'Future Lab' program run with Seongnam education office

Coding, prototyping offered to elementary, middle and high school students

Smilegate Future Lab announced Tuesday it will run a digital maker education program for youth in Seongnam in partnership with the Gyeonggi Province Seongnam Office of Education. [Provided by Smilegate]
Smilegate Future Lab announced Tuesday it will run a digital maker education program for youth in Seongnam in partnership with the Gyeonggi Province Seongnam Office of Education. [Provided by Smilegate]

Smilegate Future Lab announced Tuesday it will run a digital maker education program for youth in Seongnam, in partnership with the Gyeonggi Province Seongnam Office of Education.

The program combines Future Lab's creative education content with the local education office's regional resources, giving students hands-on experience in problem-solving through digital technology and career exploration.

It consists of two tracks: "Futurebee Makeathon," targeting students from second-year middle school through first-year high school, and "Futurebee Challenge," aimed at fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students.

Both tracks are tailored to their respective age groups and guide participants through the full process — from identifying problems and developing ideas to coding and building prototypes. A key feature is the emphasis on using digital technology not merely as a subject of study, but as a practical tool for solving real-life problems.

The Futurebee Makeathon runs for two days beginning Thursday. Students will identify everyday problems related to the UN SDGs and use micro:bit, a compact coding device, to build prototype solutions. The curriculum covers sensors, data control, design thinking and coding, and concludes with team presentations and peer evaluations.

The Futurebee Challenge runs every Wednesday from Aug. 19 through Sept. 16, for a total of five sessions. Participants will document problems they observe in daily life and develop solutions using Octo Studio, a mobile coding application created by the MIT Media Lab.

"Bringing together a company's creative education expertise and a local education office's network has made it possible for young people in Seongnam to experience creative problem-solving firsthand," said Oh Suk-hyun, head of Smilegate Future Lab. "We will keep expanding this model of future education collaboration that grows alongside local communities."


woo@heraldcorp.com