<p>Irene teaches the introductory lessons to graphic design. She explains how students can use Inkscape to create vector graphics.</p>

Specialist Educator

<p>We teach graphic design with a vector editor called Inkscape. Vector editors like Inkscape and Adobe Illustrator have too many features to teach in one class. Now I’m introducing students to the bezier tool. The bezier tool is how you normally make curves, but you can also use it to trace images.</p><p>I try to teach students new things in a way that’s motivating to them. So when I teach the bezier tool, I first demonstrate how to trace a picture of a teddy bear with the bezier tool. Then I ask the students what they would like to trace.</p><p>In one of our schools, Zawadi Yetu, there is a 5th grader named Brian Ogutu. Ogutu’s favorite cartoon character is called Ghekko. Ogutu says that Ghekko is his favorite because he’s brave and strong.</p><p>So in graphics class today, Ogutu found a picture of Ghekko on google. After pasting it into his Inkscape working space, he traced his favorite cartoon character using the bezier tool. By the end of class, he had created a really nice drawing.</p>

Learning Bezier Curves in Zawadi Yetu - Specialist Educator Irene Sheey Teaches Relatable Digital Skills

<p>Zawadi students traced pictures of their favorite cartoon characters this week. They are learning use the bezier tool, which is how vector graphics are created.</p>

Learning Bezier Curves in Zawadi Yetu

Zawadi Yetu

<p>Nelly Cheboi is a celebrated social entrepreneur, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/nelly-cheboi/?sh=179de9a85764" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forbes 30 under 30</a> honoree, and<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/14/world/education-technology-recycling-kenya-poverty-cnnheroes/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> CNN Hero</a>. After growing up in rural Kenya and lifting her family out of poverty, she focused on her community.</p>

CEO | CNN Hero | Forbes Under 30

<p>Every Thursday, we all gather around on Zoom to share stories from the classroom. Every educator writes a story to share from their week about student achievement.</p>

Classroom Stories | TechLit Africa

Stories From The Classroom

Inkscape

Graphic Design

<p>Every time we resume from a short break we come up with new ways of perfecting our specialty.</p><p>Getting students to do projects based on various specialties opens great fields of ideas and enhances creativity.</p><p>Ivy Jerop is a fourth grader who wants to be a doctor.</p><p>She drew a list of tools that she may need as a doctor. She drew a syringe, some med tablets, and separated reception from consultation room.</p><p>"Its part of my project for the term" she said. She did a bit of colouring and naming. "Nikikuja next time ntachora ile nomma," which means that when she comes in next she will draw her tools in a better way.</p>

Student Imagines Her Future Office | TechLit Africa

<p>A fourth grader in Saint Mary's school wants to become a doctor. So this week we had her imagine what her office would look like in Inkscape.</p>

Saint Mary's

Student Imagines Her Future Office

<h2>Hussein The Artist</h2><p>Hussein, a seventh grader at Saint Mary has been the best designer amongst all my students so far.&nbsp;</p><p>He knew about inkscape and vectors even before I introduced it to his class. So Hussien has been taking any opportunity he gets to come to the computer lab. For example if he has a free lesson in class, instead of staying in class like his classmates, he would come to TechLit lab and offer to help teach. </p><h2>Following Your Passion</h2><p>“So, Irene, because I am already an artist, how can I benefit from my talent? ” he asked shortly after I introduced vector art to his class.</p><p>I told him all about graphic designers and how they are crucial in so many companies. From designing logos to even fonts. I also went on to explain free lance, how he can have his own agency and be self-employed designing logos for people. </p><p>He was so happy to hear that. “I can’t wait to benefit from my designs.” He said and went on to design really cool hats, shoes and even abstract art.</p>

7th Grader from Saint Mary's Primary Is An Artist With a Bright Future | Motivating Conversation with Irene Sheey About Future Opportunities

<p>This week, I shared all the possible things one can do with Graphic Design talents. Hussen, a Seventh Grader in Saint Mary's Primary was inspired and hopeful about his future as an artist.</p>

Future Designer from Saint Mary's

<h2>The Magic of Specialty Projects</h2><p>We teach specialty subjects in TechLit classes to inspire students to create with computers and discover their passions. The specialty that I teach is Graphic Design, where students use Inkscape vector editor to create different designs from their own ideas.</p><h2>Jepkemoi Leads Her Class</h2><p>Jepkemoi, a fourth grader showed great interest during design classes. She's been the best throughout from the very first time I did introduction. She's been guiding her fellow students.</p><h2>Expressing Self-Efficacy</h2><p>On her previous lesson she designed a car. She said that she will buy her mother and herself one when she finishes school.</p>

Designing a Car and Sharing a Vision of the Future | Grade 4 Student Shaping Her Worldview Through Computer Classes

<p>A Grade 4 student, Jepkemoi, has been leading her class every time I come to teach Graphic Design. This week, she designed a car and explained how she will buy one for her mother and herelf when she finished school.</p>

Self-Efficacy through Graphic Design | TechLit Africa

Self-Efficacy through Graphic Design

<p>Inkscape vectors have been among the specialties that we teach students. Designing using Inkscape has been interesting to many students. Ekai, a grade 3 student at Barrina Primary school has been doing great design and coming up with new ideas every time. It has been an interesting activity to him and he kept saying that he will be a designer.</p>

Self-Efficacy Development with Grade 3 Student | Ekai Can Become a Designer | Graphic Design Class Teaches Digital Skills with Inkscape Vector Editor

<p>Ekai, a grade 3 student at Barrina Primary school has been doing great design and coming up with new ideas everytime. It has been an interesting activity to him and he kept saying that he will be a designer.</p>

Ekai - Grade 3 - Will Be A Designer

Barina Primary

<h2>Intrinsic Motivation Is Best</h2><p>Giving students ideas and also asking them to get their own ideas is ideal. This week I was introducing primary school students to Inkscape at Mogotio Primary school, and found an example of a student that came with his own idea.</p><h2>Motivated To Practice Digital Skills</h2><p>A Grade 6 student in Mogotio Primary school called Nibeyo came in with his own idea written on a paper. It was a sketch of a person.</p><h2>Learning To Learn (Failure Is The Beginning)</h2><p>The first 5 minutes he kept on trying to design what he had drawn on a paper on Inkscape. It all seemed complicated for him, he the decided that he will draw a truck. That is what he then did the entire class.</p>

Mogotio Primary Grade 6 Student Intrinsically Motivated to Create Digital Art Fails and Recovers By Creating Something Else

<p>I am always looking for students who come to class with their own ideas of what to create. This week, a Grade 6 student in Mogotio Primary school wanted to create his drawing in Inkscape, and had to overcome failure.</p>

Overcoming Failure in Computer Class

<h2>Improving Inkscape Classes</h2><p>To make my Inkscape classes better, I've been giving kids options on what they can design. As I was doing intro at Dreams Hills Academy, I gave several options, one of them being a house.</p><h2>Joyline from Dreams Hills Primary</h2><p>There was a grade 2 student Joyline. From the very 1st minute, of their class after I had done the intro, she was trying and struggling to make a house. She kept asking me questions. "How can I make a house?" "How can I paint different parts with different colors?"</p><h2>Enabling Creativity</h2><p>I showed Joyline how to use the fill bucket, which most kids found too difficult. At first,</p><p>she make a sketch of a flower. As she was drawing, it seems she got another idea about how to make her work nice. She deleted everything and designed a house and it's surrounding.</p>

Student Happily Creates Art with Inkscape in TechLit Africa Design Class at Dreams Hills Primary | Learning Basics Enabled Creativity 

<p>A Grade 2 student from Dreams Hills Primary school wanted to make a house in Inkscape this week. I showed her how to use the fill tool and she worked happily for the rest of class. </p>

Enabling Creativity at Dreams Hills

Dreams Hills

<h2>Introducing Graphic Design</h2><p>As a specialist educator at TechLit, my job is to introduce students to Graphic Design with Inkscape. During my first intro lesson at Barrina Primary, I gave an example of a school logo on one of the kids' sweaters.</p><h2>Exploration and Creativity</h2><p>So today, one of the students came in with an idea that he was going to make one of their own school. Throughout the whole lesson, he was just serious, concentrating, trying to design a logo. He was also the same student that explored stars today and realized that one can get a triangle from a star.</p><h2>Focus and Determination</h2><p>Since he only concentrated on his design he was mean and did not want to show the others, he found it a waste of time. So I had to myself. At least finally he made something. He left saying "<strong>nikirudi next time bado ntaendelea</strong>" <em>(I'll just have to continue when I return.)</em> He saved his work.</p>

Teaching Creative Digital Skills to Students at Barrina Primary | One Student Is Focused and Determined to Create without Sharing

<p>I'm the graphic design specialist at TechLit now, so I'm introducing students to how they can make their own designs with Inkscape. Today, one student was very focused on his own work and didn't want to share. He is very good at completing designs and saving his work.</p>

Learning to Focus with Graphic Design | TechLit Africa

Learning to Focus with Graphic Design

Irene Kemboi

<p>Tyler Cinnamon is a American programmer and entrepreneur. He started TechLit Africa with Nelly Cheboi in 2018 to disrupt poverty with used IT devices.</p>

Founder & COO

Graphic Design Specialty | Introduction to Inkscape | Teaching Digital Skills and Self-Efficacy in Kenya Primary Schools

Posts by Author: Irene Kemboi