Why Summer Camps Should Introduce Creative Technologies
Working at a summer camp in Australia was one of the greatest times in my life; seeing Brisbane for the first time was an experience I’ll never forget and one day hope to try again. Let me start off by saying that I have absolutely no problem with the activities summer camps currently offer, many of which I consider essential such as physical and survival activities.
But I also believe that there is something crucial missing from what summer camps offer young people, and that’s the encouragement of their creative spirit. It could be due to a lack of resources, but summer camps would benefit greatly from a broader range of activities, tools, and technologies available to camp dwellers.
This is something that didn’t occur to me until long after I’d arrived home. Around this time, Apple announced its own incarnation of summer camp, providing a three day workshop to teach children aged 8 to 12 about technology, as well as filmmaking, recording music, and designing webpages using all its own software. The idea is inspired as it covers an aspect of activities for young people which differ from what is traditionally available whilst teaching valuable skills.
I believe many traditional summer camps should be looking to expand what is on offer to young people, providing a mix of both physical activities and utilising creative technologies to provide alternative learning. It can be argued that learning skills in technology at an early age provides experience which can be applied within a professional setting, and could therefore be considered a very worthwhile addition to a summer camp syllabus.
The addition of creative technologies would also create a new class of summer camp jobs, opening up a whole new range of possibilities for people with special skills in computing, filmmaking, and design as just a few examples. What’s most important is that young people at camp are given a choice and have enough support to explore these choices further. Providing enough resources to make the camp experience fully inclusive and flexible could encourage more young people to try it.
It could very well be the case that some young people aren’t interested in interacting with computers whilst in an amazing environment such as Australia or America that’s just waiting to be explored. It should also be encouraged that camp dwellers make the most of both opportunities, using the technology available to them to interact with their environments. Whatever they choose, the emphasis should on the freedom of that choice and how a summer camp can further develop the skills on offer.
Summer camps are often viewed as a digital detox, disconnecting yourself from the world of internet and social media in order to reconnect with the real world. For some children, this may seem like a good idea as an effort to stem the problems of constant connectivity and oversharing on social media. However, completely disconnecting a young person from technology seems like the wrong way to accomplish this. If we want successful results, we need to that technology can be used to create value and accomplish creative endeavours, as opposed to solely consuming content.
With the addition of creative technologies, everyone benefits. Summer camps have access to a wider range of resources to educate and entertain young people that stay with them. Young people get to learn invaluable skills and have access to a wider range of activities. Ultimately, I believe if a balance can be struck between the use of technology and physical activity, summer camp can become an even more amazing experience for all involved.
But I also believe that there is something crucial missing from what summer camps offer young people, and that’s the encouragement of their creative spirit. It could be due to a lack of resources, but summer camps would benefit greatly from a broader range of activities, tools, and technologies available to camp dwellers.
This is something that didn’t occur to me until long after I’d arrived home. Around this time, Apple announced its own incarnation of summer camp, providing a three day workshop to teach children aged 8 to 12 about technology, as well as filmmaking, recording music, and designing webpages using all its own software. The idea is inspired as it covers an aspect of activities for young people which differ from what is traditionally available whilst teaching valuable skills.
I believe many traditional summer camps should be looking to expand what is on offer to young people, providing a mix of both physical activities and utilising creative technologies to provide alternative learning. It can be argued that learning skills in technology at an early age provides experience which can be applied within a professional setting, and could therefore be considered a very worthwhile addition to a summer camp syllabus.
The addition of creative technologies would also create a new class of summer camp jobs, opening up a whole new range of possibilities for people with special skills in computing, filmmaking, and design as just a few examples. What’s most important is that young people at camp are given a choice and have enough support to explore these choices further. Providing enough resources to make the camp experience fully inclusive and flexible could encourage more young people to try it.
It could very well be the case that some young people aren’t interested in interacting with computers whilst in an amazing environment such as Australia or America that’s just waiting to be explored. It should also be encouraged that camp dwellers make the most of both opportunities, using the technology available to them to interact with their environments. Whatever they choose, the emphasis should on the freedom of that choice and how a summer camp can further develop the skills on offer.
Summer camps are often viewed as a digital detox, disconnecting yourself from the world of internet and social media in order to reconnect with the real world. For some children, this may seem like a good idea as an effort to stem the problems of constant connectivity and oversharing on social media. However, completely disconnecting a young person from technology seems like the wrong way to accomplish this. If we want successful results, we need to that technology can be used to create value and accomplish creative endeavours, as opposed to solely consuming content.
With the addition of creative technologies, everyone benefits. Summer camps have access to a wider range of resources to educate and entertain young people that stay with them. Young people get to learn invaluable skills and have access to a wider range of activities. Ultimately, I believe if a balance can be struck between the use of technology and physical activity, summer camp can become an even more amazing experience for all involved.
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