Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Some young developers have won prizes, including cash, scholarships, and paid internships, at the maiden multi-country hackathon organised by GoMyCode Nigeria themed Upside Education.
It was to encourage participants to explore ways of using new technologies to create a parallel universe of educational methods that could merge virtual and face-to-face learning methods to optimize learning and make it effective, beneficial and enjoyable for both instructors and students.
The leading edtech platform in Africa held the programme simultaneously in five countries during the weekend of October 15 to 16.
The Nigerian edition was held at GoMyCode Nigeria’s newly opened Hackerspace on Herbert Macaulay Way Yaba. More than 100 aspiring and experienced developers attended the event, with just under 10 participating in the actual competition.
They worked on and presented different ideas ranging from apps that foster greater learning collaboration to platforms that rethink assessments and testing, innovative learning tracks for kids to learn coding, virtual learning assistants and a social and gamified learning platform.
The awards recognized the top three participants with the most viable ideas to solve e-learning challenges in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond.
The first prize winner, Confidence Bassey, created an immensely collaborative study app that could be a game changer for university students just returning to school after a protracted strike. The second-prize winner, Uwabunkeonye Ijeoma Benedicta, created a program for kids of all age groups to learn coding concepts. The design reflected a deep understanding of her target audience and took into cognisance issues parents, and guardians worry about when they choose to expose their wards to e-learning. Abudullahi Fahm, the 3rd prize winner, created a video learning platform that can aid collaborative learning.
The trio emerged after a rigorous 36-hour hacking session, and a presentation to a distinguished jury made up of industry experts from Mara, Renmoney and Topcoder, three organizations that supported GoMyCode Nigeria with the hackathon.
Speaking at the event, the General Manager of GoMyCode Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Olaifa, urged the participants to continue to find new ways to use technology to solve Africa’s most pressing problems, particularly in education.
He said, “Africa needs change makers, pioneers, future thinkers and dreamers. We need people that can make a difference in whatever sphere they find themselves in”.
