The innovative Little KITEs IT Clubs, established by Kerala Infrastructure & Technology for Education (KITE) are set to commence their sub-district camps from December 27th, marking a significant advancement in the integration of Artificial Intelligence and animation in educational activities. These two-day camps, organized across various sub-districts, are a testament to the progressive approach towards technology education in schools. This year, for the first time, the camps will utilize the power of Artificial Intelligence in their curriculum, engaging the participants in comprehensive activities spanning the realms of AI and animation. Children will harness their creativity in the animation section through various Free Software tools. They will use ‘OpenToonz’ to transform short stories into captivating animated films, employ ‘Kdenlive’ for video editing, and create dynamic 3D animation titles using ‘Blender’.
These activities are designed to ignite a passion for storytelling and digital creativity in young minds. The programming section will not fall short in excitement and learning opportunities. It includes developing games using PictoBlox software, crafting an AI-powered sorting machine, and innovating practical applications such as a face-recognizing door and a sleep-alert system for drivers. These projects underscore the practical application of AI and programming skills. The initiative involves a staggering number of 1.8 lakh members across 2,174 Little Kites units in public schools in Kerala.
Following school-level camps in September, which engaged 60,000 students, the most promising 15,000 have been chosen to participate in these sub-district camps. “The infrastructure for these camps includes 272 training centers, staffed by a dedicated team of 1,400 trainers”. KITE Chief Executive Officer K. Anvar Sadath said. He highlighted that the selected students from these sub-district camps would have further opportunities to showcase their talents at district and state-level camps. This initiative is a leap forward in integrating cutting-edge technologies into the educational framework, preparing students for academic success and a future where technology plays a central role.