor and advise product development and strategic planning
• Support marketing and communications that clearly distribute data
• Support Solution Technology acquisition and deployment that clearly support our goals
• Build connections to investors and grantors to progress our fundraising strategy.

The Edx Team: Mentor and advice to move our services online.

Megan Smith; Support Solution Technology acquisition and deployment and build connections to investors and grantors to progress or fundraising strategy, to scale up our solution to low income communities in Nigeria, USA (Refugees) and worldwide.

Diana Yousef, the founder of change:WATER Labs: to support local pilots of our solution crowded communities in Uganda and around the globe.

Architect Liz Ogbu: to support local pilots of our solution among mothers and daughters in Tanzania and the day Labor center in the USA.

WHO: To adopt our solution to Gamify their publication in Nigeria Local Languages.

https://youtu.be/LVAd8EBXcKc

https://youtu.be/MWVgoh3Mdy4 https://youtu.be/p82J8j7go5U

World Bank: To adopt our solution to Gamify their publication in Nigeria Local Languages

https://youtu.be/LVAd8EBXcKc

https://youtu.be/MWVgoh3Mdy4

https://youtu.be/p82J8j7go5U

https://youtu.be/z96jxXfll_Q

MIT Media Lab.: to accept us as one of their computer clubhouses, which help young people from low-income communities learn to express themselves creatively with new technologies.

Collaborator to translate the Scratch program into Nigeria Local Languages. https://youtu.be/aXHG-FGimpE

The World Bank sees potential in using technology “to expand opportunities for children to learn independently or with light adult supervision, in particular in fragile and conflict contexts or remote areas where teacher support is scarce”

Our solution emphasis this and is also multi-lingual. As such it is qualify and we can adapt it to support refugees anywhere in the world.

As a youth and female friendly solution it can be used to promote resilience, self-reliance and integration among the refugee as proposed the WBG.

We will deploy our solution on hand held tablets to “fostering higher-order skills like problem solving and creativity; teaching abstract concepts in science to hands-on learning; and building social-emotional skills like persistence, resilience, empathy, and collaboration.” (WBG). This we will archive either remotely or with the support of local personnel at the refugee camp/base.

 We are ready to work with Architect Liz Ogbu and her team to support local pilots of our solution among the day Labor center in the USA or any other of such refugee projects.

We are currently serving fifty-five(55)students in six peri-urban communities (Owode-Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Igbogbo,Mowo-Nla, Imota, Owutu) in Lagos State with a 61% Registered Female. We are also developing projects along with our partners to scale up our solution to reach another twelve thousand five hundred with at least 80% female representation.

Our solution is female friendly because it supports storytelling, which promotes a world where women’s voices can be celebrated. In pears they love to share life experiences. As mothers, they are the custodian of values and traditions. These they find easy to transmit from generation to generation via story.

Our team will use funding from the Innovation for Women Prize, to strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for low income girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment. Also births Gamified Robotics Gangs (MSME) that are better equipped to access and create good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves.

We are currently serving fifty-five(55) vulnerable students in six peri-urban communities (Owode-Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Igbogbo,Mowo-Nla, Imota, Owutu) in Lagos State with a 61% Registered Female. We are also developing projects along with our partners to scale up our solution to reach another twelve thousand five hundred with at least 80% female representation.

Our solution is female friendly because it supports storytelling, which promotes a world where women’s voices can be celebrated. In pears they love to share life experiences. As mothers, they are the custodian of values and traditions. These they find easy to transmit from generation to generation via story.

Our team will use funding from the Innovation for Women Prize, to strengthen competencies, particularly in STEM and digital literacy, for vulnerable girls and young women to effectively transition from education to employment. Also births Gamified Robotics Gangs (MSME) that are better equipped to access and create good jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for themselves.

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The core technologies that power our Gamified-Education gangs are MIT Scratch, Stempedia Pictoblox and NI Labview.

PictoBlox has found use in learning to code, make interactive animations and games, interesting projects based on IoT, program actions for robots, and much more!

LabVIEW offers a graphical programming approach to help you visualize every aspect of your application, including hardware configuration, measurement data, and debugging.

Thus all our base technology qualify for this prize as they support strong data science, artificial intelligence, or machine learning that can be used to benefit humanity.

Part of our scale up plans is to introduce our present crop of students to AI, ML etc. our team use the AI for Humanity Prize to advance this part of our scale up plans.

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