Hack the ROM

Applications are open

Hack the ROM engages Grades 4-10 Indigenous students and their peers throughout Northern and Southern Ontario. Presented in partnership with celebrated game studio Ubisoft Toronto, this cohort-based sessional program builds students’ digital literacy skills through the development of digital media projects inspired by the Indigenous Ancestors at ROM.

Participating classes regularly engage with staff and resources at ROM throughout this five-month program. ROM Indigenous Museum Educators (IMEs) use the Indigenous Ancestors and cultural belongings housed in the Daphne Cockwell Gallery dedicated to First Peoples art & culture as a vehicle to help participants learn more about Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. ROM Makerspace Technicians (MSTs) and Ubisoft mentors work with participants to develop their digital literacy skills such as computational thinking, coding, and design, and guide them in integrating these Indigenous knowledges into their digital projects. Each session culminates with a showcase to celebrate the students' projects, progress, and growth..

Hack the ROM connects to multiple strands of the Ontario curriculum, helps build important 21st century competencies, and responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. A detailed document with direct links to the curriculum is available to participating teachers.

Hack the ROM is available in two sessions annually: September/October to January, and February/March to June.

Participation Criteria

Further develop their capacity to teach Indigenous content respectfully and without appropriating;

Expand their awareness of Indigenous-produced resources and professional networks to support their teaching;

Show a keen interest in the use of technology and further develop their digital literacy skills, specifically to design, code, iterate, and debug digital media projects, in order to support student learning;

Commit to the five-month program for their class and establish Hack the ROM as one of their core curricular activities for the duration of the program;

Schedule at least 2 hours per week of class time for students to learn and develop their Hack the ROM projects;

Engage fully with their students during all visits with ROM and Ubisoft.

Participate in program evaluation during the school day, about their experience;

Respond to communications with ROM's team in a timely manner (within 2-3 business days) during the school day;

Seek local input from knowledge carriers and technology support for student projects, where possible.

Before applying, please review the Participation Criteria below and contact Leslie McCue, Manager, Indigenous Learning & Programs, at lmccue@rom.on.ca for more information. As this program prioritizes Indigenous students, preference will be given to classes with self-identified Indigenous students.

2019-2020

Participants: