Novosibirsk State Technical University (NETI), together with the Russian Movement of Children and Youth (RDDM Movement of the First), the Academy of Mentors platform of the Skolkovo Foundation, has opened a Center for Technological Mentoring. For the implementation of the project, NSTU NETI received a grant from the RDDM in the amount of 13.1 million rubles.
The main task of the "Technonastavnik" project is the formation of schoolchildren teams who are ready to start their way in the project of technical orientation "Technologies of the First". The mentor will benefit from the training completed within the framework of the project, as well as participation in activities aimed at establishing contact between mentors and mentees both within the region and beyond.
"The project assumes that more than 200 mentors from among students of technical specialties will be trained at NSTU NETI, who will be sent to schools in the city and region to organize classes with schoolchildren. In total, more than 7 regions will be covered. Each of the mentors will have to organize work in the format of a project laboratory at a particular school, ensuring the involvement of at least 30 high school students in it. In total, more than 6,000 schoolchildren will be covered. Each mentor will not only be trained to work with schoolchildren, but also equipped with a set of methodological materials for organizing project work, which will allow building a career guidance system as efficiently as possible," - commented Sergey Chernov, Vice–Rector for Academic Affairs of NSTU NETI.
According to him, during the implementation of the project, schoolchildren will master exactly those competencies that are currently most in demand. They include: design, manufacture and control of drones, 3D printing, development of programs for controlling robots, various welding technologies, and so on. The project is open for participation of students – future mentors of educational organizations, for schools, lyceums, gymnasiums, industrial partners. And after its completion, the laboratories formed in schools under the mentorship of students will continue their work in the format of youth design bureaus.
"The university now has a good mentoring practice. The university especially works with a large group of students who will go to schools in the region to train their technical skills together with the guys there. The staffing need in schools is very high, there are not enough teachers in schools today who would have the skills to work with modern equipment. That is why from October 1 to December 1, students from NSTU NETI will study with children at school twice a week, having allocated a laboratory in one of the classes for this. Students will prepare at least 5 projects on the most popular technical topics. After that, the mentor of each school will choose one best project and team. Already this December a meeting of the “Technology of the First” will be held at NSTU NETI, where the guys will demonstrate their results. The best mentors will have some additional training at Skolkovo and receive prizes from partners. The project laboratory itself, according to our idea, becomes an additional circle at school and functions, if the school wishes, on a permanent basis," added Daria Borovikova, head of the Department of Pre–University Education and Recruitment Organization of NSTU NETI.
The project has a special Internet platform, where three directions are indicated. The first one is for mentors. For example, if a university student or the teacher themselves wants to gain new knowledge and learn about the modern directions of additional education of schoolchildren in the country, they will be able to apply on the website and become a techno-mentor. The second one is for educational organizations. If they need a mentor and want a student to come to their school, then organizations can submit a request on the website. And the third direction is for industrial partners. Since this project is closely connected with partners, they can also become participants and set their own trajectories for the development of the school.
Reference:The grants of the "Movement of the First" are aimed at organizing and conducting project activities focused on education, development and self-realization, organizing leisure activities for children and youth in 2023. The educational work program provides the main goals and content of the Movement's activities in the interests of children and youth. It is aimed at educating and creating equal opportunities for comprehensive development, self-realization, creative and social activity of children and youth.
