Young people from all over Catalonia further their knowledge of the IoT and cybersecurity at mSchools camps

• Forty-three 15 to 19-year-old students seek solutions for smart cities at the third mSchools TechCamp
• mSchools TechCamp follows a working methodology that provides continuity to the content developed in classrooms during the App Education course, taught throughout the academic year
• Mobile World Capital Barcelona runs conferences with experts to introduce students to the industry’s business reality
• For the first time, Scratch Challenge winners take part at TechCamp

July 26, 2017

The third mSchools TechCamp, the pioneering technology camps in Catalonia promoted by Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital), is focusing its attention on the development of solutions based on the Internet of Things (IoT) applicable within a smart city environment. The camps, which will be held at ‘La Cinglera’ summer residence in Vilanova de Sau, will involve 43 third- and fourth-year ESO, higher secondary and vocational training students from 9 Catalan centres of education. All the boys and girls who are taking part were winners of the fourth edition of the mSchools Student Awards 2017, a competition that acknowledges and rewards the work of students throughout the academic year within the framework of the mSchools App Education educational initiative.

From the 22 to 30 July this year, the camp has been running a theoretical-practical programme that combines outdoor and team-building activities with training workshops on different aspects of digital design and development. For 9 days, students learn to create and design a solution focused on smart cities involving the programming of a microcontroller that operates in response to data recorded by different sensors. With the assistance of industry experts, students resolve urban problems using the IoT and apply cybersecurity measures to prevent cyberattacks in their projects.

The camp’s training programme is run in a visual environment based on blocks and on a flexible and collaborative methodology that enables students to create complex solutions without requiring advanced knowledge of programming. Students also have access to the appropriate materials for developing their creativity such as Raspberry Pi, GrovePi, Arduino, etc. TechCamp combines sessions with group dynamics and masterclasses from industry professionals, as is the case of the lecture ‘The IoT and the impact of cybersecurity” given by Tomàs Moré, head of the Internet Segura programme.

The camp also features an extensive programme of outdoor activities and sports with kayaking sessions on the Sau reservoir, gymkhanas, orienteering games and adventure circuits.

Participating schools include IES Roseta Mauri (Reus), Institut La Mar de la Frau (Cambrils), Col.legi Salesià Sant Antoni de Pàdua (Mataró), Escola Vedruna Ripoll (Ripoll), Institut Salvador Espriu (Barcelona), Col·legi Sagrada Familia (Santa Perpètua de Mogoda), Institut d’Altafulla (Altafulla), IES Ernest Lluch (Barcelona), Ins Castellet (Sant Vicenç de Castellet) and Institut Salvador Espriu (Barcelona).

Scratch conference: families work as a team for a day

mSchools Student Awards 2017, for the first time, acknowledged the projects undertaken by senior primary students who, using the Scratch programming language, created interactive stories, simulations and animations in one hour. The 4 best projects were rewarded with a stay for a day (Sunday 23 July) at TechCamp where they took part with their families at a session for furthering their knowledge of IoT using Scratch technology.

During the morning, the families created Internet of Things prototypes using Raspberry Pi, sensors, actuators and programmed the solution with the language Scratch, while also working on the wiring of the electronic circuit.

The conference involved the participation of students from Col·legi Asunción de Nuestra Señora (Barcelona), Escoles Minguella (Badalona), Escola Antoni Balmanya (Barcelona) and Escola El Cim (Teià).

Continuity of the mSchools educational project

In the 2016-2017 period, over 32,000 students from 1,700 centres of education throughout Catalonia have taken part on one of the initiatives of mSchools, the pioneering programme promoted by Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital) with the collaboration of the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council and GSMA. The initiative encourages work in the classroom using mobile technology and the creation and use of mobile solutions intended to enhance students’ skills in the digital environment, to reduce the numbers of early school-leavers and to improve their academic performance.