The Digital Enterprise Academy is a Mobile Makerspace and STEM enrichment space for kids and teens. We provide an immersive open space that encourages creativity through exploration with the latest technology and STEM educational tools in DC Public Schools, Libraries, and Community Spaces. Our workshops and spaces have been uniquely designed to spark the natural curiosity and problem solving abilities in all of us.
Clairvoya was founded in 2013 by Randy Wilkins, Founder, Executive Director & CEO. The Digital Enterprise Academy Mobile Makerspace was created in 2016 with the aim of preparing young people for digital technology jobs for the 21st century job market.
You can contact Randy Wilkins, Executive Director / CEO at rwilkins@deacademy.org
The Digital Enterprise Academy Mobile Makerspace was created to bring the makerspace experience to you. We custom design and bring a fully functional innovative space to your school, library, or community organization. You can contact Randy Wilkins at rwilkins@deacademy.org to make arrangements to bring our innovative space to you.
It depends on the program. We typically work with young people between the ages of 7 to 17 years old.
Yes, we provide programs year round, including holidays.
Absolutely, we provide volunteer opportunities for parents and guardians to volunteer in our programs, as well as, a new and innovative program called STEMP, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Parents. This program was designed with parents in mind to keep them engaged with what their child is learning.
You may have to make arrangements with your local school to see what their school policy is as it related to volunteering in your kid’s school.
Rates are set by what makerspace program you choose to bring to your school, library, or community organization. Please contact us at info@deacademy.org for pricing information.
With the total size of the digital economy expected to be about $20.4 trillion in 2015, both low and high-income countries are reexamining their skills development polices to ensure that youth are fully equipped for employability.
The digital economy holds significant potential for creating formal jobs that are accessible to historically marginalized youth.
The Digital Enterprise Academy believes we are failing to grasp the opportunity that the digital economy presents. The demand for tech skills is outpacing the ability of our education system and the educators to provide for it. This in turn is rapidly opening a digital divide that is holding back our economy and our young people. We need to change this. We are in a digital communications revolution that is inspired through smart phones, tablets and other gadgets in a way textbooks never could. This potential must be seized. We must increasingly attract young people to science and technology and we must ensure the opportunities are there for them.
We want to help young people to make things so that they can become the inventors, creators, and makers of tomorrow. Digital making, STEAM, project-based learning, and tinkering are at the core of our teaching philosophy, which can be summed up simply as ‘we learn best by doing’.
The Digital Enterprise Academy's Makerspace is a place where young people can come and learn not just coding, but new digital technologies and learn digital making.
Digital making skills include, but are not limited to:
The Digital Enterprise Academy Curriculum is a self-paced curriculum. Our curriculum is an innovative learning framework that incorporates specific learning outcomes and knowledge skills that align with young people’s skill-sets and passions. In this way, the Digital Enterprise Academy’s curriculum emphasizes learning as a process that cannot be determined by a young person’s IQ.
Learning also isn’t confined the classroom, nor is it restricted by age. That’s an important part of the maker mindset. We learn best by doing. Using our hands, and by following our passions for creating something.
If you want young people to make, then respect the beauty of it. We do not stifle making with processes and methods and measurability. We trust our young makers, no matter how young they are. We do not focus on short term utility, but focus on growth of the young person. We give inspiration to young people to learn in their own ways. Then it will become useful on its own. And many of the 21st century digital skills have already been a big part of education anyway. Embrace it.
We Use Rich, Multi-faceted Assessments of Understanding. Students are assessed differently depending on their ability level. In all cases, we assess both practical understanding (how-to) as well as conceptual (what and why) understanding. Students demonstrate what they've learned by solving challenges independently, translating code into English, explaining their problem-solving process, helping peers troubleshoot, and presenting completed projects.